Wednesday in the Third Week
MATTINS
After the first reading from the Psalter, the sessional hymns of the Cross in the Tone of the week.
After the second reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE THREE
by Joseph
Raised upon the Cross, O Master, through the Wood Thou hast quenched the flame of sin; suffering death by Thine own choice, Thou hast slain the enemy. Therefore I entreat Thee: put to death the desires of my flesh and bring to life my miserable heart, cleansing me from all defilement through the Fast that kills the passions, for Thou art merciful.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
By Thine own free choice, O compassionate Christ, Thou hast endured a shameful death upon the Cross; and when Thy Mother saw Thee, she was wounded in her heart and, beating her breast, with a mother’s sorrow she lamented. At her prayers, through Thy tender mercy have pity on the world and save it, for Thou dost take away its sin.
After the third reading from the Psalter, the following sessional hymns:
TONE TWO
by Theodore
As we continue the joyful celebration of the Fast, we cry aloud: Keep us all in peace, O Lord, deliver us from every snare of the enemy, and in Thy surpassing love count us worthy to venerate with fear Thy precious Cross, through which Thou grantest to the inhabited earth Thy mercy, O Thou who alone art most merciful.
Glory be to the Father… Repeat. Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
Beholding Thee, O Christ, stretched dead upon the Tree, Thy Virgin Mother cried aloud with bitter tears: ‘O my Son, what is this fearful mystery? How dost Thou, who givest life eternal unto all, suffer willingly a shameful death upon the Cross?’
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 THREE
by Joseph
Irmos: O Lord, the firm foundation of those that put their trust in Thee…
Crucified with Him who was crucified for our sake, let us put to death all the members of the flesh by fasting, prayer and supplication.
O Lord, who by Thy Crucifixion hast plucked out the thorn of sin, pluck out all thorny thoughts from my mind.
Arming our mind with fasting and fenced about by the power of the Cross, let us overthrow the hostile ranks of demons.
Theotokion
From thee the Word came forth incarnate, O Virgin undefiled, and in His tender mercy He has set to rights the fall of our first parents.
Another Canon
TONE TWO
by Theodore
Irmos: O Lord, who hast put sin to death…
Thy lifecreating Cross, O Lord, is my seal unto salvation: for by its virtue I overthrow the adversary and praise Thee as God mighty in power.
The Tree of the Cross has borne a fruit that gives eternal life unto the world; and as we eat of it, O Christ, we are delivered from death.
Glory be to the Father…
I glorify three Persons in one Nature, Father, Son and Spirit, the one Power of the Divinity that rules and reigns alone as God.
Both now…
Theotokion
Thy childbearing, O pure Lady, fills our hearts with fear. For it is God who has become man, begotten outside time from the Father and in the last days brought forth by thee through a virgin birth.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
The grace of the Cross shines out upon the world, O merciful Lord, preparing all of us for the coming celebration of Thy divine Sufferings. Grant us to venerate with faith Thy Holy Passion.
Irmos: O Lord, who hast put sin to death by the Wood of the Cross, be Thou our strength and our support, and graft Thy fear in our hearts, as we sing in praise of Thee.
Canticle Eight
Irmos: Standing together in the unbearable fire…
O Giver of Light, who by the Cross hast triumphed over the principalities and dominions of darkness, when Thou shalt come in power to judge the whole world, do not denounce my hidden sins, O Word, that I may glorify Thy great compassion.
O just and longsuffering Lord, Thou the Judge hast stood as prisoner before the judgement seat of Pilate; and by Thy Cross Thou hast condemned the enmity that separated man from God. Deliver, then, from eternal condemnation those who cry to Thee in fear and glorify Thy lovingkindness.
Of old the Holy Children, strengthened by the fire of fasting, quenched with dew from God the fiercely burning flames. By fasting let us also quench the furnaces of all the passions, that we may escape from the flame of Gehenna.
Theotokion
From thee, O Maiden who hast not known marriage, the Wisdom of God built for Himself a house and took flesh in His humble love that no word can describe. For thou alone from all generations hast been chosen, O Undefiled, as the dwelling of the eternal Word.
Second Canon
Irmos: The Lord of old foreshadowed…
O Christ, whose word upholds the universe, for my sake Thou hast borne all things, buffeting and spitting and crucifixion. I praise for ever the greatness of Thy love for mankind.
As a lamb Thou wast offered in sacrifice, O Christ, and Thy side was pierced by a lance, that Thou mightest save me, the lost sheep, from the snares of the devil and keep me for ever in Thy good fold.
We bless the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
O Godhead, one in Trinity, undivided in Nature yet divided in Persons, Power that shall never be destroyed, Father, Son and Spirit, we sing Thy praises for ever.
Both now…
Theotokion
O pure Mother of God, Gate of heaven, Door of salvation, accept the prayer of all Christians who call thee blessed for ever.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Thy Cross, O Christ, is the glory of priests, the strength of kings, the light of all the faithful. Grant me to behold and worship it, and to sing in praise of it for ever.
We praise, bless and worship the Lord…
Irmos: The Lord of old foreshadowed the miracle of the Virgin to Moses in the bush upon Mount Sinai: let us praise, bless and exalt Him above all for ever.
Canticle Nine
Irmos: In the shadow and the letter of the Law…
The serpent that Moses raised upon his staff prefigured Thee, O Christ, who wast raised of Thine own will upon the Cross: for Thou hast healed us from the poison of the evil one, and in Thy love Thou drawest all men to Thyself.
Cleanse me by the fire of Thy fear, O Christ; kindle Thy divine love in my soul, and fence me about with Thy Cross: for the deceiver that caused man’s fall of old has craftily beguiled me and darkened my understanding with lust.
