THE BA’UTHA OF THE NINEVITES

WHICH OCCURS EACH YEAR, THREE WEEKS BEFORE LENT

THE ORIGINS OF BA’UTHA

The first reason our church of God celebrates this Ba’utha is that it is of the Ninevites, which occurred by means of the preaching of Jonah the prophet. In it, they ordered a fast and wore sackcloth as it was written. When God saw their sorrows, he withdrew the intensity of his anger and did not destroy them.

Another reason we celebrate Ba’utha in our region until these days is that there was once a plague of boils. These happened during the days of the Persian Empire because of the many sins of the people in this region of ours. At that time, in a very short period, the people of Beth Garmay (present day Kirkuk), Ator and Nineveh were completely swept by this. While they were praying to God on account of the rod of his anger which was destroying their community, the voice of an angel was heard saying: Decree a fast and make a Ba’utha and the plague will be halted. Immediately they ordered that all ranks of the people of the lord gather in the house of the Lord. On Monday, the first day of Ba’utha, the angel removed his hand that was destroying them and no one was affected by the plague and very few from those who had already been struck were dying. When they came to Friday, the sixth day of the week, during the Sacrifice of the living body and holy blood of Christ, the people gathered and were forgiven and sanctified. From those who had been affected by the disease in their bodies, not even one died. When the church (the bishops of the dioceses) had seen the mercy of God that was upon them because of the Ba’utha which they had celebrated, they arranged that it be performed in this week of each year. And it was continued and celebrated diligently and was handed down since then until our present time and among our people.

2 MONDAY OF BA’UTHA

HYMN OF GLORY (sit)

Left Wall Right Wall

1In pain and tears and fervent prayer, 2Be our healer and our wise guide: we cry to you, good Lord above! deep are our wounds, bitter our pain.

3We have no right to plead to you: 4The earth and sea, and all they bear our faults abound, our malice soars. have quaked and raged due to our sin.

5In our own time, as Scripture says, 6In mercy, save us from distress, the end of days has come on us. for height has been confused with depth.

7O Good Shepherd, come tend your flock, 8Make peace for us in church and world, for whose sake you endured the cross. that we may live a restful life.

10 9May we be yours, as is your will: Who shall be praised, now and as then; Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. From age to age: amen, amen

PETITIONS (stand)

Server: Let us stand well, in sorrow and tears, beg and say: Lord, have mercy on us. People: Lord, have mercy on us. Eternal God, who from the beginning is good, and whose goodness never changes, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who had shown the wisdom of his power and revealed his blessedness in the creatures which he mysteriously fashioned, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who made known his great love, and separated our nature from other creatures and made us in his own image, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who has shown the greatness of his overflowing mercy, which does not end for our progress and help, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who floods the greatness of his goodness in the end times in the glorious appearance of his Son to redeem our nature and to renew all creation, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who sanctified our nature by the holy body which he took from us and which he united to himself through the person of his son, our Lord, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who tied our lost image and delighted in our return, like the prodigal son who was given life, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us.

3 He who illumined the lamp of his humanity in the glorious rays of the person of his divinity, and searched for our lost image in the mud of creation like the lost coin, and made joyful all the angels when he found us, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who calls us in his goodness and gave us the courage to offer him our needs at any time with hope in his reply, according to his goodness to which nothing can compare, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who lets us call him without end, and continually responds, most especially in the time of our needs, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us.

Server: Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us People: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us

Eternally Good, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Forever Glorious, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Maker of Creation, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Holy in his Nature, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us He who orders all, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us He who raised our race, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us He who loves our lives, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us You are our helper, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us You are our guide, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us You are merciful, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Turn toward us, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us You are our comfort, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Help us and come, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us

Hear our cry and have mercy on us Lord, have mercy on us

For the peace and harmony of the whole world and all churches, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For our country and for all countries, and all the faithful who live there, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For the good health of our spiritual fathers… and for all our priests and deacons and all those who serve with them, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. Merciful God, who in his mercy provides for all, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who is glorified in heaven and adored on earth, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. Save us all Christ our Lord in your grace, give us your peace and harmony and have mercy on us: Lord, have mercy on us. Server: Let us pray, peace be with us, and let us bend our knee. (all kneel on one knee)

Server: Arise in the power of God (stand)

People: Glory to the power of God.

4 OPENING ANTHEM (sit)

ANTIPHON People: O Lord, have mercy on us. O Lord, accept our pleading. O Lord, forgive your servants.

Priest: Now is the time for conversion, let us now make our appeal. Leave behind our temporal works, for they make us worldly. To heaven let us direct our eyes People: and ask for mercy and compassion.

Be quick, sinners, that swiftly we may make ourselves contrite. Each one should confess his sins so that his faults may be absolved. Remove the filth from our souls so that mercy may be poured out.

We make our souls sorry and sad, so that creation will make us glad. Blessings are sent from heaven as those on earth rejoice. Likewise, the angels are pleased by the good fruits of conversion.

Let our voice be as one voice. Let our people have one will. Let our souls be strung as a song in the one love. Love is like a treasure-bearer, who opens the door to our prayers.

Let our mouths be a censer filled with reunion with God. Our fasting is a dew to Christ which whitens all our blemishes. Our congregation begs in sorrow: O Lord, have mercy on us.

ANTIPHON People: O Lord, have mercy on us. O Lord, accept our pleading. O Lord, forgive your servants.

5 READING I (sit)

Let whoever comes to Ba’utha (repeat), purify his thoughts and prepare his ears like the farmer who prepares his field. The seed of life falls upon it and, if able, will take root and flourish. Let the ears of all people be cleared, just like one’s eyes before the sunlight; for there are weak eyes that cannot face the brilliance of the rays, and there are sick ears that are not able to bear the weight of the words, and there are evil thoughts that loathe the medicine of life, and there are bodies which are present though their mind is far off, for we find but their shadow instead of their mind. There are some who think only of a meal; they eat as if they will never be filled. There are some who fast their mouths; but from within are concerned with food. There are some who are concerned with drinking; see how they taste every wine. There are some who only think of their fortunes; see how they are always in conflict with their debtors. Some cannot forget their grudge; see how their sights are set on revenge. There are some of whom we see but his shadow. There are some who hate their brother; see how they harm him in secret. A man looks upon his neighbor with envy; see how he ruins his reputation. There are some who are zealous, for this reason their heart burns from within. (There are some who commit themselves to others, see how they call out in prayer for them.) There are some that, though they are here, their eyes wander with malicious intent. There are some whom we find present here, but their heart is not. There are some who secretly rob, who in their silence lead us astray. There are some who are sinister, yet they sit among honorable men. One man is bitter and impious, instigating anger among the people; his small crime rises higher than a mountain. When one part of the body is hated, the whole will be hated. If one person is set back, then all are set back. If the 600,000 were set back because of one man’s sins, how can our frail congregation triumph if we are all sinners?

Come, let us reject our evils so that our evils may be rejected. The one who leads us into sin should be rebuked by all of us. Fury is spread on the earth to level the lives of the remorseful. Let our fasting be like the farmer whose field bears fruit one-hundred fold. Let us be workers of prayer, grapes of wine for our comfort. Let us build our minds, temples suitable for God.

If by coming to your home a nobleman honors you, how much will your honor then be magnified if the Lord of All comes to you? For him be a temple and priest, and in that temple serve him, as he was for you the altar, high priest and the offering. And since your mind is a temple, leave it untarnished. Do not leave anything in the house of God that is hateful to him. Adorn the house of God with things suitable to him. If there is reckless immaturity, shamelessness will take root there. If anger, its smoke will be dense there. Cast away grudges and the jealousy that spreads its stench in there. Enter that temple and place love, a censer filled with incense. Sweep and remove the rubbish from it, evil vices and hated things. In its place plant things of good concern like flowers and blossoms, adorn it with prayers like roses and tulips.

We, then, should rebuke evil, if it is in us or in another. If it is rebuked by us, it is good for our minds; and if rebuked by another, it will be a help for each member. If there are those who reject it, whether from ourselves or another, this evil will collapse. If the evil is not exposed, the evildoer will not be able to stop. If the lie is not rebuked, the liar will not shrink in fear. If you do not attack these things, no amount of medicine will be able to heal the sick person. The surgeon will not be able to come and cut the sin off of our limbs.

The farmer plows the soil and removes weeds from it. The one who convicts us tills the heart and removes its corruption. If the elderly does not discipline himself, his youth will not be tamed. If

6 righteousness does not roar, the one who is reprimanded will not be frightened. Evil has spread over every house. The one who convicts us does not fight against us, but rather he helps us. If he does us a favor, we should not be ashamed. By the good advice he gives us, he is able to take away the pains of sin. Therefore, the blemish of sin is a shame for the sinner. When the surgeon removes a limb, the doctor’s fight is against the infection. When the sinner is rebuked, Truth’s fight is against evil.

