Apostolic Reading – 1 Corinthians 4:9-16

Gospel – Matthew 9:1-8

Hymns: See our Church’s website for Audio Recordings: holycrossmelkite.org/hymns

Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 5)

Let us O Faithful praise and worship the Word coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation. For He has willed to be lifted in the flesh upon the Cross, and to endure death, and to raise the dead by his glorious Resurrection.

Troparion of the Holy Apostles (Tone 3)

O Holy Apostles, intercede with the merciful God, that He may grant our souls the forgiveness of sins.

Troparion of the Holy Cross (Tone 1)

O Lord save your people and bless your inheritance, granting peace to the world; and protect your community by the power of your Cross.

Kondakion

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

May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in you.

Stichon

Exult, you just, in the Lord; praise from the upright is fitting.

Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians (4:9-16)

I think God has set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death, so that we would become a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are without honor! To this very hour, we hunger and thirst, and we are naked and buffeted and have no fixed home. And we labor, working with our own hands. We are reviled and we bless, we are persecuted and we bear with it, we are maligned and we console; we have become as the refuse of this world, the scum of all until this present time. I write these things, not to put you to shame, but to admonish you as my dearest children. For although you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you have not many fathers. Therefore, I beg you, be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Alleluia

O God, you granted me retribution and made peoples subject to me and saved me from my raging enemies.

Stichon

Therefore, I will proclaim you, O Lord, among the nations, and I will sing paraise to your name.

The Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew the Evangelist (9:1-8)

At that time, getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over and came to his own town. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a pallet. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven you.” And behold, some of the Scribes said within themselves, “This man blasphemes.” And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” then he said to the paralytic “Arise, take up your pallet and go to your house.” And he arose, and went away to his house. But when the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear, and glorified God who had given such power to men.