Friday of the Second Week of the Great Fast:
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
AT PSALM 140: In Tone 4
10. Behold, this is the acceptable time,
this is the day of salvation.
Visit my soul in the abundance of Your love,
and in Your unique goodness, lighten the load of my sins.
9. Behold, this is the acceptable time,
this is the day of salvation.
Visit my soul in the abundance of Your love,
and in Your unique goodness, lighten the load of my sins.
In Tone 5
8. You were not concerned about all these earthly matters,
and you courageously braved the tortures.
You did not sin against hope,
having confidence in God’s love for humankind;
thus you were made heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven,
O most praise-worthy martyrs.
Ask for peace for the world and great mercy for our souls.
7. Putting on the shield of faith
and fortifying themselves with the symbol of the Cross,
Your saints, O Lord, bravely went of their own accord to torture.
They defeated the craft and insolence of the devil.
By their supplications, O all-powerful God,
send peace to the world and great mercy to our souls
6. Intercede for us, O holy martyrs,
that we may be delivered from our iniquities;
for the grace to pray for us is given to you.
5. With your souls filled with unquenchable love,
you endured the most terrible sufferings without ever denying Christ;
and you laid low the impudence of the torturers.
You kept the faith unwavering and unharmed,
and have gone to dwell in heaven.
Therefore, having the boldness to approach the Lord,
beg Him to grant us His great mercy.
In Tone 2
4. When the Fruit of the Virgin had come to the earth,
He who is the life-bearing Seed,
Polycarp, you budded forth as a fruitful grain of wheat,
for you fed the faithful with your holy life,
leading us to godliness by the glorious shedding of your blood,
and the sweet fragrance of your sanctity.
3. When the Fruit of the Virgin had come to the earth,
He who is the life-bearing Seed,
Polycarp, you budded forth as a fruitful grain of wheat,
for you fed the faithful with your holy life,
leading us to godliness by the glorious shedding of your blood,
and the sweet fragrance of your sanctity.
2. You passed from this world to God, blessed Polycarp;
Your martyrdom was radiant as a lightning-flash.
You stood triumphant at your trial, holy one,
yearning for Christ, your only love!
Now you rejoice in glory, praying for us all:
Never cease to intercede for all who join to celebrate your memory!
1. When the true Vine was lifted up on the tree of the Cross,
He stretched forth his hands to embrace you as a fruitful branch:
You were pruned by a glorious martyrdom,
treading the wine press of agony.
Now as we drink His cup of joy with faith,
we glorify your victorious combat, holy father!
In Tone 5, Glory…
I recall the prophet crying out:
I am ashes and dust.
And again, I looked into the graves and saw bones laid bare and I said:
Which is king or soldier, rich or poor, righteous or sinner?
But, with the just, give rest, O Lord, to Your departed servants,
since You are the Lover of humankind.
Now…
A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride was revealed in the Red Sea.
There, Moses divided the waters;
here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.
There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;
here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.
There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;
here the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.
Therefore, O Immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man, have mercy on us!
PROKEIMENON I, TONE 4
Your merciful love and Your truth* will guard me forever.
verse: I waited, I waited for the Lord and He stooped down to me; He heard my cry.
READING I (Genesis 5:32–6:8)
Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
PROKEIMENON II, TONE 6
As for me, I said: Lord, have mercy on me;* heal my soul for I have sinned against You.
verse: Blessed are those who consider the poor and the weak. The Lord will save them in the evil day.
READING II (Proverbs 6:20–7:1)
My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
When you roam, they will lead you;
When you sleep, they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
To keep you from the evil woman,
From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
Do not lust after her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
For by means of a harlot
A man is reduced to a crust of bread;
And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
Can a man take fire to his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
Can one walk on hot coals,
And his feet not be seared?
So is he who goes in to his neighbour’s wife;
Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
People do not despise a thief
If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold;
He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding;
He who does so destroys his own soul.
Wounds and dishonour he will get,
And his reproach will not be wiped away.
For jealousy is a husband’s fury;
Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
He will accept no recompense,
Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.
My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (Royaldoors.net):
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