Feb 02: The Encounter of Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ

Text from “The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship”; Pg. 788

The entrance verse is proclaimed after the deacon has intoned “Wisdom! Stand aright!”

Entrance Verse: The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His truth before the nations (Ps 97:2).

Troparion (Tone 1): Rejoice, full of grace, Virgin Mother of God!* From you there dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God,* who enlightens those who dwell in darkness.* And you, O righteous Elder, be glad!* You received in your embrace* the Liberator of our souls,* who grants us resurrection.

+Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion (Tone 1): By your birth, You sanctified a virgin womb* and fittingly blessed the hands of Simeon.* You have come also now and saved us, O Christ God;* give peace to Your community in time of war,* and strengthen its rulers, whom You love,* for You alone are the Lover of Mankind.

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

verse: Because He has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed (Lk 1:48).

Epistle: (Heb 7:7-17): Brethren, it is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. Now if perfection had been attainable through the levitical priesthood—for the people received the law under this priesthood—what further need would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than one according to the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. Now the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek, one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life. For it is attested of him,
‘You are a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchizedek.’

Alleluia (Tone 8):
verse: Now, O Master, You dismiss Your servant in peace according to Your word
(Lk 2:29).
verse: For my eyes have seen Your salvation, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people, Israel (Lk 2:32).

Gospel: (Lk 2:22-40): At that time,the infant Jesus was brought up toJerusalem by his parents to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’ Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, 
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; 
for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’ And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘zThis child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’ There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

Instead of “It is truly…”: O God-bearing Virgin, hope of Christians, protect and guard and save all those who out their trust in you.

Irmos (Tone 3): In the law, the shadow, and the scriptures, we the faithful see a figure: every male child that opens the womb shall be sanctified to God. Therefore do we magnify the firstborn Word and Son of the Father, who is without beginning, the firstborn Child of a Mother who had not known man.

Communion Verse: I will take the chalice of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord (Ps 115:4). Alleluia! (3x)

Great Vespers (Royaldoors.net):
Google Doc | Word | PDF

Divine Liturgy:
PDF – Encounter of Our Lord – ENGLISH
PDF – Encounter of Our Lord – UKRAINIAN
PDF – Encounter of Our Lord – ENG-UKR

DOC – Encounter of Our Lord – ENGLISH
DOC – Encounter of Our Lord – UKRAINIAN