S. Gregorii Thaumaturgi Episcopi et Confessoris

℣ O Lord, ✠ open my lips.

℟ And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

℣ O God, ✠ come to my assistance.

℟ Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Alleluia.

Ant. The Lord, King of Confessors, * come, let us adore.

Ant. The Lord, King of Confessors, * come, let us adore.

Come, let us exult in the Lord. Let us shout joyfully to God, our Savior. Let us anticipate his presence with confession, and let us sing joyfully to him with psalms.

Ant. The Lord, King of Confessors, * come, let us adore.

For the Lord is a great God and a great King over all gods. For the Lord will not drive away his people. For in his hand are all the limits of the earth, and he beholds the heights of the mountains.

Ant. come, let us adore.

For the sea is his, and he made it, and his hands established the dry land. (kneel) Come, let us adore and fall prostrate before God, and let us weep before the Lord who made us. For he is the Lord our God, and we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Ant. The Lord, King of Confessors, * come, let us adore.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts: as in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted me; they tested and saw my works.

Ant. come, let us adore.

For forty years, I was near to that generation, and I said: These have always strayed in heart. But they have not known my ways. To them I swore in my wrath: They shall not enter into my rest.

Ant. The Lord, King of Confessors, * come, let us adore.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. come, let us adore.

Ant. The Lord, King of Confessors, * come, let us adore.

This Confessor of the Lord, whom the peoples

piously praise and celebrate throughout the world,

on this day joyfully merited the highest

honors of praise.

Who, devout, prudent, humble, and pure,

led a sober life without stain,

while the breath of life

animated his mortal limbs.

By whose outstanding merit, frequently,

sick members that lay here and there,

with the power of disease overcome,

are restored to health.

Our choir sings to him

its dutiful praise and celebrated palms,

that we may be aided by his devout prayers

through every age.

Let salvation, honor, and power be to him

who, shining upon the throne of heaven,

governs the order of the whole world,

Three and One.

Amen.

At the Nocturn

Ant. Fight, O Lord, * against those who fight against me.

Psalm 34(1-10) [1]

34:1 O Lord, judge those who harm me; * assail those who attack me.

34:2 Take hold of weapons and a shield, * and rise up in assistance to me.

34:3 Bring forth the spear, and close in on those who persecute me. * Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

34:4 Let them be confounded and in awe, * who pursue my soul.

34:4 Let them be turned back and be confounded, * who think up evil against me.

34:5 May they become like dust before the face of the wind, * and let the Angel of the Lord hem them in.

34:6 May their way become dark and slippery, * and may the Angel of the Lord pursue them.

34:7 For, without cause, they have concealed their snare for me unto destruction. * Over nothing, they have rebuked my soul.

34:8 Let the snare, of which he is ignorant, come upon him, and let the deception, which he has hidden, take hold of him: * and may he fall into that very snare.

34:9 But my soul will exult in the Lord * and delight over his salvation.

34:10 All my bones will say, * “Lord, who is like you?”

34:10 He rescues the needy from the hand of the stronger one, * the indigent and the poor from those who plunder him.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Fight, O Lord, against those who fight against me.

Ant. Rescue my soul * from their evil deeds, O Lord.

Psalm 34(11-17) [2]

34:11 Unfair witnesses have risen up, * interrogating me about things of which I am ignorant.

34:12 They repaid me evil for good, * to the deprivation of my soul.

34:13 But as for me, when they were harassing me, * I was clothed with haircloth.

34:13 I humbled my soul with fasting, * and my prayer will return to my bosom.

34:14 Like a neighbor, and like our brother, so did I please; * like one mourning and contrite, so was I humbled.

34:15 And they have been joyful against me, and they joined together. * Scourges have been gathered over me, and I was ignorant of it.

34:16 They have been scattered, yet they were unremorseful. They have tested me. They scoffed at me with scorn. * They gnashed their teeth over me.

34:17 Lord, when will you look down upon me? * Restore my soul from before their malice, my only one from before the lions.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Rescue my soul from their evil deeds, O Lord.

Ant. Arise, O Lord, * and attend to my judgment.

Psalm 34(18-28) [3]

34:18 I will confess to you in a great Church. * I will praise you among a weighty people.

34:19 May those who are my unjust adversaries not be glad over me: * those who have hated me without cause, and who nod agreement with their eyes.

34:20 For indeed, they spoke peacefully to me; * and speaking in the anger of the earth, they intended deceit.

34:21 And they opened their mouth wide over me. * They said, “Well, well, our eyes have seen.”

34:22 You have seen, O Lord, do not be silent. * Lord, do not depart from me.

