Wednesday Morning

WEDNESDAY Safro
INTRODUCTION

DOXOLOGY

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as we begin and until we conclude.
May mercy and compassion be poured forth upon us
in this world and the next.
O Lord, our God, to you be glory for ever. Amen.

OPENING PRAYER
Christ Jesus, our Lord and head of the living,
bless your Church with the blessings of the resurrection, so that she may illumine the world with the light
of your glory
and make the joy of your salvation known to all,
you who live with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
for ever. Amen.

GREETING
Peace be with the Church and her children.
PRAISE OF THE ANGELS

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace on earth and good will to all.

Praise the Lord all you nations,
glorify him all you peoples!

For steadfast is his mercy towards us,
and the truth of the Lord endures for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
and peace on earth and good will to all.

PSALMODY
FIRST PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
O living Christ,
cornerstone of the Church and stumbling-block for those who hear the Word,
the light of your resurrection made the frightened
guards faint,
and your disciples believed in you and rejoiced.
The eyes of the apostles were opened to the writings of your prophets,
but those of your executioners remained closed.
Through your death and resurrection,
be not for us a stumbling-block or a rock which knocks us down, but a means to faith and a promise of hope
so that we may praise you,
now and for ever. Amen.

PSALM OF THE DAY
Antiphon:
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice.

Psalm 97
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.

Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.

Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes round about.

His lightnings illumine the world;
the earth sees and trembles.

The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.

All who worship graven things are put to shame,
who glory in the things of nought;

all gods are prostrate before him.

Zion hears and is glad,
and the cities of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments, O LORD.

Because you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth, exalted far above all gods.

The LORD loves those that hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful ones;
from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.

Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Antiphon:
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice.

SECOND PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
O Christ,
may we rejoice in your resurrection, after we have experienced the pain of your death.
May today’s joy and yesterday’s pain be a sign of our thanksgiving, praise, and hope in you.
May the churches of your people and the monasteries of your religious
sing hymns to you, your Father and your Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.

NUHRO (HYMN OF LIGHT)
The Light of the just and joy of the upright is Christ Jesus, our Lord, Begotten of the Father, he manifested himself to us.
He came to rescue us from darkness and to fill us with the radiance of his light.

Day is dawning upon us; the power of darkness is fading away.
From the true Light there arises for us the light which illumines our darkened eyes.

His glory shines upon the world and enlightens the very depths of the abyss.
Death is annihilated, night has vanished, and the gates of Sheol are broken.

Creatures lying in darkness from ancient times are clothed in light.
The dead arise from the dust and sing because they have a Savior.

He brings salvation and grants us life.
He ascends to his Father on high.
He will return in glorious splendor and shed his light on those gazing upon him.

Our King comes in majestic glory,
Let us light our lamps and go forth to meet him.
Let us find our joy in him, for he has found joy in us.
He will indeed rejoice us with his marvelous light.

Let us glorify the majesty of the Son and give thanks to the almighty Father, who,
in an outpouring of love, sent him to us, to fill us with hope and salvation.

When he manifests himself, the saints awaiting him in weariness and sorrow,
will go forth to meet him with lighted lamps.
The angels and guardians of heaven will rejoice in the glory of the just and upright people of the earth;
together, crowned with victory, they will sing hymns and psalms.
Stand up then and be ready!
Give thanks to our King and Savior, who will come in great glory to gladden us with his marvelous light in his kingdom.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

THIRD PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
O Christ,
help us today to honor your tomb which you left alive, as we yesterday honored your cross on which you were
hung dead.
You are our life, and death is a help to us;
for you we live and die until we enter the life which never ends,
when we shall glorify and praise you, for ever. Amen.

MORNING PSALMS
Psalm 148
Alleluia.

Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights;

Praise him, all you his angels,
praise him, all you his hosts.

Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.

Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created;

He established them forever and ever;
he gave them a duty which shall not pass away.

Praise the LORD from the earth;
you sea monsters and all depths;

Fire and hail, snow and mist,
storm winds that fulfill his word;

You mountains and all you hills,
you fruit trees and all you cedars;

You wild beasts and all tame animals,
you creeping things and you winged fowl.

Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
the princes and all the judges of the earth,

Young men too, and maidens,
old men and boys,

Praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;

His majesty is above earth and heaven,
and he has lifted up the horn of his people.

Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,
from the children of Israel, the people close to him.

Alleluia.

Psalm 149: 1-6
Alleluia.

Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;

Let the high praises of God be in their throats.

Alleluia.

