TRIODION SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON VESPERS "LORD I CALL..." (7 stikhera of the Resurrection) TONE 1 RICH AND FERTILE WAS THE EARTH ALLOTTED TO US, BUT ALL WE PLANTED WERE THE SEEDS OF SIN. WE REAPED THE SHEAVES OF EVIL WITH THE SICKLE OF LAZINESS; WE FAILED TO PLACE THEM ON THE THRESHING-FLOOR OF SORROW. NOW WE BEG YOU, LORD, ETERNAL MASTER OF THE HARVEST: MAY YOUR LOVE BECOME THE BREEZE TO WINNOW THE STRAW OF OUR WORTHLESS DEEDS.// MAKE US LIKE PRECIOUS WHEAT TO BE STORED IN HEAVEN, AND SAVE US ALL! (Twice) BRETHREN, OUR PURPOSE IS TO KNOW THE POWER OF GOD'S GOODNESS, FOR WHEN THE PRODIGAL SON ABANDONED HIS SIN, HE HASTENED TO THE REFUGE OF HIS FATHER. THAT GOOD MAN EMBRACED HIM AND WELCOMED HIM: HE KILLED THE FATTED CALF AND CELEBRATED WITH HEAVENLY JOY! LET US LEARN FROM THIS EXAMPLE TO OFFER THANKS TO THE FATHER WHO LOVES ALL PEOPLE,// AND TO THE VICTIM, THE GLORIOUS SAVIOR OF OUR SOULS! GLORY... TONE 2 WHAT GREAT BLESSINGS HAVE I FORSAKEN, WRETCH THAT I AM? FROM WHAT KINGDOM HAVE I MISERABLY FALLEN? I HAVE SQUANDERED THE RICHES THAT WERE GIVEN ME; I HAVE TRANSGRESSED THE COMMANDMENTS! WOE TO ME WHEN I SHALL BE CONDEMNED TO ETERNAL FIRE! CRY OUT TO CHRIST, O MY SOUL, BEFORE THE END DRAWS NEAR:// RECEIVE ME AS THE PRODIGAL, O GOD, AND HAVE MERCY ON ME! NOW AND EVER... (Of the Resurrection) TRIODION SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON VESPERS APOSTIKHA (Of the Resurrection) GLORY... TONE 6 I HID MY FACE IN SHAME, A WRETCHED MAN! I HAVE SQUANDERED THE RICHES MY FATHER GAVE TO ME; I WENT TO LIVE WITH SENSELESS BEASTS: I SOUGHT THEIR FOOD AND HUNGERED, FOR I HAD NOT ENOUGH TO EAT. I WILL ARISE, I WILL RETURN TO MY COMPASSIONATE FATHER: HE WILL ACCEPT MY TEARS AS I KNEEL BEFORE HIM, CRYING: IN YOUR TENDER LOVE FOR ALL MEN RECEIVE ME AS ONE OF YOUR SERVANTS// AND SAVE ME! NOW AND EVER... MY MAKER AND REDEEMER, CHRIST THE LORD, WAS BORN OF YOU, MOST PURE VIRGIN! BY ACCEPTING MY NATURE HE FREED ADAM FROM HIS ANCIENT CURSE! UNCEASINGLY WE MAGNIFY YOU AS THE MOTHER OF GOD! REJOICE, CELESTIAL JOY! REJOICE, O LADY,// THE PROTECTION, INTERCESSION, AND SALVATION OF OUR SOULS! TRIODION SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON MATINS (After the Psalms of the Polyeleon, we sing Psalm 137: "By the waters of Babylon...", to a slow and solemn melody. At the end of each verse we sing Alleluia, and make a deep bow. After the reading of the Resurrection Gospel we sing "Having beheld the Resurrection...", Psalm 51, and the verses: "Open to me the gates of repentance...") THE CANON TONE 2 (By Joseph) CANTICLE ONE: IRMOS: TAKE UP THE SONG OF MOSES AND CRY ALOUD MY SOUL: THE LORD IS MY HELPER AND PROTECTOR, HE HAS BECOME MY SALVATION: THIS IS MY GOD, AND I WILL GLORIFY HIM! GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! Jesus my God, accept me also now in repentance as You did the Prodigal Son: I have lived all my life in carelessness and provoked You to anger. I have sinfully wasted the divine wealth that once You gave me; I have departed far from You and lived as the Prodigal. Compassionate Father, accept me now also as I return. Open Your arms to embrace me as a Father now, accepting me also as the Prodigal Son, that I may glorify You with thanksgiving most merciful Lord! (Theotokion) Bestow the fullness of Your grace upon me, O God; be a Benefactor to me, and at the holy prayers of Your Mother overlook the great number of my offenses. KATAVASIA: TAKE UP THE SONG OF MOSES... CANTICLE THREE: IRMOS: O GOD, THE HUSBANDMAN OF ALL GOOD TREES AND FRUIT, IN YOUR COMPASSION, MAKE FRUITFUL MY BARREN MIND. GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! Completely beside myself in madness, I have clung to the sins suggested to me by the passions. But accept me, O Christ, as the Prodigal. PRODIGAL SON: CANON PAGE TWO