Lenten Services,
Friday, April 4, 2008
Part 3: Matins and Vespers
TRIODIONFOURTH WEEK OF LENT FRIDAY MATINS (After the 2nd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN (by Joseph) TONE 4 THE PRECIOUS CROSS STANDS HERE BEFORE US,SANCTIFYING THE SEASON OF ABSTINENCE.
AS WE VENERATE IT TODAY, LET US CRY ALOUD:MASTER AND LOVER OF MANKIND,WITH ITS AID GRANT US TO PASS IN COMPUNCTION THROUGH THE REST OF THE FAST,//THAT WE MAY BEHOLD YOUR LIFE-GIVING PASSION BY WHICH WE ARE REDEEMED! GLORY... THE PRECIOUS CROSS STANDS HERE BEFORE US... NOW AND EVER... CHRIST, BEGOTTEN FROM THE UNORIGINATE FATHER,WHEN THE MOTHER WHO BORE YOU IN THE LAST DAYSSAW YOU HANGING ON THE CROSS, SHE CRIED OUT LAMENTING:WOE IS ME, MY WELL-BELOVED JESUS!MY SON, GLORIFIED AS GOD BY THE ANGELS,HOW ARE YOU CRUCIFIED NOW OF YOUR OWN WILL BY LAWLESS MEN?//I SING YOUR PRAISES, LONGSUFFERING LORD! (After the 3rd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN TONE 4 BEHOLDING NOW YOUR HOLY CROSS, O CHRIST,THE LIGHT OF OUR SOULS,WE VENERATE IT JOYFULLY AND CRY OUT WITH GLADNESS:GLORY TO YOU, FOR IT WAS YOUR WILL TO BE RAISED UPON THE CROSS!GLORY TO YOU, FOR BY THE CROSS HAS GIVEN LIGHT TO ALL CREATION!//THROUGH THE CROSS WE GLORIFY YOU IN NEVER-ENDING HYMNS! GLORY... BEHOLDING NOW YOUR HOLY CROSS, O CHRIST... NOW AND EVER... WHEN YOUR VIRGIN MOTHER SAW YOU RAISED UPON THE CROSS,WITH A MOTHER'S GRIEF, WORD OF GOD, SHE CRIED:WHAT IS THIS NEW AND STRANGE WONDER, O MY SON?HOW CAN YOU SUFFER DEATH, LIFE OF ALL?//IT IS BECAUSE IN YOUR COMPASSION YOU WILL TO BRING THE DEAD TO LIFE!FOURTH WEEK OF LENT TRIODION FRIDAY MATINS APOSTIKHA TONE 4 SINCE YOU ARE THE TRUTH, THE KNOWER OF MYSTERIES,YOU CONDEMNED THE PHARISEE CONQUERED BY VANITY,BUT YOU JUSTIFIED THE PUBLICAN HUMBLED BY COMPUNCTION.CRUCIFIED LORD, SHOW US IMITATORS OF THE LATTER'S REPENTANCE,//AND GRANT US SINCE YOU ARE THE TRUTH... WHO WILL NOT MARVEL AT YOUR TASKS, HOLY MARTYRS?HOW IN THE FLESH YOU DEFEATED THE BODILESS ENEMY.YOU CONFESSED CHRIST, BEING ARMED WITH THE CROSS,TRULY DRIVING DEMONS AWAY,DEFEATING THE EVIL ONE!//PRAY UNCEASINGLY THAT OUR SOULS MAY BE SAVED! GNE... TONE 8 TODAY, THE LORD OF GLORY, THE MASTER OF CREATIONIS NAILED TO THE CROSS AND HIS SIDE IS PIERCED.HE WHO IS THE SWEET DRINK OF THE CHURCH TASTES GALL AND VINEGAR!THE ONE WHO CROWNED THE HEAVENS IS CROWNED WITH THORNS;HE IS VESTED IN A ROBE OF MOCKERY.THE CREATOR OF THE EARTH IS STRUCK WITH HUMAN HANDS.HE ACCEPTS SCOURGING, SPITTING AND BUFFETING,ALL FOR THE SAKE OF ME, WHO STAND CONDEMNED!HE IS MY COMPASSIONATE DELIVERER AND GOD,//WHO SAVES THE WORLD FROM DECEIT! TRIODIONFOURTH WEEK OF LENT FRIDAY SIXTH HOUR TROPARION OF THE PROPHECY TONE 6 BEFORE YOUR CROSSWE BOW DOWN IN WORSHIP, O MASTER,//AND YOUR HOLY RESURRECTION, WE GLORIFY! PROKEIMENON OF THE PROPHECY TONE 6 HE IS BOUNTIFUL VERSE: Give ear, people, to my teaching! READING FROM THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH 29:13-23 PROKEIMENON TONE 5 HELP US * O GOD OUR SAVIOR! VERSE: O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance! TRIODIONFOURTH WEEK OF LENT FRIDAY VESPERS "LORD I CALL..." TONE 7 BY MY PASSIONS, I HAVE RUINED MY SOUL'S NOBILITY.LIKE A BEAST, I CANNOT LOOK UP TO YOU, MOST HIGH.BUT BOWING LOW, O CHRIST, I PRAY LIKE THE PUBLICAN,CRYING://HAVE MERCY ON ME, O GOD, AND SAVE ME. TRIODIONFOURTH WEEK OF LENT FRIDAY VESPERS PROKEIMENON TONE 4 LISTEN, SHEPHERD OF ISRAEL VERSE: Manifest Yourself, enthroned on the cherubim. READING PROKEIMENON TONE 4 REJOICE IN GOD, * OUR HELPER. VERSE: Raise a song; sound the timbrel! READING