Categories: hymns, parish-life, feast-days
Date: 03 April 2007 13:53:50
I have transgressed, O Master, more than the harlot, but I have not offered You a shower of tears; praying though, in silence, I fall down before You with fervour, kissing Your sacred feet, that You will forgive my debts, as I cry out to You: "O Saviour, deliver me from the filth of my evil deeds."
Kontakion for Wednesday Bridegroom Service
While, as I mentioned in a post yesterday, I did have a book of Holy Week services to pray by while I was away, going tonight to the service reminded me of the communal nature of worship, and of Christianity itself: there is, for me, truly nothing more uplifting and joyous than worshipping our Blessed God in Trinity with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
A change in location for us tonight: as the hall we hire was booked, the Holy Cross College Ryde graciously allowed us to use their chapel: and what a beautiful chapel it is (unfortunately there were no photos of a side chapel with the beautiful words of St Patrick's Breastplate on a celtic cross). In addition, we were blessed to have our Archbishop -- God grant him many years! -- with us tonight. This was also the first time I saw our choir in their new, black, robes: with a patch sewn on of an icon of Sts Michael and Gabriel, our parish's patron saints.
Tonight, the final of the Bridegroom Services, the hymns and prayers contrasted the sinful woman who washed Jesus' feet with Judas' actions, and invited us to pray that we follow her example in our crying to God for repentance and forgiveness of our sins:
While the sinful woman was offering the myrrh, the disciple was making terms with the lawless. She rejoiced in emptying out that which was precious; he hastened to sell Him, Who was above all price. She acknowledged the Master; he severed himself from the Master. She was set free; and Judas became a slave to the enemy. Monstrous was his callousness! Great was her repentance! Grant me this also, O Saviour, Who suffered for us, and save us.
Just before the dismissal we pray, with prostrations, the Lenten Prayer of St Ephrem the Syrian: it is a truly wonderful prayer:
O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle talk.
(Prostration)
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Your servant.
(Prostration)
O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother or sister; for You are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.
(Prostration)