With the words of the Prodigal, I cry aloud: I have sinned, O Father! Receive me now like him in Your embrace and do not reject me. Open Your arms, O Christ, and receive me in loving kindness as I return from a far country of sin and passions. (Theotokion) My sins have brought me to poverty, O fairest among women: Enrich me, pure Virgin, with the vision of beauty, that I may glorify you. KATAVASIA: O GOD THE HUSBANDMAN... SESSIONAL HYMN TONE 1 HASTEN TO OPEN YOUR FATHERLY EMBRACE TO ME, FOR I HAVE WASTED MY LIFE AS THE PRODIGAL. IN THE UNFAILING WEALTH OF YOUR MERCY O SAVIOR, DO NOT REJECT MY HEART IN ITS POVERTY. FOR I CRY TO YOU WITH COMPUNCTION, O LORD:// FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN, AND BEFORE YOU! GLORY... HASTEN TO OPEN... NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) YOU ARE THE ONLY GUARDIAN AND PROTECTION OF THE FAITHFUL, PURE AND UNWEDDED VIRGIN THEOTOKOS: DELIVER FROM DANGER, DISTRESS AND AFFLICTION ALL WHO HAVE PUT THEIR HOPE IN YOU AND BY YOUR DIVINE INTERCESSION// SAVE OUR SOULS, O MAIDEN. PRODIGAL SON: CANON PAGE THREE CANTICLE FOUR: IRMOS: FORESEEING YOUR BIRTH FROM A VIRGIN, THE PROPHET CRIED ALOUD: I HAVE HEARD THE REPORT OF YOU AND WAS AFRAID; FOR YOU HAVE COME FROM TEMAN, O CHRIST, THE HOLY ONE FROM THE OVERSHADOWED MOUNTAIN. GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! The wealth of blessings which You gave me, heavenly Father I have wrongfully wasted, becoming the slave of strangers. Therefore I cry aloud to You: Father, I have sinned against You! Receive me like the Prodigal of old, and open Your arms to me. I have become enslaved to every evil in my wretchedness, bowing down before the demons that provoke the passions; Through heedlessness I have lost possession of myself, O Savior; Take pity on me as I flee to Your many mercies for refuge, heavenly Father. Filled with shame, I dare not look up to the height of heaven, for I have foolishly bowed down to sin. But now I return and cry out in compunction: I have sinned against You; receive me, O King of all. (Theotokion) You are the help of men, and the refuge of the saved, the sure hope of all Christians, undefiled Virgin. Save me as a Mother by your intercessions, counting me worthy of the life to come. KATAVASIA: FORESEEING YOUR BIRTH... CANTICLE FIVE: IRMOS: THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT; THE DAY IS AT HAND: THE LIGHT HAS SHONE FORTH ON THE WORLD! THEREFORE THE RANKS OF ANGELS SING YOUR PRAISES AND GLORIFY YOU, O CHRIST OUR GOD! GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! I was enslaved to strangers; filled with shame, and an exile in the land of corruption. But now I return, O merciful Lord, and I cry to You: I have sinned! Accept me now in Your compassion, heavenly Father, as I return from evil and in Your exceeding mercy, do not reject me. PRODIGAL SON: CANON PAGE FOUR I have angered You beyond measure, O Christ, and I dare not look up at the height of heaven. But knowing Your compassion, merciful Lord, I cry: I have sinned! Be merciful to me and save me! (Theotokion) All-holy Virgin, full of grace, you have borne the Redemption of all! By your prayers, lighten the great burden of my sins. KATAVASIA: THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT...., CANTICLE SIX: IRMOS: SAVIOR, I AM HELD FAST, IN THE DEPTH OF SIN, OVERWHELMED BY THE SEA OF LIFE. BUT AS YOU BROUGHT JONAH FROM THE BELLY OF THE WHALE, SO BRING ME OUT FROM THE PASSIONS AND SAVE ME! GLORY TO YOU OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! The depths of sin ever hold me fast, and the tempest of transgressions overwhelms me! Pilot me, O Christ my God, to the haven of life and save me, King of glory! I have wasted in evil living the wealth which the Father gave me, and now I am brought to poverty. I am filled with shame