5Thus says the Lord God, who made the heaven, and established it; who settled the earth, and the things in it, and gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to them that tread on it:
6I the Lord God have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will strengthen you: and I have given you for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles:
7to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the bound and them that sit in darkness out of bonds and the prison-house.
8I am the Lord God: that is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praises to graven images.
9Behold, the ancient things have come to pass, and so will the new things which I tell you: yes, before I tell them they are made known to you.
10Sing a new hymn to the Lord: you⌃ who are his dominion, glorify his name from the end of the earth: you⌃ that go down to the sea, and sail upon it; the islands, and they that dwell in them.
11Rejoice, you wilderness, and the villages thereof, the hamlets, and the dwellers in Kedar: the inhabitants of the rock shall rejoice, they shall shout from the top of the mountains.
12They shall give glory to God, and shall proclaim his praises in the islands.
13The Lord God of hosts shall go forth, and crush the war: he shall stir up jealousy, and shall shout mightily against his enemies.
14I have been silent: shall I also always be silent and forbear: I have endured like a travailing woman: I will now amaze and wither at once.
15I will make desolate mountains and hills, and will dry up all their grass; and I will make the rivers islands, and dry up the pools.
16And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, and I will cause them to tread paths which they have not known: I will turn darkness into light for them, and crooked things into straight. These things will I do, and will not forsake them.
Genesis 18.20-33 (Vespers)
20And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha has been increased towards me, and their sins are very great.
21I will therefore go down and see, if they completely correspond with the cry which comes to me, and if not, that I may know.
22And the men having departed thence, came to Sodom; and Abraam was still standing before the Lord.
23And Abraam drew near and said, Wouldest you destroy the righteous with the wicked, and shall the righteous be as the wicked?
24Should there be fifty righteous in the city, will you destroy them? will you not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous, if they be in it?
25By no means shall you do as this thing is so as to destroy the righteous with the wicked, so the righteous shall be as the wicked: by no means. You that judge the whole earth, shall you not do right?
26And the Lord said, If there should be in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole city, and the whole place for their sakes.
27And Abraam answered and said, Now I have begun to speak to my Lord, and I am earth and ashes.
28But if the fifty righteous should be diminished to forty-five, will you destroy the whole city because of the five lacking? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there forty-five.
29And he continued to speak to him still, and said, But if there should be found there forty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the forty's sake.
30And he said, Will there be anything against me, Lord, if I shall speak? but if there be found there thirty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the thirty's sake.
31And he said, Since I am able to speak to the Lord, what if there should be found there twenty? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there twenty.
32And he said, Will there be anything against me, Lord, if I speak yet once? but if there should be found there ten? And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.
33And the Lord departed, when he left off speaking to Abraam, and Abraam returned to his place.
Proverbs 16.17-17.17 (Vespers)
17The paths of life turn aside from evil; and the ways of righteousness are length of life. He that receives instruction shall be in prosperity; and he that regards reproofs shall be made wise. He that keeps his ways, preserves his own soul; and he that loves his life will spare his mouth.
18Pride goes before destruction, and folly before a fall.
19Better is a meek-spirited man with lowliness, than one who divides spoils with the proud.
20He who is skillful in business finds good: but he that trusts in God is most blessed.
21Men call the wise and understanding evil: but they that are pleasing in speech shall hear more.
22Understanding is a fountain of life to its possessors; but the instruction of fools is evil.
23The heart of the wise will discern the things which proceed from his own mouth; and on his lips he will wear knowledge.
24Good words are honeycombs, and the sweetness thereof is a healing of the soul.
25There are ways that seem to be right to a man, but the end of them looks to the depth of hell.
26A man who labors, labors for himself, and drives from him his own ruin.
27But the perverse bears destruction upon his own mouth: a foolish man digs up evil for himself, and treasures fire on his own lips.
28A perverse man spreads mischief, and will kindle a torch of deceit with mischiefs; and he separates friends.
29A transgressor tries to ensnare friends, and leads them in ways that are not good.
30And the man that fixes his eyes devises perverse things, and marks out with his lips all evil: he is a furnace of wickedness.
