QUADRAGESIMA SUNDAY, OR THE SUNDAY OF THE GREAT TRIODION (FEB 22ND)

A Repaired Ancient Insular Icon of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee

✠ TRIODION SUNDAY ✠

Dominica Quadragesimae

The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee and the Great Triodion

✠ INTROIT ✠

Psalm 51:1–3, 10–12

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: * according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, * and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions: * and my sin is ever before me.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; * and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; * and take not thy holy Spirit from me.

O give me the comfort of thy help again; * and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

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.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness.

✠ COLLECT ✠

O Lord God, who resistest the proud and givest grace unto the humble:

Grant unto us true contrition of heart,

that we, acknowledging our sins and renouncing all presumption,

may obtain mercy at thy heavenly altar;

and so, being cleansed in soul and renewed in mind,

may be made ready to enter the holy Fast

with watchfulness, sincerity, and love;

through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,

who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost,

one God, world without end. Amen.

✠ OLD TESTAMENT LESSON ✠

Joel 2:12–19

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith.

✠ PSALM ✠

Psalm 51 — Miserere Mei Deus

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

✠ EPISTLE ✠

2 Timothy 3:10–4:5

But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ…

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine…

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

✠ GRADUAL ✠

Psalm 130 — De Profundis

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.

Lord, hear my voice…

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared…

Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

✠ ALLELUIA ✠

Psalm 95:6–7

Alleluia, alleluia.

O come, let us worship and fall down: and kneel before the LORD our Maker.

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Alleluia.

✠ THE HOLY GOSPEL ✠

Luke 18:9–27

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are…

I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other…

For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them…

Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

…Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor…

And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

✠ OFFERTORY ✠

Psalm 34:18

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart; and saveth such as be of an humble spirit.

✠ SECRET ✠

Receive, O Lord, we beseech thee, these oblations of thy servants;

and grant that we, who begin the discipline of repentance,

may be strengthened by these holy mysteries;

that our fasting may be sincere,

our prayer fervent,

our almsgiving pure,

and our hearts humble;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

✠ COMMUNION ✠

Luke 18:13

The publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying,

God be merciful to me a sinner.

✠ POSTCOMMUNION ✠

Grant, O Lord, that we who have received these holy mysteries

may ever walk humbly before thee;

and being nourished with the Bread of Heaven,

may grow in meekness, purity, and charity;

that so we may behold thee in thy glory;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

✠ PRAYER OF ST. EPHREM ✠

(To be said after the Gospel or at the end of the Liturgy with prostrations)

O Lord and Master of my life,

take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.

But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to thy servant.

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother,

for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.

✠ CONGREGATIONAL EXHORTATION ✠

Beloved in Christ,

the Great and Holy Lent begins.

The Book of the Holy Triodion is Open.

The Time of Fasting, Repentance, Confession, Self-Denial, Penance and Trial Begins.

Let us not begin with pride,

nor measure ourselves against others,

but descend into humility.

Let each one say in truth:

God be merciful to me a sinner.

For he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

✠ Amen and Amen ✠