and enslaved to fruitless thoughts. Therefore I cry to You, Lover of mankind: Take pity on me and save me! I am wasted with hunger, deprived of every blessing, and an exile from Your presence. O Christ, supreme in loving kindness, take pity on me now as I return and save me as I sing Your praises, Lover of mankind! (Theotokion) Maiden who conceived Christ the Savior and Master, count me worthy of salvation. I lack all good in my poverty, pure Virgin: Grant that I may sing the praises of your majesty! KATAVASIA: SAVIOR, I AM HELD FAST... PRODIGAL SON: CANON PAGE FIVE KONTAKION TONE 3 I HAVE RECKLESSLY FORGOTTEN YOUR GLORY, O FATHER; AND AMONG SINNERS I HAVE SCATTERED THE RICHES WHICH YOU GAVE TO ME. AND NOW I CRY TO YOU AS THE PRODIGAL: I HAVE SINNED BEFORE YOU, MERCIFUL FATHER;// RECEIVE ME A PENITENT AND MAKE ME AS ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS. IKOS Every day our Savior teaches us with His own voice: so let us listen to the Scriptures on the Prodigal Son who regained wisdom, and let us follow the good example of his repentance with faith, and with humility of heart cry out to Him who knows all secrets: We have sinned against You, merciful Father, and are not worthy ever again to be called Your children as before. But since by nature You are the Lover of mankind,// RECEIVE ME A PENITENT AND MAKE ME AS ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS. CANTICLE SEVEN: IRMOS: THE CHILDREN SANG TOGETHER IN THE FURNACE AS CHERUBIM IN HEAVEN: BLESSED ARE YOU, O GOD, FOR IN TRUTH AND JUDGMENT YOU HAVE BROUGHT ALL THIS UPON US BECAUSE OF OUR SINS, AND YOU ARE PRAISED AND GLORIFIED ABOVE ALL FOREVER! GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! I have miserably bowed down to the pleasures of the body becoming wholly enslaved to the demons that provoke the passions. I have become a stranger to You, Lover of mankind. But now I cry with the voice of the Prodigal: I have sinned, O Christ, despise me not, for You alone are merciful. I do not dare look up at the height of heaven, O King of all: I cry out: I have sinned; for in my foolishness, I alone have angered You, rejecting Your commandments. Therefore, only Good One, do not cast me away from Your presence. At the prayers of the apostles, martyrs and prophets, the holy saints and the righteous, O Christ my Lord, forgive me all the offenses which have provoked You to anger in Your goodness, and I shall sing Your praises for evermore. PRODIGAL SON: CANON PAGE SIX (Theotokion) Theotokos, more glorious than the cherubim and seraphim, and all the heavenly hosts! Together with them, undefiled Virgin, entreat Him who took flesh from you: God the Word from the Father without beginning, that we may all be counted worthy of eternal blessings! KATAVASIA: THE CHILDREN SANG TOGETHER... CANTICLE EIGHT: IRMOS: LET US PRAISE HIM, WHO OF OLD IN THE BURNING BUSH PREFIGURED THE MIRACLE OF THE VIRGIN TO MOSES ON SINAI: LET US BLESS AND EXALT HIM ABOVE ALL FOREVER! GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! In great mercy You came down upon earth to save the world through Your voluntary poverty: Save me in Your compassion, for I am poor in all good works. I have departed far from Your commandments, and am enslaved to the deceiver in utter wretchedness. But now I turn back as the Prodigal of old: Accept me as I fall before You, heavenly Father. I am full of darkness and cut off from You, ruled by corrupting thoughts, I have lost all possession of myself, merciful Lord. Therefore save me as I fall before You in repentance. (Theotokion) Pure Mother of God, the only restoration of the fallen, raise me up, for I am wholly crushed; humbled by every kind of sin. KATAVASIA: LET US PRAISE HIM, WHO OF OLD... -The MAGNIFICAT is sung - CANTICLE NINE: IRMOS: WHO OF THOSE BORN ON EARTH HAS SEEN OR HEARD OF SUCH