34:23 Rise up and be attentive to my judgment, * to my cause, my God and my Lord.

34:24 Judge me according to your justice, O Lord, my God, * and do not let them be glad over me.

34:25 Do not let them say in their hearts, “Well, well, to our soul.” * Neither let them say, “We have devoured him.”

34:26 Let them blush and be in awe together, * those who congratulate at my misfortunes.

34:26 Let them be clothed with confusion and awe, * who speak great things against me.

34:27 Let them exult and rejoice, who wish my justice, * and let them ever say, “The Lord be magnified,” who will the peace of his servant.

34:28 And so my tongue will express your justice: * your praise all day long.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Arise, O Lord, and attend to my judgment.

Ant. Do not vie * with him who prospers and commits iniquity.

Psalm 36(1-15) [4]

36:1 Do not choose to imitate the malicious; * neither should you envy those who work iniquity.

36:2 For they will quickly wither away like dry grass, * and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop.

36:3 Hope in the Lord and do good, * and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches.

36:4 Delight in the Lord, * and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart.

36:5 Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him, * and he will accomplish it.

36:6 And he will bring forth your justice like the light, and your judgment like the midday. * Be subject to the Lord and pray to him.

36:7 Do not choose to compete with him who prospers in his way, * with the man who does injustice.

36:8 Cease from wrath and leave behind rage. * Do not choose to imitate the malicious.

36:9 For those who are malicious will be exterminated. * But those who remain with the Lord, these will inherit the land.

36:10 Yet still a little while, and the sinner will not be. * And you will search his place and find nothing.

36:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, * and they will delight in the multitude of peace.

36:12 The sinner will observe the just, * and he will gnash his teeth over him.

36:13 But the Lord will laugh at him: * for he knows in advance that his day will come.

36:14 The sinners have drawn the sword, * they have bent their bow,

36:14 so as to cast down the poor and the needy, * so as to massacre the upright of heart.

36:15 Let their sword enter into their own hearts, * and let their bow be broken.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Do not vie with him who prospers and commits iniquity.

Ant. The arms of sinners * shall be broken, but the Lord strengthens the just.

Psalm 36(16-29) [5]

36:16 A little is better to the just * than the many riches of sinners.

36:17 For the arms of sinners will be crushed, * but the Lord confirms the just.

36:18 The Lord knows the days of the immaculate, * and their inheritance will be in eternity.

36:19 They will not be confounded in an evil time; and in days of famine, they will be satisfied: * for sinners will perish.

36:20 Truly, the adversaries of the Lord, soon after they have been honored and exalted, * will fade away, in the same way that smoke fades away.

36:21 The sinner will borrow and not repay, * but the just one shows compassion and donates.

36:22 For those who bless him will inherit the earth, * but those who curse him will perish.

36:23 The steps of a man will be directed by the Lord, * and he will choose his way.

36:24 When he falls, he will not be harmed, * because the Lord places his hand under him.

36:25 I have been young, and now I am old; * and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his offspring seeking bread.

36:26 He shows compassion and lends, all day long, * and his offspring will be in blessing.

36:27 Turn away from evil and do good, * and dwell forever and ever.

36:28 For the Lord loves judgment, and he will not abandon his saints. * They will be kept safe in eternity.

36:28 The unjust will be punished, * and the offspring of the impious will perish.

36:29 But the just will inherit the earth, * and they will dwell upon it forever and ever.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. The arms of sinners shall be broken, but the Lord strengthens the just.

Ant. Keep innocence * and behold equity.

Psalm 36(30-40) [6]

36:30 The mouth of the just one will express wisdom, * and his tongue will speak judgment.

36:31 The law of his God is in his heart, * and his steps shall not be supplanted.

36:32 The sinner considers the just one * and seeks to put him to death.

36:33 But the Lord will not abandon him into his hands, * nor condemn him, when he will be judged.

36:34 Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way. And he will exalt you, so as to inherit the land that you may seize. * When the sinners will have passed away, then you shall see.

36:35 I have seen the impious over-exalted, * and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon.

36:36 And I passed by, and behold, he was not. * And I sought him, and his place was not found.

36:37 Keep to innocence, and gaze upon fairness: * because there is posterity for the peaceful man.

36:38 But the unjust will be destroyed together: * the posterity of the impious will pass away.

36:39 But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, * and he is their protector in time of tribulation.

36:40 And the Lord will help them and free them. * And he will rescue them from sinners and save them, because they have hoped in him.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Keep innocence and behold equity.

Ant. Do not rebuke me, O Lord, * in your anger.

Psalm 37(2-11) [7]

37:2 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your fury, * nor chastise me in your wrath.

