Wednesday in the Sixth Week
MATTINS
After the first reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymns to the Cross in the Tone of the week.
After the second reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE TWO
Weighed down by many sins as by a stone, I lie in the tomb of negligence: but lead me up from there, O merciful and compassionate Lord.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
Guarded by the precious Cross of thy Son, O pure Lady and Theotokos, easily we turn aside all the assaults of the adversary. Therefore, as is right, we glorify thee, for thou art the Mother of the Light and the only hope of our souls.
After the third reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE THREE
Today dead Lazarus is buried, and his sisters sing in lamentation: but Thou, in Thy divine foreknowledge, hast predicted what should come to pass. ‘Lazarus sleeps,’ Thou hast prophesied to Thy disciples, ‘but I go to raise up him whom I created.’ Therefore we all cry to Thee: Glory to Thy mighty power.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
Thy pure and Virgin Mother, when she saw Thee hanging dead upon the Cross, O Christ, lamented with a mother’s grief and said: ‘What have the lawless and ungrateful people of the Hebrews given Thee, O my Son, in return for the many and great gifts which Thou hast granted them? I sing in praise of Thy divine self-emptying.’
The Canon
We use the Canon to the saint of the day from the Menaion, and the two three-canticled Canons from the Triodion; we sing the third Biblical Canticle.
Canticle Three
First Canon
TONE TWO
by Joseph
Irmos: O God, the husbandman of all good trees…
Through the power of the Cross strengthen my mind that is weakened by the assaults of the evil one, and guide me, O Lord, to the performance of Thy will.
Sunk in the drowsiness of sloth, I lie sleeping on the bed of pleasure. Raise me up, O Christ, and make me a worshipper at Thy Passion.
With our souls cleansed and illumined by fasting, let us make haste to meet Christ as He comes incarnate to Jerusalem.
Theotokion
O pure Virgin, who wast not burnt by the fire of the Godhead, burn up the material impulses of my passions, that I may for ever glorify Thee with faith.
Another Canon
TONE THREE
by Theodore
Irmos: O barren and infertile soul…
The death of Lazarus this day did not escape the all-seeing eye of Jesus, but He spoke of it to His disciples, crying: ‘My friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to raise him.’
‘Let us go into Judaea again,’ Thou hast said, O Lord, and Thy words filled the disciples with fear. But Thomas boldly cried aloud: ‘He is the Life, let us go also; for if we die, we shall return to life again.’
Glory be to the Father…
O Trinity one in Essence, Almighty Father, coeternal Son and Spirit of God that shares their throne, uncreated Godhead worshipped in Unity: with all mortal men we sing Thy praises.
Both now…
Theotokion
O Virgin Mother undefiled, Thou art the root of Jesse from which has sprung Christ the Flower that brings life to all on earth. Through thee we are delivered from corruption and mortality, and we all sing thy praises, O pure Lady.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Rejoice, O Zion! Now thy King comes, as the Prophet proclaimed: He is meek, and the foal of an ass carries Him in the body, though He holds all creation in His hand. Let us sing to His power.
Irmos: O barren and infertile soul, bear a crop of glorious fruit and cry with joy: Thou hast firmly established me, O God; there is none holy and none righteous save Thee, O Lord.
Canticle Eight
Irmos: The Lord of old foreshadowed…
Roll back from my humble soul, O Christ the Word, the heavy stone of grievous slothfulness, and raise me from the tomb of insensitivity, that I may glorify Thee.
In Thy divine foreknowledge and Thy tender mercy Thou hast foretold to Thy friends the death of Thy friend; and Thou hast raised him on the fourth day, to Thy praise and glory.
Thou comest again, O Christ, to Judaea, which seeks to kill Thee the Tree of Life upon the tree of the Cross; for it is Thy will to make immortal those who had been slain by eating from the tree.
Theotokion
In thee, pure Virgin, are the ways of God made manifest: for He kept thy virginity sealed after childbirth for ever.
Second Canon
Irmos: Begotten as God before all ages…
Lazarus the friend of Christ has died today: he is carried out for burial, and Martha’s companions lament in sorrow for her brother. But Christ comes to him in joy, to show the nations that He is Himself the Life of all.
