Monday in the Third Week
MATTINS
After the first reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymns of repentance in the Tone of the week.
After the second reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE EIGHT
With fire of abstinence let us all burn up the thorns of the passions that assault us, and with the streams of our tears let us put out the flame that never shall be quenched; and let us cry aloud to Him who shall come to judge the whole earth: O Saviour and all-merciful Lord, guard us uncondemned and grant us the forgiveness of our sins.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Theotokion
O pure and blessed Virgin, full of the grace of God, together with the powers above and the archangels and all the spiritual hosts, do thou pray without ceasing to Him who in His tender compassion was born of thee. May He grant to us before the end pardon and forgiveness of our sins and amendment of our lives, that so we may find mercy.
After the third reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE EIGHT
O holy and honoured Trinity, as we now enter upon the third week of the Fast, keep us safe from harm and condemnation. Enable us rightly to pass through the time that still remains, and to fulfill all Thy commandments; that so, offering up our hymns of praise, with a pure conscience we may attain the glorious Resurrection.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Theotokion
Thou art the protection of the faithful, O Mother of God, the joy of the afflicted, the greatest consolation of all that mourn; with the angels and the principalities, O Virgin, pray continually on our behalf to Him who was born miraculously from thy most holy womb, that in the hour of judgement we may be delivered from the dread condemnation.
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 first Biblical Canticle.
Canticle One
First Canon
TONE EIGHT
by Joseph
Irmos: O ye peoples, let us raise a song…
In Thy divine compassion, accept me as I now repent. I have wasted my life like the Prodigal, but I cry aloud to Thee: I have sinned, and have no need of others to accuse me; for I myself bring before Thee all my shameful acts.
I have forsaken the food of angels, and like the beasts have fed upon evil wickedness. But now that I turn back, receive me as one of Thy hired servants, O heavenly Father.
O ye faithful, let us all forsake the night of lustful pleasures and hasten to the light of truth, that we may be counted worthy to share in the feast of radiance and joy.
Theotokion
Rejoice, all-holy Temple, Fleece on which the dew of God has fallen, sealed Fountain of the waters of immortality. Keep thy flock, O Lady, safe from the attacks of every enemy.
Another Canon
SAME TONE
by Theodore
Irmos: Let us sing a song to God…
As Israel of old fasted for three days, so let us sanctify ourselves, O brethren, during the first three weeks of the Fast; let us draw near to the mountain of prayer and, listening to the voice of God, let us sing in praise of Christ.
Come, ye people, and strengthened like Samson by fasting, let us destroy the demon of gluttony as he destroyed the lion; but let us take care lest the Delilah of our passions deceive us and laugh us to scorn.
Glory be to the Father…
As the cherubim I sing Thy praises, O Holy God: three Lights and one Light, one Life and three; God who begets, God the begotten, and the Spirit of Life proceeding from the Father.
Both now…
Theotokion
Hail, joy of Eve: for through thy childbearing, pure Virgin, her sorrow is brought to an end. Hail, radiant cloud of everlasting Light: from thee Christ our God has shone out as the dawn.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
As David armed himself with faith, so let us arm ourselves with humility; and as he overthrew Goliath, so let us overthrow our arrogant mind, and cut down the hosts of passions.
Irmos: Let us sing a song to God, who delivered Israel from the bitter bondage of Pharaoh, and guided them with a pillar of fire and a cloud of light, for He has been glorified.
Canticle Eight
Irmos: Inspired by God, the Children in the furnace…
I have wasted with harlots the riches that the Father gave me, and I am cast our from the forecourt of grace; but in Thy boundless mercy receive me back, O Father.
Let us shine with the radiant light of prayer and fasting, and so escape from the darkness of sin.
The choir of the spiritual powers entreats Thee, the cherubim pray to Thee with the company of the saints: O most merciful Christ, save our souls.
Theotokion
O Theotokos Virgin, who hast conceived the Vine that was not husbanded, I am darkened by the drunkenness of sin: bring me back to soberness, for thou art the hope of our souls.
Second Canon
Irmos: O Thou who coverest Thy high places…
O brethren, come and let us delight in the Fast, for it is the Father’s treasury, a thing of wonder, and the mother of all who worship Christ the Master. It gives strength to the body and light to the mind and heart.
O my soul, follow the example of Gideon the wonderful, and bearing as thy weapons the three virtues of faith and hope and love for Christ, go out and slay the alien passions, as he with three hundred men destroyed the people of Midian.
We bless the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
I glorify Thee as Trinity, and I sing Thy praises as Unity: one Godhead, almighty Father, sovereign Son, and Holy Spirit; Power ruling over all, one Nature and one Kingdom, worshipped in three Persons.
Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
The pain which, in ways surpassing nature, Thy Mother did not undergo at Thy birth, she suffered at Thy Holy Passion. For she was filled with agony when she saw Thee nailed of Thine own will by the Jews upon the Cross, O Thou who hast set the earth upon the foundation of the waters.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
When Thou shalt come in Thy glory with thousands and ten thousands of the heavenly powers to judge all the earth, spare me then, O Lord, forgive me and deliver me from condemnation. Put me not to shame; condemn me not to the eternal fire.
