Sunday before Theophany
Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria.
10AM 2 January 2022.
Troparion, Tone 7
By Your cross You destroyed death; * You opened Paradise to the thief; * You changed the lamentation of the myrrh-bearers to joy, * and charged the apostles to proclaim * that You are risen, O Christ our God, * offering great mercy to the world.
Troparion, Tone 4
Make ready, O Zebulon, * and prepare yourself, O Nephtali; * O River Jordan, stop and receive with joy * the Master coming to be baptized. * O Adam, rejoice with the first mother, Eve, * and do not hide yourselves as before in Paradise. * For, having seen you unclothed, * Christ has appeared to clothe you with the first robe; * He has appeared to renew all creation.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 7
No longer shall the dominion of death be able to hold humanity, * for Christ went down shattering and destroying its powers. * Hades is bound. * The prophets exult with one voice. * The Saviour has come for those with faith, saying: * ‘Come forth, O faithful, to the resurrection!’
Now and forever and ever, Amen.
Theotokion, Tone 4
Today the Lord stood in Jordan’s current telling John: * Do not be afraid to baptize Me, * for I have come to save Adam, the first man.
Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord, * and bless Your inheritance.
Verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm 27:9,1)
Epistle : 2 Timothy 4:5–8
A reading from the Second Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to Timothy.
Timothy, my son, as for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Alleluia, Tone 8
Verse: God, be merciful to us and bless us.
Verse: Make the light of Your face shine upon us and have mercy on us. (Psalm 66:2)
Gospel : Mark 1:1–8
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,”’ John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’
Сommunion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1) * Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia.
[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.]