Sunday Readings
Apostolic Reading – 2 Tim 4:5-8
Gospel – Mark 1:1-8
Hymns: See our Church’s website for Audio Recordings: holycrossmelkite.org/hymns
Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 6)
The angelic powers were around Your tomb, and the guards became as dead, and Mary stood at the tomb, seeking Your spotless body; Then You despoiled Hades without being tried by it, and You met the Virgin O Bestower of life. O Lord, who rose from the dead, glory to You!
Troparion of the Nativity of our Lord (Tone 4)
Your Nativity, O Christ our God, has shed the light of knowledge upon the world. Through it, those who had been star-worshipers learned through a star to worship You, O Sun of Justice, and to recognize in You the One who rises from on high. O Lord glory to You!
Troparion of Holy Joseph (Tone 2)
O Joseph, proclaim to David, the ancestor of Christ our God, the great miracles you have witnessed: you have seen the Virgin with child, given praise with the shepherds, adored with the wise men, and an angel of the Lord has appeared to you. Intercede with Christ God that He may save our Souls
Kondakion of the Nativity of Our Lord (Tone 3)
Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent in Essence and the earth presents a cave to the Inaccessible. The angels with the shepherds sing His glory, and the Wise Men with the Star travel on their way: for to us is born a New Child, Who is God from all eternity.
Prokimenon
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Stichon
To you, O Lord, I have called: O my Rock, be not deaf to me!
Reading from the Second Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to Timothy (4:5-8)
My son Timothy be watchful in all things, bear with tribulation patiently, work as a preacher of the Good News, fulfill your ministry. As for me, I am already being poured out in sacrifice, and the time of my deliverance is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have completed the course, I have kept the faith. For the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the just Judge, will give to me on that day: yet not to me only, but also to those who love his coming.
Alleluia (Tone 4)
May God have mercy on us and bless us.
Stichon
May he let his face shine upon us and have mercy on us.
The Holy Gospel According to St. Mark the Evangelist (1:1-8).
Sunday before Theophany.
The Preaching of John the Baptist.
The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before you, who shall prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the desert, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight his paths,’” there came John in the desert, baptizing and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea went out to him, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and all were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “One mightier than I is coming after me, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”