We praise, bless and worship the Lord…
Irmos: O Thou who coverest Thy high places with the waters, who settest the sand as a bound to the sea and upholdest all things: the sun sings Thy praises, the moon gives Thee glory, every creature offers a hymn to Thee, his Author and Creator, for ever.
Canticle Nine
Irmos: The burning bush upon the mountain…
O Father, I have departed far from Thy love, and by my own choice I have enslaved myself to lustful desires. But now I turn back to Thee: receive me as the Prodigal, for Thou alone art rich in mercy.
In my wretchedness I am the withered fig tree, for the only fruit that I have borne is wickedness; and I deserve to be cast into the fire. Destroy my barrenness, O Lord, that I may bring Thee as fruit my good actions.
O my soul, fast from wickedness and evil; refrain from anger, wrath and every sin. For such is the fast desired by Jesus, our God who greatly loves mankind.
Theotokion
O Theotokos, thou art our defence and rampart; thou art the help of those that run to thee. And now we implore thine intercession, that we may be delivered from our enemies.
Second Canon
Irmos: We magnify thee…
As an acceptable gift let us offer to Christ our God a pure fast and abstinence from evil.
O my soul, learning how Elisha fed the prophets in days of old, eat whatever food comes readily to hand and give thanks to Christ.
Glory be to the Father…
I sing Thy praises, O Godhead, one Form in three Persons, Father without beginning, Son, and Spirit of Life.
Both now…
Theotokion
O Maiden, Mother of God, bridal chamber of Christ the heavenly King, save by thine intercessions those who praise thee with love.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Daniel in the den tamed the wild beasts with the muzzle of abstinence: let us also subdue the passions by fasting.
We magnify thee, most pure Mother of Christ our God, for thou wast overshadowed by the Holy Spirit.
Aposticha:
TONE FOUR
Clothed in the filthy garment of my sins, I am cast our from the bridal chamber of joy; but in Thine ineffable compassion, O God, take pity on me, as Thou hast taken pity on the Prodigal Son, and be merciful to me (twice).
To the Martyrs
Who is not filled with wonder, holy martyrs, beholding the good fight ye have fought? Armed with the Cross and confessing Christ, while in the body ye have defeated the bodiless foe; ye have put to flight the demons and driven back the enemy. Intercede continually for the salvation of our souls.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Theotokion
O Lamp whose light is never quenched, Throne of righteousness, most pure Lady, pray for the salvation of our souls.
SIXTH HOUR
Troparion of the Prophecy:
TONE FOUR
O Physician of our souls, who knowest the mind of man, in Thy compassion heal our infirmities, for we are weak and broken by sin.
Glory be to the Father… Both now… Repeat.
Prokimenon (Psalm 41):
TONE FOUR
O put thy trust in God: for I will thank Him who is the help of my countenance and my God.
℣. As the hart desires the water-brooks, so longs my soul after Thee, my God.
Lesson: Isaiah 8:13–9:7.
Prokimenon (Psalm 42):
TONE FOUR
He is the salvation of my countenance, and my God.
℣. Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against the ungodly people.
VESPERS
To Lord, I have cried, six stichera are sung, the first three being from the Triodion:
TONE ONE
by Joseph
With grateful souls let us accept the Fast: for by the power of the Spirit it makes the stubborn passions wither, and gives us strength to do the works of God; it makes our mind ascend to heaven, and gains for us the forgiveness of our sins from the God of all mercy.
Shamefully in my wretchedness I have wasted all my life with harlots, but like the Prodigal with compunction I cry out to Thee, O Lord: I have sinned, O heavenly Father; be merciful and save me. I have departed far from Thee and now am destitute of righteous actions: O reject me not.
TONE THREE
by Theodore
Come, let us all greet the time of holy abstinence with cymbals and with songs of praise; for through the Fast spiritually we trample underfoot the serpent, from whom evil takes its origin. Therefore let us cry with boldness unto Christ: Grant us, Saviour, without condemnation to look upon Thy precious Cross and to venerate it, keeping joyful feast with psalms and hymns.
Then three 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 43):
TONE FOUR
In God will we glory all the day long: and in Thy Name will we give praise for ever.
℣. We have heard with our ears, O God, and our fathers have told us.
Lesson: Genesis 6:9–22.
Prokimenon (Psalm 44):
TONE SIX
I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations.
℣. My heart is inditing of a good matter.
Lesson: Proverbs 8:1–21.
Aposticha:
TONE TWO
O loving Father, my folly has stripped me bare of all Thy gifts. I have gone far from Thee and have enslaved myself to a strange citizen. I led unclean beasts to pasture, and eating from their food I was not filled. But, knowing Thy tender mercy, I have run to Thee: in Thy love for man, cover my nakedness and save me (twice).
To the Martyrs
Because the holy martyrs intercede for us and sing in praise of Christ, all error is destroyed and mankind is saved by faith.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Theotokion
Through thy word the Word has shone as light upon the world from thy virgin womb. O most holy Mother of God, pray to Him that our souls may be delivered from the snares of the enemy.