Fourth Sunday of Great Lent
The Parable of the Prodigal Son








♰الْمَجْدُ للهِ! ♰Praise be to God always!♰ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ! ♰



Entrance Hymn

The Younger Son

Syriac: toobaik ‘eedto

The younger son
broke his loving father’s heart
when he went away from home.
Spoken of from age to age,
this beloved younger son
squandered his inheritance
and was left in misery.
Roaming in a desert place,
without any food or drink,
he was all alone, in tears.
The Father’s Son
came to earth from heaven’s heights
to restore our sinful world.
Jesus took on human form
from his Virgin Mother’s womb
to bring back the straying sheep
and raise them to paradise.
So we praise the Son of God
who saved us from Adam’s sin
and revealed his Father’s love.

Opening Prayers

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

Merciful Father, you sent your only-begotten Son, who by his life and parables taught us about your fatherly love. Make us worthy to celebrate today your great mercy as revealed in the parable of the prodigal son who repented and returned to his father. Like him, bring us back from the exile of sin to your fatherly house, that we may glorify you, your only Son, and your Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Prayer of Forgiveness (Husoyo)

Proemion

Let us raise glory, honor, and praise to the Merciful Father, who loves all people and accepts their repentance; and to the Beloved Son, who became man and invited all people to his Father’s house; and to the Holy Spirit, who enlightens our hearts and consciences. To the Good One be glory and honor, on this blessed Sunday, and all the days of our lives, and forever. Amen.

Sedro

O Christ our God, you are the true light who has come into the world. You are the way that leads to the Father, and no one comes to the Father except through you. You showed us your love when you lived among us, and you told us of the Father’s compassion and his love for repentant sinners. You spoke to us of repentance, of mercy, and of living water. Today we meditate on the parable of the prodigal son, who, trusting his father, turned from his life of corruption and repented of his sin.
Now, O Lord, we ask you, with the fragrance of this incense, to have compassion on us, as you have compassion on all sinners. May we humble ourselves before you and repent of our sins. Enlighten us that we may know you. Strengthen us with your power, and do not turn your face away from us lest the darkness of sin surround us.
Send your Spirit to us sinners during this forgiving season of Lent, so that we may return to you seeking forgiveness. Open your blessed arms to us, and bring us close to you, so that we may meet you with joy and find happiness in knowing you. Be our strength and our help, that we may glorify you, your Father, and your Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Hymn (Qolo)

The Prodigal Son, Dejected

Syriac: bo’ooto dmor ya’qoob (Lent)

The prodigal son, dejected,
cried out in tears:
“Who will allow me to plead with
my father’s heart?
Can anyone do this for me
and plead my cause?
My foolishness has been so great.
What shall I do?"
The Father we praise, who opens
his arms to all.
The Son we adore, who welcomes
those who repent.
The Spirit we thank, who pardons
those who have sinned.
May God’s great love be upon us,
from age to age.

Etro

O God, accept our incense for the forgiveness of our sins. May those who have strayed from your fatherly house return there, that they may ask for pardon and forgiveness. As for us, your weak children, strengthen our resolve to remain with you, and glorify you, forever. Amen.

Qadishat Aloho (Trisagion)

Qadishat Aloho. Qadishat Hayeltono. Qadishat lo moyuto. EtraHam 3alayn.
You are holy, O God. You are holy, O Strong One. You are holy, O Imortal One. Have mercy on us.
قُدُوسٌ أَنْتَ يا الله، قُدُوسٌ أَنْتَ يا قَوِي، قُدُوسٌ أَنْتَ يا مَنْ لا يَموتْ، إِرْحَمْنا

Holy and immortal Lord, sanctify our minds and purify our consciences, that we may praise you with purity and listen to your Holy Scriptures. To you be glory forever. Amen.

Psalm of the Readings

Syriac: ramremain

The true love of the father
far surpassed his son’s great sin.
He ran out to embrace him
when at last his son came home.
“I have sinned against heaven
and before you," said the son.
“Though my heart now condemns me,
you are greater than my heart."
Lord our God, you accepted
what the just had offered you;
now accept, in your mercy,
our pure sacrifice and prayers.

Epistle

A reading from the Second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians. Your blessing, Father.

Glory to the Lord of Paul and the apostles! May the mercy of God descend upon the reader and the listeners and upon this parish and her children forever. Amen.

Brothers and Sisters:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless, of course, you fail the test. I hope you will discover that we have not failed. But we pray to God that you may not do evil, not that we may appear to have passed the test but that you may do what is right, even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong. What we pray for is your improvement. I am writing this while I am away, so that when I come I may not have to be severe in virtue of the authority that the Lord has given me to build up and not to tear down. Finally, brothers, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the holy ones greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you.
(2 Corinthians 13:5-13)

Praise be to God always!

Gospel

Alleluia! Alleluia!
“I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.’"
(Luke 15:18)
Alleluia!

Before the proclamation of the Gospel of our Savior, announcing life for our souls, we offer this incense and ask for your mercy, O Lord.

Peace be with you.

And with your spirit.

From the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke, who proclaimed life to the world.
Let us listen to the proclalation of life and salvation for our souls.

Remain silent, O listeners, for the Holy Gospel is about to be proclaimed to you.
Listen and give glory and thanks to the Word of the living God.

Jesus said:
"A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."' So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.' But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.' He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"
(Luke 15:11-32)

This is the truth! Peace be with you!

Praise and blessings to Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, for giving us his words of life.