Feria Secunda infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima

O God, by your Name save me, and by your might deliver me, O God, hear my prayer; hearken to the words of my mouth. For haughty men have risen up against me, and fierce men seek my life. O God, by your Name save me, and by your might deliver me, O God, hear my prayer; hearken to the words of my mouth.

Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that we who devoutly keep the sacred observances year by year, may be pleasing to You both in body and soul.

Almighty, eternal God, Who to defend the honor paid to sacred images, filled blessed John with heavenly learning and wondrous strength of soul, grant that, by his intercession and example, we may imitate the virtues of those whose images we honor and may enjoy the help of their patronage.

Lesson from the book of Kings In those days, there came two women who were harlots, to king Solomon, and stood before him, and one of them said, I beseech you, my lord; I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber. And the third day after that I was delivered, she also was delivered; and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two. And this woman’s child died in the night; for in her sleep she overlaid him. And rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child from my side, while I, your handmaid, was asleep, and laid it in her bosom; and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was dead; but considering him more diligently when it was clear day, I found it was not mine which I bore. And the other woman answered, It is not so as you say, but your child is dead and mine is alive. On the contrary she said, You lie; for my child lives and your child is dead. And in this manner they strove before the king. Then said the king, The one says: ‘My child is alive, and your child is dead.’ And the other answers: ‘No, but your child is dead, and mine lives.’ The king therefore said, Bring me a sword. And when they had brought a sword before the king, Divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. But the woman whose child was alive said to the king - for her heart was moved for her child, - I beseech you, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it. But the other said, Let it neither be mine nor yours, but divide it. The king answered and said, Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed; for she is the mother thereof. And all Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.

Be my rock of refuge, O God, a stronghold to give me safety. V. In You, O God, I take refuge; O Lord, let me never be put to shame. _ O Lord, deal with us not according to our sins, nor requite us according to our crimes. O Lord, remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may Your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. (kneel) V. Help us, O God, our Saviour, because of the glory of Your Name, O Lord; deliver us and pardon our sins for Your Name’s sake.

Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John At that time, the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple men selling oxen, sheep and doves, and money-changers at their tables. And making a kind of whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, also the sheep and oxen, and He poured out the money of the changers and overturned the tables. And to them who were selling the doves He said, Take these things away, and do not make the house of My Father a house of business. And His disciples remembered that it is written, The zeal of Your house has eaten Me up. The Jews therefore answered and said to Him, What sign do You show us, seeing that You do these things? In answer Jesus said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews therefore said, Forty-six years has this temple been in building, and will You raise it up in three days? But He was speaking of the temple of His body. When, accordingly, He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. Now when He was at Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, many believed in His name, seeing the signs that He was working. But Jesus did not trust Himself to them, in that He knew all men, and because He had no need that anyone should bear witness concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Sing joyfully to God, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful song: for the Lord, He is God.

May this sacrifice that we offer You, O Lord, ever give us new life and protection.

O Lord, may the holy intercession of blessed John be united with that of Your Saints whose images, through his efforts, we venerate in our churches, and thus may the gifts we offer You be found worthy in Your sight.

Cleanse me from my unknown faults, O Lord! From wanton sin especially, restrain Your servant.

O Lord, we beseech You, that as we have partaken of Your saving sacraments, we may make progress toward our everlasting salvation.

We beseech You, O Lord, that the gifts we have eaten may be as heavenly weapons to guard us; and may we be protected by the patronage of blessed John, reinforced by the united prayers of the Saints, the veneration of whose images by the Church, he gloriously vindicated.

Let us pray. Bow your heads to God. Generously heed our entreaty, O Lord, we beseech You, and grant Your helpful protection to those who have been given a desire to pray.