First Sunday of Lent
Introit • Ps. 90, 15, 16
He shall call upon Me, and I will hear him; I will deliver him, and glorify him; I will fill him with length of days. Ps. 90, 1. He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most High, shall abide under the protection of God of heaven. Glory be …
Collect (Prayer)
O God, Who dost purify Thy Church with the annual observance of Lent, grant to Thy household that what it strives to obtain from Thee by abstinence it may secure with good works. Through our Lord.
Epistle • 2 Cor. 6, 1-10
Lesson from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.
[He exhorts them to a correspondence with God’s grace and not to associate with unbelievers.]
BRETHREN, we exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain. For he saith: In an accepted time have I heard thee; and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Giving no offence to any man, that our ministry be not blamed: But in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,
In chastity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned, In the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armour of justice on the right hand and on the left; By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet known; As dying, and behold we live; as chastised, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as needy, yet enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things.
Gradual • Ps. 90, 11, 12
God hath given His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands thy shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Tract. Ps. 90, 1-7, 11-16
He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob. He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust. For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word. He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust. His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night. Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee. For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.
In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon. Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name. He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him. I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.
Gospel • Matt. 4, 1-11
Continuation of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew.
[Christ’s fast of forty days: He is tempted. He begins to preach, to call disciples to him, and to work miracles.]
At that time, Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple,
And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me. Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him.
Offertory • Ps. 90, 4, 5
The Lord, will overshadow thee with His shoulders, and under His wings thou shalt trust: His truth shall compass thee with a shield.
Secret
We solemnly offer the sacrifice at the beginning of Lent, beseeching Thee, O Lord, that, while we restrict ourselves in the use of bodily food, we may also refrain from indulgence in harmful pleasures. Through our Lord.
Communion • Ps. 90, 4,5
The Lord, will overshadow thee with His shoulders, and under His wings thou shalt trust: His truth shall compass thee with a shield.
Postcommunion
May the holy partaking of Thy sacrament strengthen us, O Lord, and purify us from the old life, and make us sharers in the mystery of salvation. Through our Lord.