A THING! A VIRGIN CONCEIVES AND BEARS A CHILD WITHOUT THE PAIN OF TRAVAIL! BEHOLDING YOUR WONDER, O MARY, PURE MOTHER OF GOD, WE MAGNIFY YOU! GLORY TO YOU, OUR GOD, GLORY TO YOU! PRODIGAL SON: CANON PAGE SEVEN Behold the affliction of my heart, O Christ: look upon my turning back; behold my tears, O Savior, and do not despise me, but in Your compassion, embrace me once again, and count me with the number of the saved, that with thanksgiving I may sing the praises of Your mercy. As the Thief I cry to You: Remember me! As the Publican, with downcast eyes, I beat my breast and say: Be merciful! As the Prodigal, deliver me from every evil, O King who pities all, that I may sing the praises of Your boundless compassion. Groan now, my all-wretched soul, and cry aloud to Christ: Lord who for my sake voluntarily became poor, in my poverty I lack every good work. Make me rich with the abundance of Your blessings, for You alone are full of love and mercy. Once You rejoiced at the voluntary return of the Prodigal, loving Lord: Rejoice now because of me, wretch though I am. Open Your holy embrace to me, that being saved I may sing the praises of Your boundless compassion. (Theotokion) I pray you, Virgin, through your light-giving intercessions, enlighten the eyes of my mind, darkened by evil. Lead me into the paths of repentance, so shall I rightly sing your praises, for you gave flesh to the ineffable Word! KATAVASIA: WHO OF THOSE BORN ON EARTH... TRIODION SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON MATINS HYMN OF LIGHT (Of the Resurrection) GNE... SAVIOR, I SET OFF ON A FOOLISH JOURNEY; I WASTED ALL YOUR PRECIOUS GIFTS OF GRACE. I LIVED IN LUXURY, AND THE DEVILS WERE MY FRIENDS; I RETURN TO YOU EMPTY-HANDED, LOVING FATHER. RECEIVE ME IN REPENTANCE, AS YOU ACCEPTED THE PRODIGAL;// RESTORE TO ME MY BAPTISMAL ROBE OF PURITY, AND SAVE ME! THE PRAISES (5 stikhera of the Resurrection) TONE 2 LORD, I OFFER YOU THE VOICE OF THE PRODIGAL SON: I HAVE SINNED BEFORE HEAVEN AND BEFORE YOU, GOOD MASTER! I HAVE SQUANDERED THE FORTUNE YOU GAVE ME!// RECEIVE ME IN REPENTANCE, SAVIOR, AND SAVE ME! TONE 4 COMPASSIONATE ONE, I COME BEFORE YOU LIKE THE PRODIGAL SON: FOR MANY YEARS I HAVE ABANDONED YOU, AND NOW YOU ARE A STRANGER TO ME. RESTORE TO ME THE FIRST LOVE WHICH I WASTED, LORD;// RECEIVE ME IN REPENTANCE AND SAVE ME! TONE 8 I HAVE WASTED MY FATHER'S FORTUNE FOR A LIFE OF LUXURY! NOW I WANDER AIMLESSLY IN THE BARREN LANDS OF THE WICKED. NO LONGER CAN I BEAR THEIR LOATHSOME COMPANY! I WILL ARISE AND RETURN TO MY FATHER, CRYING: I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN AND BEFORE YOU, MY LORD. I AM NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE CALLED YOUR SON:// ACCEPT ME AS ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS AND HAVE MERCY ON ME! GLORY... TONE 6 EVEN THOUGH I HAVE ABANDONED YOU, GOOD FATHER, DO NOT FORSAKE ME! DO NOT CAST ME OUT OF THE KINGDOM! THE MOST EVIL ENEMY HAS STOLEN MY FORTUNE AND LEFT ME NAKED; I HAVE LOVED RIOTOUS LIVING MORE THAN SPIRITUAL GIFTS, BUT NOW I RETURN TO YOU WITH TEARS AND SIGHS: TAKE ME BACK AS ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS, LORD. FOR MY SAKE YOU STRETCHED YOUR PURE HANDS UPON THE CROSS; YOU DELIVERED ME FROM THE WICKED ENEMY'S GRASP, RESTORING TO ME THE WEDDING GARMENT OF PURITY,// SINCE YOU ALONE ARE THE MERCIFUL LOVER OF MANKIND! NOW AND EVER... TONE 2 "YOU ARE MOST BLESSED..." TRIODION THE SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON: (Tropario of the Resurrection) KONTAKION TONE 3 I HAVE RECKLESSLY FORGOTTEN YOUR GLORY, O FATHER; AND AMONG SINNERS I HAVE SCATTERED THE RICHES WHICH YOU GAVE TO ME. AND NOW I CRY TO YOU AS THE PRODIGAL: I HAVE SINNED BEFORE YOU, MERCIFUL FATHER;// RECEIVE ME A PENITENT, AND MAKE ME AS ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS.