TRIODION SIXTH WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY MATINS (After the 2nd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN TONE 2 WEIGHED DOWN BY MANY SINS AS BY A STONE, I LIE IN THE TOMB OF NEGLIGENCE. BUT LEAD ME UP FROM THERE,// MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE LORD. GLORY... WEIGHED DOWN BY MANY SINS AS BY A STONE... NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) GUARDED BY THE PRECIOUS CROSS OF YOUR SON, PURE LADY AND THEOTOKOS, WE EASILY TURN ASIDE ALL THE ASSAULTS OF THE ENEMY. THEREFORE WE FITTINGLY GLORIFY YOU,// FOR YOU ARE THE MOTHER OF THE LIGHT AND THE ONLY HOPE OF OUR SOULS! (After the 3rd reading of the Psalter): SESSIONAL HYMN TONE 3 TODAY LAZARUS IS BURIED AND HIS SISTERS SING IN LAMENTATION. BUT IN YOUR DIVINE FOREKNOWLEDGE, YOU HAVE PREDICTED WHAT SHOULD COME TO PASS: LAZARUS IS SLEEPING, YOU PROPHESIED TO YOUR DISCIPLES, BUT NOW I GO TO RAISE UP HIM WHOM I CREATED!// THEREFORE WE ALL CRY TO YOU: GLORY TO YOUR MIGHTY POWER! GLORY... TODAY LAZARUS IS BURIED... NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) YOUR PURE AND VIRGIN MOTHER, WHEN SHE SAW YOU HANGING DEAD UPON THE CROSS, O CHRIST, LAMENTED WITH A MOTHERS GRIEF AND CRIED: WHAT HAVE THE LAWLESS AND UNGRATEFUL PEOPLE GIVEN YOU, MY SON, IN RETURN FOR THE MANY AND GREAT GIFTS WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM?// I SING THE PRAISE OF YOUR DIVINE FOREBEARANCE! TRIODION SIXTH (PALM) WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY MATINS APOSTIKHA TONE 1 ISRAEL CLOTHED ITSELF WITH FINE LINEN AND PURPLE, SHINING WITH SACRED, ROYAL GARMENTS, REJOICING IN THE SERVICES OF THE LAW, RICH IN THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS. YOU ARE EVER IN THE BOSOM OF GOD THE FATHER, BUT IT CRUCIFIED YOU OUTSIDE ITS GATES, REJECTING YOUR LIFE AFTER THE DEATH ON THE CROSS! NOW ISRAEL THIRSTS FOR JUST A DROP OF GRACE, LIKE THE MERCILESS RICH MAN WHO LEFT POOR LAZARUS, AND WENT IN PURPLE AND FINE LINEN INTO THE UNENDING FLAMES. ISRAEL IS SICK AS IT BEHOLDS THE GENTILES WHO BEFORE, POSSESSED NOT EVEN A BIT OF TRUTH, BUT WHO NOW WARM THEMSELVES IN THE BOSOM OF THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM WHO NOW ADORN THEMSELVES IN THE SCARLET OF YOUR BLOOD, TOGETHER WITH THE FINE LINEN OF BAPTISM, REJOICING AND DELIGHTING IH YOUR GIFTS OF GRACE.// GLORY TO YOU, CHRIST OUR GOD! ISRAEL CLOTHED ITSELF.. NEITHER TRIBULATIONS, THREATS, NOR HUNGER, NOT PERSECUTION, NOT EVEN THE TORTURE OF BEASTS, NOT TROUBLE, FIRE, OR SWORD, COULD KEEP YOU, MOST-LAUDABLE MARTYRS, FROM GOD. BOUND BY HIS LOVE, YOU LIVED AS IN EXILE. THEREFORE, IN THE MEASURE OF YOUR SUFFERING, YOU RECEIVED YOUR REWARDS, BECOMING INHERITORS OF THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM.// INTERCEDE WITHOUT CEASING FOR OUR SOULS! GNE... (Theotokion) CHRIST, WHEN YOUR PURE MOTHER SAW YOU CRUCIFIED, SHE CRIED OUT, LOVER OF MANKIND: WOE IS ME! WHAT IS THIS STRANGE SIGHT? WHERE HAS YOUR GREAT GOODNESS GONE, MY SWEETEST SON?