Nativity Fast.

VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

There are no psalms appointed to be chanted tonight.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8 [optional Podoben “O Lord, though You stood forth before the tribunal…”]

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

О Lord who came into the world to call sinners to You,* and who accepted the thief, the publican and the harlot:* in Your love for mankind, О my Christ, call me also to You,* though I have sinned against You more than all others, and never repent.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

О Lord, who ordained publicans as pastors for Your Church,* and made a helper now of him who before was a persecutor:* By their supplications show me to be Your lamb, О Saviour,* and let me not, who am useless, fall prey to the alien one.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Weep before the end, О my wretched and most vile soul,* and cleave to God, crying out to him with groans from the depths of your heart:* I have sinned against You, О Christ!* Revile me not, I pray,* but turning me back to You, grant me forgiveness,* in that You are merciful.

Tone 3 [optional Podoben “Great are the powers of Your Cross…”]

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

The grace of the Holy Spirit dwelt within you, O prophet of God,* and with its light made you an all-radiant lamp;* and through you He preached to Nineveh the great things which were to come.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

You were shown to be a luminous cloud, O Nahum, prophet of God,* letting fall a shower of divine knowledge;* and you straightway gave the city of Nineveh the judgment of God to drink,* for it was sick with impiety.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

As a partaker of incorrupt glory,* ineffable renown, unutterable joy and divine sweetness,* O divinely inspired Nahum, prophet of God,* pray for us to the Master of all.

Glory… Now…

O Virgin, beseech Him Who was born of thee, that He preserve thy flock unharmed by every temptation of our adversary, the devil, and strengthen us to fulfill all the will of thy Son, O Maiden.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8

And now bless the Lord,* all you servants of the Lord.

verse: Who stand in the temple of the Lord, in the courtyards of the house of our God.

Aposticha

Tone 8

The angels unceasingly hymn You, the King and Master;* and I fall down before You, crying like the publican:* Cleanse me, О God, and have mercy upon me!

I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.

As you are immortal, О my soul,* let not the waves of life cover you,* but rise up, crying out to your Benefactor:* Cleanse me, О God, and save me!

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.

О martyrs of the Lord, you sanctify every place and heal every infirmity.* Pray now, we beseech you,* that our souls be delivered from the snares of the enemy.

Glory… Now…

Taking up the cry of the Archangel Gabriel, let us say:* Rejoice, O Mother of God, who has given birth to Christ,* the bestower of life upon the world!

Troparia

Tone 2

As we celebrate the memory of Your prophet, Nahum,* O Lord, we beseech You through him: “Save our souls!”

Glory… Now…

O Mother of God, you are a fountain of mercy;* count us worthy of your compassion;* look upon a people who have sinned;* manifest your power as you always do.* Because of our trust in you, we cry out to you* as once did Gabriel, the commander of the angels.

DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 2: As we celebrate the memory of Your prophet, Nahum,* O Lord, we beseech You through him: “Save our souls!”

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: Enlightened by the spirit* your pure heart, having seen the distant in the present* became a vessel of brilliant prophecy;* and so we honour you, O blessed and glorious prophet, Nahum.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4

You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.

verse: The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.” (Psalm 109:4,1)

Epistle

1 Timothy 1:1-7

Alleluia, Tone 5

verse: Moses and Aaron are among His priests and Samuel among those who call upon His name.

verse: Light is risen for the just and joy for the righteous of heart. (Psalm 96:11)

Gospel

Luke 14:12-15

Communion Hymn

The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)