Raised on high through acts of compassion, as though upon the Mount of Olives, let us make ready for the invisible coming of Christ to us, as we praise, bless and exalt Him above all for ever.
We bless the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
O Unity in three Persons, Father, Son and living Spirit, one Godhead and one Kingdom, the hosts of angels glorify Thee as the Light that never sets; and we on earth praise, bless and exalt Thee above all for ever.
Both now…
Theotokion
Behold, with all generations we call thee blessed, O Virgin undefiled, seeing the great things God has done to thee. For in ways surpassing nature thou hast borne the Maker of all, who is both God and man. Therefore we bless and exalt thee above all for ever.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
With the Children let us also go and meet Christ our God, bringing works of mercy instead of palms, and prayer in our hearts instead of branches; and let us cry: Hosanna! Bless and exalt Him above all for ever.
We praise, bless and worship the Lord…
Irmos: Begotten as God before all ages from the Father without beginning, He has in the last times clothed Himself in flesh taken from the Theotokos: O sing His praises as true man and perfect God, and bless and exalt Him above all for ever.
Canticle Nine
Irmos: Who among those born on earth has ever seen…
With fasting as his protection, Daniel stopped the mouths of wild beasts. Follow his example, O my soul, and with the aid of the Cross drive off the serpent who goes about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour every soul.
O Word of God, by Thy lifegiving word raise up my soul that is slain by sin and imprisoned in the tomb of transgression; and count me worthy to offer palms of virtue to Thee the Conqueror of death.
The Word of God the Father, whose throne is heaven and His footstool earth, enters the Holy City riding on a foal; and, as King of all, out of the mouths of babes He has appointed perfect praise.
Theotokion
O pure and most wonderful Virgin, thou only art fair among women, for thou hast conceived the Word who is fairer than all mortal men. Entreat Him, then, to make beautiful the ugliness of my heart.
Second Canon
Irmos: In the bush upon Mount Sinai…
Seeing their brother today beneath the bitter stone, the sisters of Lazarus shed tears of mourning. And from afar, my Christ, Thou hast spoken of this to Thine apostles, saying: ‘I am glad for your sakes’; for Thou wast not there in the flesh.
Christ, whom thou hast sought to stone, comes to thee once more, O murderous Judaea, desiring to fulfill as God His saving Passion. Willingly and by His own free choice, He accepts violent death at thy hands for our salvation.
Glory be to the Father…
The Godhead is both Unity and Trinity: O marvellous transmutation! It is single in Nature, yet distinguished in Persons; though indivisible, it is divided; though one, it is three; Father, Son and Spirit of Life, together guarding all things.
Both now…
Theotokion
Who has ever heard of a virgin that bore child and a mother that knew not man? O Mary, this miracle thou hast accomplished, but tell me how? ‘Do not enquire into the mystery of my divine childbearing: it is altogether true, yet beyond man’s understanding.’
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Weaving branches of palms, both inwardly and outwardly let us make ready to meet the Master that comes to us: for blessed is He that comes as true Son in the Name of the Lord and Father.
Irmos: In the bush upon Mount Sinai Moses saw thee, who hast conceived within thy womb the fire of the Godhead, and yet wast not consumed. Daniel saw thee as a mountain not cut by hand of man, and Isaiah proclaimed thee as the Rod that blossomed from the root of David.
Aposticha:
TONE ONE
Israel was clothed in purple and fine linen, arrayed in the glory of priestly and royal garments; rich in the Law and the Prophets, it rejoiced in the worship of the Old Covenant. But it crucified Thee outside the gates, O Benefactor who hast made Thyself poor, and it rejected Thee when Thou hast returned alive after the Crucifixion, O Thou who art ever in the bosom of God the Father. Israel thirsts now for a single drop of grace, like the rich man clothed in purple and fine linen, who showed no mercy to Lazarus in his poverty, and so was punished in the fire which never shall be quenched. Israel is filled with anguish as it looks upon the people of the Gentiles, who once lacked even the very crumbs of truth. But now they are comforted in the bosom of the faith of Abraham; they wear the purple of Thy blood and the fine linen of Baptism; and they make glad and rejoice in Thy gifts of grace, saying: O Christ our God, glory to Thee (twice).
