29th
Sunday after Pentecost / The Sunday after Nativity / The Kinsmen of the
Lord
Beatitudes
on 12, Octoechos: 4; Feast: 4, Ode 1; Saints: 4, Ode 6.
1. By the tree was Adam
forced to depart from paradise; but by the Tree of the Cross was the thief made
to dwell in paradise. For the one by
tasting, broke the commandment of the creator; while the other, crucified with
Him, confessed the hidden God, crying out: Remember me in Thy kingdom!
2. O Lord Who wast lifted
up upon the Cross, Who hast destroyed the power of death and as God hast
destroyed the record of our sins, grant also the repentance of the thief unto
us who faithfully serve Thee and cry out to thee, O Christ God Who alone lovest
mankind: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!
3. On the Cross Thou didst
tear asunder with the spear the record of our sins; and, numbered among the
dead, Thou didst bind the tyrant of hades, O Lord Who lovest mankind, Who by
Thy resurrection hast delivered all from the bonds of hades. Thereby have we been illumined, and we cry to
Thee: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!
4. O Thou Who alone art
immortal, Who wast crucified and as almighty didst arise from the tomb on the
third day, and hast raised up Adam, the first created: Vouchsafe that I also
may turn to repentance with my whole heart, and may ever cry out to Thee with
fervent faith: Remember me, O Savior, in Thy kingdom!
5. That which, though fashioned
in the image of God, is become wholly corrupt through transgression, having
fallen away from the higher divine life, hath the wise Creator restored, for He
is glorified.
6. The Creator, seeing
man, whom He had fashioned with His own hands, perishing, descendeth,
bowing down the heavens; and, truly incarnate, He taketh upon Himself all man’s
essence through the pure and divine Virgin, for He is glorified.
7. Thy sacred womb, which
was depicted by the bush which burned without being consumed, manifestly bore
the Word and mingled God with a human image, loosing
the wretched womb of Eve from the bitter curse of old. Let us glorify Him, O ye mortals!
8. To the magi the star
manifestly showed Thee forth, the Word Who hath existed before the sun and came
to bring an end to sin, and Who in Thy mercy wast wrapped in swaddling bands in
the wretched cave. And, rejoicing, they
beheld the Lord Himself, a man.
9. Awe-struck, the heavenly hosts stood before
the cave, and unable to keep silent, hymned Thy most pure nativity, chanting:
Glory in the highest to the newborn God!
10. Upon Thy throne hast Thou sat, as Thou didst
swear unto the prophet David, O Master, Who camest forth from the fruit of his
loins; and unto James didst Thou commit the throne of the Church, O Christ.
11. David the king is shown to be a wondrous
prophet and forefather of the incarnation of God; and James, the disciple of
Jesus, is shown forth as the first bishop.
12. We beseech thee, O Virgin Theotokos: in
behalf of thy servants entreat thou Him Who was incarnate of thee, for we know
thee to be our sole intercessor.
Troparia & Kontakia
Tone 4: Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the angel, /
and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, /
the women disciples of the Lord spake to the apostles exultantly: /
Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, //
granting to the world great mercy.
Tone 4: Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, /
hath shined upon the world
the light of knowledge; /
for thereby, they that
worshipped the stars /
were taught by a star /
to worship Thee, the Sun
of Righteousness, /
and to know Thee, the
Dayspring from on high. //
O Lord, glory be to Thee.
Tone 2: O
Joseph, proclaim the wonders to David the father of our Divine Lord. /
Thou hast seen a Virgin
conceive; /
thou hast given glory with
the shepherds; /
thou hast worshipped with
the Magi; /
and thou hast been warned
by an angel. //
Implore Christ our God to
save our souls.
Glory… Tone 3: Today divine David is filled with gladness, /
and together with James,
Joseph doth offer praise; /
for they rejoice at
receiving a crown as kinsmen of Christ, /
and they praise Him who is
ineffably born on earth and they cry: //
O Compassionate One, save
them that honor Thee.
Both now… Tone 3:
Today the Virgin giveth
birth to Him Who is transcendent in essence; /
and the earth offereth a
cave to Him Who is unapproachable. /
Angels with shepherds give
glory; /
with a star the Magi do
journey; //
for our sake a young Child
is born, Who is pre-eternal God.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon in the 4th Tone: How magnified are Thy works O
Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Choir: How magnified are Thy works O Lord! In wisdom
hast Thou made them all.
Reader: Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, Thou hast been magnified
exceedingly.
Choir: How magnified are Thy works O Lord! In wisdom
hast Thou made them all.
Reader: In the Same
Tone: Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel.
Choir: Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of
Israel.
Reader: The
[Gal. 1:11-19 (§200); Eph 6:10-17 (§233)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 4th Tone: Bend Thy
bow, and proceed prosperously, and be king, because of truth and meekness and
righteousness.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Thou hast loved righteousness and hated
iniquity.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Remember, O Lord, David and all his
meekness.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Matthew 2:13-23 (§4)]
Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of
the 9th Ode of the Second Canon of the feast, First Tone:
Refrain: Magnify, O my soul, her who is more honorable and
more glorious than the hosts on high, the most pure Virgin Theotokos.
Irmos: Better would it be for us to keep silence in
fear, for it is without peril; and it is difficult, O Virgin, to weave complex
hymns harmoniously with love. But grant us,
O Mother, the strength to fulfill our intent.
Or according to the current
practice of some, the following Irmos is used (with the same refrain, and in
the same tone):
A strange and most wonderful mystery do I see: the
cave is heaven; the Virgin the throne of the cherubim; the manger a room, in
which Christ, the God whom nothing can contain, is laid. Him do we praise and magnify.
Communion Verse: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest!
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia!