Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost; Leave-taking of the Feast of the Entrance of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple; Our Holy Father and Priest-martyr Clement Pope of Rome (101); Peter Bishop of Alexandria (312) – November 25.

Text from “The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship”; Pg. 329 (Tone 1) & Pg. 727 (Entrance)

Troparion (Tone 1): Though the stone was sealed by the Judeans* and soldiers guarded Your most pure body,* You arose, O Savior, on the third day,* and gave life to the world.* And so the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life;* Glory to your resurrection, O Christ!* Glory to Your kingdom!* Glory to Your saving plan,* O only Lover of Mankind.

Troparion (Tone 4): Today is the prelude of the good pleasure of God,* and the proclamation of salvation for the human race.* In the Temple of God* the Virgin is clearly revealed,* and beforehand announces Christ to all.* To her, then, let us cry aloud with a mighty voice:* Rejoice, fulfillment of the Creator’s plan.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion (Tone 1): You arose in glory from the tomb* and with Yourself You raised the world.* All humanity acclaims You as God,* and death has vanished.* Adam exults, O Master,* and Eve, redeemed now from bondage, cries out for joy.* “You are the One, O Christ, Who offer resurrection to all.”

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion (Tone 4): The Saviour’s pure temple,* the precious bridal chamber and Virgin,* the sacred treasury of the glory of God,* is brought today into the house of the Lord;* and with her she brings the grace* of the divine Spirit.* God’s angels sing in praise of her.* She is indeed the heavenly dwelling place.

Prokimenon (Tone 1): Let Your mercy, O Lord,* be upon us,* as we have hoped in You (Ps 32:22).

verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous (Ps 32:1).

Prokimenon (Tone 3): My soul magnifies the Lord,* and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour (Lk 1:46-47).

Epistle: (Ephesians 5:9-19): Brethren, live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
‘Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’ Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts.

Alleluia (Tone 1): Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
verse: The God of gods, the Lord, spoke and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting (Ps 49:1).
verse: Gather to Him His devout ones, who with sacrifice make covenant with Him (Ps 49:5).
verse: Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear (Ps 44:11).
verse: The rich among the people shall entreat your countenance (Ps 44:13).

Gospel: (Luke 12:16-21): The Lord spoke this parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

Instead of “It is truly…”: Seeing the entrance of the pure one, angels marvelled in wonder how the Virgin could enter the holy of holies.

Irmos (Tone 4): Let no hand of the profane touch God’s living ark, but instead let the lips of those who are believers sing out ceaselessly in the words of the angel, crying out with great joy to the Mother of God: O pure Virgin, you are truly higher than all.

Communion Verse: Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest
(Ps 148:1).

Second Communion Verse: I will take the chalice of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord (Ps 115:13). Alleluia! (3x)