The Evil One puts in our minds that we are shameful; he is trying to make us flee from being convicted so that we avoid being rebuked. He makes us hate the one who convicts us so that we flee from being blamed. He teaches us to hate the doctors so that the pains may remain in our limbs. When we hate the medicine, the infections will remain in our bodies. He provokes us against those who teach us, so that we will empty ourselves of good teachings. He makes us hate a mentor, so that we have no support. He advises us to be disrespectful, so that on our judgment day we will be disrespected. He led us to sin, so that he can cover us will all his evils. He teaches us to lie, so that we become a shadow to cover his blemishes. He teaches us to be prideful, so that his pride will not be humbled. He gives us humility, but beneath his sweetness is a bitter taste. He mixes his lie with truth to cover his deceit. He comes in the clothing of a lamb, so as to not scare away the sheep. Guilt is like a mirror; he does not want to leave it among us for it reflects out sins and we might be led to wipe away his evils. He stands between us and the one who convicts us, so that we will not recognize his evils. Conviction would be like a mirror reflecting all his evils. He teaches us to be unkind, so that we can promote his offences. He mingles strength in us, so that our souls will be patient with his. He teaches us to be rash, so that we are shameless when we overreact. He makes us pressing and urgent, so that we are not ashamed when we are chastised. He also teaches us to cheat, making sin the profession of the people. He trains our speech, so that we appear innocent though truly guilty.

MEDITATION I (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: Come now, let us repent while there is still time. Lest we repent when it is too late.

Server: Who is patient enough to speak of your patience with our sins? If we sin, we become filled with wickedness, if we do good, we become filled with pride; and toward one another, we are cruel and merciless: we are jealous of one who succeeds, we rejoice over one who falls. And though our life is short, the list of our sins is long.

People: Repeat Antiphon

You limited our lifespan to seventy years at best, but with these seventy, we have sinned seventy times seven over. You limited our life that our sins may not lengthen. I marvel at your Mercy, which overpowers your Justice: even an impure man despises one impure like himself, yet you, who are holy, have not despised us.

7 People: Repeat Antiphon

I am humbled by your Justice, which does not despise us, as well as by your Grace, which is patient in teaching us, and how you dawn your sun upon those who upset you. You give without limit; we lose without measure. You taught us order; we act against it. We have put on mere names, and have taken off good works.

People: Repeat Antiphon

READING II (Sit)

God have mercy on your people (repeat) who in their contrition cry out to you. See how we have angered you repeatedly, but we give your name much praise. It is not right that, in torment, your fatherhood would close your door to us. A neighbor consoles another, and your comfort grows among us. In this way, Lord, you reconcile us, for you are our pride. O Creator, we know not any door other than yours. To whom can we go for refuge if our Lord ignores us? Who is like our creator that we can replace our God with him? Who is as delightful as you that our minds should be consumed by you? In your mercy, give us a chance to fix our souls. In your grace, give us a chance to reprimand our evils. O Judge, give us a chance so that we can judge our souls by our actions. O Accountant, give us a chance so that, in tears, we can wipe away the tears. O High Priest, give us a chance to be made pure and face you. Hear, O Lord, the Ba’utha of your servants, and answer our needs in your mercy. Prayer is the key of the creature that opens the treasure of your mercy to us. O Eternal, Good Lord, who does not delay, be quick to bring your salvation. O Lord, we confess that we have sinned, let your grace not deny us. This is enough for our shameful race, for we have instigated your kindness. Whoever realizes this shame, feels it worse than physical pain. Whoever recognizes his mistake dreads it more than the pain of being beaten. The free person is more blameworthy than the shame that stems from his behavior. For those who consider it, evil causes more pain than a lash. He who fears a lashing is only fearful for a short period. Accountability is the weapon for those who dread evil. Whoever shies away from others is able to sin in secret; but not so for him who shies away from God. There is no way to commit sin in private, for nothing is hidden from God. God does not need to punish a just person, for he is in agony whenever he sins. He is wise on his own. By his sins, he inflicts his own pain. Lord, do not punish a good man, for the sorrow over his own sin is enough (because we sinned against our creator and cannot face you.) The sorrow within us is a sign of our shame. Shame is enough, but being called a wicked servant is too much to bear. (Even/also this life, the just ones reproach us publicly.) Since we hid our sins, God has faced us with anger. We never thought our minds would reproach us. Since the Holy Spirit is away from our hearts, our lives are thrown and confused in all our affairs. Since we have no guide to punish us, the locusts attack our spiritual field. And since there is no one to reprimand us, hail comes and destroys our crops. Since there is no one to discipline us, the earth quakes and makes us tremble. The heavy winds which blow, are a great rebuke to us. We thought that we were something, but in reality, we are nothing. We thought that we are human beings, but animals are wiser than us. Animals have outdone us, because we have sinned against out creator. The sun has set before us, because our sins have spread all over the earth. The fog has eclipsed the sun, because the sun shies away from the unjust. The bright moon hides in darkness behind the clouds. Locusts are weak, but they still do us damage. Even a weak soldier we cannot defeat. Wherever a righteous person is found, their

8 prayers crush mighty armies. The saints have raised the dead, but death has gained control over us. Righteous people blessed homes, but our sins have destroyed the front door. Our blisters and other injuries tell us that we should shut our mouths. Moses kept the locusts away, but because of our sins they have come to attack our lands. The fears which disturb our minds are only a dream for the righteous. They did not fear even when they were awake, but we have fear in our dreams. Daniel had strength in the lion’s den, and Ananias in the furnace; but we are fearful even in our own homes and in our beds with our nightmares. We shy away even at the shimmering of the leaves in the wind (and it is enough to make us ashamed). We are below dust and rubbish. The Most High has called us his sons, but because of what we have done, we do not even deserve even to be called slaves. No one considers that even though he sins, the actions that were shameful for our forefathers are acts of pride for this evil age. (Gahzi who stole was ashamed, but what we steal increases. The blame and shame of the Nabal family are left for us as an inheritance). Before, children had no right to talk back to their parents, but now they are in control. (From the justice of our ancestors, we didn’t know what was unjust, there was no oppression). A humble person is not loved, but an awful person is revered. (He acts in evil ways, the bad one, to threaten his neighbors). The way he judged others, he was judged. The measure that was in his hand returned and was measured out to him. You are not in need of the law, because you have a great teacher. The prophets and apostles shouted, yet the echo of their voice is in our ears. The coming judgment of the Lord appears like a dream. The future promised for us is like a shadow, but earthly pleasures have been preferred. Love your brother as your self, this is the new command. Do nothing evil, this is the Law and the Prophets. Both the Old and the New Testaments are for Adam, because in the Old Testament he was created from clay, and in the New Testament he was saved from death. Glory to the Lord of both, for both are good for us. Lead and guide all those who are lost in the way of dishonesty and have fallen into the filth of sin to your holy Way, which will lead into Eternal Life. Through teaching and admonition we gain life in his grace. We give thanks to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, amen and amen.

MEDITATION II (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: Plead, you beggars, and do not cease while there is time to beg; before the Giver shuts the door, and closes up his treasury.

Server: If you were to call out to him in groaning, he would answer you sweetly, and if you were to ask in repentance, you would receive abundantly. The Rich One who is full of mercy does not become poor when he gives: his treasure is one of mercy, a canyon filled with pity.

People: Repeat Antiphon

Approach, you repentant, and ask for mercy while there is time to convert. Let each one leave off all bitterness of heart and ask for mercy and pity. Let us heal and be healed, my brothers and sisters, that we may be healthy for work. This is the time for repentance! Let us work hard in begging!

People: Repeat Antiphon

9 Wrath now runs upon the earth: cut off its course, you penitent one! Let us be farmers of fasting, that our seed bring forth a hundredfold. Let us be workers of prayer, for it is a vine of comfort. Let us be builders of our hearts, that they may be fitting temples for God.

