TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY MATINS (After the 2nd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN (by Joseph) TONE 3 RAISED UPON THE CROSS, O MASTER, THROUGH THE WOOD YOU QUENCHED THE FLAME OF SIN! SUFFERING DEATH BY YOUR OWN CHOICE, YOU HAVE SLAIN THE ENEMY! THEREFORE I ENTREAT YOU: PUT TO DEATH THE DESIRES OF MY FLESH; ENLIVEN MY MISERABLE HEART, CLEANSING ME FROM ALL DEFILEMENT THROUGH THE FAST THAT KILLS THE PASSIONS,// FOR YOU ARE THE MERCIFUL ONE! GLORY... RAISED UPON THE CROSS, O MASTER... NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) BY YOUR OWN FREE CHOICE, COMPASSIONATE CHRIST, YOU ENDURED A SHAMEFUL DEATH UPON THE CROSS. WHEN YOUR MOTHER SAW YOU, SHE WAS WOUNDED IN HER HEART. BEATING HER BREAST. SHE LAMENTED WITH MOTHERLY SORROW! AT HER PRAYERS, THROUGH YOUR TENDER MERCY, HAVE PITY ON THE WORLD AND SAVE IT,// FOR YOU TAKE AWAY ITS SIN! (After the 3rd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN (by Theodore) TONE 2 AS WE CONTINUE THE JOYFUL CELEBRATION OF THE FAST LET US CRY ALOUD: LORD, KEEP US ALL IN PEACE; DELIVER US FROM EVERY SNARE OF THE ENEMY! IN YOUR SURPASSING LOVE COUNT US WORTHY TO VENERATE WITH FEAR YOUR PRECIOUS CROSS THROUGH WHICH YOU GRANT YOUR MERCY TO ALL THE WORLD,// ONLY MERCIFUL ONE! GLORY... AS WE CONTINUE THE JOYFUL CELEBRATION OF THE FAST... NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) BEHOLDING YOU, O CHRIST, STRETCHED DEAD UPON THE TREE, YOUR VIRGIN MOTHER CRIED ALOUD WITH BITTER TEARS: MY SON, WHAT IS THIS FEARFUL MYSTERY? YOU GIVE ETERNAL LIFE TO ALL:// HOW DO YOU WILLINGLY SUFFER A SHAMEFUL DEATH UPON THE CROSS? TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY MATINS APOSTIKHA TONE 2 WHEN I WAS HONORED WITH SONSHIP, I FOOLISHLY MISUNDERSTOOD MY GRACIOUS FATHER. I DEPRIVED MYSELF OF GLORY, THE RICHES OF GRACE. I SQUANDERED MYSELF IN EVIL; DEPRIVED OF DIVINE FOOD, I JOINED AN EVIL STRANGER. BY HIM I WAS SENT TO HIS SOUL-CORRUPTING PEN. THERE I LIVED BLINDLY, TENDING THE SENSELESS BEASTS, THRIVING ON PLEASURES THAT NEVER SATISFY. BUT RETURNING NOW, I WILL CRY TO THE COMPASSIONATE AND BOUNTIFUL FATHER:// I HAVE SINNED BEFORE HEAVEN AND BEFORE YOU! HAVE MERCY ON ME. WHEN I WAS HONORED... A MULTITUDE OF YOUR MARTYRS ENTREATS YOU, CHRIST:// HAVE MERCY ON US, AS THE LOVER OF MANKIND! GNE... (Theotokion) DURING THE CRUCIFIXION OF YOUR SON AND YOUR GOD, YOU SUFFERED GREAT SORROW, PURE ONE. YOU CRIED IN TEARS AND LAMENTED: WOE IS ME, MY SWEETEST CHILD! HOW UNJUSTLY YOU SUFFER IN YOUR DESIRE TO DELIVER ADAM'S CHILDREN! IN FAITH WE BESEECH YOU, MOST PURE VIRGIN:// GRANT US THIS DELIVERANCE! TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY 6TH HOUR TROPARION TONE 8 LORD AND LOVER OF MANKIND, WE HAVE NO INCLINATION TO GOOD DEEDS, BUT