How to Benefit from the Holy Liturgy - Pope Kirillos Scientific Family

The three services in this prayer represent the three times
that Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew
26:36-44).
V The First Service - Psalm 119 speaks entirely about the
word of God; the laws, testimonies, commandments and
statutes. This psalm advises us to take care and keep the
commandments of God and practice them in order to live
as God wants us to.
We find a young man cleansing his way by taking heed of
God's word which, “I have hidden in my heart, that I may
not sin against You.”
The Gospel of the ten virgins advises the believers to be
vigilant in order to be prepared to receive the true
bridegroom Jesus Christ, who will lead us to repentance,
purity and, “holiness, without which no one will see the
Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
V The Second Service - The psalms of the Sunset Prayer
are read with the exception of the first two. They call us
to repentance.
The Gospel is about the sinful woman who loved Jesus much
and struggled with tears, humility and love until her sins were
forgiven.
The Psalms and the Gospel speak of repentance which is the
aim of every believer. We should try to be like the sinful
woman in her complete repentance. “Resist to bloodshed,
striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:4).
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