Sunday
John 9:

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”

He said, “I am he.”

10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of[d] Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”

He said, “I do not know.”

13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”

Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”

25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”[e]

36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

NOTES FROM ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM…
‘Then said they unto him, Where is He?’ This they said, because they were meditating His death, having already begun to conspire against Him. Christ did not appear in company with those whom He cured; having no desire for glory, or display. He always withdrew, after healing any one; in order that no suspicion might attach to the miracle. His withdrawal proved the absence of all connexion between Him and the healed; and therefore that the latter did not publish a false cure out of favour to Him. He said, I know not.
Monday
**This week we will read the priest’s  morning prayer from Holy Week that are a guide to our closer walk with the Lord

We give thanks to thee, 0 Lord our God, who raised us from our beds, and put a word of praise in our mouths,  so that we may worship and call on thy holy name.  We implore thy mercies, which thou hast given always for our life. Send thy help  upon us and all who stand before the face of thy holy glory, eagerly waiting the rich mercy, which is from thee. Grant that we, in awe and love, may always worship thee, praise thee, sing hymns to thee, and fall down before thine indescribable goodness. For unto thee are due all-glory, honor and worship: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

Our soul yearns for thee, 0 our God, in the night;  for thy commandments are a light upon the earth. Teach us to fulfill righteousness and holiness in thy fear; for we glorify thee, our God, HE WHO IS. Incline thine ear, and hear us, and remember, 0 Lord, by name those who are present with us and those who pray with us, and save them by thy might. Bless thy people and sanctify thine inheritance, give peace to thy world, to thy churches, to the priests, to all civil authorities, and to all thy people. For blessed and glorified is thy most honorable and majestic name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

Tuesday

Our soul yearns for thee, 0 our God, in the night;    for thy commandments are a light upon the earth. Teach me, 0 God, thy righteousness, thy commandments, and thy statutes, or I will sleep the sleep of death  in sins. Drive away all darkness from our hearts; and grant us the sun of righteousness; and by the seal of thy Holy Spirit, preserve our life unaffected. Guide our steps in the way of peace. Grant us to behold the dawn and the day with rejoicing, that we may send up our morning prayers to thee; for thine is the majesty, the kingdom, the power, and the glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

O Master, our God, holy and incomprehensible, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness”;  who gave us rest through the sleep of the night and raised us up to glorify and implore thy goodness: as we now ask thy tender loving-kindness, receive us who fall down before thee and give thanks to thee to the utmost of our power. Grant us all our petitions which lead us to salvation. Appoint us to be children of light and of the day,  and heirs of thine everlasting good things. Remember, 0 Lord, according to thine abundant mercy,  all thy people who are present with us and who pray with us, and all our brethren who are on land, on sea, and in the air, and in every place of thy mastery, who implore thy love for mankind and thy help; and grant thy great mercy to all, that being preserved in safety in body and soul, we may with boldness glorify thy marvelous and blessed name, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

Wednesday

0 treasury of good things, ever-flowing fountain, 0 wonderworking, omnipotent and almighty holy Father: we all fall before thee; and we pray to thee, calling upon thy mercies and thy compassion to aid and help our affliction. Remember, 0 Lord, thy suppliants; receive our morning prayers as incense before thee; consider not anyone of us to be without worth; but preserve us all with thy compassion. Remember, O Lord, those who watch over thy flock and sing to thy glory and to the glory of thine only-begotten Son and thy Holy Spirit. Be their helper and protector. Receive their supplications upon thy celestial and spiritual altar; for thou art our God, and unto thee we give glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

We give thanks unto thee, O Lord God of our salvation; for thou dost all things for the benefit of our souls, so that we may ever look up to thee, the Savior and Benefactor of our souls; for thou gavest us rest in the night just passed, and raised us from our beds, and enabled us to stand and to fall down before thy most holy name. Wherefore, we entreat thee, O Lord, give us grace and power, so that we may in full awareness be made worthy to sing praises to thee and to pray without ceasing, working out our salvation in fear and trembling, by the help of thy Christ. Remember, 0 Lord, those who cry out to thee in the night. Hear them, and have mercy, and crush under their feet the invisible and hostile enemies. For thou art the King of Peace, and Savior of our souls, and unto thee we give glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

Thursday

0 God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, thou hast raised us up from our beds and hast gathered us together at this hour of prayer. Grant us grace in the opening of our mouths; and receive our thanksgiving, offered to the utmost of our ability; and teach us thy statutes, for we do not know how to pray as we ought  unless thou guidest us, 0 Lord, by thy Holy Spirit. Wherefore, we entreat thee: Remit, forgive, pardon all the sins we may have committed to this present hour by word or deed or thought, voluntary or involuntary: for if thou, 0 Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, who could stand?  For from thee is redemption, and thou only art holy and mighty and the helper and protector of our life. Our praise is continually of thee. Blessed and glorified be the supreme might of thy kingdom: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

0 Lord our God, thou hast driven away from us the indolence of sleep and hast assembled us together by a holy calling, so that in the night also we may lift up our hands and give thanks for thy righteous ordinances.      Receive our prayers, petitions, praises, and night-time worship. And grant us, 0 Lord, a confident faith that cannot be put to shame, firm hope and sincere love. Bless our going out and our coming in, our deeds, words and thoughts. Grant us that we may come to the beginning of the day, praising, singing hymns, and blessing the goodness of thine inexpressible kindness; for blessed be thy most holy name, and glorified be your Kingdom: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

Friday

0 Master, lover of mankind, shine within our hearts the pure light of thy divine knowledge; and open the eyes of our minds that we may comprehend the message of thy Gospel. Instill in us, also, reverence for thy blessed commandments, so that having conquered    sinful desires, we may pursue a spiritual way of life, both thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to thee.  For thou art our sanctification, and unto thee we give glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

0 Lord our God, thou hast given us forgiveness through repentance and hast shown the repentance of the prophet David as a pattern of the acknowledgment of sin and of confession that leads to forgiveness. Have mercy, 0 Master, according to thy great mercy, on us who are falling into many and great sins.  According to thine abundant mercy, blot out our transgressions.  Against thee have we sinned,

O Lord, who knows the hidden and secret things in the human heart and has authority to forgive sins.  Thou hast created a clean heart in me and established a yearning spirit within me and made known the joy of thy salvation. Cast me not away from thy presence.  But as thou art good and the lover of mankind, take delight that, until our uttermost breath, we may offer unto thee the sacrifice of righteousness, and an oblation upon thine altar. Through the mercy and compassion and love for mankind of thine only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy and good and life giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

Saturday

God, our God, thou hast brought into existence by thine own will the powers endowed with reason and intelligence. We pray thee and we supplicate thee: Receive our glorification, offered together with all thy creatures, according to the utmost of our power. Reward us with the rich gifts of thy goodness; for unto thee every knee bows, whether in heaven, or on earth, or in the underworld, and every human spirit and creature sings hymns to thine inexpressible glory; for thou alone art the true and most merciful God. For all the powers of heaven praise thee, and unto thee they give glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

We praise thee, we sing unto thee, we bless thee, we give thanks unto thee, 0 God of our fathers; for thou hast made the shades of night to pass away and hast shown us once more the light of the day. And we entreat thy goodness: be gracious to our sins, and receive our prayer in thy great tenderness. For we flee unto thee, the merciful and almighty God. Shine within our hearts the true sun of thy righteousness. Enlighten our minds. And guard all our senses that, walking decently as in the day in the way of thy commandments, we may reach the eternal life—for thou art the fountain of life–and that we may be accounted worthy to enjoy thine unapproachable light.  For thou art our God, and unto thee we give glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.