Ode 1. Tone 2. Irmos.

After the small litany the Kontakion

**Reader: Lord, have mercy.**

‘Let us sing to the Lord, who by his divine command dried up the pathless, raging sea, and through it guided the people of Israel to march on foot, for he has been greatly glorified.’

**Reader: Lord, have mercy.**

Ineffable the condescension of God’s Word, for Christ himself, being both God and man, and not considering his being God as something to be grasped, showed this to his disciples by being formed as a slave; for he has been greatly glorified.

**Reader: To you, O Lord.**

Myself rich in godhead, I have come to serve Adam who has become poor, whose form I, the Creator, have willingly put on, and to lay down my life as a ransom for his, I who am impassible in my godhead.

**Reader: Amen.**

Let us sing to the Lord, who by his divine command dried up the pathless, raging sea, and through it guided the people of Israel to march on foot, for he has been greatly glorified.

**Priest: Again and again in peace, let us pray to the Lord.**

**Priest: Help us, save us, have mercy on us and keep us, O God, by your grace.**

**Priest: Calling to remembrance our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us entrust ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.**

**Priest: For you are the King of peace and the Saviour of our souls, and to you we give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever and to the ages of ages.**

Tone 8.

Jacob lamented the loss of Joseph, yet the noble one was seated in a chariot, honoured like a king; for as he had not been slave to the pleasures of the Egyptian woman, he was glorified in return by the one who sees the hearts of men, and bestows an incorruptible crown.

Let us now add a lament to his lament and let us shed tears, with Jacob weeping for the revered and temperate Joseph, who though enslaved in body, guarded his soul unenslaved, and became lord of all Egypt; for God grants to his servants an incorruptible crown.

The Menologion of the day and then the following notice:

On holy and great Monday we commemorate the blessed and most virtuous Joseph, and the fig tree which was cursed by the Lord and withered.

**Verses on the most virtuous Joseph.

Chaste Joseph a just ruler was revealed,**

And furnisher of corn: O wealth of virtues!

**Others on the withered fig-tree.**

A fig tree to the Hebrews’ congregation

Devoid of spiritual fruits Christ here compares,

And cursing withers: let us flee its passion.

At the prayers of the all-virtuous Joseph, Christ God, have mercy on us. Amen.