Liturgical Calendar

Deign, O God, to rescue me; O Lord, make haste to help me; let my enemies be put to shame and confounded who seek my life.

Let them be turned back in disgrace who desire my ruin.

Deign, O God, to rescue me; O Lord, make haste to help me; let my enemies be put to shame and confounded who seek my life.

Grant, we beseech You, O Lord, the help of Your grace, that, being intent, as we ought, upon fasting and prayer, we may be delivered from the enemies of soul and of body.

Lesson from the Prophecy of Jeremias

Thus says the Lord God: Cursed is the man who trusts in man, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit. More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it? I, the Lord, alone probe the mind and test the heart, to reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds, says the Lord almighty.

Pardon our sins, O Lord; why should the nations say, Where is their God?

Help us, O God, our Saviour; because of the glory of Your Name, O Lord, deliver us.

Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke

At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees, There was a certain rich man who used to clothe himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted every day in splendid fashion. And there was a 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 afar 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 that you in your lifetime have received 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 they who wish to pass over from this side to you cannot, and they cannot pass from your side to us.’ And he said, ‘Then, father, I beseech 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 hearken 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 hearken to Moses and the Prophets, they will not believe even if someone rises from the dead.’

Moses prayed in the sight of the Lord his God, and said, Why, O Lord, are You angry with Your people? Let the anger of Your soul be appeased: remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom You swore that You would give the land flowing with milk and honey. So the Lord relented in the punishment He had threatened to inflict on His people.

May the fasting dedicated to Your Name, O Lord, make us holy for the present sacrifice, that what our Lenten observance outwardly shows may work within us.

He who eats My Flesh, and drinks My Blood, abides in Me, and I in him, says the Lord.

May Your grace, we beseech You, O Lord, never forsake us, but make us devoted to Your holy service and ever obtain for us Your aid.

Let us pray. Bow your heads to God. Help Your servants, O Lord, and grant them the lasting kindness they entreat, so that, to those who glory in You, their Creator and Ruler, You may restore the blessings they once possessed, and preserve what You restore.