READINGS: EASTER SATURDAY V

Invitatory Psalm & BACK


Psalm 105: Hebrew English     Then BACK

ὁ θεὸς ἀναγεννήσας ἡμᾶς εἰς ἐλπίδα ζῶσαν - Ἁλληλουϊά. — δι' ἀναστάσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκ νεκρῶν - Ἁλληλουϊά.

Even Years: Acts 20:1-16

1 μετὰ δὲ τὸ παύσασθαι τὸν θόρυβον μεταπεμψάμενος ὁ παῦλος τοὺς μαθητὰς καὶ παρακαλέσας, ἀσπασάμενος ἐξῆλθεν πορεύεσθαι εἰς μακεδονίαν.

2 διελθὼν δὲ τὰ μέρη ἐκεῖνα καὶ παρακαλέσας αὐτοὺς λόγῳ πολλῷ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἑλλάδα,

3 ποιήσας τε μῆνας τρεῖς γενομένης ἐπιβουλῆς αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν ἰουδαίων μέλλοντι ἀνάγεσθαι εἰς τὴν συρίαν

ἐγένετο γνώμης τοῦ ὑποστρέφειν διὰ μακεδονίας.

4 συνείπετο δὲ αὐτῷ σώπατρος πύρρου βεροιαῖος, θεσσαλονικέων δὲ ἀρίσταρχος καὶ σεκοῦνδος, καὶ γάϊος δερβαῖος καὶ τιμόθεος, ἀσιανοὶ δὲ τυχικὸς καὶ τρόφιμος.

5 οὗτοι δὲ προελθόντες ἔμενον ἡμᾶς ἐν τρῳάδι:

6 ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐξεπλεύσαμεν μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας τῶν ἀζύμων ἀπὸ φιλίππων, καὶ ἤλθομεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν τρῳάδα ἄχρι ἡμερῶν πέντε, ὅπου διετρίψαμεν ἡμέρας ἑπτά.

7 ἐν δὲ τῇ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων συνηγμένων ἡμῶν κλάσαι ἄρτον ὁ παῦλος διελέγετο αὐτοῖς, μέλλων ἐξιέναι τῇ ἐπαύριον,

παρέτεινέν τε τὸν λόγον μέχρι μεσονυκτίου.

8 ἦσαν δὲ λαμπάδες ἱκαναὶ ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ οὗ ἦμεν συνηγμένοι:

9 καθεζόμενος δέ τις νεανίας ὀνόματι εὔτυχος ἐπὶ τῆς θυρίδος, καταφερόμενος ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ διαλεγομένου τοῦ παύλου ἐπὶ πλεῖον, κατενεχθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου ἔπεσεν ἀπὸ τοῦ τριστέγου κάτω καὶ ἤρθη νεκρός.

10 καταβὰς δὲ ὁ παῦλος ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ καὶ συμπεριλαβὼν εἶπεν, μὴ θορυβεῖσθε, ἡ γὰρ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἐστιν.

11 ἀναβὰς δὲ καὶ κλάσας τὸν ἄρτον καὶ γευσάμενος ἐφ' ἱκανόν τε ὁμιλήσας ἄχρι αὐγῆς οὕτως ἐξῆλθεν.

12 ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν παῖδα ζῶντα, καὶ παρεκλήθησαν οὐ μετρίως.

13 ἡμεῖς δὲ προελθόντες ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον ἀνήχθημεν ἐπὶ τὴν ἆσσον,

ἐκεῖθεν μέλλοντες ἀναλαμβάνειν τὸν παῦλον,

οὕτως γὰρ διατεταγμένος ἦν μέλλων αὐτὸς πεζεύειν.