People: Repeat Antiphon

BLESSINGS (stand)

Priest: Good Lord who showed his great love in man’s creation: People: Yes, Lord (kneel) Priest: Bring the world peace - which is shaken by the sins of man. People: Amen (stand)

Love of Mankind, sow harmony among mankind, Yes, Lord (kneel) that one may not - be in conflict with another. Amen (stand)

O King of kings, who gives authority to all kings; Yes, Lord (kneel) soften the hearts - of our leaders for our well-being. Amen (stand)

Abolish wars and end conflicts between men, Yes, Lord (kneel) that those who hate - men may not dare to disturb them. Amen (stand)

Uphold your Church, always knocking on your mercy’s door, Yes, Lord (kneel) That the rebel, - he who hates man, may not crush her. Amen (stand)

Bind her children together in perfect harmony. Yes, Lord (kneel) Uproot jealousy, - deceit and hatred from among them. Amen (stand)

Guard her shepherd; increase peace for all his days, Yes, Lord (kneel) that he promote - and bring your mercy to all mankind. Amen (stand)

Help your bishops, whom the Shepherd they do symbolize, Yes, Lord (kneel) that they may care - for humanity with rejoicing. Amen (stand)

Shield this parish, in which your holy Name is glorified, Yes, Lord (kneel) from the rebel, - the one who detests our mankind. Amen (stand)

O God of All, whose love flows over all humanity, Yes, Lord (kneel) guard our pastor, - give him strength to stand as our leader. Amen (stand)

Adorn the priests; keep their bodies and their souls pure. Yes, Lord (kneel) Accept the Gift – which they sacrifice on behalf of us. Amen (stand)

And the deacons, who serve you gladly at the altar: Yes, Lord (kneel) Make them holy, - that they may be pure and spotless. Amen (stand)

And those who teach, in good knowledge and pure intentions. Yes, Lord (kneel) And their students: – give them your light in their studies. Amen (stand)

10 Bless the faithful, sealed and signed in your holy name, Yes, Lord (kneel) Let your bless’d name - be imprinted, in their lives. Amen (stand)

And the cantors who with passion chants before you; Yes, Lord (kneel) Grant them mercy, - let them not fall, into evil. Amen (stand)

And the burdened, the weak, weary and downhearted, Yes, Lord (kneel) Console their pain - and grant comfort to their sorrows. Amen (stand)

And those astray, fallen on the path of wickedness, Yes, Lord (kneel) Pull them, O Lord, – from their darkness into your light. Amen (stand)

And those abroad: guard their travels on sea or land; Yes, Lord (kneel) distance from them – all calamities and the Evil One. Amen (stand)

In your mercy, hear this prayer offered to you, Yes, Lord (kneel) Accept, in love, - this petition lifted to you. Amen (stand)

May your power be a great fortress for this gathering, Yes, Lord (kneel) May we praise you, – give you glory, now and ever.

People: Maran ith ra hem ‘al layn Maran qa bel ba’uth an Maran ith ra’ el ‘aw dayk

11 TUESDAY OF BA’UTHA

HYMN OF GLORY (sit)

Left Wall Right Wall

1In pain and tears and fervent prayer, 2Be our healer and our wise guide: we cry to you, good Lord above! deep are our wounds, bitter our pain.

3We have no right to plead to you: 4The earth and sea, and all they bear our faults abound, our malice soars. have quaked and raged due to our sin.

5In our own time, as Scripture says, 6In mercy, save us from distress, the end of days has come on us. for height has been confused with depth.

7O Good Shepherd, come tend your flock, 8Make peace for us in church and world, for whose sake you endured the cross. that we may live a restful life.

10 9May we be yours, as is your will: Who shall be praised, now and as then; Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. From age to age: amen, amen.

PETITIONS (stand)

Server: Let us stand well, in sorrow and tears, beg and say: Lord, have mercy on us. People: Lord, have mercy on us. Eternal God, who through his Word both visible and invisible creatures have been made, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. God, Lord of all, with whom heaven and earth are full, and who provides for all creatures, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. O merciful and pitiful, who cares for our humanity, renews our nature and provides for all our goodness, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who created us from the beginning in his grace and redeemed us in the last times through his anointed one, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. You who brings joy to all visible and invisible creatures, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. O patient and powerful one, whose judgment is just and whose wisdom is great, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. O creator of the whole world so that we may know him, guard the world and kept the coming life as a reward for the just or punishment for the unjust, and for those who are troubled and persecuted because of their true faith, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us.

12 For those who have been misled, suffering and are prisoners of the Evil One, for travelers and for the lost, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For the healing of the sick, the peace of the suffering, the happiness of those in distress, and the consolation of the depressed, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us.

Server: Listen our prayer, and have mercy on us People: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us

Good Father, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Son Eternal, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Holy Spirit, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Hidden in his Life, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Incomprehensible, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Miracle Worker, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us You are our helper, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us You give life, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us You are our hope, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us

Hear our cry and have mercy on us Lord, have mercy on us

For the sake of the churches and the world, and the peaceful life you provide, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For our country and for all countries, and all the faithful who live there, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For the good health of our spiritual fathers… we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For the priests, deacons, every rank of the church and all those who believe in the Christ, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For those who take example of the life of the angels; the just whom the world does not accept, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. Merciful God, who in his mercy provides for all, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who is glorified in heaven and adored on earth, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. Save us all, O Christ our Lord, in your grace, give us your peace and harmony and have mercy on us: Lord, have mercy on us.

Server: Let us pray, peace be with us, and let us bend our knee. (all kneel on one knee)

Server: Arise in the power of God (stand)

People: Glory to the power of God.

13 OPENING ANTHEM (sit)

ANTIPHON People: O Lord, have mercy on us. O Lord, accept our pleading. O Lord, forgive your servants.

Priest: We will serve you, O Helper of the faithful. Your truth we preach, The truth who came to the world. Gather your flock People: who asks you for help.

Give us boldness before your face so that we can ask for your mercy. We cannot open our mouths, for we are grave sinners. Let the voice of our prayers be keys to your full treasures.

Give us the meaning of life so that, through it, we may approach you. O God, accept our Ba’utha; now, just as you always do. O Lord, who loves the contrite, open the door to our prayers.

Your mercy is so great, even greater than our sins. Your goodness is always over-flowing to the sinner who cries out to you. In your goodness, O Merciful One, Let your help overflow in our land.

A good thing you have begun in us, may your gift be brought to fulfillment in us. When we were born, we were born by your grace; let our lives also end in your grace. You began and will end with us, because of this, we thank you for both.

ANTIPHON People: O Lord, have mercy on us. O Lord, accept our pleading. O Lord, forgive your servants.

14 READING I (sit)

Jonah preached in Nineveh, a Jew among the gentiles. He entered and his voice shook the great city. Sadness came upon the whole city by the preaching of a Hebrew. It was disturbed like the sea, as when Jonah had come out of the sea. It began to tremble like the waves of the ocean. Jonah made the seas tremble and the land turn upside-down. The sea trembled when he tried to escape, and his preaching quaked the land. The sea was calmed by prayer, and so too was the country by repentance. He prayed while he was inside the great fish, and so did the Ninevites in the great city. Prayer saved Jonah, and Ba’utha saved the Ninevites. Jonah fled from the face of God, the Ninevites from purity; and justice came upon both of them, for both were sinners. They offered their repentance and both were saved. It saved Jonah in the sea, and the Ninevites in their city. Jonah realized that the repentant should be redeemed too. Grace had made him a symbol for the sinner. Just as he was pulled out from the sea, he must also pull out the city from its own drowning. Like the sea Nineveh trembled, by Jonah who came out from the sea. The righteous one, Jonah, opened his mouth and began to preach; Nineveh heard him and became fearful. The preaching of a Hebrew disturbed the whole city. His mouth filled it with woes, and he warned them of death. A weak preacher arose in a city of mighty men. His voice broke the hearts of kings, that their cities would be overturned. By one word that cut off hope, he made them drink the cup of God’s wrath. The kings heard and were humbled; they threw their crowns and stepped out of their thrones. The leaders heard and were paralyzed; instead of fine robes they put on sackcloths. Venerable old men heard him and spread ashes on their heads. The rich heard and opened their treasuries to the poor. Lenders heard him and gave their money to the needy. Borrowers heard and returned their loans in full. Borrowers returned their loans and lenders gave it away. Each person resolved himself to walk in justice. There was not a single violent person found anymore. They were fighting in the battlefield of justice so that each one could save himself. Looters listened to Jonah and returned what was stolen; and their victims forgave the thieves. Each person judged himself, and was kind to his neighbor. There was no one judging another, but each one judged only himself. There was no one rebuking his friend, because the wrath of God was rebuking them all. Murderers heard and confessed, they did not fear the judgment of the law. Judges heard and stopped giving sentence, because God’s wrath had halted their work. They did not give harsh judgment, so that they would not be judged harshly. Each one planted mercy so that he could harvest redemption. Sinners heard Jonah and each confessed his sins. The sinful city heard and immediately removed its sins. Masters heard and gave freedom to their slaves. Slaves heard him and honored their masters. The ladies of the palaces threw their crowns and trampled them.

If they did not even give water to animals, who would dare drink wine? If the king put on a sackcloth, who would put on fancy clothes? If the prostitute repented and was purified, who would consider marriage? If evil people converted, who could endure? When compared with that repentance, this of ours is like a dream. In the presence of that supplication, this of ours is but a shadow. Compared with that humiliation, this of ours is just a show. They were generous to forgive their debts in that fast. The Ninevites gave alms, let us stop our cruelty. The Ninevites set their slaves free, but do you have mercy on a freeman?

