se.m04.d11.pl2

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Triodion

On Wednesday of the Fourth Week at Vespers

Menaion - April 11

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THE DIVINE LITURGY OF PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS

On Wednesday Evening of the Fourth Week 2024

From the Triodion.

Sticheron Idiomelon. Mode 4.

Bring my soul out of prison to give thanks to Your name, O Lord. [SAAS]

Lent, that procurer of blessings, has now reached its midpoint; it has been pleasing to God in the preceding days, and it promises benefits in the days to come. Indeed the longer we do good deeds, the greater the benefits will be. So, as we continue pleasing Christ, the Giver of all that is good, let us cry out to Him, “We pray You, who for our sake fasted and endured the Cross, grant that we may live peacefully, and without condemnation participate in Your divine Pascha, worthily glorifying You and the Father and the Spirit.” [SD]

Sticheron Idiomelon. Mode pl. 1.

The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me. [SAAS]

Those who do virtuous deeds in secret, and anticipate spiritual rewards for them, do not advertise them publicly. On the contrary, they store them within their hearts; and He who sees what is done in secret gives us our wages for our self-control. So let us fast, but not with downcast faces; rather, praying in the inner rooms of our souls, let us unceasingly cry aloud, “Our Father, who art in heaven, we pray You, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” [SD]

For the Martyrs.

Mode pl. 1.

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. [SAAS]

Refusing to deny Christ, O holy Martyrs, you endured the various painful tortures with an insatiable willingness of soul. You humbled the impudence of the tyrants, having kept your faith steadfast and invulnerable, and you were translated to heaven. Since you therefore have obtained confidence before the Lord, entreat Him that great mercy be granted to us. [SD]

Stichera Prosomia. By Joseph.

Mode 1. O Martyrs, extolled.

Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. [SAAS]

With fasting like water, let us all * wash our souls and make them clean, and let us come to the church today and venerate with faith * the august and precious * Cross of Christ our Lord and God, * and draw illumination divine from it, and also reap the fruits * of salvation for eternity, * and divine peace, * as well as the great mercy. [SD]

Mode 1. O Martyrs, extolled.

If You, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand? For there is forgiveness with You. [SAAS]

O Cross, the Apostles’ pride and joy, * you are constantly surrounded by the Powers and Archangels and Principalities. * We who venerate you * pray that you will keep us safe from injury, and grant us to keep the holy season of the fast, * so that we may reach the saving day, * holy Pascha, * by which we are being saved. [SD]

Another. By Theodore.

Grave Mode. Judas today is vigilant.

Because of Your law, O Lord, I waited for You; my soul waited for Your word. My soul hopes in the Lord. [SAAS]

Venerating the Cross of the Master today, let us cry aloud: * Tree of life, and destroyer of Hades, we salute you. * Rejoice, universal joy, remover of corruption. * Rejoice, for you drive away the demons by your power. * The believers’ firm support, the shield that is shatter-proof: * we entreat you, keep us safe * and sanctify us venerating you today. [SD]

Stichera. For the Saint.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 2. Joseph took You down.

Ὅτε ἐκ τοῦ ξύλου.

From the morning watch until night; from the morning watch until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. [SAAS]

Richly from the never-empty well * of that Bosom Friend and God’s Preacher you drew abundant grace * of true knowledge of the Savior Christ, O Hierarch. * And you gave it abundantly * in turn to all people, * following along the path of an Apostle’s peer. * Therefore since with him you have access * to our God, together entreat Him * on behalf of all of us who sing your praise. [SD]

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption; and He shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions. [SAAS]

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise Him, all you peoples. [SAAS]

After you had led a goodly life, * and amassed the virtues like riches, you then departed and went * to the Lord through martyrdom; and you were full of good deeds, * like the patriarch Abraham, * devout St. Antipas. * Therefore you rejoiced as you received superior * glory with the Savior’s Apostles. * And you now entreat Him in earnest * for us who with faith extol your martyrdom. [SD]

For His mercy rules over us; and the truth of the Lord endures forever. [SAAS]

You have from the most abundant gifts * of the Holy Spirit the grace of performing healings and cures. * Therefore we entreat you, O Antipas, visit and heal * the diseases and illnesses * of our souls and bodies; * mitigate our suffering, alleviate all the pain; * rescue us from hardship and danger, * as on this your commemoration * we extol you, glorifying Christ the Lord. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Mode pl. 4.

