O Creator and Master of time and the ages, Triune and Merciful God of all: grant blessings for the course of this year, and in Thy boundless mercy save those who worship Thee and cry out in fear: “O Savior, grant blessings to all mankind!”

Great Vespers - 5:00 p.m. - Hear my prayer, O Lord ; let my cry come to Thee! Do not hide Thy face from me in the day of my distress! Incline Thy ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call! For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. My heart is smitten like grass, and withered. (Ps 102:1-4)

Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos -   "Your Nativity, O Virgin, has proclaimed joy to the whole universe! The Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, has shone from you, O Theotokos! By annulling the curse, He bestowed a blessing. By destroying death, He has granted us eternal life."   (Troparion Tone 4)  

Great Vespers for Exaltation of the Precious Cross - "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor 1:18)

EXALTATION OF THE PRECIOUS CROSS - STRICT FAST - "O Lord, save Thy people,  and bless Thine inheritance.  Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians over their adversaries.  And by virtue of Your Cross, preserve Your habitation."  (Troparion #1)

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - The Lord is my light and my salvation;  whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after;  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.  (Psalm 27)

Sunday After Exaltation - "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor 1:18)

"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."      (1 Cor 1:18)

"Whoever exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of sin.  Pardon your neighbour any wrongs done to you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.  If anyone nurses anger against another, can one then demand compassion from the Lord?"    (Sirach 28:1)

“Do not grow conceited if you shed tears when you pray. For it is Christ who has touched your eyes and given you spiritual sight.” -Saint Mark the Ascetic

“Shout aloud to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with great joy. Know this: The Lord, He is God;….” (Psalm 99:1-2)

Prayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God in praise and thanksgiving to Him and in supplication for the good things that we need, both spiritual and physical. The essence of prayer is therefore the spiritual lifting of the heart towards God.     (From The Art of Prayer)