Now inasmuch as Jonah was sent to that city full of crimes, God’s justice armed him with the severity of his message. He was commissioned with words of terror; he was given a stern decree against the city. The dreadful physician was sent with medicine to a state abounding in evil deeds. He opened and displayed his medicines, which were appalling and penetrating. For grace

15 had sent the prophet, not for the destruction of the city, but that it should be saved at their conversion. Yet the preacher did not give counsel to the citizens that they should repent, that whoever is afflicted should be yearning for his spiritual health. He held the door before them to indicate how they should knock at it. Jonah preached a sentence of doom, (to which they assented and approved that it might be seen how powerful was their repentance to obtain reconciliation. And how strong was a penitent man who could obtain mercy by persistence for the problem was one of sin, of the free will and not of necessity). The voice of dread made them fear like they had seen a drawn sword. This physician was sent to heal, displaying a sword to his patient, so that the arrogant, out of fear, might be cured of his foolishness. The city saw it and was alarmed. He rose up like an executioner and the sick fell prostrate through fear. They arose and quickly converted. The voice of Jonah, like a sword, decreed the pains of torture. He was a physician whose rod healed more than the medicine of other men. A doctor heals with sweet- talk; Jonah healed by preaching. This healer whose coming inflicted fear upon his patients by scolding them sharply, wisely accomplished a cure. The sick man left his bed when he looked upon the rod of wrath. Those became healthy who were sick with the disease of their lusts. Every man disciplined his concupiscence, becoming his own doctor. The feast of the kings and the banquet of the princes ceased. If suckling children fasted from their mother’s milk, who would eat a hearty meal? If even the joyful are now crying, who can laugh now? If thieves are sorry, who could defraud his friend? If the whole city has trembled, who could protect his home?

Regardless of how great our disobedience is, his goodness is greater. His discipline gives the people a chance for repentance. O saddened sons, wipe the tears from your face. The trembling of the city will stop, and his anger will be lifted from us. Our land is being punished so that our city will eventually rejoice. The one who punishes us will be happy when he sees that you have become an orderly people.

The whole city became one body in prayer and supplication. Every one was watching each other lest one should sin against his brother. Each one instructed his neighbor so that he might be innocent in dealing with his neighbors. No man there offered up prayers that he might alone be saved. They were one, like brothers, for each prayed the one for the other. The whole city had been summoned to destruction, as though it were one body. The sober could not live apart from sinners; for as members of one body they were bound together, good and evil as equals. The righteous offered prayers for the salvation of sinners; and sinners again were interceding on behalf of the righteous, that they might be heard.

16 MEDITATION I (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: O Creator from nothing, do not reject us like nothingness; for even if our faults are many, your grace is overflowing.

Server: For the support of your mercy do we beg, All-Merciful One: open the door to our pleading, which knocks at the door of your grace. Hold back your Justice, O Kind One, lest you be aggravated by our malice. Let your will’s love pacify you as always.

People: Repeat Antiphon May your knowledge not diligently seek out our faults, nor make us enter into the test of the all-searching judgment. Since the words of our pleading are so short, and cannot reach the heights above, stretch out the hand of your mercy, and with it let our words meet forgiveness.

People: Repeat Antiphon

Though our fault is enormous, it is small compared to your mercy; and though there is no equal to our wickedness, it is like but a shadow to your grace. Therefore do not shut the door of the great richness of your mercy, so that our pleading may not be stopped by the door of our faults.

People: Repeat Antiphon

READING II (sit)

The Ninevites told their loved ones about all these things while they were trying to console themselves with the thought of the peace which they hoped would come, because they became quickly repentant. They prophesied with confidence a sincere repentance, and also a firm prophecy. Although they spoke of this hope, they continued to weep. Although their weeping was consoled, they did not forget their struggles. In their fear, they fasted more diligently, and their freight increased their prayers. The just ones gazed with wisdom, and for this reason they did not stop their fast and prayer. How will sinners not be shaken when they see that death is at their face? The king came forth and showed himself, the city was moved when it saw his sackcloth. What nobleman then hesitated to remove his fine linens? Even the king wept when he saw that the whole city was mourning. The city wept before the king, when it saw the ashes on his head. The king wept in the presence of the city, because it had become black with sackcloths. The whole city shed tears and even incited the stones of the walls to weep. Who has ever prayed like this? Who has ever made a Ba’utha like this? Who has ever become so lowly? Who has ever humbled himself to this degree? Who has ever cast off his abominations, both the known and secret ones? Who has ever thrown his pleasures away from himself as though they were his limbs? Who has ever broken his heart for his sins at the sound of a voice alone? Who has ever,

17 listening to the word of a mouth, become so agitated in his conscience? Who has ever, at the voice of a feeble man, been seized with mortal agonies? Who has ever, by conversion, seen God before his eyes? Who has ever seen the Just One, unsheathing his hidden sword? One might then see that great city given up to woes and weeping. Who was able to endure the pitiful voice of children who, loving a long life, discovered that their days had been cut short? Who, further, could contain himself to hear the groaning of the elderly? (For those desiring the grave and those who should bury them, had heard that the city should be overthrown). Who was able to endure the great weeping of the young men who, while anticipating their marriages, were invited as guests to their death? Who was able to endure the weeping voice of the brides who, when sitting in their bridal chambers, were invited to the depths of the earth? Who could refrain from tears before the king who was weeping; he who, instead of his royal palace, was invited to descend to Sheol, now King among the living, should be but dust among the dead, who, in place of his Chariot of State had heard that his city should be overthrown? In place of his delicacies and pleasures, it was reported that death should swallow him up. Instead of his couch of ease, both the city and its king were suddenly invited to the abyss of God’s anger. The king assembled his armies, he wept with them and they with him. In their presence, the king spelled out the battles in which they had been crowned, he also brought to their memory the great dangers they had conquered. But now his soul was weak and he was humbled, for there was no one to redeem or help. He began to address them saying:

"This, my friends, is not a war that we can go forth and conquer and triumph according to our pleasure as we have done before; for even heroes are now trembling at the mighty rumor which is proclaimed abroad. One Hebrew now conquers us who have conquered many. He has made kings, even Us, tremble; and his word has greatly disturbed Us. We have overthrown many cities, but in our own city he vanquishes us. Nineveh, the mother of heroes, is afraid of one, weak man. The lioness in her lair trembles at the Hebrew. Ashur has roared against the world, but the voice of Jonah roars against her. Behold! The race of Nimrod the Mighty is altogether brought low." The King offered good advice to his mighty army, saying: “I counsel you, my beloved friends, that even now do not be cast down. Let us fight like brave men so that we perish not as men of no spirit. For whenever one takes heart when he is tried and acts with courage, he either dies as a hero or lives as a conqueror. Thus, death is one of renown to him, and on the other hand, life is one of fame. The magnanimous soldier, through his bravery, earns two advantages. Though for the faint-hearted it is a double evil, for his death is altogether shameful and his life disgraceful. Let us then be armed and brave. Let us act like men and become renowned. For although we should not gain our purpose, we shall have the fame of men of courage."

It has been reported to us by tradition, which comes from of old from our fathers, that there is righteousness with God. But what belongs to him is good; and that by His justice He disciplines, and by his goodness He has pity. Let us therefore appease his justice, and His goodness will look on us with favor. For if His justice is reconciled, His goodness will give us help. Let His righteousness be appeased, and His loving kindness will abound to all men. But even if His justice is offended, our prayer will not be condemned. Although it is not appeased, our supplication will not be complained of. Between justice and goodness, conversion will not be in vain. Let us then forge a new weapon for a new city. "My beloved, since an invisible war calls upon us, let us take up invisible weapons." This has been told to us by those of old who have proclaimed the truth in the world, whose words have come down to us by the handing on of tradition, and the rumors of their renowned deeds. (For the human race is not deprived of a knowing discretion,) It has been noted all over the world that just men have been saved by prayer

18 and fasting; it has also been known that the foolish shall be condemned. We have also heard of the unjust, how they have been destroyed in their daring deeds. And we may see, as in a mirror, that the arrogant shall be reprimanded. A standard has been erected on earth that those who see it may take it into consideration. Furthermore, goodness has been proclaimed to us, so that those who hear may look upon it. Repentance is shown on earth so that sinners may gaze upon it.

"Who is there, my friends, that is not familiar with the story of the overwhelming flood? The history is familiar to us of the events in the days of Noah when the breaking forth of God’s justice drowned the whole human race. Everyone knew the kind of sin he was living in. My sons, the wicked of that generation were condemned in the days of Noah. Even in those days, a voice made proclamation concerning the flood that was coming. The ungodly, prone to violence, heard it and treated that voice with contempt. The sound of Noah’s axe and hammer acted as a voice prophesying that flood. The noise of the saw in its sawing cried aloud of the event to come. They ridiculed the voice of the axe, they mocked at the voice of the hammer until the ark was completed; then God’s justice was revealed, and in that revelation their skepticism was condemned. The floodgates were opened and roared against the wicked mockers. Suddenly the flood cried out against the ungodly who had turned a blind eye. Those who scoffed at the sound of the axe were tormented with the voice of thunder; those who laughed at the sound of the saw were blinded by earthquakes and lightning! They began to scramble to the ark, which they had once mocked; but its door was shut in their faces for they had mocked it construction."