37:3 For your arrows have been driven into me, * and your hand has been confirmed over me.

37:4 There is no health in my flesh before the face of your wrath. * There is no peace for my bones before the face of my sins.

37:5 For my iniquities have walked over my head, * and they have been like a heavy burden weighing upon me.

37:6 My sores have putrefied and been corrupted * before the face of my foolishness.

37:7 I have become miserable, and I have been bent down, even to the end. * I have walked in sorrow all day long.

37:8 For my loins have been filled with illusions, * and there is no health in my flesh.

37:9 I have been afflicted and greatly humbled. * I bellowed from the groaning of my heart.

37:10 O Lord, all my desire is before you, * and my groaning before you has not been hidden.

37:11 My heart has been disturbed. My strength has abandoned me, * and the light of my eyes has abandoned me, and it is not with me.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Do not rebuke me, O Lord, in your anger.

Ant. Be intent upon my help, * O Lord, the strength of my salvation.

Psalm 37(12-23) [8]

37:12 My friends and my neighbors * have drawn near and stood against me.

37:12 And those who were next to me stood far apart. * And those who sought my soul used violence.

37:13 And those who sought evil accusations against me were speaking emptiness. * And they practiced deceitfulness all day long.

37:14 But, like someone deaf, I did not hear. * And I was like someone mute, not opening his mouth.

37:15 And I became like a man who does not hear, * and who has no reproofs in his mouth.

37:16 For in you, Lord, I have hoped. * You will listen to me, O Lord my God.

37:17 For I said, “Lest at any time, my enemies might rejoice over me,” * and, “While my feet are being shaken, they have spoken great things against me.”

37:18 For I have been prepared for scourges, * and my sorrow is ever before me.

37:19 For I will announce my iniquity, * and I will think about my sin.

37:20 But my enemies live, and they have been stronger than me. * And those who have wrongfully hated me have been multiplied.

37:21 Those who render evil for good have slandered me, * because I followed goodness.

37:22 Do not forsake me, O Lord my God. * Do not depart from me.

37:23 Be attentive to my help, * O Lord, the God of my salvation.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Be intent upon my help, O Lord, the strength of my salvation.

Ant. Remove, O Lord, * your plagues from me.

Psalm 38 [9]

38:2 I said, “I will keep to my ways, * so that I will not offend with my tongue.”

38:2 I posted a guard at my mouth, * when a sinner took up a position against me.

38:3 I was silenced and humbled, and I was quiet before good things, * and my sorrow was renewed.

38:4 My heart grew hot within me, * and, during my meditation, a fire would flare up.

38:5 I spoke with my tongue, * “O Lord, make me know my end,

38:5 and what the number of my days will be, * so that I may know what is lacking to me.”

38:6 Behold, you have made my days measurable, * and, before you, my substance is as nothing.

38:6 Yet truly, all things are vanity: * every living man.

38:7 So then, truly man passes by like an image; * even so, he is disquieted in vain.

38:7 He stores up, * and he knows not for whom he will gather these things.

38:8 And now, what is it that awaits me? Is it not the Lord? * And my substance is with you.

38:9 Rescue me from all my iniquities. * You have handed me over as a reproach to the foolish.

38:10 I was silenced, and I did not open my mouth, because it was you who acted. * Remove your scourges from me.

38:12 I fall short at corrections from the strength of your hand. * For you have chastised man for iniquity.

38:12 And you have made his soul shrink away like a spider. * Nevertheless, it is in vain that any man be disquieted.

38:13 O Lord, heed my prayer and my supplication. * Pay attention to my tears.

38:13 Do not be silent. For I am a newcomer with you, and a sojourner, * just as all my fathers were.

38:14 Forgive me, so that I may be refreshed, before I will go forth * and be no more.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Remove, O Lord, your plagues from me.

℣ O God, do not be silent toward me; forgive me.

℟ For I am a sojourner with you and a pilgrim.

The Our Father is said silently as far as And lead us not into temptation:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name: thy kingdom come: thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread: and forgive us our trespasses, as we also forgive those who trespass against us:

℣ And lead us not into temptation:

℟ But deliver us from evil.

Absolution. May his loving kindness and mercy assist us, he who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.

℟ Amen.

℣ Grant a blessing, O Lord.

Benediction. May he bless us who lives and reigns without end.

℟ Amen.

Lesson 1

Here begins Joel the Prophet

Joel 1:1-4

1 The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel.

2 Listen to this, elders, and pay close attention, all inhabitants of the land. Did this ever happen in your days or in the days of your fathers?

3 Talk this over with your sons, and your sons with their sons, and their sons with another generation.

4 The locust has eaten what the caterpillar has left, and the beetle has eaten what the locust has left, and the mildew has eaten what the beetle has left.

