Friday After Ash Wednesday
Introit • Ps. 29, 11
The Lord hath heard and hath had mercy upon me: the Lord became my helper. Ps. 29, 2. I will extol Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast upheld me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me. Glory be …
Collect (Prayer)
May Thy kindly favor, we beseech Thee, O Lord, accompany the fast we have begun, that we may be able to practice with a single heart the observance which we bodily perform. Through our Lord.
Epistle • Is. 58, 1-9
Lesson from Isaias the Prophet.
Thus saith the Lord God: Cry, cease not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their wicked doings, and the house of Jacob their sins. For they seek me from day to day, sad desire to know my ways, as a nation that hath done justice, and hath not forsaken the judgment of their God: they ask of me the judgments of justice: they are willing to approach to God. Why have we fasted, and thou hast not regarded: have we humbled our souls, and thou hast not taken notice? Behold in the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors. Behold you fast for debates and strife. and strike with the fist wickedly. Do not fast as you have done until this day, to make your cry to be heard on high. Is this such a fast as I have chosen: for a man to afflict his soul for a day? is this it, to wind his head about like a circle, and to spread sackcloth and ashes? wilt thou call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?
Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? loose the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress, let them that are broken go free, and break asunder every burden. Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily arise, and thy justice shall go before thy face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear: thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. Because I the Lord thy God am merciful.
Gradual • Ps. 26, 4
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord. That I may see the delight of the Lord, and be protected from His holy temple.
Gospel • Matt. 5, 43-48; 6, 1-4
Continuation of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew.
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you: That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this? Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.
Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee.
Offertory • Ps. 118, 154, 125
Quicken me, O Lord, according to Thy word: that I may know Thy testimonies.
Secret
GRANT us, we pray Thee, O Lord, that the sacrifice of the Lenten observance, which we offer, may both render our souls acceptable and give us the power of a readier self-denial. Through our Lord.
Communion • Ps. 2, 11, 12
Serve ye the Lord with fear: and rejoice unto Him with trembling. Embrace discipline, lest you perish from the just way.
Postcommunion
Pour upon us, O Lord, the spirit of Thy love, to make us of one mind, as Thou hast filled us with one heavenly bread. Through our Lord.