MEDITATION II (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: Accept our Ba’utha, O Good One, and our pleading, O Son of the Good One. We beg in pain and tears: Do not turn your eyes from us. Server: O Lord, hear the pleading of your adorers, O Good One who does not withhold his grace; and accept the fruit of our lips, which we offer to your Majesty. From your treasury send us pity, mercy and salvation to be for the forgiveness of our sins, lest we be condemned in judgment.

People: Repeat Antiphon

To you do our souls cry out, O Good One who is pleased with the contrite. O Lord, open for us the door of your mercy, for we are knocking, O Merciful One! Have mercy, correct, regain, and abandon not your creature to destruction, for you are our hope and our glory. Do not turn away from our pleading.

People: Repeat Antiphon

If our malice testifies against us, O Lord, forgive us for the sake of your Image. Let not your construction be ruined, for the sake of your many mercies. In the beginning, you constituted us in being by your good and kind command; may you appease yourself, O Pitying One, for we cannot stand before you with an unveiled face.

People: Repeat Antiphon

19 BLESSINGS (stand)

Priest: You who ordered height and depth in the palm of his hand, People: Yes, Lord (kneel) Priest: look on creation - with a kind eye, and have mercy. People: Amen (stand)

O Spring of Life, from whom life flows to all mankind: Yes, Lord (kneel) Relieve the world - troubled by its sins through your mercy. Amen (stand)

Bless, O Lord, protect, O Lord, and uphold, Lord, Yes, Lord (kneel) the great shepherd, - our Patriarch, our leader. Amen (stand)

May his prayer appease, like incense, your Divinity; Yes, Lord (kneel) may the requests - of his soul be answered quickly. Amen (stand)

Bless, O Lord, in your grace, the crown of the year, Yes, Lord (kneel) and let earth’s kings - be untroubled in their conduct. Amen (stand)

Bless, O Lord, this our country with all blessings, Yes, Lord (kneel) and shelter us - under the wings of your grace. Amen (stand)

Let them succeed and prosper in the world, Yes, Lord (kneel) and grant to them - what they ask for from your Greatness. Amen (stand)

Protect them, Lord, in this life and at all times, Yes, Lord (kneel) let them enjoy - all the blessings of the world. Amen (stand)

Bless, O Lord, those who hold a staff of power: Yes, Lord (kneel) Strengthen their lives, - that they may lead with conviction. Amen (stand)

Bless, O Lord, all our monks and all our nuns: Yes, Lord (kneel) Grant them reward - for their good works in the kingdom. Amen (stand)

Bless, our Lord, all our priests and all the deacons: Yes, Lord (kneel) May they be pure – in your majesty, by their deeds. Amen (stand)

Bless, O Lord, all the aged and the elderly: Yes, Lord (kneel) sustain their age, – give them your joy in the coming life. Amen (stand)

Grant to the youth to advance well and grow old, Yes, Lord (kneel) and to children - increase the measure of their lives. Amen (stand)

Command that clouds rain upon the crops now growing, Yes, Lord (kneel) Refresh our lands – and our pastures through your mercy. Amen (stand)

Bless, O Lord, seeds and vineyards and the earth’s fruits, Yes, Lord (kneel) From your blessings – may your children eat and praise your name. Amen (stand)

20 Bless the orphans and provide for the poor widows: Yes, Lord (kneel) As their Father – care for them Lord, in your mercy. Amen (stand)

Grant us, O Lord, in your mercy to our mankind, Yes, Lord (kneel) do not leave us - from rejoicing in your kingdom. Amen (stand)

Grant us, O Lord, from your right hand to sing glory, Yes, Lord (kneel) with the righteous – which your great name has elected. Amen (stand)

At that moment, when the trumpet sounds on judgment day Yes, Lord (kneel) make us worthy – to behold you in that kingdom. Amen (stand)

Then your mercy will for our sake be an advocate, Yes, Lord (kneel) may not our sins – come between us, Love of Mankind! Amen (stand)

When that time comes, of the light of your shining God-head; Yes, Lord (kneel) with the righteous – make us worthy of your kingdom. Amen (stand)

May the weak one, who with love says all these blessings, Yes, Lord (kneel) not be condemned before your justice through your mercy. Amen (stand)

Stand by his side, for whose sake you died on the cross, Yes, Lord (kneel) do not send him - to the darkness with the wicked. Amen (stand)

Let us lift praise to the one-who raises his servants, Yes, Lord (kneel) May his mercy - be upon us, now and ever.

People: Maran ith ra hem ‘al layn Maran qa bel ba’uth an Maran ith ra’ el ‘aw dayk

21 WEDNESDAY OF BA’UTHA

HYMN OF GLORY (sit)

Left Wall Right Wall

1Christ, who longs our repentant cry: 2O Good, Wise One, your ear you bend: For our sin’s sake, mercy provide. The wounds of sin, only you mend.

3Our race suffers, this you have found, 4Your kindness relieves all our scars: With your healing, cure all our wounds. Divine Doctor, your will is ours.

5The dew that comes from your goodness, 6We give you thanks, in you we boast: Clears all our stains, laws we transgress. Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost.

7Who shall be praised, now and as then: From age to age: Amen, amen.

PETITIONS (stand)

Server: Let us stand well, in sorrow and tears, beg and say: Lord, have mercy on us. People: Lord, have mercy on us. O Being from the Beginning, O Good One full of mercy who sent his beloved son and saved us from our wandering, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He, who in the virgin bosom was born of the pious and holy one, and who gives joy to the angels and mankind as they give new glory to the redeeming Lord, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who illumined us with the light of his revelation with the rays of the glory of the existence of his Trinity; and in whose baptism made us united to the treasures of his sons by the mysterious death, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who in his fast he paid our ransom and gained victory over Satan and gave triumph to our weak nature and taught us that with fasting we can conquer evil and that by prayer we can remove his wiles, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who was processed upon the donkey and with olive branches the people glorified him; and in a new wonder, songs of “Hosanna” were sung by infants, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who revealed in himself the depth of his humility by the washing of the feet of his disciples and he breaking of his body shared for the forgiveness of sins, and who mixed his blood as a drink for our forgiveness, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who for the sake of love was mocked, and whose face was spit upon for us, and whose hands and feet were pierced, and who handed over his pure soul on Golgotha for our sake to the Father who sent him, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us.

22 He who descended to Sheol and triumphed over death and was raised on the third day and who raised many who offered new thanks to the one who resurrected their bodies with him, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who showed to Thomas the wounds in his hand the place of the spear in his side; and who, before the eyes of his disciples, ate and drank to confirm that he rose and gives hope in his resurrection, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us.

Server: Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us People: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us

Adorable Father, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Son Eternal, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Holy Spirit, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Hope of our Life, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Christ our King, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Hear your servants’ cry, have mercy on us:(kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Answer our requests, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us Lover of our Lives, have mercy on us: (kneel) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us You are the Healer, have mercy on us: (stand) Listen to our prayer, and have mercy on us

Hear our cry and have mercy on us Lord, have mercy on us

For the sake of the churches and the world, and the peaceful life you provide, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For our country and for all countries, and all the faithful who live there, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For the good health of our spiritual fathers… we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For the priests, deacons, every rank of the church and all those who believe in the Christ, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. For those who take example of the life of the angels; the just whom the world does not accept, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. Merciful God, who in his mercy provides for all, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. He who is glorified in heaven and adored on earth, we beg of you: Lord, have mercy on us. Save us all, O Christ our Lord, in your grace, give us your peace and harmony and have mercy on us: Lord, have mercy on us. Server: Let us pray, peace be with us, and let us bend our knee. (all kneel on one knee)

Server: Arise in the power of God (stand) People: Glory to the power of God.

23 MEDITATION I (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: O God Divine, heed our pleading heard before you, and in your mercies, answer the requests of our souls put before you.

Server: O Overflowing in his mercies, show forth your love as you always do, lest the hater of man mock the work of your hands. O Richer than all, open your treasury to our neediness, lest we be impoverished and hire ourselves out to the deceiver. O Mighty of Ages, sustain your order by the force of your power, for behold, it is shaken by the terror of pain and demons.

People: Repeat Antiphon

O Being of whose Essence heaven and earth are filled, may we be filled with your will, so that your holy Name may be sanctified in us. O Hidden in his Nature from the physical and spiritual, reveal your power in us, and show forth the riches of your sweetness. O Maker of all, who created creation from nothing, pity your product, lest we decay because of our malice.

People: Repeat Antiphon

O Free Sustainer and gracious Life-Giver to the rational and irrational, extend your right hand and fill our souls with your gifts. O One Without Need, of whose Fullness his handiwork is filled, open the door of your will, which is closed in our face, to our supplication. O Perfect in his Being, whose existence has no beginning, bring into completion the deeds your words promised toward our race.