14 ὡς δὲ συνέβαλλεν ἡμῖν εἰς τὴν ἆσσον,

ἀναλαβόντες αὐτὸν ἤλθομεν εἰς μιτυλήνην,

15 κἀκεῖθεν ἀποπλεύσαντες τῇ ἐπιούσῃ κατηντήσαμεν ἄντικρυς χίου,

τῇ δὲ ἑτέρᾳ παρεβάλομεν εἰς σάμον,

τῇ δὲ ἐχομένῃ ἤλθομεν εἰς μίλητον:

16 κεκρίκει γὰρ ὁ παῦλος παραπλεῦσαι τὴν ἔφεσον,

ὅπως μὴ γένηται αὐτῷ χρονοτριβῆσαι ἐν τῇ ἀσίᾳ,

ἔσπευδεν γὰρ εἰ δυνατὸν εἴη αὐτῷ τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς πεντηκοστῆς γενέσθαι εἰς ἱεροσόλυμα.

Odd Years: Revelation 22:10-21

καὶ λέγει μοι, μὴ σφραγίσῃς τοὺς λόγους τῆς προφητείας τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου,
ὁ καιρὸς γὰρ ἐγγύς ἐστιν.
ὁ ἀδικῶν ἀδικησάτω ἔτι, καὶ ὁ ῥυπαρὸς ῥυπανθήτω ἔτι,
καὶ ὁ δίκαιος δικαιοσύνην ποιησάτω ἔτι, καὶ ὁ ἅγιος ἁγιασθήτω ἔτι.
     ἰδοὺ ἔρχομαι ταχύ,
     καὶ ὁ μισθός μου μετ' ἐμοῦ,
     ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ ὡς τὸ ἔργον ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ.
          ἐγὼ τὸ ἄλφα καὶ τὸ ὦ,
          ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος,
          ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος.
     μακάριοι οἱ πλύνοντες τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν,
     ἵνα ἔσται ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς
     καὶ τοῖς πυλῶσιν εἰσέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν πόλιν.
ἔξω οἱ κύνες καὶ οἱ φάρμακοι καὶ οἱ πόρνοι καὶ οἱ φονεῖς
καὶ οἱ εἰδωλολάτραι καὶ πᾶς φιλῶν καὶ ποιῶν ψεῦδος.

ἐγὼ Ἰησοῦς ἔπεμψα τὸν ἄγγελόν μου μαρτυρῆσαι ὑμῖν ταῦτα ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.
ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ῥίζα καὶ τὸ γένος Δαυίδ,
ὁ ἀστὴρ ὁ λαμπρὸς ὁ πρωϊνός.
καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἡ νύμφη λέγουσιν, ἔρχου.
καὶ ὁ ἀκούων εἰπάτω, ἔρχου.
καὶ ὁ διψῶν ἐρχέσθω, ὁ θέλων λαβέτω ὕδωρ ζωῆς δωρεάν.
     μαρτυρῶ ἐγὼ παντὶ τῷ ἀκούοντι τοὺς λόγους τῆς προφητείας τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου:
     ἐάν τις ἐπιθῇ ἐπ' αὐτά,
     ἐπιθήσει ὁ θεὸς ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὰς πληγὰς τὰς γεγραμμένας ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ:
     καὶ ἐάν τις ἀφέλῃ ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων τοῦ βιβλίου τῆς προφητείας ταύτης,
     ἀφελεῖ ὁ θεὸς τὸ μέρος αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς
     καὶ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τῆς ἁγίας,
     τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ.
λέγει ὁ μαρτυρῶν ταῦτα, ναί, ἔρχομαι ταχύ.
ἀμήν, ἔρχου, κύριε Ἰησοῦ.
ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ μετὰ πάντων.

