*Ps 129:3-4*
If You, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? But with You is forgiveness, O God of Israel.
*Ps 129:1-2*
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!
Glory Be to the Father…
If You, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? But with You is forgiveness, O God of Israel.
O God, our refuge and our strength, the very source of holiness, heed the devout prayers of Your Church, and grant that what we seek in faith we may obtain in fact.
Through our Lord…
Lesson from the letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Philippians
*Phil 1:6-11*
Brethren: We are confident in the Lord Jesus that He Who has begun a good work in you will bring it to perfection until the day of Christ Jesus. And I have the right to feel so about you all, because I have you in my heart, all of you, alike in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, as sharers in my joy. For God is my witness how I long for you all in the heart of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your charity may more and more abound in knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the better things, that you may be upright and without offense unto the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
*Ps 132:1-2*
Behold how good it is, and how pleasant where brethren dwell as one!
℣. It is as when the precious ointment upon the head runs down over the beard, the beard of Aaron.
Ps 113:11
Those who fear the Lord trust in the Lord: He is their help and their shield.
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
*Matt 22:15-21*
At that time, the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might trap Jesus in His talk. And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that You are truthful, and that You teach the way of God in truth, and that You care naught for any man; for You do not regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what do You think: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said, Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin of the tribute. So they offered Him a denarius. Then Jesus said to them, Whose are this image and the inscription? They said to Him, Caesar’s. Then He said to them, Render, therefore, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.
*Esther 14:12-13*
Remember me, O Lord, You Who rule above all power: and give a well-ordered speech in my mouth, that my words may be pleasing in the sight of the prince.
Grant, O merciful God, that this saving sacrifice may always free us from sin, and protect us from all that works against us.
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 16:6*
I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; incline Your ear to me; hear my word.
If that won’t lift souls to higher things….