For the Cross.

Today, He who is unapproachable in His essence becomes approachable to me; and He is suffering the Passion, thus freeing me from the passions. He who gives sight to the blind is spit on by lawless lips, and He takes a whipping on the back for the sake of us captives. When His pure Mother saw Him on the Cross, in pain she uttered, “Woe is me, my Child! Why have You done this! You who are more beautiful than all men, I see You not breathing, unsightly, without form or beauty. Woe is me, my Light! I cannot bear to see You sleeping. I am wounded to the core, and an awful sword is piercing my heart. I extol Your Passion, I worship Your compassion. O longsuffering Lord, glory to You!” [SD]

DEACON

Wisdom. Arise.

READER

Gladsome light of holy glory of the holy, blessed, heavenly, immortal Father, O Jesus Christ: arriving at the hour of sunset and having seen the evening light, we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. It is worthy for You to be praised at all times with happy voices, O Son of God and Giver of life; * and therefore the world glorifies You.

The Readings

DEACON

The evening…

From Triodion - - -

READER

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

Psalm 71 (72).

Blessed is the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.

O God, give Your judgments to the King. [SAAS]

The reading is from the book of Genesis.

DEACON

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

Gn 9:18-29, 10:1

Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated. Then Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard. So he drank of the wine and was drunk and naked in his house. Now Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walking backwards they covered their father’s nakedness. Since their faces were turned away, they did not see his nakedness. Thus when Noah became sober and knew what his younger son had done to him, he said: “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.” He also said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the habitations of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant as well.” Now Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood. So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died. Now this is the genealogy of Noah’s sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and sons were born to them after the flood. [SAAS]

Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

Psalm 72 (73).

But as for me, it is good to cling to God.

How good God is to Israel, to the upright in heart. [SAAS]

READER (sung)

Command!

The Priest holds a lit candle in his right hand with the censer hanging below it, stands before the holy Table, gestures crosswise and says:

PRIEST

Wisdom. Arise.

Then he turns to face the people, blesses them crosswise with the candle, and says:

The light of Christ shines on all.

Then he hands the candle and the censer to the acolyte.

READER

The reading is from the Proverbs of Solomon.

DEACON

Wisdom. Let us be attentive.

READER

Pr 12:25-31, 13:1-10

A man of understanding is a throne of perception, but the heart of the undiscerning will meet with curses. The hand of the chosen shall prevail easily, but the deceitful shall be for captivity. A fearful word troubles the heart of a righteous man, but a good message makes him glad. A righteous arbiter shall be his own friend, but the decisions of the ungodly are unreasonable. Evil things shall pursue sinners, and the way of the ungodly will lead them astray. A deceitful man will not gain his prey, but a pure man is a precious possession. In the ways of righteousness there is life, but the ways of remembering wrongs are unto death. An astute son is obedient to his father, but a disobedient son is for destruction. A good man eats from the fruits of righteousness, but the souls of the lawless will destroy themselves before their time. He who guards his mouth keeps his own soul, but he who is hasty with his lips will dismay himself. Every idle man has desire, but the hands of the courageous are diligent. A righteous man hates an unrighteous word, but an ungodly man is ashamed and will not have confidence. Righteousness guards the simple, but sin makes the ungodly worthless. There are those with nothing who make themselves rich, and there are those, though very rich, who humble themselves. The ransom of a man’s soul is his own wealth, but the poor man does not withstand a threat. Light is with the righteous continually, but the light of the ungodly is extinguished. Deceitful souls are led astray in sins, but the righteous have compassion and are merciful. [SAAS]

PRIEST

Peace be with you.

(Go back to the Presanctified Liturgy booklet.)