SUNDAY MATINS: THIRD CANON TO THE THEOTOKOS (TONE 7)

Transcription

1 SUNDAY MATINS: THIRD CANON TO THE THEOTOKOS (TONE 7) ODE ONE AT YOUR COMMAND, O LORD, THE WATER CHANGED ITS NATURE; NO LONGER DIFFUSE AND SHIFTING, IT BECAME FIRM AS THE GROUND. DRY-SHOD WALKED ISRAEL, AND SANG YOU A SONG OF VICTORY. Virgin: You bore the Depth of compassion. Shine on my soul with your lightbearing radiance, that with love I may sing the praises of the depth of your wonders. Beholding us wounded by the darts of sin, the Lord in His kindness, took pity on us. The Most High God united Himself ineffably to flesh from you, O Virgin. Virgin: the corrupt and mortal nature of man was swallowed up by death, but by conceiving Life, you brought it from corruption back to life. ODE THREE O LORD AND SAVIOUR: IN THE BEGINNING YOU FOUNDED THE HEAVENS AND THEIR POWERS BY YOUR DIVINE AND ALL-CREATING SPIRIT. ESTABLISH ME FIRMLY ON THE UNSHAKEABLE ROCK OF YOUR CONFESSION. The creeping serpent beguiled me with the desire to be like God, and dragged me out of Eden to the earth. But, O Virgin Mother, the One whose nature is compassion and mercy dwelt within your womb and became like me, and so He made me like God. Blessed is the fruit of your womb, O Virgin Mother of God, the joy of us all ; for you indeed brought joy and gladness to the world, O Bride of God, dispersing all the grief of sin O Virgin Theotokos: you bore for us eternal Life, Light and Peace, and set aside the ancient enmity of mankind towards God the Father by faith and the confession of grace.

2 ODE FOUR O CHRIST GOD: WITHOUT LEAVING THE BOSOM OF THE FATHER, YOU CAME DOWN TO THE EARTH. I HAVE HEARD THE MYSTERY OF YOUR DISPENSATION, AND I GLORIFY YOU, ONLY LOVER OF MANKIND. You were chosen from all and beautiful above all creation, appearing to God in the splendour of your shining radiance. O All-praised One: illumine and purify all those who sing to you. O Pure Virgin Mother: from your pure blood you brought God to mortal men. He delivers from countless sins those who honour you and sing your praises. Reasoning nature has now been taught the mysteries of your ineffable conceiving, O all-blessed One. It offers the sacred rites of worship to Him Who came from you, O Virgin. ODE FIVE THE NIGHT IS DARK TO THOSE WITHOUT FAITH, O CHRIST, BUT LIGHT COMES FOR THE FAITHFUL THROUGH DELIGHT IN YOUR WORDS. THEREFORE I RISE EARLY IN THE MORNING AND COME TO YOU SINGING THE PRAISES OF YOUR DIVINITY. As Jacob saw the ladder set up to the heights of heaven, he beheld the type of your mystery, Virgin. For through you, O all-pure Lady, God came down among men. We have found eternal salvation through you, O Virgin, and we fervently cry out to you: Rejoice, O Bride of God. We rejoice in your light, O all-praised One, ever singing hymns to you. The Bridegroom found you, the only lily among thorns, radiant with the brightness of purity, and shining with the light of virginity. He took you to be His Bride, O immaculate Virgin.

3 ODE SIX IRMOS TOSSING ON A SEA OF WORLDLY CARES, SINKING WITH MY COMPANIONS, MY SINS, THROWN OVERBOARD TO THE SOUL-DESTROYING MONSTER, AS JONAH, I CRY ALOUD TO YOU: O CHRIST: LEAD ME UP FROM THESE DEADLY DEEPS. The types of the law and predictions of the prophets, clearly foretold you, O pure Virgin, as the one who bore the Benefactor of all creation, Whose goodness is found in many different ways for the faithful who sing your praises. Adam, the first-formed man, was banished long ago from the divine delights of Paradise through the will and intent of the murderer. But you, O unwedded one, led him back again by bearing Him who delivers us from our transgressions. O Pure One: He who made the whole world from nothing by divine will and creative might, proceeded from your womb, shining on those in the darkness of death with the lightning flashes of divinity. ODE SEVEN IN DAYS OF OLD THE CHILDREN SHOWED US THE FLAMING FURNACE COOLED BY THE GENTLY DROPPING DEW AS THEY SANG THE PRAISES OF THE ONE GOD AND SAID: THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS IS HIGHLY EXALTED AND IS GLORIFIED OVER ALL. O Virgin: decked with gold-woven robes, in many-coloured robes, your Creator and Lord loved you, His own. The God of our fathers is highly exalted and glorified over all. O Maiden: In days of old Isaiah was cleansed by the touch of the coal of fire. He beheld there the type of the Child you bore, the God of our fathers Who is highly exalted and glorified over all. The holy prophets of old beheld the symbols of your divine childbearing, and singing with one accord, they cried aloud: The God of our fathers is highly exalted and glorified over all.

4 ODE EIGHT THE BUSH ON SINAI THAT BURNED YET WAS NOT CONSUMED, REVEALED GOD TO MOSES WHO WAS SLOW IN TONGUE AND CLUMSY IN SPEECH. AND IN BURNING ZEAL FOR GOD THE CHILDREN WERE REVEALED UNHARMED, AND THEY CRIED OUT FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE: ALL YOU WORKS OF THE LORD, BLESS THE LORD, AND EXALT HIM ABOVE ALL FOREVER. O What wonder. You enlightened the world by the splendour of your childbearing, O Mother of God. For you indeed carried God in your arms. He enlightens the faithful who cry: All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord and exalt Him above all forever. O Pure One: in reverence we sing the praises of your womb where God dwelt and took a body, giving the light of divine knowledge to the faithful who cry: All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord and exalt Him above all forever. R: LET US BLESS THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE LORD, NOW AND EVER AND UNTO AGES OF AGES. AMEN. By the brilliance of your light, O Theotokos, you cause those who sing your praises to shine with light. For you, O Mother of God, appeared as the dwelling of Light, enlightening with joy those who unceasingly cry out: All you works of the Lord: bless the Lord, and exalt Him above all forever. R: WE PRAISE, BLESS AND WORSHIP THE LORD, SINGING AND EXALTING HIM THROUGHOUT ALL AGES.

5 ODE NINE IRMOS YOU CONCEIVED WITHOUT TASTING CORRUPTION, LENDING FLESH TO THE WORD, THE CREATOR OF ALL, UNWEDDED MOTHER, O VIRGIN THEOTOKOS, THE VESSEL WHICH CONTAINED THE UNCONTAINABLE, THE DWELLING FOR YOUR INFINITE CREATOR: WE MAGNIFY YOU. You are revealed as a cause of eternal joy and gladness, O ever-virgin Maiden, for you indeed brought forth the Redeemer through the Holy Spirit Who sets free all who honour Him as God. Your ancestor David, O all-pure One, sang your praises, calling you the ark of divine holiness containing, beyond nature, the God who abides in the bosom of the Father Whom we faithful ever magnify. You, O Maiden, are indeed higher than all creation, for you bore incarnate the Creator of all for us. Therefore as Mother and Queen of the only Lord, you bear away the whole victory.