31Old age is a crown of honor, but it is found in the ways of righteousness.
32A man slow to anger is better than a strong man; and he that governs his temper better than he that takes a city.
33All evils come upon the ungodly into their bosoms; but all righteous things come of the Lord.
1Better is a morsel with pleasure in peace, than a house full of many good things and unjust sacrifices, with strife.
2A wise servant shall have rule over foolish masters, and shall divide portions among brethren.
3As silver and gold are tried in a furnace, so are choice hearts with the Lord.
4A bad man hearkens to the tongue of transgressors: but a righteous man attends not to false lips.
5He that laughs at the poor provokes him that made him; and he that rejoices at the destruction of another shall not be held guiltless: but he that has compassion shall find mercy.
6Children's children are the crown of old men; and their fathers are the glory of children. The faithful has the whole world full of wealth; but the faithless not even a farthing.
7Faithful lips will not suit a fool; nor lying lips a just man.
8Instruction is to them that use it a gracious reward; and wherever it may turn, it shall prosper.
9He that conceals injuries seeks love; but he that hates to hide them separates friends and kindred.
10A threat breaks down the heart of a wise man; but a fool, though scourged, understands not.
11Every bad man stirs up strifes: but the Lord will send out against him an unmerciful messenger.
12Care may befall a man of understanding; but fools will meditate evils.
13Whoso rewards evil for good, evil shall not be removed from his house.
14Rightful rule gives power to words; but sedition and strife precede poverty.
15He that pronounces the unjust just, and the just unjust, is unclean and abominable with God.
16Why has the fool wealth? for a senseless man will not be able to purchase wisdom. He that exalts his own house seeks ruin; and he that turns aside from instruction shall fall into mischief.
17Have you a friend for every time, and let brethren be useful in distress; for on this account are they born.
Composite 2 - Proverbs 10, 3, 8
(Vespers, St Innocent)
1The memory of a just man is praised, and the Lord’s blessing is upon his head. Blessed is one who has found wisdom; a mortal who knows understanding. To import her is better than treasures of gold and silver. She is more valuable than precious stones; nothing of value equals her worth. Justice proceeds from her mouth; she bears law and mercy on her tongue. Therefore, my children, listen to me, for I speak weighty things. And blessed is the one who keeps my ways. For my goings out are the goings out of life, and favour is prepared from the Lord. Therefore I exhort you, and utter my voice to the children of humankind. Because I, Wisdom, have prepared counsel, knowledge and understanding. I have called on them. Counsel and sureness are mine; prudence is mine, strength is mine. I love those who are my friends, while those who seek me will find grace. You innocent, then, understand cunning; you untaught, take it to heart. Listen to me, for I will speak weighty things, and I will open right things from my lips. Because my throat will meditate truth; lying lips are abominable before me. All the words of my mouth are with justice, there is nothing crooked in them nor twisted. They are all straight for those who understand, and right for those who find knowledge. For I teach you what is true, that your hope may be in the Lord and that you may be filled with spirit.
Composite 3 - Wisdom of Solomon 4, 5
(Vespers, St Innocent)
1A just man if he comes to his end will be at rest. A just man who dies will condemn the ungodly who are alive; for they will see the end of a just man and will not understand what they counselled concerning him. For the Lord will break the ungodly, render them voiceless and cast them headlong, and he will shake them from the foundations and they will be utterly worsted in sorrow, and their memory shall perish. They shall come with fear at the accounting of their sins, and their iniquities will convict them to their face. Then the just will stand with much boldness in the face of those who afflicted him and made his toils of no account. When they see this they will be troubled with great fear and will be amazed at the wonder of his salvation. For they will say as they repent and with anguish they will groan and say: Is this he whom we fools once made a laughing stock and a byword of reproach? We reckoned his life folly and his end dishonour. How has he been numbered among the children of God and his lot with the Saints? Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousness has not shone on us and the sun has not dawned on us. We have been filled with paths of lawlessness and destruction and journeyed through trackless paths, but have not known the way of the Lord.