People: Repeat Antiphon

READING I (sit)

O Painter of the world in unfading spiritual paint, Scour the filth of ignorance from our mind.

O Maker of bodies and Breather of the soul into members, Tighten our inclinations, lest we slacken before enticements.

O Honorer of man as surpassing all else due to his love, Have pity on the image of your honor lest it be put to shame.

You have named our composition in the name of your Essence, which is without composition. May your honored Name not fade in our dullness.

24

In us you have made manifest your great love to your works, Do not manifest in us a sign of wrath against the work of your hands.

In us you have concluded the great expansion of your workmanship, And in our making you have contained the earthly and the heavenly.

In us you have constituted the height and depth as one body: Mute in our body, intellectual in our soul – a great marvel!

Do not, O Lord, loosen this composition your love has composed, And the great bind that your command has tightened will not slacken.

At this composition my weak speech gazed, And sought to journey through a path of the words to explain it.

In this bind my meager mind was bound, Astounded at the craft of the binding command.

In this structure did my short thoughts wander, to prepare words to recite the story before listeners.

In this hope did my mind seek after words, That I may announce the good tidings of your name to the works of your hands.

With this agreement I journeyed among the verses of your writings, To explain to men the great story of your workmanship.

In this manner my mind painted with the pen of my tongue, That I may paint for every man the proper image of your making.

The figure of your artistry I saw was decorated in wisdom, And I desired to uncover its attractive beauty before onlookers.

In the configuration of our figure I saw tied the whole creation, And I called to man to “come, and see all in our nature.”

Our nature leads me to examine the natures that are tied to it, How and how much this frail thing was worthy to contain!

In it, in our nature, I saw the sciences of your Divinity, And I reflected that there is hope for man, a sinner though he is.

I saw the Name of your Essence dwelling in him as in a temple, And a wondering seized me – how can the despicable suffice for the Unseen?

It is indeed despicable, yet you honor it without measure, And who would not marvel at this worthlessness, which you have selected as above all?

25 Because your love has chosen him from all and named him in your name, We can therefore is be sure that you will not despise him whom You have elected.

If your Lordship has made him lord over all that is, Who would not accept his yoke eagerly?

If your knowledge has called and appointed him to an exalted position, Who would not confess that his appointment is true and his authority great?

If your hiddenness uncovers itself to us by his manifestation, Who would not gather his perceptions from all else for the sake of his composition?

If you have shown in him the great mystery of Son and Spirit, Who would not approach toward the knowledge hidden in his name [person]?

If you have shown in him your sweetness to angels and men, Who would not take refuge in his body and blood?

If that Word begotten of you unites with him, Who would not call him ruler of height and depth?

If the artistry that is for all is brought to perfection in him, Who would not labor in his artistry without interruption?

If you will judge the earth in him at the end of time, Who would not fear the trial that is in his hands?

If in him is given a reward for the good and scourging for the evil, Who would not permit him to be an advocate for his debts?

If he is the one with power over this world and that to come, Who would not believe that he is truly the Son of God?

To these levels I saw our contemptible nature raised And my mind was stirred to journey in mind toward his power.

You forced me to dare place its rank outside the natural order, And I proceed on the path, for its inquiry is greater than words.

In his Revelation I wish to be drawn to your Hiddenness. Extend your hand to me as to Simon who approached you and was permitted to draw near.

To the sea of words about human life do my thoughts descend May your command draw me out, lest I sink into what is improper.

I approach begging for the sake of my defects and those of my friends; Empower my mind that it may not weaken until they are heard.

26 MEDITATION II (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: Your servants knock at the door of your mercies, you who delight in us, open it for us, so that we may enter and receive alms like the poor.

Server: Our miserable race is poor and lacking of all good things: sustain this miserable thing with a small crumb of your graciousness. Far too weak is man to gather earthly goods, nor is he able to till the land with his strength, without your Strength.

People: Repeat Antiphon

As much as he works, his work is filled with great fear, and there is no security to his belongings, even though they multiply. Suffering and grief accompany his toil, summer and winter; and all dangers are constant for him – for him, and for what is his.

People: Repeat Antiphon

Much is his work, and little the reward returned to him; great is his weariness, and miserable and lacking his life’s goods. He plants so much and harvests little of the much, he is beaten and crushed, and by the time he enjoys it, he is swallowed by death.

People: Repeat Antiphon

READING II (sit)

In fear he plants, and in trepidation he gathers his fruits, and his heart does not rely on enjoying his labor or his gathering. He casts his wheat upon his field, that it may be returned to him, and he is afraid and distressed that perhaps he perish and his life pass away. He works his land and he thinks that perhaps it may fail to produce; he walks on the path, and Death sits and awaits him. Like a mother, he awaits for produce like a newborn, and the whips of Death strike at his discernment at every hour. He stands in a contest of sufferings every day and night, and there is no end to the battlefield of his emotions. A great battle is poised at all times against him, and if he falls asleep, enticements enter and plunder his freedom. The wretched one is cast before two calamities, each worse than the other: the twofold scourgings of bodily passion and sustenance of life. As if with leather cords, he beats himself with his inclinations, and there is no place in him not filled with the scars of the passions. He is suffering and weary regarding his life and regarding his labors, and there is no time when he does not rest with bitterness. If the sun grows hot, his mind grows hot regarding his crops, and if the rain stops, his thoughts dry up with his plants. If heat gains the upper hand, thirst has killed him; and if cold increases, he is consumed

27 by frost. If he is impoverished, he conceives depression and begets complaining; and if he is made wealthy, he puts on pride and arrogance of spirit. If he is justified, he derides and mocks sinners; and if he sins, he is weakened and decides there is no hope. If he is made wise, he forgets the clay of his wretched nature; and if he glorifies himself, he becomes a beast without understanding. In great and in small, his sufferings increase and his malice grows, and what can he do, where can he run, who has such a brief life? He is stuck wanting between neediness and excess, and so how is it possible for him to keep his life without harm? It is exceedingly difficult for men to live well, and the course of righteousness is not made easy for the corporeal. Flesh – he is flesh, as much as he desires spiritual things, even that desire is not his, but an Other’s. An Other dwells in him, in a temple of corruptible clay, and in his living, he blossoms a little before he decays. He is corruption entirely, although there is in him a portion of life, and even this life is small compared to his afflictions. So if the living that is in him is less than life, how can he live a life without corruption?

MEDITATION III (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: May your mercies come, O Lord, to the aid of our miserable race, for its life’s strength is burned away and worn in the trial of suffering.

Server: Stretch out your hand to the weak-hearted athlete, for he realizes and admits openly that he cannot enter the match. Cry out and encourage the mortal warrior, for the fingers of his hands are too weak to hit the mark.

People: Repeat Antiphon

Server: Command the intellectual natures to come and help him, for his hand falls short of grasping even a straw of truth. Call forth the heavenly legions to assist him, before he falls and becomes a laughingstock to his enemy.

People: Repeat Antiphon

Server: Write and send him an epistle of your Name above all, that he may be strengthened by hope in your Name to carry his pain . Lift your hand in writing of his life’s salvation, and behold, sufferings and demons will be terrified to look upon him.

People: Repeat Antiphon

28 READING III (sit)

Rebuke the ranks of warriors who threaten him, and behold, they will be dismayed by the command of your Essence’s Name. Send a watcher, as in the time of the Assyrian, and behold, the powers of the Evil One who surround him will be scattered. Send your command, as Isaiah toward Ezekiel, and instead of figs, let it place mercies upon our wounds. Let us hear the voice that was heard to Ezekiel, “Instead of life, behold, I increase the forgiveness of iniquity.” Yes, Lord, return us to health of body and soul, lest we be torn apart by the wounds of our disgraces. Come out in search of us, like the parable your Love composed, and we will enter and graze in the sheepfold of spiritual life. Brighten your Face, and seek our straying in your mercies, lest the beauty of our clay, which is stamped in your Name, decompose. Rejoice in our repentance, as in the story of the younger son, and interpret, with us, the voice of hope that is signified in it. With the deceitful one, we have worked for free and rejected our pay, and have lived wickedly on the swine-pods of desires. We have sinned and enraged you (though, in fact, you have never been angered, nor are even now); and we are unworthy to call ourselves the sons of your Name. Let us become as hired hands in service of your house, and let us receive what is just from your table as poor men. And, if it is possible, fulfill in action the meaning of the parable, and bring to light the symbol you wrote for our sake. Tell us, “From death, you now live, and from the corruption of ignorance, you have turned to me.” Command your pity to conceal our shame with a robe of glory, and place a pledge of life on our hand as a ring. Let your command persuade you and prepare us the Sacrifice of your Son, and in eating it, may we banish the bitterness of death from our members. And if there is one who envies our life’s salvation and our repentance, let your love pacify his bitter disposition with the sweetness of life. Call the angels and gladden them in our repentance, that those once saddened by our sins may rejoice in our justification. Please those who were angered because of our malice, and turn them to the service of our life’s needs.