// I GLORIFY YOUR MERCY AS YOU VOLUNTARILY SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF ALL! TRIODION SIXTH (PALM) WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY SIXTH HOUR TROPARION OF THE PROPHECY TONE 5 LET YOUR MERCY BE WITH US, LORD AND MASTER, HOLY AND ALMIGHTY! WE BESEECH YOU:// DO NOT FORSAKE US IN OUR TRANSGRESSIONS. PROKEIMENON OF THE PROPHECY TONE 4 CHILDREN, PRAISE THE LORD! * PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD. VERSE: Blessed be the name of the Lord, henceforth and forever more! PROPHECY OF ISAIAH 58: 1-11a PROKEIMENON TONE 6 MAY YOU BE BLESSED BY THE LORD * WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH. VERSE: The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth He has given to the human race! TRIODION SIXTH (PALM) WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY VESPERS "LORD I CALL..." TONE 5 I AM RICH IN PASSIONS, AND CLOTHED IN THE DECEITFUL ROBE OF HYPOCRISY. 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. MAKE ME, LORD, LIKE LAZARUS, POOR IN SIN, THAT I MAY NOT BE TORMENTED IN THE UNQUENCHABLE FIRE, PRAYING IN VAIN FOR A FINGER TO BE DIPPED IN WATER TO RELIEVE MY BURNING TONGUE. BUT MAKE ME DWELL IN THE BOSOM OF ABRAHAM,// AS THE LOVER OF MANKIND. YOUR SOULS FILLED WITH UNQUENCHABLE LOVE, YOU ENDURED THE MOST TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS WITHOUT DENYING CHRIST, AND CAST DOWN THE TYRANTS PRIDE. YOU WHO KEPT THE FAITH UNCHANGED AND UNHARMED HAVE GONE TO DWELL IN HEAVEN. SINCE YOU HAVE BOLDNESS BEFORE THE LORD,// PRAY THAT HE MAY GRANT US GREAT MERCY! (By Joseph) JESUS AS YOU WALKED IN THE FLESH, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDAN, YOU SAID TO YOUR 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 YOU SHALL LEARN THAT I KNOW ALL THINGS. FOR 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 COMPLETE DESTRUCTION I BRING UPON IT,// GRANTING THE WORLD GREAT MERCY. FAITHFUL, LET US FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF MARTHA AND MARY: LET US SEND OUR ACTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO INTERCEDE BEFORE THE LORD, 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 DEPRIVED OF LIVING ACTION. LET US CRY: MERCIFUL LORD, AS ONCE BY YOUR DREAD AUTHORITY YOU RAISED UP YOUR FRIEND LAZARUS,// SO NOW GIVE LIFE TO US ALL, AND GRANT US YOUR GREAT MERCY! TRIODION: SIXTH WEDNESDAY LORD I CALL (continued) page two TONE 6 (By Theodore) LAZARUS HAS NOW BEEN TWO DAYS IN THE TOMB. HE SEES THE DEAD FROM ALL THE AGES. HE BEHOLDS STRANGE SIGHTS OF TERROR, A COUNTLESS MULTITUDE, PRISONERS OF HELL. HIS SISTERS LAMENT BITTERLY, BEHOLDING HIS TOMB. BUT CHRIST COMES TO BRING HIS FRIEND TO LIFE, THAT A SINGLE HYMN OF PRAISE MAY BE OFFERED UP BY ALL WITH ONE ACCORD:// SAVIOR, BLESSED ARE YOU! HAVE MERCY ON US! TRIODION SIXTH (PALM) WEEK OF LENT WEDNESDAY VESPERS PROKEIMENON TONE 4 I WILL WALK BEFORE THE LORD * IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING. VERSE: I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplication. READING: GENESIS 43:26-31, 45:1-16 PROKEIMENON TONE 4 I WILL OFFER MY PRAYERS TO THE LORD * IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL HIS PEOPLE. VERSE: I kept my faith, even when I said, I am greatly afflicted. READING: PROVERBS 21:23 - 22:4