THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PASCHA (MAY 11TH)

A Late Byzantine Mosaic of Christ’s Resurrection 

The Missal Propers for the Divine Liturgy of Saint James of Jerusalem, According to the Use of the Ancient Church of the West

INTROIT. JUBILATE DEO: PSALM 66 - 

O be joyful in God, all ye lands, alleluia: sing praises unto the honour of his Name, alleluia: make his praise to be glorious, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. 

Say unto God, O how wonderful art thou in thy works, O Lord: through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies be found liars unto thee. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; 

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen. 

COLLECTS

Almighty God, who shewest to them that are in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness: grant unto all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's Religion that they may avoid those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

O Almighty God, who didst strengthen thy servant Job to endure manifold afflictions with steadfast faith and humble trust: Grant unto us the same grace, that we, being tried as gold in the fire, may never waver in our confidence in thy righteous judgment, but may in patience possess our souls; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

O Almighty God, who didst strengthen thy servant Stephen Wu Zhiquan to endure with patience the cruel torments of his persecutors, and to glorify thy Name in his death: Grant us, we beseech thee, such constancy in faith, that, following his example and strengthened by his prayers, we may persevere unto the end and obtain the crown of righteousness; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

Almighty God, who didst enlighten the Slavic peoples through thy brother Saints Cyril and Methodius, grant that our hearts may grasp the words of thy holy teaching, and perfect us as a people in the Communion of the One True Faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ our Lord, who livest and reignest with the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

OLD TESTAMENT READING: EXODUS 14:10-22 - 

And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. 

And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 

Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. 

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 

The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 

But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 

And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.  

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 

And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 

And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. 

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 

And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 

NEW TESTAMENT READING: ACTS 5:29-42 - 

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.  

And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. 

When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. 

Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 

And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 

For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 

But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. 

And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. 

EPISTLE. 1 SAINT PETER 2:11-17 - 

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 

Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 

Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.  

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 

As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 

ALLELUIA

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. 

The Lord hath sent redemption unto his people. Alleluia. 

Ought not Christ to have suffered these things: and to enter into his glory? Alleluia. 

GOSPEL: ST. JOHN 16:16-22 - 

A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 

Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 

They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. 

Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 

A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 

And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 

OFFERTORY: PSALM 146 -

Praise the Lord, O my soul: while I live will I praise the Lord: yea, as long as I have any being, I will sing praises unto my God, alleluia. 

SECRET

O Lord, we pray thee, that from these mysteries we may obtain such succour of thy grace, that refraining ourselves from the desire of all things earthly, we may learn to love all such things as are heavenly. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

COMMUNION: ST JOHN 16 - 

A little while, and ye shall not see me, alleluia: and again a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father, alleluia, alleluia. 

POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord our God, who hast made us partakers of this holy Sacrament: grant, we beseech thee; that we may be thereby inwardly satisfied with heavenly food, and outwardly defended against all adversities. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.