MEDITATION IV (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: Do not, O Lord, turn away from the pleading of our poverty, lest our hope in you be weakened by despair.

Server: Do not, O Lord, turn your face away from us in a time of wrath, lest tyrannical demons mock us, as they always do. Do not, O Lord, cast us away from your aid, as you do to the Evil One, lest the Evil One be exalted in our humiliation, as before.

People: Repeat Antiphon

Server: Be not, O Lord, unmerciful, for you are the Merciful One, (forgive me, Lord! You cannot be unmerciful; I spoke in weakness!) Let not, O Lord, the Name of your Greatness be reduced by our malice, (though it can never be reduced, even if we are wicked a million times!)

People: Repeat Antiphon

29 Server: Be not, O Lord, lacking in help and poor in treasury, (oh, what I said of your Essence is a lie!) Be not, O Lord, as a wanderer in your creation, nor like a guest who turns in to slumber in what is not his.

People: Repeat Antiphon

READING IV (sit)

Be not, O Lord, like a human, for you are God, and not like a man who cannot save, for you are the Savior. And if our sins have prevailed more than the sins of every age, may you forgive because of your honored Name upon which we call. If our vices have made the face of the clear air vicious, may you not show us a face of anger, which is not suited to you. If our wickedness has withheld benefits because of our malice, may you not, O Lord, change the Name of your Goodness, which is unchanging. You are all Good, and you are all Just, and you hate evil; and neither can your Goodness nor your Justice be measured. No one knows how to call you by a name that fair to your Name, for all names are small compared to the greatness of your Glory. If we call you Good, the sound of your Justice thunders on earth; but if Just, heaven and earth are filled with your mercies. If we call you Hidden, your works are unveiled before all creatures; if we call you Unveiled, there is none on earth able to see you. If we call you the Hearing One, you hear our voice before we call, and the Gracious and Forgiving One, your Love precedes both us and our malice. We know neither how to pray nor how to glorify, and we are afraid to speak words that may not be proper to you. How can we pray to one who needs nothing, and is completely perfect? And how can we glorify him who exists in glory from eternity? If he is glorified, does he then increase through the glory? And if he increases, is he made perfect by praise from us? If he is dishonored, is his dishonor greater than his glory? If he is hallowed, does he increase his glory through our mouth? If he is angered, was the wicked man’s shame hidden from him? And if he is appeased, did we show him the way to reconciliation? If he notices something in remorse after a time, did time constrain him from knowing something he did not know? If he did not know (a thing which is blasphemy to say), what more did he gain in knowledge of his own construction? No, earthly ones, do not be content with earthly things; there is nothing in Existence lacking from Existence. The name of every being is a declaration of his Essence’s Name, and insofar as he is, his knowledge is with him. He is before everything, and he is what he is, and there is nothing missing from him, neither that was nor will be. Thus should a product think of the Maker, and thus is it owed by a rational creature to repay the Giver of rationality. We owe a debt of love to our Constructor, come, let us attempt to repay a little of so much. But he does not need repayment from us like a needy person, he arranges pretexts that we may be enriched from his treasures. He possesses an unending treasure of life in his Nature, and he longs greatly to give of it to the sons of his household. He has called our nature as sons of the inheritance of the love of his Son; because of this he chastises and instructs us lovingly. Let us therefore endure the methods of discipline from his Majesty, and never become weary of suffering hunger and sickness. If the name of “sons” truly applies to our mind, let us be sure, then, that our discipline is also to our benefit. Let us accept sufferings from our Maker without discouragement, and let us encounter the struggle of seasons without arguing. This alone do we ask of him in the time of sufferings: do not, O Lord, reprove us in stern anger, according to our deeds. Like the son of Jesse, let us plead thunderously regarding our wickedness, and in the way of his words, let us proceed to the promise of repentance.

30 MEDITATION V (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: Yes, Lord, let us be worthy for that kind word to David, and let us turn back to the place of forgiveness of sin as he did.

Server: Yes, Lord, pass over the faults of your servants as with your servant, and let them hear the voice of forgiveness as the just one did. David was just, but the Evil One envied him and made him evil; but he admitted he sinned and erased the name of evil from his heart.

People: Repeat Antiphon

If confession erases evil things and writes good ones, then there is hope for the evil to become good. O Good One who forgave adultery and murder with a word, forgive our disgraceful crimes as you see fit.

People: Repeat Antiphon

It was you who forgave all the crimes against the law: forgive now also the sins we have committed against love. It was you who loosened the execution given to murderers, stop now also the tortures prepared for our injustices.

People: Repeat Antiphon

READING V (sit)

You are the One who mixed mercy with wrath in every age, and you gave no room for the haters of our people to mock us. You are the One who reckoned the greatness of your Love upon the just, and made them worthy to appease you though you do not require it. By your Love, you absolved the faults of our people from the beginning, and you gave the will of the righteous the reward of your Kindness. Because of the just, you forgave the faults of the first generations, indeed, you forgave before they persuaded your Kindness. You cast out Justice that the sons of men may persuade you, that when they persuade you, they may realize that they can defeat evil. Moses prayed, and you forgave the sin of the calf-worship, and you told him, “behold, I have forgiven as you have persuaded.” Joshua prayed, and you stopped the course of the sun and moon, and placed in the book of Joshua that “Their course was stopped.” Samuel prayed, and your command answered him in the sound of thunder, and you responded to him through the unseasonal rain that came. David prayed, for he saw the watcher that would destroy the people, and the spirit stood in awe of his pleading as he stood in awe of you. Elijah called to you, and you hardened the winds and they carried the rain, and you aroused the people to zeal whom his words had bound. Elisha called to you, and by his hands you turned a dead man alive, and you reckoned his prophecy a victory from the mouth of death. Ezekiel called to you, and you

31 destroyed thousands of Assyrians, and as this was happening, he won victory against the watcher’s destruction. Daniel also, by the power of your aid, revealed hidden things, and the Babylonians wove a crown of praises for his will. In every age, the just ones prayed and you answered them; in our age that is deprived of the righteous, may you persuade yourself. The persuasion of your Kindness is greater than all the just, and the treasury of your mercies is incomparable to that of products. Your Love provoked the will of the just to persuade you, so if there are no just, send your Will without the just. Yours are persuasion and the words of persuaders, whom would you load with your own grace to the sons of your household? May Goodness be entirely yours, as it is, and so grant us what you granted at the beginning of time. Who convinced you to create creation when it did not exist? And who advised you to bind up the world in the construction of man? Who was such as advised you to call us your image? And who showed you how to complete your work in our construction? So if in our very existence, and all existence, you needed no help, what help do you need regarding our wickedness – a miserable gnat? Our wickedness is a gnat compared to the greatness of your Divinity, and it is only a handful if compared to the sea of your mercies. Your great Pity is a great sea, and greater than a sea, and height and depth are quite small in proportion to its greatness. “Your Mercy is great,” cries out heaven and earth, for when they were not, you spoke and they came to be from nothing. You created everything out of nothing for our sake, and so how could you would turn away from us in a time of anger? And, what is even greater and immeasurable by the rational, we have put on your Love and our portion was raised to the height of your Name. Our body is sitting at your right hand and clothed in glory, may its glory not be shamed by the shame of our presumption. May the rational natures not dishonor it because of its weakness, for you have honored it with the great Name of your Divinity.

MEDITATION VI (stand)

ANTIPHON Server then People: O Lord, open the door to all our pleading which we offer you in supplication, and have mercy on us.

Server: May our prayer be a pure thurible filled with reconciliation, in which your love may be pleased and contented. May our assembly’s pleading enter before you, O Lover of mankind, and answer the requests of your servants in your mercies.

People: Repeat Antiphon

Server: O Lover of mankind, who delights in the life of men, visit your creation by the gentle command of your kindness. O Absolver of the sins and Forgiver of the faults of those who repent, forgive our sins and erase our malice, and have mercy on us.

People: Repeat Antiphon

32 Server: Pity, O Pitying One, the work of your hand, as is proper, and erase, in your mercies, the list of our sins before it increases. Scour our impurities, bandage our sores and heal our wounds, and grant us to fulfill the will of your Love, and have mercy on us.

People: Repeat Antiphon

OPENING ANTHEM (sit)

ANTIPHON People: O Lord, have mercy on us. O Lord, accept our pleading. O Lord, forgive your servants.

Priest: Dependant on your mercy, we call out to you, O Creator. My Lord, through our struggles, we have tempted your kindness. Since the start, you have never neglected People: the voice of our needs

We have never forgotten, and we never will, how much we have sinned against you. We do not call out to you shamelessly, for our nature is nothing. Everyone knows his own sins, so let us confess them to him.

Both the good and evil things, are clear before our eyes. Whatever we may have done are never forgotten. You have joined us to you; us who are of Adam’s race.

