Maronite Year LXIX

Sixteenth Sunday of Pentecost
Romans 8:18-27; Luke 18:9-14

Parode

O Lord, we glorify your resurrection-day,
singing with glad voices alleluias of praise.
Teach us the exercise of justice and virtue,
strengthen our hearts in holiness and in prayer,
that our lives may be praise to Your holy Father,
and our deeds express the splendor of Your Spirit.
For all of us You were buried in the dark tomb;
by Your resurrection, You broke the bonds of death.
Count us, O Lord, among the children of Your light.

Strophe

  Two men went up to the Temple to pray,
  one a Pharisee, one a publican.
  The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself:
  'I am thankful not to be like the rest,
  without greed or lie or adultery,
  and, because I fast and tithe my income,
  I am righteous, unlike this publican.'
  But the publican bowed heart and eyes down,
  beating his breast and crying to the Lord,
  repenting his faults and asking for grace.

Antistrophe

  The publican went home in righteousness,
  as a free man, not a slave to darkness.
  The world groans for reconciliation;
  only through the Spirit can we pray well,
  only by praying well do we find grace;
  only with God's grace are we reconciled.
  Pharisees receive the reward they seek,
  to seem righteous in their own estimate,
  to have goodness in their imagining,
  and not through humility to have God.

Exode

O Light from Light, You endured death and yet You live;
on the cross by humility You give us hope.
Through Your resurrection turn us from sin and shame;
You humbled Yourself unto death to give us life,
For three days You were buried in the tomb for us;
but there Your victory broke the bonds of death.
Break us free from the bonds of sin that plague our souls;
clothe us with holy incorruptibility;
count us, O Lord, among the children of Your light.