Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/285

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OBLATION IN THE SERVICE FOR THE DEAD.
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to save Adam and his race from punishment, and became the origin of righteousness and salvation to every Christian. O Lord, accept this oblation.

O Jesus, let this work which Thy servants offer unto Thee today be acceptable before Thee as was the blessed David. Be Thou the quickener of their dead, the forgiver of their sins, the supporter of their children, the comforter of their aged, the giver of chastity to their youth, the shelter of their widows, the defender of their orphans, and the nourisher of their babes and sucklings. Accept at their hands this oblation, and save them from death.

O merciful Lord, let the oblation which Thy servants have offered before Thee be acceptable in Thy sight as was the zealous Elijah, and Abel the head of the building, and Solomon the just king, and Hezekiah the happy king, and Daniel the seer, and like the oblation of Jonah the Hebrew, and of Joseph the Egyptian, and like that of the righteous of old. Let this their oblation be to their forgiveness from this time forth and for ever; and let it be acceptable before the Creator and before Jesus the triumphant King as was Moses of old.

Accept, O Lord, who art the Living and the Son of the Living, who fillest the heaven of heavens, and art the upholder of the earth by Thy hidden power, the work of Thy servants; forgive their sins, purify them from their transgressions, heal their wounds, and pardon their ignorances. The Church now calleth upon Thee to deliver them from the hand of him that taketh captive, from sudden death, from the thief that cometh by night, from the power of the unseen Satan, from the fire of hell, and from the voice which speaketh in the night, which when Thy servants hear, O Lord, they shall rise from their graves, even at the living voice of Jesus the King. And when the elect righteous shall wake up, and when He shall come in the clouds of heaven to raise up the cast-out dead, as saith the prophet, then may they offer praise to the Son of the Highest.

O Thou compassionate One, accept at our hands the service which we offer this day, and deliver us from the Evil one, who is the Devil, and from unprofitable words, and from every destroying plague. Deliver Thy servants, Thou merciful One, and accept at their hands this oblation.