℣ But you, O Lord, have mercy on us.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℟ Before the face of the fury of your wrath, O God, all the earth is troubled:

* But have mercy, O Lord, and do not bring it to utter ruin.

℣ O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is your name!

℟ But have mercy, O Lord, and do not bring it to utter ruin.

℣ Grant a blessing, O Lord.

Benediction. May he whose feast we celebrate intercede for us to the Lord.

℟ Amen.

Lesson 2

Joel 1:5-7

5 Awake, you who are drunk, and weep and wail, all you who drink wine in sweetness, because it has perished from your mouth.

6 For a nation has come up over my land, strong and without number: its teeth are like the teeth of a lion, and its molars are like those of a lion's cub.

7 It has set my vine in desolation, and stripped my fig tree bare; stripping it clean, it has cast it down; its branches have been made white.

Joel 1:8-11

8 Mourn like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.

9 The sacrifice and the libation have perished from the house of the Lord; the priests, the ministers of the Lord, have mourned.

10 The region has been laid waste, the ground has mourned, because the wheat is devastated, the wine is confounded, the oil has languished.

11 The farmers are confounded, the vinedressers wail over the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field has perished.

℣ But you, O Lord, have mercy on us.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℟ On a sinful people, a people full of sin, have mercy,

* O Lord God.

℣ Be appeased over the wickedness of your people.

℟ O Lord God.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ O Lord God.

℣ Grant a blessing, O Lord.

Benediction. May the King of Angels lead us to the company of the citizens on high.

℟ Amen.

Lesson 3

Gregory, Bishop of Neocaesarea in Pontus, illustrious for holiness and learning, but far more illustrious for signs and miracles — on account of the multitude and excellence of which he was called the Wonderworker, and was compared by the testimony of Saint Basil to Moses, the Prophets, and the Apostles — moved a mountain by prayer that was obstructing the building of a church. Likewise he dried up a swamp that had been a source of discord between brothers. The river Lycus, which was flooding the fields to their ruin, he checked by planting at the bank the staff on which he leaned, which immediately grew into a leafy tree, so that afterwards it never overflowed that boundary. Very frequently he cast out demons from the images of idols and from the bodies of men, and accomplished many other wondrous deeds, by which he drew innumerable people to the faith of Jesus Christ, for he also predicted future events by the spirit of prophecy. As he was about to depart this life, he asked how many unbelievers still remained in the city of Neocaesarea; and when he was told that there were only seventeen, he gave thanks to God, saying: There were exactly that many faithful when I began my episcopate. He wrote many works, by which he further illuminated God's Church — not only by miracles.

℣ But you, O Lord, have mercy on us.

℟ Thanks be to God.

Te Deum

O God, we praise you; * O Lord, we acclaim you.

Eternal Father, * all the earth reveres you.

To you all the Angels, * the heavens and all the Powers of heaven:

To you the Cherubim and Seraphim * cry out in endless praise:

(A bow is made) Holy, Holy, Holy * Lord God of hosts;

Heaven and earth are filled * with the majesty of your glory.

The glorious choir of Apostles * sings to you,

the noble company of Prophets * praises you,

the white-robed army of Martyrs * glorifies you.

Holy Church throughout the earth * proclaims you,

the Father * of boundless majesty;

your true and only Son, * worthy of adoration;

and the Holy Spirit, * the Paraclete.

You, O Christ, * are the King of glory.

You are * the Father's everlasting Son.

(A bow is made) When you resolved to save the human race, * you did not spurn the Virgin's womb.

You overcame the sting of death * and opened the Kingdom of Heaven to those who put their faith in you.

You are seated at the right hand of God * in the glory of the Father.

We believe you are the Judge * who is to come.

(The following verse is said kneeling) And so we beg you, help your servants, * redeemed by your most precious blood.

Number them * among your Saints in eternal glory.

Save your people, Lord, * and bless your inheritance.

Shepherd them * and raise them to eternal life.

Day by day * we bless you,

(A bow is made, according to custom) and we praise your name * for endless ages evermore.

Be gracious, Lord, on this day, * and keep us from all sin.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, * have mercy.

May your mercy be upon us, Lord, * as we place our trust in you.

In you, O Lord, I rest my hope: * let me never be put to shame.

The rest is omitted unless Lauds is said separately.

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come before you.

Let us pray.

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the venerable solemnity of your blessed Confessor and Pontiff Gregory Thaumaturgus may increase both our devotion and our salvation.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son: who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

℟ Amen.

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come before you.

℣ Let us bless the Lord.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℣ May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

℟ Amen.