The Great Canon Á-? On Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent - Page 41 of 59
13. .
You have rivaled Ahab in defilements, my soul. Alas, you
have been a lodging-place of fleshly pollutions and a
shameful vessel of passions. But groan from your depths
and tell God your sins.
(III Kings 16:30)
14.
Elijah once burned a hundred of Jezebel's flunkeys when
he had destroyed her shameful prophets as a proof and
rebuke for Ahab. But avoid imitating these two, my soul, and
master yourself.
(IV Kings 1:10-15; III Kings 18:40)
15.
Heaven is closed to you, my soul, and the famine of God
has reached you, for you have been disobedient as was
Ahab of old to the words of Elijah the Tishbite. But be like the
woman of Sarepta, and feed the Prophet's soul.
(III Kings 17)
16.
You have piled up sins like Manasseh by deliberate
choice, my soul, setting up your passions as idols and
multiplying abominations. But now fervently emulate his
repentance and acquire compunction.
(IV Kings 21; II Chronicles 33)
17.
I fall down before Thee and bring Thee as tears my words:
I have sinned like the harlot, and transgressed as no other
on earth. But have compassion, O Lord, on Thy work, and
recall me.
18.
I have buried Thy image and broken Thy commandment.
All my beauty is darkened and my lamp is extinguished by
my passions, O Savior. But have compassion and restore to
me, as David sings, joy.
(Psalm 50:14)
19.
Return, repent, uncover what is hidden. Say to God Who
knows everything: Thou knowest my secrets, O only Savior;
but have mercy on me, as David sings, according to Thy
mercy.
(Psalm 50)