Psalm 150
Alleluia.

Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.

Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty.

Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp.

Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.

Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.

Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD!

Alleluia.

Psalm 117

Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!

For steadfast is his mercy toward us,
and the truth of the Lord endures for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Alleluia.

HOOSOYO
PROEMION
Praise, glory and honor to the Good Shepherd
who went in search of the lost sheep in the depths
of the earth and among the claws of death.
Dying he gave his life for them,
and by his death gave them life, life in abundance.
To the Good One is due glory and honor this morning,
and all the days of our lives,
now and for ever. Amen.

SEDRO
O Christ,
you entered the sheepfold through the gate of your incarnation, as you entered into the resurrection through the gate of your cross and into life through the gate of your death;
for you are the Gate, the Resurrection and the Life.
The One who enters through you is saved.
He will enter and leave with the freedom of the children of God
and will find in you a green pasture.
Behold, O Christ, from all sides your sheep hasten toward you.
They recognize your voice when you call them by name in the baptism of your Holy Spirit.
For they who were pained by your death when you gave us your life to redeem them,
rejoice in your resurrection through which you give them life in abundance.
They ask you now to place shepherds over them
who will feed them on your name and example.
Protect them from hirelings who flee at the approach of the wolf
and leave them to be devoured and scattered.
Protect them from strangers who come only to steal and kill.
Not one of these enters through the gate;
they do not know the sheep by name and have no concern for them.
Gather together the scattered,
bring back to the sheepfold those who have wandered
so that there may be one flock and one shepherd in your kingdom on earth,
as in your kingdom in heaven,
for ever and ever. Amen.

QOLO
He was placed in the tomb as a grain of wheat is planted in the earth; that is why he bore much fruit.
Blessed is he who through his death has given us life and through his resurrection has given us victory over death.

Glory to you, O dead One, who conquered death and was raised from death. Thus, those who die, die in the hope of the resurrection and of life.

ETRO
O Christ,
accept the fragrant perfume of these prayers as a sign of our repentant hearts.
Through them, pardon our faults,
raise us up from the death of sin,
give us victory over the temptations of the enemy
and grant us a life which reflects your kindness.
Thus may we come to your kingdom
and glorify you with the angels and the saints, for ever. Amen.

READINGS
MAZMOORO
On the third day Christ was raised from the tomb, as he said: whoever believes in him, even if he dies, will be raised up in his image.

Sion hears and rejoices, she exults with happiness because of your judgments, O Lord.

The Author of life did not remain long under the power of death; corruption did not touch him whom Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit.

SCRIPTURE READINGS
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 18: 12-28
But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him to the tribunal, saying, “This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law.” When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud, I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews; but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles and your own law, see to it yourselves. I do not wish to be a judge of such matters.” And he drove them away from the tribunal. They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official, and beat him in full view of the tribunal. But none of this was of concern to Gallio. Paul remained for quite some time, and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut because he had taken a vow.
When they reached Ephesus, he left them there, while he entered the synagogue and held discussions with the Jews. Although they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, but as he said farewell he promised, “I shall come back to you again, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. Upon landing at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch. After staying there some time, he left and traveled in orderly sequence through the Galatian country and Phrygia, bringing strength to all the disciples. A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus. He was an authority on the scriptures. He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and, with ardent spirit, spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the Way [of God] more accurately. And when he wanted to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. After his arrival he gave great assistance to those who had come to believe through grace. He vigorously refuted the Jews in public, establishing from the scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus. Paul in Ephesus

HOOTOMO
GREAT DOXOLOGY
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and joy filled hope to all.
We praise you, we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord and Creator, King of heaven, God the Father almighty, Lord God, only Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son and Word of the Father,
you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sin of the world, hear us and receive our prayer.
You are seated in glory at the right hand of your Father, forgive us and have mercy on us;
For you alone are holy,
you alone are the Lord, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
At all times, and all the days of our lives, we worship you and praise your holy and blessed name,
which is and has been from age to age.
Blessed are you, Lord almighty, God of our fathers.
May your name be glorified, praised and exalted for ever.
To you be glory, praise an exaltation, God of all,
Father of truth, with the only Son and the living and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God,
you are before all ages and exist from age to age;
you are resplendent and glorified in unsearchable light; through your word, you bring forth light and give us a new day.
O radiant Day and source of all light,
we glorify you, adore you and offer you praise night and day; accept our praise and answer our prayer.
Send us your abundant blessings, through the mercy of your Christ.
To him, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be glory, honor and power,
now and for ever. Amen.