SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY (FEB. 16TH)

The Just and Honorable Householder, Hiring Servants Throughout the Day, Paying All with Generosity and Love, an Icon of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 20:1-15

LITURGICAL PROPERS FOR THE MASS OF ST. JAMES OF JERUSALEM IN THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE WEST

INTEROIT: PSALM 18:4-6, 2 

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple. 

Ps. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust. 

Glory be… Repeat Antiphon. 

COLLECTS 

O Lord, we beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy people: that we, who are justly afflicted for our sins, may mercifully be delivered by thy goodness, for the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

ALMIGHTY GOD, Who gavest St. Valentine the courage to witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the holiness of Christian Marriage, even unto death by the sword. Help us also to endure all life's suffering for love of Thee, and to seek Thee with all our hearts; for Thou alone are the source of life and love. Grant that we may have the courage and love to be strong witnesses of Thy truth to the whole world, like Thy blessed friend, Saint Valentine. We pray this through Thy Son, Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen. 

O Almighty God, Who didst fill Thy servant Mar Narsai with wisdom and eloquence to proclaim the mysteries of Thy power and grace: Grant that we, following his holy example, may rejoice in the knowledge of Thy Truth, and be led by Thy Spirit into the fullness of Thy love through the Mystery of the Holy Incarnation and the Blessed Humanity of Thy Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord, who is ever One Person in the fullness of both the Divine and Human Natures - inseparable, indivisible, without confusion, and fully present for the salvation of Adam’s race; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O God, who didst inspire thy servant Caedmon with the gift of sacred song, and didst raise him up to proclaim thy glory in the tongue of his people: Grant that we, being likewise moved by thy Spirit, may evermore sing thy praises, both in our hearts and with our lips, 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 dost give wisdom and courage to Thy servants in the face of trials and persecution: We give thanks for Thy servant, Theodora, who, in the midst of her earthly rule, upheld Thy truth and the veneration of Thy holy images. Grant, we beseech Thee, that following her example of faith and humility, we may so honor Thy holy icons, the reflections of the Image of God shining in Christ’s Holy Incarnation, and in all things seek Thy glory alone. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON – GENESIS 42:6-25 

(FIVE YEAR FULL ST. JAMES CYCLE) 

A Lesson from the Book of Genesis. 

Now Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. 

And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. 

And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days. 

And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. 

And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. 

And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. 

The Word of the Lord. 

R. Thanks be to God. 

GRADUAL – PSALM 9:9-10, 18-19 

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. 

For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail. 

EPISTLE – ACTS 20:17-27 

(TWO YEAR ST. JAMES CYCLE)

A Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles. 

In those days: From Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 

And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 

And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 

The Word of the Lord. 

R. Thanks be to God. 

TRACT – PSALM 130:1-4 

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 

If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 

HOLY GOSPEL FOR SEPTUAGESIMA: MATTHEW 20:1-15  

(FROM THE ANCIENT WESTERN ONE YEAR CYCLE) 

+ The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew. 

R. Glory be to thee, O Lord. 

The Lord said this parable: 

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 

They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 

So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 

But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 

The Gospel of the Lord. 

R. Praise be to thee, O Christ.

OFFERTORY – PSALM 92:1-2 

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.  

SECRET 

Receive, O Lord, we pray thee, these our oblations, which we offer unto thee for the forgiveness of our sins and for the obtaining of thy grace, that, being cleansed by these heavenly mysteries, we may be made worthy of thy eternal promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

COMMUNION – PSALM 31:16-17 

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake. Let me not be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon thee. 

POSTCOMMUNION 

Grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, that this holy Sacrament which we have received, may purify our hearts and strengthen us against all adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.