Sunday Readings

Apostolic Reading – Gal 2:16-20

Gospel – Mark 8:34-9:1

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

Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 8)

You descended from on high O compassionate One, and consented to burial for three days that You might free us from suffering. O Lord, our life and our resurrection, glory to You!

Troparion of the Holy Cross (Tone 1)

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

Kondakion of the Holy Cross (Tone 4)

O Christ God, who chose by Your free volition to be elevated upon the holy cross, grant Your mercies to Your new people who are called by Your name. In Your power gladden the hearts of our public authorities. Strengthen them in every good deed so that Your true alliance may be for them a weapon of peace and a standard of victory.

Prokimenon

How great are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have wrought them all.

Stichon

Bless the Lord. O my soul! You are very great indeed, O Lord my God!

Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians (2:16-20)

Brethren, we know man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Hence we also believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law, because by the works of the Law no man will be justified. But if, while we are seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sin? By no means. For if I rebuild the things I destroyed, I make myself a sinner. For through the Law I have died to the Law that I may live for God. With Christ I am nailed to the cross. It is now no longer I who live, but Christ is living in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live within the faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.

Alleluia

String your bow, go forth, reign for the sake of truth, meekness and righteousness, and your right hand shall lead you wonderfully.

Stichon

You loved righteousness and hated iniquity: therefore God, your God, anointed you with the oil of joy above your companions.

The Holy Gospel According to St. Mark the Evangelist (8:34-9:1)

The Lord said, “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For anyone who would save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will save it. For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, but suffers the loss of his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes with the holy angels in the glory of his Father.” And he said to them, “Amen I say to you, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death, till they have seen the kingdom of God coming in power.”