TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT FRIDAY MATINS (After the 2nd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN TONE 5 WE MORTALS, WHO DIED OF OLD FROM EATING OF THE TREE, ARE RESTORED TO LIFE THROUGH YOUR CROSS, MERCIFUL LORD! BY ITS POWER, LOVING MASTER, GIVE US STRENGTH TO PASS THROUGH THE SEASON OF ABSTINENCE WITH COMPUNCTION, OBEDIENT TO YOUR WILL,// AND TO SEE THE DAY OF YOUR LIGHT-GIVING RESURRECTION! GLORY... WE MORTALS, WHO DIED OF OLD FROM EATING OF THE TREE... NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) WHEN YOUR MOTHER BEHELD YOU, CHRIST, HANGING BY YOUR OWN FREE CHOICE UPON THE CROSS BETWEEN TWO THIEVES, HER HEART WAS PIERCED WITH A MOTHER'S GRIEF AND SHE CRIED: SINLESS SON, HOW ARE YOU UNJUSTLY NAILED TO THE CROSS AS AN EVILDOER? IT IS BECAUSE IN YOUR SURPASSING LOVE,// YOU WILL TO RESTORE MANKIND TO LIFE! (After the 3rd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN TONE 1 WITH OUR FLESH CLEANSED BY ABSTINENCE AND OUR SOULS FILLED WITH LIGHT BY PRAYER, COUNT US WORTHY, LORD, TO BEHOLD YOUR PRECIOUS AND VENERABLE CROSS; TO REVERENCE IT WITH FEAR, SINGING HYMNS AND SAYING: GLORY TO YOUR LIFE-GIVING CROSS; GLORY TO THE HOLY SPEAR THAT PIERCED YOU, BY WHICH WE ARE RESTORED TO LIFE,// FOR YOU ALONE ARE THE LOVER OF MANKIND! GLORY... WITH OUR FLESH CLEANSED BY ABSTINENCE... NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) WHEN THE EWE SAW YOU HER LAMB, LONG-SUFFERING LORD, CRUCIFIED UPON THE TREE BETWEEN TWO THIEVES, YOUR SIDE PIERCED BY A SPEAR, SHE CRIED WITH A MOTHER'S GRIEF: WHAT IS THIS STRANGE AND FEARFUL MYSTERY, MY JESUS? HOW IS GOD, WHOM NOTHING CAN CONTAIN, CONFINED WITHIN A TOMB? WHAT WORDS HAVE POWER TO DESCRIBE THESE THINGS?// DO NOT FORSAKE YOUR MOTHER, MY BELOVED CHILD! TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT FRIDAY MATINS APOSTIKHA TONE 6 I HAVE WASTED THE RICHES OF THE FATHER'S GIFT. I HAVE BLINDLY SPENT MY LIFE, SEPARATING MYSELF BY SIN'S EVIL REASONINGS AND SATISFYING MY PASSIONS IN PLEASURE. I CAN NOW BE LIKENED TO THE SENSELESS BEASTS BY MY TRANSGRESSING OF THE SAVING COMMANDS. BUT, CHRIST, DO NOT KEEP ME FROM YOUR SONSHIP! YOU WILLED TO BE CRUCIFIED FOR MY SAKE:// ACCEPT ME AS A PRODIGAL IN MY RETURN AND SAVE ME. I HAVE WASTED... IN THE MEMORY OF YOUR SAINTS, LORD, ALL CREATION FEASTS! HEAVEN REJOICES WITH ANGELS AND EARTH CELEBRATES WITH MEN!// BY THEIR PRAYERS, HAVE MERCY ON US. GNE... (Theotokion) WHEN YOUR PURE MOTHER BEHELD YOU CRUCIFIED, SHE CRIED OUT IN TEARS: MY SON AND MY GOD, MY SWEETEST CHILD!// HOW DO YOU ENDURE THIS SHAMEFUL PASSION? TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT FRIDAY SIXTH HOUR TROPARION TONE 8 BY YOUR WORD YOU HAVE MADE ALL THINGS WITH YOUR MIGHT, O GOD AND HAVE BROUGHT US FROM NON-EXISTENCE INTO BEING// WE BESEECH YOU, SINLESS LORD, DO NOT LEAVE US TO OUR TRANSGRESSIONS! PROKEIMENON *6 THE RIGHTEOUS WILL REJOICE * WHEN HE SEES THE VENGEANCE. VERSE: do you indeed decree what is right? Reading from the prophecy of ISAIAH (13:2-13) PROKEIMENON TONE 7 O GOD, YOU ARE MY HELPER, * AND YOUR MERCY SHALL GO BEFORE ME. VERSE: Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me! TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT FRIDAY VESPERS "LORD I CALL..." TONE 7 LIKE THE PRODIGAL, I HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM YOUR GRACE. I HAVE SPENT THE RICHES OF YOUR GOODNESS, LORD. I NOW RUN TO YOU, CRYING, TENDER-HEARTED ONE:// I HAVE SINNED, O GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME! TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT FRIDAY VESPERS PROKEIMENON TONE 4 GRANT US YOUR HELP AGAINST THE ENEMY * FOR VAIN IS THE HELP OF MAN. VERSE: O God, You have rejected us, broken our defenses. READING FROM GENESIS 8:4-21 PROKEIMENON TONE 6 HEAR MY CRY, O LORD; * LISTEN TO MY PRAYER. VERSE: From the ends of the earth I call to You! READING FROM PROVERBS 10:31 - 11:12