Nativity Fast.

VESPERS ON MONDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 8 [optional Podoben “O most glorious wonder…”]

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

I have acquired neither compunction, nor a wellspring of tears,* nor fervent confession, nor weeping which washes me clean, nor humility of heart;* I have been neither an emulator of the publican, nor of the harlot, nor of the prodigal son*. How, therefore, shall I find remission for my many sins?* But in the judgments which You know, save me, О Christ.

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

I have made myself foreign to every commandment of God;* in every way I have neglected higher virtue;* I have mindlessly wasted my whole life in slothfulness;* and I have committed every unseemly and iniquitous act in fornication.* Wherefore, since You are compassionate, О Christ, have pity, and freely save me.

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

In Your anger rebuke me not who am the work of Your hands,* and who with my foolish mind have torn myself away from goodness, О Lover of mankind,* and who in the abyss of Your ineffable compassion* was for my sake well-pleased to become like to me.* But through the supplications of Your ever-Virgin Mother, О Word,* grant me divine conversion, in that You are God.

Tone 4 [optional Podoben “As one valiant among the martyrs…”]

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

The wondrous Habbakuk, receiving the effulgence of the Spirit, became wholly divine;* and, seeing the dishonesty of the judges and their unjust judgment,* he was displeased, exhibiting the rightness of the justice of Christ the Master* with divine love and fervent thought,* and he burned as one justly angered.

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

Standing on divine watch, the honoured Habbakuk* heard the ineffable mystery of Your coming to us, O Christ,* and he most openly prophesied the proclamation of You,* foreseeing the all-wise apostles as steeds roiling the sea* of the many nations of the gentiles.

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

Rejoicing in the Lord God Your Saviour,* O divinely eloquent and glorious one,* and filled with gladness, receiving the effulgence of heavenly radiance,* and noetically illumined with deifying light,* by your supplications deliver from perils and misfortunes* those who with faith celebrate your most festive memory.

Tone 4, Glory… Now…

Ten thousands of times, O all-pure one, have I promised to repent of my offenses;* yet my unseemly and evil habits will not depart from me.* Therefore, I cry to you, and falling down, I pray:* O Lady, rescue me from such affliction,* guiding me to higher things which are nigh to salvation!

Prokeimenon

Tone 4

The Lord hears me* when I cry out to Him.

verse: Whenever I called, the God of my justice heard me.

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 engulf 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, entreat our God,* and ask for our souls a multitude of compassions* and the cleansing of our many transgressions, we beseech you.

Glory… Now…

Rejoice, praise of the universe!* Rejoice, temple of the Lord!* Rejoice, mountain overshadowed!* Rejoice, refuge of all!* Rejoice, golden candlestick!* Rejoice, honoured glory of the Orthodox!* Rejoice, Mary, Mother of Christ God!* Rejoice, paradise! Rejoice, divine table!* Rejoice, tabernacle! Rejoice, golden jar!* Rejoice, hope of all!

Troparia

Tone 2

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

Now…

O Mother of God and virgin forever,* through you we have been made to share the divine nature;* you have given birth for us to the incarnate God.* Therefore, we all exalt you with great devotion.

DIVINE LITURGY ON TUESDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 2: As we celebrate the memory of Your prophet, Habakkuk,* 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, Habakkuk.

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 1:8-14

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 14:25-35

Communion Hymn

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