THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT: VENERATION OF THE PRECIOUS AND LIFE-GIVING CROSS

Shine, O Cross of the Lord, shine with the light of your grace upon the hearts of those that honor you. With love inspired by God, we embrace you, O desire of all the world. Through you our tears of sorrow have been wiped away; we have been delivered from the snares of death and have passed over to unending joy. Show us the glory of your beauty and grant to us your servants the reward of our abstinence, for we entreat with faith your rich protection and great mercy.

Hail, life-giving Cross, the fair Paradise of the Church, Tree of incorruption that brings us the enjoyment of eternal glory: through you the hosts of demons have been driven back; and the hierarchies of angels rejoice with one accord, as the congregations of the faithful keep the feast. You are an invincible weapon, an unbroken stronghold; you are the victory of kings and the glory of priests. Grant us now to draw near to the Passion of Christ and to His Resurrection.

Hail, life-giving Cross, unconquerable trophy of the true faith, door to Paradise, succor of the faithful, rampart set about the Church. Through you the curse is utterly destroyed, the power of death is wallowed up, and we are raised from earth to heaven: invincible weapon, adversary of demons, glory of martyrs,true ornament of holy monks, haven of salvation bestowing on the world great mercy.

Come, Adam and Eve, our first father and mother, who fell from the choir on high through the envy of the murderer of man, when of old with bitter pleasure you tasted of the three in Paradise. See, the Tree of the Cross, revered by all, draws near! Run with haste and embrace it joyfully, and cry out to it with faith: O precious Cross, you are our succor; partaking of your fruit we have gained incorruption; we are restored once more to Eden, and we have received great mercy.

O Christ our God, of Your own will You have accepted Crucifixion, that all mankind might be restored to life. Taking the quill of the Cross, out of love for man in the red ink of royalty with bloody fingers You signed our absolution. We are in danger once again of being parted from You; O forsake us not! Take pity on Your people in distress,for You alone are longsuffering. Rise up and fight against our enemies in Your almighty power.

THE VENERATION OF THE CROSS

Come, O faithful, let us bow before the life-giving Cross on which Christ, the King of glory, freely stretched out His hands. By this He raised us up to our former happiness, which we had lost because of the ancient Enemy and the bitter pleasure that exiled us from God. Come, O faithful, let us bow before the Wood which lets us crush the head of the invisible enemy.

Come, all you families of the nations, let us venerate the Cross of the Lord with our hymns: Rejoice, O perfect redemption of the fall of Adam; Rejoice, O venerable Cross. Filled with fear and awe, we embrace you; we glorify God, and we say: O Lord, You were nailed on the Cross; in Your goodness and love, have mercy on us.

Come, O people, let us contemplate the marvelous wonder; let us bow before the power of the Cross. For the tree of Paradise gave rise to the reign of death, and now a Tree has made our life blossom forth, when the sinless Savior was nailed upon it. And now, all the nations that are nourished by this incorruptible food sing praises: You destroyed death by Your Cross and set us free.
O Lord, glory to You!

The word of Your prophets Isaiah and David is now fulfilled, for they spoke of You, O Lord, and said: All the nations shall come to You and bow before You. Behold the people who are now filled with Your grace in Your sanctuary in the temple of Jerusalem. O God of goodness who suffered on the Cross for us and gives us life through Your holy resurrection, protect us with Your care, O Lord, and save us.

Rising from the depths of the earth on this day, the Tree of Life strengthens our faith in the resurrection of Christ who nailed on it. His raised hands announce His ascension into heaven, which permitted Him to dwell in our nature in this fallen world. We also cry out in thanksgiving: O Lord who was raised on the Cross and raises us with You, grant heavenly joy to those who praise Your name.

The four corners of the earth are sanctified today, O Christ our God, by the four ends of Your exalted Cross.  With it, exalt your faithful Christians who destroy the power of the enemy through your Cross. You are great, O Lord, and wondrous in Your works; glory to You!

The words of the prophets have told of the most holy wood by which Adam was delivered from the ancient curse and from death. On this day of its exaltation, creation raises its voice to beg God for the abundance of his mercy. O Lord, your compassion is beyond measure; spare us, O God, and save our souls! Behold the words of the prophet Moses are fulfilled, O Lord; for he said: You shall see your life suspended before your eyes. Today the Cross is exalted, and the world is freed from error. Today the Resurrection of Christ is renewed; the ends of the earth exalt with joy. At the sound of the cymbals of David, they offer a hymn of praise and say: In your goodness and love for all, You have brought about our salvation in the middle of the earth, O our God. Through your Cross and Resurrection You save us. O Lord all-powerful, glory to You!