*Ps 118:75; 118:120*
I know, O Lord, that Your ordinances are just, and in Your faithfulness You have afflicted me. Pierce my flesh with Your fear; I fear Your ordinances. (Alleluja, alleluja.)
*Ps 118:1*
Happy are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.
Glory Be to the Father…
I know, O Lord, that Your ordinances are just, and in Your faithfulness You have afflicted me. Pierce my flesh with Your fear; I fear Your ordinances. (Alleluja, alleluja.)
O Lord, our God, Who through your only-begotten Son revealed secrets to blessed Bridget, grant that through her kind intercession, we, Your servants, may rejoice and be glad in the revelation of Your eternal glory.
Through the same Christ our Lord…
Lesson from the first letter of St Paul the Apostle to Timothy
*1 Tim. 5:3-10.*
Dearly beloved: Honor widows, that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or grandchildren, let her learn first to govern her own house, and to make a return of duty to her parents: for this is acceptable before God. But she that is a widow indeed and desolate, let her trust in God, and continue in prayers and supplications night and day. For she that liveth in pleasures, is dead while she is living. And this give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband, having testimony for her good words, if she have brought up children, if she have received to harbor, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have ministered to them that suffer tribulation, if she have diligently followed every good work.
*Ps 44:3; 44:5*
Grace is poured out upon your lips; thus God has blessed you forever.
℣. In the cause of truth and mercy and for the sake of justice: may your right hand show you wondrous deeds. Alleluia, alleluia.
*Ps 44.5*
℣. In your splendor and your beauty ride on triumphant, and reign. Alleluia.
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
*Matt 13:44-52.*
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to His disciples: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; he who finds it hides it, and in his joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds a single pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea that gathered in fish of every kind. When it was filled, they hauled it out, and sitting down on the beach, they gathered the good fish into vessels, but threw away the bad. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the just, and will cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all these things? They said to Him, Yes. And He said to them, So then, every Scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings forth from his storeroom things new and old.
*Ps 44:3*
Grace is poured out upon your lips; thus God has blessed you forever, and for ages of ages. (Alleluja.)
May the service of thy holy people be acceptable to Thee, O Lord, and honorable to thy saints, through whose merits we know that we have received help in trouble.
Through our Lord…
*Common*
It is truly meet and just, and profitable unto salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to Thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ, our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominions adore it, the Powers are in awe. Which the heavens and the hosts of heaven together with the blessed Seraphim joyfully do magnify. And do Thou command that it be permitted us to join with them in confessing Thee, while we say with lowly praise:
*Ps 44:8*
You love justice and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows. (Alleluja.)