Composite 4 - Proverbs 10; Wisdom of Solomon 6, 7, 8, 9
(Vespers, St Innocent)
1The mouth of a just man distils wisdom; the lips of men know graces. The mouth of the wise meditates wisdom; justice delivers them from death. When a just man dies hope is not lost; for a just son is born for life, and among his good things he will pluck the fruit of justice. There is light at all times for the just, and they will find grace and glory from the Lord. The tongue of the wise knows what is good, and wisdom will take its rest in their hearts. The Lord loves holy hearts; while all who are blameless in the way are acceptable to him. The wisdom of the Lord will enlighten the face of the understanding; for she anticipates those who desire her before they know it, and is easily contemplated by those who love her. One who rises for her at dawn will not toil, and one who keeps vigil because of her will be without care. For she goes about seeking those who are worthy of her, and shows herself favourably to those on her paths. Wickedness will never prevail against wisdom. Because of this I too became a lover of her beauty and became her friend, and I sought her out from my youth, and I sought to take her as my bride, because the Master of all things loved her, for she is an initiate of the knowledge of God and one who chooses his works. Her toils are virtues; she herself teaches sobriety and prudence; justice and courage, than which things nothing is more useful in human life. If anyone longs for much experience, she knows how to compare things of old and those that are to come. She knows the twists of words and the explanations of riddles. She foresees signs and wonders and the outcomes of seasons and times. And to all she is a good counsellor. Because immortality is in her, and fame in the fellowship of her words. Therefore I appealed to the Lord and besought him and said from my whole heart, ‘God of my Fathers and Lord of mercy, who made all things by your Word, and established humanity by your Wisdom to be sovereign over the creatures that had come into being by you, and to order the world in holiness and justice, give me Wisdom who sits by your throne, and do not reject me from among your children, for I am your servant and the son of your maid servant. Send her out from your holy dwelling and from the throne of your glory, that she may be present with me and teach me what is well pleasing before you. And she will guide me with knowledge and guard me with her glory. For all the thoughts of mortals are wretched and their ideas are unstable.’
Commemorations
Ven. John Climacus
He is best known as the author of the Ladder of Divine Ascent, a treasury of spiritual wisdom which is read in its entirety in monasteries during every Lenten season. He is also commemorated on the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent.
Nothing is known of his life before he entered the monastery at Mount Sinai (now St Katherine’s Monastery) at the age of sixteen; he remained there until his death at the age of eighty. After he first arrived, he spent nineteen years in strict obedience to his spiritual father, Martyrios. When Martyrios died, John retired to a nearby cave, where he lived in the strictest asceticism for twenty years. (It was during these years that he wrote the Ladder.) He reluctantly returned to the monastery when he was made abbot by the brethren, and spent the rest of his days guiding his spiritual children in the way of salvation.
Once he heard a monk criticize him for speaking too much; rather than reproach the monk, he himself kept silence for a full year, never uttering a word until the brethren begged him to speak again. At another time a large company of pilgrims came to Mt Sinai. At supper they all saw a young man, dressed as a Jew, serving at table and giving orders to the other servants, then suddenly disappearing. When they wondered among themselves what this could mean, John said ‘Do not try to look for him; that was the prophet Moses serving you in his own home.’
When the holy abbot knew that his death was approaching, he appointed his own brother, George, as his successor. George grieved the approaching death of his beloved brother, but St John told him that, if he was found worthy to stand close to God after his death, he would pray that George be taken up to heaven in the same year. So it happened: ten months after St John’s death, George reposed in the Lord.
Commemoration of an Uncondemning Monk
“This monk died joyfully because he had never in his life condemned anyone. He was lazy, careless, disinclined to prayer, but throughout his entire life he had never judged anyone. And when he lay dying, he was full of joy. The brethren asked him how he could die so joyfully with all his sins, and he replied: ‘I have just seen the angels, and they showed me a page with all my many sins. I said to them: “The Lord said: ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged.’ I have never judged anyone and I hope in the mercy of God, that He will not judge me.” And the angels tore up the sheet of paper.’ Hearing this, the monks wondered at it and learned from it.” (From the Prologue)