Sunday after the Nativity
Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria.
10AM 26 December 2021.
First Antiphon
Verse: I will confess You, Lord, with all my heart, * I will declare all Your wondrous deeds.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, * O Saviour, save us.
Verse: In the council of the just and the congregation, * great are the works of the Lord, conforming to His will in every way.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, * O Saviour, save us.
Verse: His work is filled with praise and majesty, * and His righteousness endures forever.
Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, * O Saviour, save us.
Third Antiphon
Verse: Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, * let us acclaim God, our Saviour.
Refrain: Son of God, born of a Virgin, * save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Verse: Let us come before His face with praise, * and acclaim Him in psalms.
Refrain: Son of God, born of a Virgin, * save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Verse: For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.
Refrain: Son of God, born of a Virgin, * save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Entrance Verse: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.
Refrain: Son of God, born of a Virgin, * save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Troparion, Tone 6
Angelic powers were upon Your tomb * and the guards became like dead men; * Mary stood before Your tomb * seeking Your most pure body. * You captured Hades without being overcome by it. * You met the Virgin and granted life. * O Lord, risen from the dead, * glory be to You!
Troparion, Tone 4
Your Nativity, O Christ our God, * made the light of knowledge dawn on the world: * through it, those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star * to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness, * and to know that You, the Dawn from on the high. * Glory to You, O Lord.
Troparion, Tone 2
O Joseph, announce to David, the ancestor of God, the news of the miracle: * You saw a virgin giving birth. * With the shepherds, you gave praise and with the Magi you worshipped; * they too were warned by an angel. * Pray to Christ our God to save our souls.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 3
Today the divine David is filled with gladness; * Joseph along with James offers praises * for having received a crown through their kinship with Christ they rejoice * and sing of the One who inexpressibly was born on earth, * crying out, ‘O Gracious One, save those who worship You.’
Now and forever and ever, Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 3
The Virgin today gives birth to Him who is above all being; * the earth offers the cave to Him whom no one can approach; * Angel with shepherds give Him glory, * while Magi make their way with a star, * for to us is born a little Child—the pre-eternal God.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
God is wonderful in His saints, * the God of Israel.
Verse: In the churches bless God, the Lord from the fountains of Israel. (Psalm 67:36,27)
Epistle : Galatians 1:11–19
A reading from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Galatians.
Brothers and Sisters, the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, ‘I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.’ And again, ‘I will put my trust in him.’ And again, ‘Here am I and the children whom God has given me.’ Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
Alleluia, Tone 2
Verse: Lord, remember David and all his meekness.
Verse: How he swore an oath to the Lord, and vowed to the God of Jacob. (Psalm 131:1,2)
Gospel : Matthew 2:13–23
When the wise men had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’ When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’ When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’
Instead of ‘It is truly’ we sing: O my soul, magnify Christ the King born in a manger.
Irmos, Tone 1: A strange and glorious mystery do I behold: * the cave is heaven; * the Virgin, the throne of the cherubim; * the manger, a dwelling place * in which is laid Christ, the God Whom nothing can contain. * Singing His praises, we magnify Him.
Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1) * Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; * praise befits the righteous (Psalm 32:1) * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia.
Instead of “Blessed is He who comes...” we sing: All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin. (1х)
Instead of “We have seen the true light...” we sing: All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin. (1х)
Instead of “May our mouths...” and “Blessed be the Name...” we sing: All creation is filled with rejoicing today, for Christ is born of a Virgin. (3x)
[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]