Written by The Maronite Church

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Entrance Psalm or Hymn

As the ministers go in procession to the entrance of the sanctuary, the congregation stands and sings either the following Psalm (A) or Hymn (B):

(A) Revelation 19:1, 5-9

Salvation and glory and power to our  God,
for his judgments are true and just;

“Praise our God, all you his servants,
and all who fear him, small and great.

For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.

For the marriage of the lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.

To her it has been granted to be clothed
with fine linen, bright and pure.

Blessed are those who are invited
to the marriage supper of the lamb.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever.

OR:

(B) Hymn

Entrance Dialogue

Cel: I have entered your house, O Lord, and have worshiped before your throne. O King of heaven, forgive all my sins.

Cong: O King of heaven, forgive all our sins.

Cel: Pray to the Lord for me.

Cong: May the Lord accept your offering and have mercy on us through your prayer.

Doxology

Cel: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Cong: Amen.

Opening Prayer

Cel: O Lord, you alone do wonders in our midst. When invited to Cana of Galilee, you performed a new wonder, and changed water into vintage wine. Grant that we may delight in your wisdom, and quench our hearts with the wine of your love. We glorify you, O Christ, the heavenly and true Bridegroom, your Father and  your Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Cong: Amen.

Greeting

Cel: Peace be with the Church and her children

Hymn of the Angels

Cong: Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth and good will to all.

PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS (HOOSOYO)

Proemion

Cel: To the praise and glory of the Most Holy Trinity.

Cel: May we praise, glorify, and honor the heavenly Bridegroom, who calls all people to his wedding banquet. On this day Christ, out of love, wished to be invited to the banquet of mortals. There he poured out upon them the wealth of his grace. To Christ, the good One, are due glory and honor, on this Blessed Sunday and all the days of our lives, now and for ever.

Cong: Amen.

Sedro

Cel: O Christ our God, you called your righteous guests to your spiritual banquet, and your beloved children to your kingdom. On earth you lived as one of the children of men: you associated with them, ate and dank with them, blessed their eating and their drinking, their deeds and lives. You enriched them with the abundance of your heavenly gifts and your divine wisdom. We give thanks to you, O good One, who are compassionate toward the work of your hands.

O Lord, source of all generosity and goodness, we now implore you: in your grace, shine upon us. Open the treasure of your abundant compassion to us. Enrich us with your good gifts and delight us with your true promises. Seat us at the table of your kingdom and let us drink from you new wine. Give us the joy of your eternal feast and let us rejoice in the splendor of your face. Along with the choirs of your blessed and chosen saints, our own departed, and all the faithful departed who have died hoping in you, quench our thirst from the cup of your love. We glorify you, O Christ, now and for ever.

Cong: Amen.

Hymn

The Congregation sits and the hymn is then sung.

Cong: Behold, fasting is at the door, knocking and calling to us. Let us go, brothers and sisters, to meet it. Let us open the doors of our bodies to it and set our thoughts free, that it may dwell in our minds. By fasting, our sins are forgiven and our misdeeds blotted out. By fasting, we inherit the kingdom and its bliss in the company of the saints.

Lent, the crown of the heroes, has come. Make ready your offerings, your good and pleasant gifts for it. For Lent secures for your the concealed weapon to battle the evil One. Brothers and sister, come and meet Lent with gladness and accept it in your life and ways, for Lent secures for you the wings of the spirit by which you fly to the heights.

Etro

Cel: Glory to you, O Christ, the true wine. You gave us the wine pressed on the cross, that quenched the thirst of the Church and all people, with a love beyond description. Now accept our incense and grant that we may prepare for your own fasting with pure hearts and true penance. Then we will be worthy to share in your holy banquet, and glorify you, your Father, and your Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Cong: Amen.

Trisagion

The congregation stands and the Trisagion is then sung three times.

Cel: Holy are you, O God. Holy are you, O Strong One. Holy are you, O Immortal One.

Cong: Have mercy on us.

Cel: O holy and immortal Lord, sanctify our minds and purify our consciences, that we praise you with pure hearts and listen to your Holy Scriptures. To you be glory, for ever.

Cong: Amen.

SERVICE OF THE WORD

Psalm of the Readings

All sit for the psalm of the readings.

Cong: You gave joy to your guests, O Lord, by the water you changed into wine. Give joy to us in your paradise on the day of your glorious manifestation.

Cel: Your servants give thanks to you, O Lord, for you changed water into wine. Your righteous ones offer you praise on the day of  your glorious manifestation.

Cong: You accepted the offerings made by the righteous before us, Lord. Now accept our offering, comfort us, and be attentive to our prayers.

Reading(s)

Reader: A reading from the ...

The reader then asks for the celebrant’s blessing:

Reader: Father, give your blessing.

The celebrant blesses the reader. The reader then continues:

Reader: Brothers and sisters ...

The reader concludes the reading by singing or saying:

Reader: Praise be to God always!

Alleluia

Meanwhile, the congregation stands and sings:

Cong: Alleluia! Alleluia!

Cantor: “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Revelation 19:9)

Cong: Alleluia!

Gospel

Deacon: Before the good news of our Savior, announcing life to us all, let us offer this incense. O Lord, we ask for your mercy.

The celebrant burns incense while two subdeacons (servers) hold lighted candles on each side of the Book of Gospels.

Cel: Peace be with you.

Cong: And also with you.

Cel: Let us be attentive to the gospel of life and salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ as recorded by the (evangelist Mark/Luke) (apostle Matthew/John).

The celebrant incenses the Book of Gospels three times. Meanwhile, the deacon proclaims:

Deacon: Remain silent, O Listeners, for the holy gospel is about to be announced to you. Listen and give glory and thanks to the living Word of God.

The celebrant begins the gospel using one of the following:

A. When the words of the Lord begin the reading: The Lord Jesus said...

B. When the gospel is from Mark or Luke: The Evangelist said...

C. When the gospel is from Matthew or John: The Apostles said...

At the conclusion of the gospel, he sings or says:

Cel: This is the truth. Peace be with you.

Cong: Praise and blessings to Jesus Christ for his living word to us.

Homily

The congregation sits. The celebrant then gives a homily based on the readings and the liturgy of the day.

Creed

At the conclusion of the homily, the congregation stands and sings or says the Creed.

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and ware buried.
On the third day he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
with the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified,
He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

The liturgy continues with the Pre-Anaphora

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