Sunday Readings

Apostolic Reading –  Hebrews 13:7-16

Gospel –  Luke 19:1-10

Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 7)

You destroyed Death by Your cross. You opened paradise to the thief. You changed the weeping of the myrrh- bearers, and commanded Your apostles to proclaim that You, O Christ God, have risen, granting to the world great mercy.

Troparion of Athanasios and Cyril (Tone 4)

Radiant with the works of Orthodoxy, you extinguished every false belief and teaching, becoming trophy-bearers and conquerors. Since you enriched all with true piety, greatly adoring the Church with magnificence, O Athanasios, and wise Cyril, you have both attained Christ God who grants great mercy unto all.

Troparion of the Holy Cross (Tone 1)

O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance, granting peace to the world. And preserve your community by the power of your Cross.

Kontakion of the Presentation of our Lord (Tone 1)

O Christ our God who through your birth have sanctified the virginal womb and have now blessed the arms of Simon, today You have come to save us. O Lord, when wars prevail, keep your people in peace and strengthen our Public Authorities in every good deed, for You alone are the lover of Mankind.

Prokimenon

Precious in the Lord's eyes is the death of his holy ones.

Stichon

How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done to me?

Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews (13:7-16)

Brethren, remember your superiors who spoke to you the word of God. Consider how they ended their lives, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes, and forever. Do not be led away by various and strange doctrines. For it is good to make the heart steadfast by grace, not by foods, in which those who walked found no profit.

We have an altar, from which they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the Holies by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people by his blood, suffered outside the gate.

Let us therefore go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach; for here we have no permanent city, but we seek for the city that is to come. Through him, therefore, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise always to God, that is, fruit of lips praising his name. And do not forget kindness and love, for by such sacrifices God's favor is obtained.

Alleluia

Happy the man who fears the Lord!

He will joyfully agree with his commands.

Stichon

His holiness shall endure forever and ever.

The Holy Gospel According to St. Luke the Evangelist (19:1-10).  

At that time as Jesus was passing through Jericho, behold there was a man named Zacchaeus; and he was a leading publican, and he was rich. And he was trying to see Jesus, to find out who he was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So, he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay in your house today.” And he made haste and came down, and welcomed him joyfully. And upon seeing it, all began to murmur, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, I give one-half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he, too, is the son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”