Scripture Readings for Friday of Cheesefare Week

On Wednesday and Friday of Cheesefare Week there is no Divine Liturgy, since they are days equated with that of a weekday in Great Lent, when there is no Divine Liturgy as well. For this reason there is no Epistle and Gospel Reading for these two days, but instead during the Sixth Hour and Vespers there is a Reading from one of the Prophets: Wednesday it is from the Prophet Joel and Friday it is from the Prophet Zechariah.

Cheesefare Friday

Vespers

Prokeimenon
Tone 7

You, O God, are my helper, and your mercy shall go before me!

Verse: Deliver me from my enemies, O God! Save me from those that rise up against me!
 

The reading is from the prophecy of Zechariah (8:19-23):

Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities; the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I am going.' Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'

Prokeimenon
Tone 6

Let Israel hope in the Lord henceforth and forevermore!

Verse: Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high!

 

Cheesefare Friday

Sixth Hour

Troparion of the Prophecy
Tone 8

Help us in our sorrow, Lord, and save us,
Lover of mankind, born of the Virgin!

Prokeimenon
Tone 1

Let your mercy, Lord, be upon us as we have set our hope on you!

Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous! Praise befits the just!

Prophecy
Zechariah 8:7-17 

 

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country; and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets, since the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in; for I set every man against his fellow. But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the Lord of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.

For thus says the Lord of hosts: As I purposed to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, so again have I purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, says the Lord.

Prokeimenon
Tone 3

Sing praises to our God, sing praises! Sing praises to our king, sing praises!

Verse: Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!