To the Martyrs
O martyrs praised in all the world, neither tribulation nor distress nor hunger nor persecution, neither scourging nor the fury of wild beasts nor the sword nor threat of fire, could separate you from God. But suffering out of love for Him, as though your bodies were no longer your own, ye forgot nature and despised death. So ye have received the reward that ye deserve for all your toil, and ye have become inheritors of the heavenly Kingdom. Offer intercession without ceasing for our souls.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
When Thy Virgin Mother saw Thee, O Christ, out of love for man hanging upon the Cross, who hast hung the earth upon the waters, she cried aloud: ‘Woe is me! What is this strange sight? O my beloved Son, where is Thy surpassing beauty gone? I magnify Thy mercy, for by Thine own free choice Thou sufferest for all mankind.’
SIXTH HOUR
Troparion of the Prophecy:
TONE FIVE
O Lord, be merciful to us: forsake us not in our sins, O Holy and Almighty Master, we pray Thee.
Glory be to the Father… Both now… Repeat.
Prokimenon (Psalm 112):
TONE FOUR
Praise the Lord, ye servants: O praise the Name of the Lord.
℣. Blessed be the Name of the Lord: from this time forth and for evermore.
Lesson: Isaiah 58:1–11.
Prokimenon (Psalm 113):
TONE SIX
Ye are the blessed of the Lord: who made heaven and earth.
℣. When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from among a barbarous people.
VESPERS
To Lord, I have cried, ten stichera are sung, the first six being from the Triodion:
TONE FIVE
I am rich in passions and clothed in the deceitful robe of hypocrisy, and I rejoice in the sins of self-indulgence. There is no limit to my lack of love. I neglect my spiritual understanding, that lies at the gate of repentance, starved of all good things, sick through want of care. O Lord, make me like Lazarus poor in sin, that I be not tormented in the flame that never shall be quenched, and pray in vain for a finger to be dipped in water and laid upon my tongue. But in Thy love for mankind make me dwell with the Patriarch Abraham (twice).
To the Martyrs
Your souls, O holy martyrs, were filled with an insatiable love; not denying Christ ye endured great sufferings and torment, and ye cast down the tyrants’ pride. Ye kept the faith unaltered and unharmed, and now ye have gone to dwell in heaven. Since ye have boldness before Christ, pray that peace be given to the world, and to our souls great mercy.
TONE FIVE
by Joseph
When Thou wast journeying in the flesh, O Jesus, on the other side of the Jordan, Thou hast said to Thy companions: ‘My friend Lazarus is already dead, and now has been committed to the tomb. And so for your sakes I rejoice, my friends, for by this ye shall learn that I know all things, since I am God, inseparable from the Father, though in my visible appearance I am man. Let us go then, to bring him back to life, that death may feel the defeat and utter destruction that I bring upon it, bestowing my great mercy on the world.’
O ye faithful, let us follow the example of Martha and Mary, and as intercessors let us send to the Lord our acts of righteousness, that He may come to raise up from the dead our spiritual understanding, which lies insensible within the tomb of negligence, lacking all feeling of the fear of God and having no vital energy. So let us cry: As once by Thy dread authority, O merciful Lord, Thou hast raised up Thy friend Lazarus, so now give life to all of us, and grant us Thy great mercy.
TONE SIX
by Theodore
Lazarus has now been two days in the tomb, and he sees the dead from all the ages. There he beholds strange sights of terror, a multitude that none can number, the prisoners of hell. His sisters bitterly lament, looking upon his tomb. But Christ comes to bring His friend life, that a single hymn of praise may be offered up with one accord by all: Blessed art Thou, O Saviour, have mercy upon us.
Then four stichera to the saint of the day from the Menaion. Glory be to the Father… Both now…; and the Theotokion from the Menaion.
Prokimenon (Psalm 114):
TONE FOUR
I will walk acceptably before the Lord: in the land of the living.
℣. I am well pleased: for the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer. Lesson: Genesis 43:26–31; 45:1–16.
Prokimenon (Psalm 115):
TONE FOUR
I will pay my vows unto the Lord: in the presence of all His people.
℣. I believed, and therefore have I spoken: but I was deeply humiliated.
Lesson: Proverbs 21:23–22:4.
And the rest of the Liturgy of the Presanctified.