O brethren, let us fast from shameful thoughts and evil actions; let us purify our hearts and through the divine virtues let us ascend with wings to heaven, turning away from the evil impulses that creep upon the ground; and grant us, robed in light, to behold the great Passover.
Theotokion
He who is rich by nature freely chose to wear our poverty, which He took from thee, O Virgin; and He who is invisible, whom the choirs of angels praise on high, became visible to our eyes, and in His love He has formed anew our broken image.
Second Canon
Irmos: Thou art the living spiritual Ladder…
Thou hast stretched Thine arms upon the Cross and made Thine own the four ends of the earth; through Thee, O Son of God, we have found access to the Father, and we all magnify Thee.
The transgressors set a crown of thorns upon Thine head, O Christ; they struck Thee and they crucified Thee. Seeing these things, all the earth was shaken; but we have been saved and we magnify Thee.
Glory be to the Father…
Holy and threefold Light of the Godhead, ever upholding and protecting all things, Father, Son and Spirit of Life, with never-silent hymns we magnify Thee.
Both now…
Theotokion
Thou art the shining cloud of the Spirit, O Theotokos, out of which the Light that no man can approach has shone upon us, Christ the great Sun of righteousness; and with our hymns we magnify thee.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Cross of Christ, thou art our light, our holy token and ensign of victory. Make abstinence sweet for us and count us worthy to venerate thee.
Irmos: Thou art the living spiritual ladder, whereby our God came down: through Him we have found the way of ascent to heaven, and with never-silent hymns we magnify thee.
Aposticha:
TONE TWO
Though honoured as a son by the loving Father, in my foolishness I did not understand. I have deprived myself of glory, sinfully wasting the wealth of grace. I have forsaken the divine food, eating in servile bondage at the table of an unclean citizen. He has sent me into his soul-destroying field, and living like the Prodigal I have fed with the beasts; I was enslaved to the pleasures and could not eat my fill. But now I have turned back, and I shall cry to the compassionate and merciful Father: I have sinned against heaven and before Thee; have mercy upon me (twice).
To the Martyrs
The multitude of Thy martyrs intercedes with Thee, O Christ: Have mercy upon us in Thy love for mankind.
Glory be to the Father… Both now…
Stavrotheotokion
At the Crucifixion of thy Son and God, great was the agony thou hast endured, O Undefiled. Weeping and lamenting, thou hast cried aloud bitterly: ‘Woe is me, beloved Child! How unjustly dost Thou suffer, desiring to deliver the earth-born sons of Adam.’ Therefore, O most holy Virgin, in faith we beseech thee: cause Him to look on us with mercy.
SIXTH HOUR
Troparion of the Prophecy:
TONE EIGHT
There is no firm foundation of good works in us, but merciful art Thou who lovest man. Despise not the creation of Thine own hands, O sinless Lord.
Glory be to the Father… Both now… Repeat.
Prokimenon (Psalm 49):
TONE SIX
Sacrifice unto God a sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the Most High.
℣. The God of gods, the Lord, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
Lesson: Isaiah 10:12–20.
Prokimenon (Psalm 50):
TONE SIX
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, in Thy great mercy.
℣. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
VESPERS
To Lord, I have cried, ten stichera are sung, the first six being from the Triodion:
TONE FOUR
As the Prodigal I have wasted the riches which the Father gave me. Now I am destitute and dwell in the land of wicked citizens; in my thoughtlessness I have become like the beasts without understanding, and I am stripped of all God’s grace. But turning back I cry to Thee, the compassionate and merciful Father: I have sinned, receive me in repentance, O God, and have mercy upon me (twice).
To the Martyrs
O martyrs of the Lord, living oblations, spiritual burnt-offerings, perfect victims sacrificed to God, sheep that know God and are known by Him, whose fold no wolf can enter: pray that we be led with you to feed beside the waters of repose.
TONE SIX
by Joseph
O apostles, eye-witnesses of God, rays of light from the spiritual Sun, pray that light may be granted to our souls, deliver us from the gloomy darkness of the passions, and ask that we may see the day of salvation. By your prayers and intercessions cleanse our hearts, which the evil one has wounded: then, saved by faith, we shall for ever honour you, who preserve the world by your preaching of the truth.
Like the Prodigal Son, I have journeyed into a far country of wickedness, and I have wasted in evil the wealth that Thou gavest me, O compassionate Father. I am starved of good deeds and clothed in the shame of my transgression, for I have been stripped bare of God’s grace. I cry to Thee: I have sinned, yet I know Thy lovingkindness; accept me as one of Thy hired servants, O merciful Christ, at the prayers of the apostles who loved Thee.
SAME TONE
by Theodore
O apostles of the Lord, ye are the lights of the inhabited earth, benefactors and saviours; as the heavens ye declare the glory of God, and ye are adorned with the stars of your miracles and with your wonders of healing. Intercede fervently before the Lord on our behalf, that our prayers may be accepted as a pure and sweet-smelling fragrance, and that we may all be counted worthy to venerate the lifegiving Cross and to gaze on it with fear. And as we worship this Thy Cross, in Thy love for man, O Saviour, send down Thy mercy on 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 51):
TONE FOUR
My trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever.
℣. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man, and in iniquity all the day long?
Lesson: Genesis 7:6–9.
Prokimenon (Psalm 52):
TONE FOUR
When God shall bring back His people from captivity, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad.
℣. The fool has said in his heart: there is no God.
Lesson: Proverbs 9:12–18.
And the rest of the Liturgy of the Presanctified.