The Third Sunday of Great Lent—The Sunday of the Holy, Life-Giving Cross (Tone 7)
[We have reached the midpoint of the Fast. We pause here, as at a wayside, in order to ponder where we are headed. For this purpose, already many centuries ago, in the Church of Constantinople, on this third Sunday of the Fast, the major relic of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross was brought from its place in the treasury of the Vlachernae Palace to the Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom, where it was shown to the people during the entirety of the fourth week of the Fast.
We too should take encouragement from the Holy Cross, because it teaches us that the suffering of this life and this world are only temporary, passing and illusory, while the joy of the Resurrection lasts eternally.]
Tropar, Tone 7
By our 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.
Tropar of the Cross, Tone 1
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance. Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies, and protect Your community by Your Cross.
[This hymn was originally written to be the official supplication of the people during a time of national crisis. In the original version, the text read “grant victory to your faithful, beloved sovereigns.” It is used often throughout the year: 14 (27) September- the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Third Sunday of Lent, 1 (14) August- the Procession of the Holy Cross, as well as all Wednesdays and Fridays. The feast of 1 August was instituted at Constantinople to supplicate the mercy of God to spare the city from the plagues that often afflicted it during the hot summers.
Since we hear this tropar so frequently, it is a good reminder to us to call upon God in our trials, and to trust that He will give us what is best.]
Glory…Now…
Kondak of the Triodion, Tone 7
No longer does the flaming sword guard the gate of Eden Paradise .”
Instead of the Trisagion
To Your Cross, O Master, we bow in veneration, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection.
Prokimen of the Triodion, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord* and bless Your inheritance.
v. Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest You turn from me in silence.
A READING FROM THE LETTER OF SAINT PAUL
THE APOSTLE, TO HEBREWS:
THE APOSTLE, TO HEBREWS:
Brethren, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him: "You are my son; this day I have begotten you"; just as he says in another place: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (4:14-5:6)
[The epistle reading encourages us to approach “the throne of grace”—which is the Holy Cross, since on it Christ has made satisfaction for all of the sins of mankind and has opened to us again the life of grace. We now have access to limitless forgiveness. We need only ask.]
Alleluia, Tone 8
Remember Your congregation, which You acquired from the beginning.
v. But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.
The Lord said, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? What could one give in exchange for his life? Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." He also said to them, "Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God
[To „bear one’s cross” means to willingly embrace the sufferings and adversities of one’s life for love of God and neighbour. The way of salvation is to be content with what God gives us moment by moment. To reject His Will for us, because we do not understand it, or because it pains us, is to reject Him. This is the reason why previous generations of pious people put such great emphasis on the Morning Offering, which offers everything in the coming day to God. The first known Morning Offering was written by St. Gregory the Theologian (+389): I rise and pledge myself, Lord, that this day I shall do no evil deed, but offer еvery moment as a sacrifice to You. I blush when I remember my sinfulness; I shudder when I recall how I have betrayed You. Yet You know that now I want only to serve You. Make me this day Your devoted servant.]
Zadostoynyk of the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
In you, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices: the angelic ranks and all the human race. Sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, virgins’ pride and boast, from whom God is made flesh and became a little Child; and He who is our God before the ages, He made your womb a throne, and He made it wider than all the heavens. In you, Full of Grace, all creation rejoices. Glory be to you.
Communion verse
Let the light of our countenance, O Lord,* shine upon us. Alleluia (3)
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