Isaiah 42.5-16 (6th Hour)

5Ovako govori Bog Gospod, koji je stvorio nebesa i razapeo ih, koji je rasprostro zemlju i što ona raða, koji daje disanje narodu što je na njoj i duh onima što hode po njoj: 6Ja Gospod dozvah te u pravdi, i držaæu te za ruku, i èuvaæu te, i uèiniæu te da budeš zavjet narodu, vidjelo narodima; 7Da otvoriš oèi slijepcima, da izvedeš sužnje iz zatvora i iz tamnice koji sjede u tami. 8Ja sam Gospod, to je ime moje, i slave svoje neæu dati drugome ni hvale svoje likovima rezanijem. 9Evo, preðašnje doðe, i ja javljam novo, prije nego nastane kazujem vam. 10Pjevajte Gospodu pjesmu novu, hvalu njegovu od kraja zemlje, koji se plavite po moru i sve što je u njemu, ostrva i koji živite na njima. 11Pustinja i gradovi njezini, sela gdje stanuje Kidar, neka podignu glas, neka pjevaju koji žive po stijenama, neka klikuju savrh gora. 12Neka daju slavu Gospodu, i hvalu njegovu neka javljaju po ostrvima. 13Gospod æe izaæi kao junak, podignuæe revnost svoju kao vojnik, vikaæe i klikovati, nadvladaæe neprijatelje svoje. 14Muèah dugo, èinjah se gluh, ustezah se; ali æu sada vikati kao žena kad se poraða, i sve æu potrti i istrijebiti. 15Opustiæu gore i bregove, i svaku travu na njima osušiæu, i od rijeka æu naèiniti ostrva, i jezera æu isušiti. 16I vodiæu slijepce putem kojega nijesu znali; vodiæu ih stazama kojih nijesu znali; obratiæu pred njima mrak u svjetlost i što je neravno u ravno. To æu im uèiniti, i neæu ih ostaviti.

Genesis 18.20-33 (Vespers)

20I reèe Gospod: vika je u Sodomu i Gomoru velika, i grijeh je njihov grdan. 21Zato æu siæi da vidim eda li sve èine kao što vika doðe preda me; ako li nije tako, da znam. 22I ljudi okrenuvši se poðoše put Sodoma; ali Avram još stajaše pred Gospodom, 23I pristupiv Avram reèe: hoæeš li pogubiti i pravednoga s nepravednim? 24Može biti da ima pedeset pravednika u gradu; hoæeš li i njih pogubiti, i neæeš oprostiti mjestu za onijeh pedeset pravednika što su u njemu? 25Nemoj to èiniti, ni gubiti pravednika s nepravednikom, da bude pravedniku kao i nepravedniku; nemoj; eda li sudija cijele zemlje neæe suditi pravo? 26I reèe Gospod: ako naðem u Sodomu pedeset pravednika u gradu, oprostiæu cijelom mjestu njih radi. 27A Avram odgovori i reèe: gle, sada bih progovorio Gospodu, ako i jesam prah i pepeo. 28Može biti pravednika pedeset manje pet, hoæeš li za ovijeh pet zatrti sav grad? Odgovori: neæu, ako naðem èetrdeset i pet. 29I stade dalje govoriti, i reèe: može biti da æe se naæi èetrdeset. Reèe: neæu radi onijeh èetrdeset. 30Potom reèe: nemoj se gnjeviti, Gospode, što æu reæi; može biti da æe se naæi trideset. I reèe: neæu, ako naðem trideset. 31Opet reèe: gle, sada bih progovorio Gospodu; može biti da æe se naæi dvadeset. Reèe: neæu ih pogubiti za onijeh dvadeset. 32Najposlije reèe: nemoj se gnjeviti, Gospode, što æu još jednom progovoriti; može biti da æe se naæi deset. Reèe: neæu ih pogubiti radi onijeh deset. 33I Gospod otide svršivši razgovor s Avramom; a Avram se vrati na svoje mjesto.

Proverbs 16.17-17.17 (Vespers)

17Put je pravednijeh uklanjanje oda zla; èuva dušu svoju ko pazi na put svoj. 18Oholost dolazi pred pogibao, i ponosit duh pred propast. 19Bolje je biti ponizna duha s krotkima nego dijeliti plijen s oholima. 20Ko pazi na rijeè, nalazi dobro, i ko se uzda u Gospoda, blago njemu. 21Ko je mudra srca, zove se razuman, a slast na usnama umnožava nauku. 22Izvor je životu razum onima koji ga imaju, a nauka bezumnijeh bezumlje je. 23Srce mudroga razumno upravlja ustima njegovijem, i dodaje nauku usnama njegovijem. 24Ljubazne su rijeèi sat meda, slast duši i zdravlje kostima. 25Neki se put èini èovjeku prav, a kraj mu je put k smrti. 26Ko se trudi, sebi se trudi, jer ga nagone usta njegova. 27Èovjek nevaljao kopa zlo, i na usnama mu je kao oganj koji pali. 28Opak èovjek zameæe svaðu, i opadaè rastavlja glavne prijatelje. 29Nasilnik mami druga svojega i zavodi ga na put koji nije dobar; 30Namiguje oèima, kad misli naopako; kad mièe usnama, èini zlo. 31Sijeda je kosa slavna kruna, nalazi se na putu pravednom. 32Bolji je spor na gnjev nego junak, i gospodar od svoga srca bolji je nego onaj koji uzme grad. 33Ždrijeb se baca u krilo, ali je od Gospoda sve što izlazi.

1Bolji je zalogaj suha hljeba s mirom nego kuæa puna poklane stoke sa svaðom. 2Razuman sluga biæe gospodar nad sinom sramotnijem i s braæom æe dijeliti našljedstvo. 3Topionica je za srebro i peæ za zlato, a srca iskušava Gospod. 4Zao èovjek pazi na usne zle, a lažljivac sluša jezik pakostan. 5Ko se ruga siromahu, sramoti stvoritelja njegova; ko se raduje nesreæi, neæe ostati bez kara. 6Vijenac su starcima unuci, a slava sinovima oci njihovi. 7Ne prilièi bezumnom visoka besjeda, akamoli knezu lažljiva besjeda. 8Poklon je dragi kamen onome koji ga prima, kuda se god okrene napreduje. 9Ko pokriva prijestup, traži ljubav; a ko ponavlja stvar, rastavlja glavne prijatelje. 10Ukor tišti razumnoga veæma nego ludoga sto udaraca. 11Zao èovjek traži samo odmet, ali æe se ljut glasnik poslati na nj. 12Bolje je da èovjeka srete medvjedica kojoj su oteti medvjediæi, nego bezumnik u svom bezumlju. 13Ko vraæa zlo za dobro, neæe se zlo odmaæi od kuæe njegove. 14Ko poène svaðu, otvori ustavu vodi; zato prije nego se zametne, proði se raspre. 15Ko opravda krivoga i ko osudi pravoga, obojica su gad Gospodu. 16Na što je blago bezumnome u ruci kad nema razuma da pribavi mudrost? 17U svako doba ljubi prijatelj, i brat postaje u nevolji.

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.’

St John Klimakos (John of the Ladder) of Sinai (649)

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)