Dear Brethren and Friends of St Elizabeth’s,
Christ is risen!
At the bottom of this post are some of the stichera (verses) from the services of Matins and Vespers for the week of the Paralytic. They are taken from The Pentecostarion, which is the special liturgical book used during this season of the year – Pascha through All Saints – for our worship and edification. The verses chosen focus on the glorious resurrection of Our Lord and how His resurrection changes our humanity and the very fabric of Creation.
With much love in Christ,
Fr Mark
Monday of the Paralytic:
“Those bound fast by the strength of envy’s wickedness and its paralysis grew faint with jealousy as on the Sabbath they saw Jesus strengthen the paralytic. And they said, Thou dost transgress by effecting these cures on this day. Thou dost break the Sabbath rest which our fathers have handed down. They knew not that Thou art the Law’s Master, the Healer of both souls and bodies.”
Tuesday of the Paralytic:
“At the Sheep’s Pool a man lay in illness; and on seeing Thee, O Lord, he cried: I have no man, that, when the water is troubled, he might put me therein. But when I go another precedes me and receiveth the healing, and I lie in illness. And straightway, taking compassion on him, the Savior saith unto him: For thee I became man, for thee I am clothed in the flesh, and sayest thou: I have no man? Take up thy bed and walk. All things are possible to Thee, all things are obedient to Thee, all things are subject to Thee. Remember us all and have mercy on us, O Holy One, since Thou art the Friend of man.”
Wednesday of the Paralytic (Mid-Pentecost):
“There is come now the middle of those days which commence with Christ God’s saving Rising and which are sealed by Pentecost, that divine day. Illumined by both the feasts and joining both, it is radiant and also is now rendered majestic, manifesting and showing the presence of the great glory of the Ascension of our Master, Christ.”
“The mid-point of the days of Pentecost is come. Herein Christ disclosed his diving might in part, in that He strengthened the paralytic and by a word raised him up from his bed. In a God-befitting manner He wrought miracles in a body of clay, and hath granted unto men everlasting life and great mercy.”
Thursday of the Paralytic / Mid-Pentecost:
“Though He is the uncircumscribed God, and though He is by nature God and the Lord of all, for our sake He as a mortal was circumscribed in the flesh. And thus, while He stood within the temple’s court, He poured forth for all mankind divine sayings which course with life as He addressed all: Be ye purified in your souls; quench the burning heat of the passions’ consuming fire. Let no one be deprived of this draught, for on him that doth drink do I bestow the divine grace of an immortal and better life. And he shall share with Me, the Creator, in the Kingdom, and thus be glorified.”
Friday of the Paralytic / Mid-Pentecost:
“At the Mid-feast of Pascha Thou didst go up into the sacred temple, O our Savior. And standing in the midst of the crowd, Thou didst teach them with boldness and say: I am the Light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have immortal life.”
“As the Law’s Master Thou went into the temple’s court. There Thou didst teach as Mid-feast, as is written, O Christ God; speaking with authority, Thou didst rebuke and didst censure the senseless scribes. All were amazed by the wisdom found in Thy words and by all the marvels wrought by Thee.”
“When Thou at the Judiac Mid-feast, O Christ, camest unto the temple to teach the crowds, rebuking the mindlessness of the Jews who did not believe, as true God didst didst Thou speak to them, saying, O Friend of man: He that suffereth thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. Wherefore, Thou didst promise to bestow on the faithful the waters of wisdom, which issue from Thine untainted spring. For this cause, we cry unto Thee: O Christ our God, send down unto us Thine All-holy Spirit, yea, the Comforter. And since Thou art rich in mercy, save our souls, O holy Lord.”
Saturday of the Paralytic / Mid-Pentecost:
“O Lord, at Mid-feast before Thine immaculate Cross, Thou wentest up into the temple, boldly teaching the Jews concerning the things that were set down by Thee in the books of Moses and in the Law. And being astonished at the ineffable mystery of Thy wisdom, with malice they meditated within themselves their plot against Thee: How knoweth this man letters having never learned? For they were ignorant that Thou art the Savior of our souls.”
“Having been enlightened by the Resurrection of Christ the Savior, O ye brethren, and having reached he midst of the feast of the Master, let us truly keep the commandments of God, that we may be counted worthy to celebrate the Ascension and be vouchsafed the coming of the Holy Spirit.”