We are neither righteous, sons of the righteous; nor sinners, the sons of sinners. After his sin, you convicted Adam, but released him; on the day he ate it, he did not die. In your grace you set us in motion; now, in your mercy, bring our lives to their perfection.

33 You did not act with him as he did with you; And, too, with us as we have with you, With him you were merciful, With us you are compassionate. Though he sinned, he still lived; And so too, in these times, let the sinner live.

ANTIPHON People: O Lord, have mercy on us. O Lord, accept our pleading. O Lord, forgive your servants.

READING II (sit)

I advise you, my beloved, as wise sons, that our Ba’utha stay strong, for we are about to receive our gift. Do not let your supplication become burdensome, for our requests have reached their destination. With every voice of thanks, we still owe him more for the grace that he gives us. With every song of praise our mouths proclaim, we still owe him more for his mercy. No tongue can earn the good that he has done with us, which cannot be counted on the fingers of every hand. Every drop of rain is full of your hidden mercy. On what paper can we write of all the help that comes from your spring? On what canvas can we draw the waves of your overflowing mercy? What container can we fill with your grace, O Creator? What mouth can put into words your goodness to us, O Maker? Which tongue can explain your gifts, O Pride? Your gift to us is greater than we deserve, and our tongues cannot describe it.

With the righteous ones we thank you for the gift that has been given. Abel gives thanks with us and on our behalf, he who offered you his lamb. By that lamb which he offered you, bless our sheep so that we can increase our promises and offerings. Enoch gives thanks with us and on our behalf, he who gained victory over death. Wherever he is, we should remember him so that his prayers may bless our church. And Lamech, he who had told Noah that thing which would give rest to the burdened; may his blessing be with us so that the Good One may remove all curses from us. And Noah who guarded the ark and filled it with all needs, protect our church by his prayers and fill it with all good blessedness. And Shem and Japheth, his two sons, who covered their father, may their prayers protect the poor in both the heat and cold. Abraham prepared the table so that the hungry could eat and be filled. So too should our table be like his, so that we may be full of blessings and joy. And Isaac who planted, harvested and whose land gave him a hundredfold, may his prayer bless our fields so that we can harvest goodness from them. Jacob shepherded his sheep in our land, and multiplied his flock. May the prayer that he prayed in our land bring us peace and calm. Abraham sent camels carrying blessing to our land; may the voice of his prayers come to us carrying benediction.

Blessed is he who heard our Ba’utha and our prayers. He sent his gifts to the needy who cry out to him. Blessed is he who forced his mercy on us and took on the face of our offences. Blessed is he who gave us our will so that we can praise him with our mouths. Blessed is he who gave us a sign that he would not ignore our Ba’utha. Blessed is he who gave us a sign that he would not neglect out requests. Blessed is he who did not distance himself from us though we have sinned against him. Blessed is he who disciplines us, yet still gives us whatever we ask. Give him glory even when you offend, for he does not hold a grudge. Give him glory even in your pains, for he

34 does it for our goodness. Give him glory even though he is slow to respond, for he desires to give us much more than we ask. Give him glory even in suffering, for he wants to make us strong. Give him glory even though he punishes us, for he is saddened when we sin against him. Give him glory because how much he desires to give us happiness. Give glory to him who is not like us, but in all things is like his Father. Blessed is he who is not like us, but merciful like his Father. Give glory to him who heard us and did not ignore our Ba’utha.

From the angels to the earthly: GLORY BE TO HIM FOREVER AND EVER!

MEDITATION OF THE BLESSINGS (stand)

ANTIPHON Priest then People: We beg of you, O Lord, Lord of all. We beg of you, O Lord, have mercy. (kneel)

Priest: He placed his harmony on earth, Lord of all; And peace until the end of earth, Peace of all. Remove conflicts and trouble - from the world, That we may live in peace and calm, O Kind One. May you bless the holy Church- in your grace, Which was bought by your blood, Lord of all. Guard her sons by your cross, Guard of all, From the tricks of Satan, - and have mercy:

People: Repeat Antiphon (stand)

Long live the Patriarch, Lord of all; that from him we learn your will, O Kind One. Make our shepherd triumphant, in your grace; That he may forgive your flock, O Shepherd. Bless our Pious Father, Patriarch; deliver him from all trouble, by your grace. Give to him length of life, Lord of all; Glorify the pious priesthood, which he gained; That he may work for your name, in your joy, And wear a cloak of righteousness, in his deeds. Bless the priests and deacons, Adorable; That we learn from them purity, O Kind One. Bless those who offer their pray’rs, Most Holy; Through their prayers do you forgive, and have mercy:

People: Repeat Antiphon (kneel)

Bless the kings and our leaders, Lord of all, Secure them in their leadership, O Father, Let there be peace among them, Peace of all,

35 That they give you from their riches, O Rich One, Bless all judges in your grace, Judge of all, That by your will they make judgment, and have mercy:

People: Repeat Antiphon (stand)

Bless the young and the old, Guard of all, That from them we learn modesty, O Kind One, Bless, my Lord, all virgins, Most Blessed, Who guard their bodies for you, Most Holy, Heal those who have fallen ill, Divine Doctor, Comfort those who are in distress, Redeemer, Keep those who are still healthy, Guardian, By their alms they give you thanks, and have mercy:

People: Repeat Antiphon (kneel)

Bless our resolutions for the year, in your grace, Prepare the fruits of our fields, in your care, Find the people who are lost, Great Seer, Forgive, Lord, the sinners, Forgiver of all, Lift your anger, which we appease, from our lives, Bless our church and our homes, in your grace, Which you guard for your servants, and have mercy:

People: Repeat Antiphon (stand)

Receive our Prayer, O Lord, Caretaker, May our Ba’utha reach your ears, O Hearer, May our conversion appease your love, O our Love, As a good sacrifice of peace, at all times. Accept the prayers of your servants, in your grace, And the Ba’utha of our praise, O Hearer. From your rich treasuries give to us, O Kind One, The things we ask for our needs, and have mercy:

People: Repeat Antiphon (kneel)

Bless our assembly in your kindness, Most Blessed, Flood on us your assistance, O our Help, Let us do your will at all times, Lord of all, All the days of our lives, Life of all, Bless the mouths that sing to you, Most Blessed. Bless the mouths of your flock, Lord of all, which glorify your name amen, and have mercy:

People: Repeat Antiphon (stand)

36 BLESSINGS (stand)

Priest: By your prayers, may the Lord grant-in every corner, People: Yes, Lord (kneel) Priest: tranquility, peace and harmony, by your prayers. People: Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the leaders of all nations Yes, Lord (kneel) live in your love and serenity, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Church saved by the living Blood, Yes, Lord (kneel) raise her head high above all dread, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Patriarch, the high shepherd, Yes, Lord (kneel) tend well his flock with all diligence, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Lord guard with a mighty staff, Yes, Lord (kneel) Mar Ibrahim, splendid father, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the shepherds-in every land Yes, Lord (kneel) May they be filled with all charisms, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the priests who serve the Mysteries Yes, Lord (kneel) have your blessing come upon them, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the deacons-who serve the altar Yes, Lord (kneel) have every aid granted to them, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the monks learn from our Lord, Yes, Lord (kneel) by their study of the Scriptures, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may this parish be protected Yes, Lord (kneel) from the ill will of the Evil One, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Lord help all our leaders: Yes, Lord (kneel) All our pastors and our clergy, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Lord help all the faithful, Yes, Lord (kneel) may they nurture – righteous children, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Lord, Jesus, bless all husbands, Yes, Lord (kneel) and all their wives beyond measure, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, care for orphans and the widows: Yes, Lord (kneel) Fill the hungry and enrich them, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Lord take-away all suffering, Yes, Lord (kneel) heal all the sick, console the needy, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

37 By your prayers, may the Lord give life instructions Yes, Lord (kneel) to the young ones for salvation, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Lord save all the tempted, Yes, Lord (kneel) and free them all from the yoke of sin, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, for all captives who need rescue, Yes, Lord (kneel) Grant them freedom from imprisonment, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, those who struggle in their agony: Yes, Lord (kneel) be healed by God and find solace, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, those who travel by road and sea Yes, Lord (kneel) May they be led to the path of peace, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Lord’s hand rest upon you, Yes, Lord (kneel) Through the mercy of Christ Jesus, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, praise the Lord who guards his servants, Yes, Lord (kneel) and thank the Might who gives us strength, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the one who says these blessings, Yes, Lord (kneel) and its author be grace-worthy, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, may the Lord make his blessings overflow; Yes, Lord (kneel) and on our souls, cast his mercy, by your prayers. Amen (stand)

By your prayers, let us convert and sing praises, Yes, Lord (kneel) to the Father, Son and Spirit, ever, amen.

People: Maran ith ra hem ‘al layn Maran qa bel ba’uth an Maran ith ra’ el ‘aw dayk

  

THE ORDER OF THE BA’UTHA IS ENDED

GLORY TO GOD FOREVER

AMEN

38