Even Years: Justin Martyr, First Apology, 66-67 (PG 6, 427-431)
Καὶ ἡ τροφὴ αὕτη καλεῖται παρ᾽ ἡμῖν εὐχαριστία· ἧς οὐδενὶ ἄλλῳ μετασχεῖν ἐξόν ἐστιν ἢ τῷ πιστεύοντι ἀληθῆ εἶναι τὰ δεδιδαγμένα ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν, καὶ λουσαμένῳ τὸ ὑπὲρ ἀφέσεως ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ εἰς ἀναγέννησιν λουτρὸν, καὶ οὕτως βιοῦντι ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς παρέδωκεν. None may share the Eucharist with us unless they believe that what we teach is true; unless they are washed in the regenerating waters of Baptism for the remission of their sins; and unless they live in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.
Οὐ γὰρ ὡς κοινὸν ἄρτον οὐδὲ κοινὸν πόμα ταῦτα λαμβάνομεν· ἀλλ᾽ ὃν τρόπον διὰ λόγου Θεοῦ σαρκοποιηθεὶς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν, καὶ σάρκα καὶ αἷμα ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας ἡμῶν ἔσχεν, οὕτως καὶ τὴν δι᾽ εὐχῆς λόγου τοῦ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ εὐχαριστηθεῖσαν τροφὴν, ἐξ ἧς αἷμα καὶ σάρκες κατὰ μεταβολὴν τρέφονται ἡμῶν, ἐκείνου τοῦ σαρκοποιητέντος Ἰησοῦ καὶ σάρκα καὶ αἷμα ἐδιδάχθημεν εἶναι. We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Saviour became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.
Οἱ γὰρ ἀπόστολοι ἐν τοῖς γενομένοις ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν άπομνημονεύμασιν, ἃ καλεῖται Εὐανγγέλια, οὕτως παρέδωκαν ἐντελάλθαι αὐτοῖς τὸν Ἰησοῦν· λαβόντα ἄρτον, εὐχαριστήσαντα εἰπεῖν· Τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἀνάμνησίν μου· Τουτέστι τὸ σῶμά μου· καὶ τὸ ποτήριον ὁμοίως λαβόντα καὶ εὐχαριστήσαντα εἰπεῖν· Τοῦτό ἐστι αἷμα μου· καὶ μόνοις αὐτοῖς μεταδοῦναι Ἡμεῖς δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα λοιπὸν ἀεὶ τούτων ἀλλήλους ἀναμιμνήσκομεν· καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες τοῖς λειπομένοις πᾶσιν ἐπικουροῦμεν, καὶ σύνεσμεν ἀλλήλοις ἀεί. Ἐπὶ πᾶσί τε οἷς προσφερόμεθα, εὐλογοῦμεν τὸν Ποιητὴν τῶν πάντων διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ διὰ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου· The Apostles in their recollections, which are called Gospels, handed down to us what Jesus commanded them to do. They tell us that he took bread, gave thanks and said: Do this in memory of me, this is my body. In the same way he took the cup, he gave thanks and said: This is my blood, and he distributed it only to them. Ever since then we have constantly reminded one another of these things. The rich among us help the poor and we are always united. For all that we receive we praise the Creator of the universe through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit
καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἡλίου λεγομένῃ ἡμέρᾳ πάντων κατὰ πόλεις ἢ ἀγροῦς μενόντων ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ συνέλευσις γίνεται, καὶ τὰ ἀπομνημονεύματα τῶν ἀποστόλων, ἢ τὰ συγγράμματα τῶν προφητῶν ἀναγινώσκεται μέχρις ἐγχωρεῖ. On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or in the outlying districts. The recollections of the Apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as time permits.
Εἶτα παυσαμένου τοῦ ἀναγινώσκοντος, ὁ προεστὼς διὰ λόγου τῆν νουθεσίαν καὶ πρόκλησιν τῆς τῶν καλῶν τούτων μιμήσεως ποιεῖται. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us, urging everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard about in the readings.
Ἕπειτα ἀναστάμεθα κοινῇ πάντες, καὶ εὐχὰς πέμπομεν· καὶ ὡς προέφημεν, παυσαμένων ἡμῶν τῆς εὐχῆς, ἄρτος προσφέρεται καὶ οἶνος καὶ ὕδωρ· καὶ ὁ προεστὼς εὐχὰς ὁμοίως καὶ εὐχαριστίας, ὅση δύναμις αὐτῷ ἀναπέμπει, καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐπευφημεῖ λέγων τὸ Ἀμήν· καὶ ἠ διάδοσις καὶ ἡ μετάληψις ἀπὸ τῶν εὐχαριστηθέντων ἑκάστῳ γίνεται, καὶ τοῖς οὐ παροῦσι διὰ τῶν διακόνων πέμπεται. Then we all stand up together and pray. On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability, and the people give their assent by saying, 'Amen'. The Eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the Deacons take it to those who are absent.
Οἱ εὐποροῦντες δὲ καὶ βουλόμενοι, κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, ὂ βούλεται δίδωσι· καὶ τὸ συλλεγόμενον παρὰ τῷ προεστῶτι ἀποτίθεται, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπικουρεῖ ὀρφανοῖς τε καὶ χήραις, καὶ τοῖς διὰ νόσον, ἢ δι᾽ ἄλλην αἰτίαν λειπομένοις, καὶ τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς οὖσι, καὶ τοῖς παρεπιδήμοις οὖσι ξένοις, καὶ ἁπλῶς πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν χρείᾳ οὖσι κηδεμὼν γίνεται. The wealthy if they wish may make a contribution, and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need.
Τὴν τὲ τοῦ ἡλίου ἡμέραν κοινῇ πάντες τὴν συνέλευσιν ποιούμεθα· ἐπειδὴ πρώτη ἐστὶν ἡμέρα, ἐν ῇ ὁ Θεὸς, τὸ σκότος καὶ τὴν ὕλην τρέψας, κόσμον ἐποίησε, καὶ Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ὁ ἡμέτερος Σωτὴρ τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνέστη. Τῇ γὰρ πρὸ τῆς Κρονικῆς ἐσταυρωσαν αὐτόν· καὶ τῇ μετὰ τὴν Κρονικὴν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡλίου ἡμέρα, φανεὶς τοῖς ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ μαθηταῖς, ἐδίδαξε ταῦτα, ἅπερ εἰς ἐπίσκεψιν καὶ ὑμῖν ἀνεδώκαμεν. We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world, and because on that same day our Saviour Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his Apostles and disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration.

