Presanctified Liturgy: Thursday in the 2nd Week
1st & 2nd Findings of the
Head of the Forerunner
Tone 5:
Our
first parents did not fast from the Tree of Knowledge, /
as
the Creator had commanded them; /
and
because of their disobedience /
they
harvested the fruit of death, /
being
banished from the Tree of Life /
and
the delight of Paradise. /
Therefore,
O ye faithful, let us fast from the food that perishes /
and
from the passions that destroy us, /
that
we may reap life from the divine Cross, /
returning
with the Good Thief to our ancient fatherland //
and
receiving great mercy from Christ our God. (Twice)
Despising
every earthly thing, /
bravely
withstanding torture, /
ye
attained the blessedness for which ye hoped, /
and
were made heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, /
O
martyrs worthy of all praise. /
Since
ye have boldness before God Who loves mankind, //
pray
that peace be given to the world, and to our souls
great mercy.
Tone 4:
Pierced
in Thy side and hung upon the Tree, /
Thou
hast poured out life upon me, /
who
was slain by the malice of the serpent by eating from the Tree. /
Therefore I glorify
Thee, O Christ, /
and
entreat Thy loving-kindness: /
grant
me with compunction to complete the Fast, /
and
to venerate Thy Passion and Thy Rising.
The
fruit of the Tree brought sorrow to the first-formed man,/
for
Thou hast banished him from Paradise. /
But,
nailed upon the Tree as man, O Savior, /
Thou
hast called him back to Paradise again. /
Therefore I cry out to
Thee, /
Deliverer:
Set me free from all my sorrow, /
cleansing
me by fasting, tears and penitence, /
O
most loving Jesus, the Savior of our souls.
Tone 5:
We sing the praises of Thy
life-giving Cross, O Lord, /
for it has slain death and
caused life to blossom in the world. /
And now we offer this Thy
Cross to Thee in intercession: /
in these holy days fortify
us as we fast, /
and in the multitude of
Thy mercies grant us strength against the passions //
and the victory of peace,
for Thou lovest mankind.
Rejoice, O sacred and
light-bearing head, /
venerated by the angels, /
which of old was severed by a
sword /
and cut down the shame of
impurity with sharp reproofs, /
wellspring of miracles which
giveth drink unto the faithful, /
and which proclaimeth the
saving advent of the Savior /
and of old perceived the
coming of the Spirit, /
which took up His abode in
thee /
who didst stand between the grace
of the Old and New Covenants. //
Entreat Christ God to grant
our souls great mercy! (Twice)
The head of the Forerunner, /
which once was concealed in
an earthen vessel, /
hath appeared, manifestly
given up from the bosom of the earth /
and pouring forth streams of
healing; /
for in the waters did he wash
the head of Him /
Who even now covereth the
chambers of the firmament with waters /
and raineth
down divine remission upon men. /
Wherefore, let us bless it as
truly most glorious, /
and in its discovery let us
joyously keep festival, //
entreating Christ to grant
our souls great mercy.
The head which proclaimed the
Lamb of God /
Who hath appeared in the
flesh, /
which with divine commands
/
hath declared to all the ways
of saving repentance, /
which of old denounced the
iniquity of Herod /
and was therefore severed
from its body /
and endured concealment for a
time, /
hath shone forth upon us like
a radiant sun, crying out: /
Repent ye, and in compunction
of soul submit now to Christ //
Who granteth the world great
mercy!
Glory... in Tone 6:
The divinely preserved
head, /
a treasury of divine
gifts, O Forerunner, /
hath shone forth from the
bosom of the earth; /
and we, faithfully receiving
and bowing down before it, O glorious one,/
are enriched by thee with
most glorious miracles /
and the forgiveness of our
offenses, //
O Baptist of Christ!
Both now… in the same
Tone, special melody, Having set our
every hope . . . :
As Symeon foretold, /
a sword pierced thy heart,
O all-pure Mistress, /
when thou didst behold Him
Who shone forth from thee /
at the ineffable word of
the archangel /
lifted up upon the Cross
as one condemned /
by iniquitous men, /
given gall and vinegar to
drink, /
His side pierced, /
His hand and feet
transfixed by nails; /
and, lamenting, thou didst
cry out, exclaiming maternally: //
“What is this new mystery,
O my Child most sweet?”
The 1st
Prokimenon
in the 4th Tone:
O Lord, Thy
mercy is in heaven, / and Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
Stichos: Thy righteousness is as the mountains
of God, Thy judgments are a great abyss
Reading: Genesis 5:1-24
The 2nd
Prokimenon
in the 6th Tone:
Wait on the Lord and keep
His way, / and He shall exalt thee to inherit the earth.
Stichos: Fret not thyself because of evil-doers,
nor envy them that work iniquity.
Reading: Proverbs 6:3-20
After Let
my prayer be set forth . . .:
The Epistle
Reader: In
the 7th Tone: The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord,
and shall hope in Him.
Choir: The righteous man shall be glad in the
Lord, and shall hope in Him.
Reader: For righteous art Thou in all which Thou
hast done for us.
Choir: The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord,
and shall hope in Him.
Reader: The
righteous man shall be glad in the Lord.
Choir:
And shall hope in Him.
Reader: The Reading is from
the Second Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:
[II Cor. 4:6-15 (§176).]
Reader: Alleluia in the 4th Tone.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: The righteous
man shall flourish like a palm tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be
multiplied.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Truth
is sprung up out of the earth, and righteousness hath looked down from Heaven
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia!
Gospel [Matt. 11:2-15
(§40)]
Communion verses: O
taste and see that the Lord is good. In everlasting remembrance shall the
righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!