SINCE YOU ARE MERCIFUL, SINLESS ONE, DO NOT DESPISE THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS. PROKEIMENON TONE 4 BRING A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE TO GOD * AND OFFER YOUR PRAYERS TO THE MOST HIGH! VERSE: The God of Gods. the Lord has spoken and summoned the earth, Reading from ISAIAH 10:12-20 PROKEIMENON TONE 6 HAVE MERCY ON ME, O GOD, * ACCORDING TO YOUR GREAT MERCY. VERSE: Create in me a clean heart, O God! TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY VESPERS "LORD I CALL..." TONE 4 I HAVE BLINDLY SQUANDERED MY FATHER'S RICHES. I AM NOW EMPTY, LIVING IN A LAND OF EVIL MEN. IN MY FOOLISHNESS, I HAVE BECOME LIKE THE SENSELESS BEASTS AND AM NOW STRIPPED OF EVERY DIVINE GRACE. BUT TURNING BACK I CRY TO YOU: MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE FATHER, I HAVE SINNED;// RECEIVE ME IN REPENTANCE, O GOD, AND HAVE MERCY ON ME! (twice) O MARTYRS OF THE LORD: LIVING SACRIFICES AND REASONABLE OFFERINGS; PERFECT INCENSE BURNT TO GOD; SHEEP THAT KNOW GOD AND ARE KNOWN BY HIM, INTO WHOSE FOLDS THE WOLVES CANNOT BREAK!// PRAY THAT WE MAY BE LED WITH YOU TO REST BESIDE THE STILL WATERS. TONE 6 (By Joseph) 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 WOUNDED BY THE EVIL ONE. SAVED BY FAITH, WE SHALL HONOR YOU FOREVER,// BY PREACHING THE TRUTH, FOR YOU PRESERVE THE WORLD! LIKE THE PRODIGAL SON, I HAVE JOURNEYED INTO A FAR COUNTRY OF WICKEDNESS. I HAVE WASTED IN EVIL THE WEALTH YOU GAVE ME, COMPASSIONATE FATHER. I AM STARVED OF GOOD DEEDS AND CLOTHED IN THE SHAME OF MY TRANSGRESSION, FOR I HAVE BEEN STRIPPED BARE OF DIVINE GRACE. I CRY OUT TO YOU: I HAVE SINNED! YET I KNOW YOUR LOVING KINDNESS; ACCEPT ME AS ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS, MERCIFUL CHRIST,// AT THE PRAYERS OF THE APOSTLES WHO LOVED YOU. (By Theodore) APOSTLES OF THE LORD, LIGHTS, BENEFACTORS, AND SAVIORS OF THE WORLD: AS THE HEAVENS, YOU DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD! YOU ARE ADORNED WITH THE STARS OF YOUR MIRACLES AND WONDERS OF HEALING! INTERCEDE FERVENTLY BEFORE THE LORD FOR US THAT OUR PRAYERS MAY BE ACCEPTED AS PURE AND SWEET-SMELLING INCENSE; THAT WE MAY ALL BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO VENERATE THE LIFE-GIVING CROSS AND TO BEHOLD IT WITH FEAR. SEND DOWN ON US, THEN, YOUR MERCY, O SAVIOR,// AS THE LOVER OF MANKIND. TRIODION THIRD WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY VESPERS PROKEIMENON TONE 4 I TRUST IN THE MERCY OF GOD * FOREVER AND EVER. VERSE: Why do you boast, mighty man, of mischief done against the Godly? Reading from GENESIS 7:6-9 PROKEIMENON TONE 4 WHEN THE LORD TURNS BACK * THE CAPTIVITY OF HIS PEOPLE. VERSE: The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." Reading from PROVERBS 9:12-18