OFFICE OF READINGS

O Lord, open my lips.

And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Invitatory Psalm

Psalm 23 (24)

Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,

the world and all who live in it.

He himself founded it upon the seas

and set it firm over the waters.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

Who will climb the mountain of the Lord?

Who will stand in his holy place?

The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,

who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.

He will receive the blessing of the Lord

and be justified by God his saviour.

This is the way of those who seek him,

seek the face of the God of Jacob.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,

and let the king of glory enter.

Who is the king of glory?

The Lord of might and power.

The Lord, strong in battle.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,

and let the king of glory enter.

Who is the king of glory?

The Lord of hosts

– he is the king of glory.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

– Come, let us worship Christ, the prince of shepherds.

Hymn

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;

Thy justice like mountains high soaring above

Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all life thou givest, to both great and small;

In all life thou livest, the true life of all;

We blossom and flourish, like leaves on the tree,

Then wither and perish; but naught changeth thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;

All laud we would render: O help us to see

‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

Psalm 135 (136)

A paschal hymn

The Lord alone has wrought marvellous works,

for his love endures for ever.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his love is for ever.

Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his love is for ever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his love is for ever.

He alone works wonders,

for his love is for ever.

In his wisdom he made the heavens,

for his love is for ever.

He set the Earth upon the waters,

for his love is for ever.

He created the great lights,

for his love is for ever.

The sun, to rule over the day,

for his love is for ever.

The moon and stars, to rule over the night,

for his love is for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The Lord alone has wrought marvellous works,

for his love endures for ever.

Psalm 135 (136)

He brought Israel out from Egypt,

with arm outstretched,

with power in his hand.

He struck down the first-born of Egypt,

for his love is for ever.

He led Israel out from their midst,

for his love is for ever.

With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

for his love is for ever.

He divided the Red Sea in two,

for his love is for ever.

He led Israel out through the sea,

for his love is for ever.

He overthrew Pharaoh and his army,

for his love is for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

He brought Israel out from Egypt,

with arm outstretched,

with power in his hand.

Psalm 135 (136)

To the Lord of heaven give thanks:

he set us free from our foes.

He led his people through the wilderness,

for his love is for ever.

He struck down great kings,

for his love is for ever.

Sihon, king of the Amorites,

for his love is for ever.

And Og, the king of Bashan,

for his love is for ever.

He gave their land to his people,

for his love is for ever.

A heritage for Israel his servant,

for his love is for ever.

He remembered us in our affliction,

for his love is for ever.

He rescued us from our enemies,

for his love is for ever.

He gives food to all creatures that live,

for his love is for ever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven,

for his love is for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

To the Lord of heaven give thanks:

he set us free from our foes.

Lord, show me your ways,

– and teach me your paths.

Reading

Deuteronomy 16:1-17

The feasts of Israel

Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover for the Lord your God, because it was in the month of Abib that the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. You must sacrifice a passover from your flock or herd for the Lord your God in the place where the Lord chooses to give his name a home. You must not eat leavened bread with this; for seven days you must eat it with unleavened bread, the bread of emergency, for it was in great haste that you came out of the land of Egypt; so you will remember, all the days of your life, the day you came out of the land of Egypt. For seven days no leaven must be found in any house throughout your territory, nor must any of the meat that you sacrifice in the evening of the first day be kept overnight until morning. You may not sacrifice the passover in any of the towns that the Lord your God gives you; but only in the place where the Lord your God chooses to give his name a home, there you must sacrifice the passover, in the evening at sunset, at the hour at which you came out of Egypt. You must cook it and eat it in the place the Lord your God chooses, and in the morning you are to return and go to your tents. 
For six days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the seventh day there shall be an assembly for the Lord your God; and you must do no work.

You are to count seven weeks, counting these seven weeks from the time you begin to put your sickle into the standing corn. You must then celebrate the feast of weeks for the Lord your God with the gift of a voluntary offering from your hand in proportion to the way that the Lord your God has blessed you. You must rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God in the place where the Lord your God chooses to give his name a home, you and your son and daughter, your serving men and women, the Levite who lives in your towns, the stranger, 
the orphan and the widow who live among you. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and carefully observe these laws.

You must celebrate the feast of Tabernacles for seven days, at the time when you gather in the produce of your threshing-floor and winepress. You must rejoice at your feast, you and your son and daughter, your serving men and women, the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow who live in your towns. For seven days you are to celebrate the feast for the Lord your God in the place the Lord chooses, 
for the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and all your handiwork, and you will be filled with joy.

Three times a year all your menfolk are to appear before the Lord your God in the place he chooses: at the feast of Unleavened Bread, at the feast of Weeks, at the feast of Tabernacles. No one must appear before the Lord empty-handed, but every man must give what he can, 
in proportion to the blessing that the Lord your God gives you.

Responsory

You must rejoice at your feast,

you and your son and daughter,

the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow,

and the Lord will bless you,

and you will be filled with joy.

See on the mountains the feet of the herald who brings good tidings,

who proclaims peace!

Keep your feasts, O Judah,

and the Lord will bless you,

and you will be filled with joy.

Reading

From a homily by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop

I have fought the good fight

Though housed in a narrow prison, Paul dwelt in heaven. He accepted beatings and wounds more readily than others reach out for rewards. Sufferings he loved as much as prizes; indeed he regarded them as his prizes, and therefore called them a grace or gift. Reflect on what this means. To depart and be with Christ was certainly a reward, while remaining in the flesh meant struggle. 
Yet such was his longing for Christ that he wanted to defer his reward and remain amid the fight; those were his priorities.

Now, to be separated from the company of Christ meant struggle and pain for Paul; in fact, it was a greater affliction than any struggle or pain would be. On the other hand, to be with Christ was a matchless reward. Yet, for the sake of Christ, Paul chose the separation.

But, you may say: “Because of Christ, Paul found all this pleasant.” I cannot deny that, for he derived intense pleasure from what saddens us. I need not think only of perils and hardships. It was true even of the intense sorrow that made him cry out: 
Who is weak that I do not share the weakness? Who is scandalised that I am not consumed with indignation?

I urge you not simply to admire but also to imitate this splendid example of virtue, for, if we do, we can share his crown as well.

Are you surprised at my saying that if you have Paul’s merits, you will share that same reward? Then listen to Paul himself: I have fought the good fight, I have run the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth a crown of justice awaits me, and the Lord, who is a just judge, 
will give it to me on that day – and not to me alone, but to those who desire his coming. You see how he calls all to share the same glory?

Now, since the same crown of glory is offered to all, let us eagerly strive to become worthy of these promised blessings.

In thinking of Paul we should not consider only his noble and lofty virtues or the strong and ready will that disposed him for such great graces. We should also realise that he shares our nature in every respect. If we do, then even what is very difficult will seem to us easy and light; we shall work hard during the short time we have on earth and someday we shall wear the incorruptible, immortal crown. 
This we shall do by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all glory and power belongs now and always through endless ages. Amen.

Responsory

As a man dedicated to God,

you must aim to be saintly and religious,

filled with faith and love, patient and gentle.

Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself eternal life.

What you preach must be in keeping with wholesome doctrine.

Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself eternal life.

Let us pray.

Almighty God,

you endowed Saint Timothy and Saint Titus with power to preach your word.

Grant that, living a life of integrity and holiness in this world,

we may, through their prayers, come to our true home in heaven.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.