Sunday Readings

Apostolic Reading –  Galatians 2:16-20

Gospel –  Luke 16:19-31

Troparion of the resurrection (Tone 4)

The women disciples of the Lord, having learned from the angel the joyful announcement of the resurrection, and having rejected the ancestral sentence, proudly told the apostles: Death is despoiled. Christ God is risen, bestowing to the world great mercy.”

Troparion of the Martyrs (Tone 2)

O Victorious witnesses of the Lord, blessed is the earth that received your blood, and holy are the places that preserve your relics. You have vanquished the Enemy in battle and proclaimed Christ with courage. We beg you to intercede with Him who is all good. That He may save our souls.

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.

Kondakion (Tone 2)

O never failing Protectress of Christians and their ever-present intercessor before the Creator, despise not the petitions of us sinners, but in your goodness extend your help to us who call upon you with confidence. Hasten, O Mother of God, to intercede for us, for you have always protected those who honor you.

Prokimenon

How great are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have wrought them all.

Stichon

Bless the Lord, O my soul! You are very great indeed, O Lord my God!

Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians (2:16-20)

Brethren, we know man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Hence, we also believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law, because by the works of the Law no man will be justified. But if, while we are seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sin? By no means. For if I rebuild the things I destroyed, I make myself a sinner. For through the Law, I have died to the Law that I may live for God. With Christ I am nailed to the cross. It is now no longer I who live, but Christ is living in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live within the faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.

Alleluia (Tone 4)

String your bow, go forth, reign for the sake of truth, meekness and righteousness, and your right hand shall lead you wonderfully.

Stichon

You loved righteousness and hated iniquity: therefore God, your God, anointed you with the oil of joy above your companions.

The Holy Gospel According to St. Luke the Evangelist (16:19-31). The Rich Man & Lazarus.

At that time, the Lord told this parable; “there was certain rich man who used to clothe himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted every day in splendid fashion. And there was certain poor man, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. And it came to pass that the poor man died and was borne away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom; but the rich man also died and was buried in hell. And lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham have pity on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember you in your lifetime have received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now here he is comforted whereas you are tormented. And besides all that, between us and you a great gulf is fixed, so that those who wish to pass over from this side to you cannot, and they cannot cross from your side to us.’ And he said, ‘Then, father, I pray you to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they too come into this place of torments.’ And Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ But he answered, ‘No father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not believe even if someone rises from the dead.”