Odd Years: Gaudentius of Brescia, Treatise 2, (CSEL 68, 26.29-30)

Ergo in hac veritate, qua sumus, unus pro omnibus mortuus est et idem per singulas ecclesiarum domos in mysterio panis ac vini reficit immolatus, vivificat creditus, consecrantes sanctificat consecratus.

Haec agni caro, hic sanguis est. Panis enim, qui de caelo descendit, ait: Panis, quem ego dabo, caro mea est pro saeculi vita. Recte etiam in specie vini sanguis eius exprimitur, quia, cum ipse in evangelio dicit: Ego sum vitis vera, satis declarat sanguinem suum esse omne vinum quod in figura passionis eius offertur; unde beatissimus patriarcha Iacob de Christo prophetaverat dicens: Lavabit in vino stolam suam et in sanguine uvae amictum suum; stolam quippe nostri corporis, indumentum suum, proprio erat sanguine diluturus.

Ipse igitur naturarum creator et dominus, qui producit de terra panem, de pane rursus - quia et potest et promisit - efficit proprium corpus; et qui de aqua vinum fecit, fecit et de vino sanguinem suum

Pascha est, inquit, domini, hoc est transitus domini, ne terrenum putes, quod caeleste effectum est per eum, qui transiit in illud et fecit illud suum corpus et sanguinem

Quod accipis, corpus est illius panis caelestis et sanguis est illius sacrae vitis. Nam cum panem consecratum et vinum discipulis suis porrigeret, sic ait: Hoc est corpus meum, hic est sanguis meus. Credamus, quaeso, cui credidimus. Nescit mendacium veritas.

Ideo cum de corpore suo manducando et sanguine suo bibendo turbis loqueretur stupentibus ac mussitantibus: Durus est hic sermo et quis eum potest audire?, ut abstergeret per ignem caelestem eas cogitationes, quas vitandas esse praedixi, sic adiecit: Spiritus est, qui vivificat, nam caro nihil prodest. Verba, quae ego locutus sum vobis, spiritus et vita sunt.

Prayer