Qolo from Tuesday Lilyo

The latest installment I have is the first qolo of Tuesday Lilyo. As with most night offices, it has a particularly eschatological/soteriological feeling. Once again, empathetic of merciful God of the Syriacs, the opening verse is a group of the repentant sinners from Scripture comforting the singer of the qolo. In each of their case, the mercy of God is affirmed.


The thief is mentioned first - in Syriac tradition, he is the first to enter Paradise. In fact, in our special offices set aside from Holy Week (called Hasho) there's a dialogue between the thief (i.e. the one from on the cross who was promised heaven, Luke 23:32-43) and the cherub set by God to guard the Garden of Eden. In this dialogue (which can be found here) the thief convinces the angel how and why he has obtained heaven, at which the angel is incredulous. Anyway, from the thief we learn that God always accepts the penitent heart before the end. The other sinners are the publican whose more justified than the Pharisee because he recognizes his sin and is sorrowful (Luke 18:9-14), Mary the Sinner is the sinful woman who anoints Christ with her tears (Luke 7:36-50), the Canaanite woman who responds to Jesus with a strong faith when challenged (Matthew 15:21-28), the hemorrhaging woman similarly insisted on touching Jesus in her faith (Mark 5:25-34) and the Samaritan woman at the well who testified to the other Samaritans (John 4:1-41). Likewise we are sinners, and we must find out justification in faith.

Bless the Lord all you servants of the Lord. 

 I remember You upon my bed, Lover of Men, and in the middle of the night I rose so that I profess Your goodness. I recalled my debts, sins and streams of tears. The thief, the publican and Mary the Sinner comforted me with the Canaanite woman, the afflicted woman and the Samaritan woman at the well of water. They say to me, “Rise, ask for the mercy of your Lord, full of mercy.” 

Those who stand in the house of the Lord in the night. Raise high your hands to the sanctuary and bless the Lord. 

 In the night, David awoke upon his bed and he had considered his transgression and knew that he sinned. In the night, he watered his couch with the tears of his eyes. He began with a sigh and then he said, “Even my transgression, our Lord, I know and my sins are before me. Against You, Lord, alone I sinned. Have mercy on me." 

May the Lord bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth. 

 Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to You we call and we supplicate in the day and night, forgive us. Pardon our debts and sins in the abundance of Your mercy. Confer on us, Lord, the healing of soul and body. Deliver us from the Evil One and his host, from his snares and all his nets. Do not withhold Your mercy from us in the night or day. 

Lord, my God, I cried out in the day and night before You. 

 We know that we have sinned, Lover of Men, and concerning this our faces will be hidden when we see heaven. When we, our ashamed selves, call to You may Your compassion intercede on behalf of us to Your justice. Hear, Good One, the voice of our petition and may our words be accepted to Your persuasion. 

My prayer comes before You and turns Your ear to my petition. 

 Mary resembles the Ark of the Covenant, the jar of manna, the tablets of the law, the rod of Aaron the noble priest, which by a mystery sprouted and bore new leaves. In you was He who was the Heavenly Bread who descended from on high – the fruit which mortals ate and they obtained life from Him. 

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit from now until the age of ages, Amen. 

 When the martyrs entered the house of judgment before the judges they were clothed in the armor of the spirit, which is the cross. Their minds were steadfast in the faith, which had seen torments and tribulations and did not tremble or weaken. They were justified on earth and exalted in heaven. Lo! They were made heirs in the kingdom; grant us, Lord, participation through the prayer of Your holy ones. 

Grant rest to the departed believers and to You be glory, Lord.

 Upon the holy altar on high inscribe, Son of the Living One, the names of the departed who have left from among the children of the Church. Your body and blood has been mingled with their members – may the fires of Gehenna be quenched and not attack them. Your mouth, Lord, promised and said, “Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him, and inherits the kingdom.”

Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!