Evening Prayer: Trinity 6 (Proper 18) – 31 July, 2011

WEEK D

 

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,*
so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

Opening (from Psalm 119)
Your faithfulness remains from one generation to another;*
you established the earth, and it abides.
By your decree these continue to this day,*
for all things are your servants.
I will never forget your commandments,*
because by them you give me life.
I see that all things come to an end,*
but your commandment has no bounds.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 62
For God alone my soul in silence waits;*
from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,*
my stronghold, so that I shall not be greatly shaken.
How long will you assail me to crush me, all of you together,*
as if you were a leaning fence, a toppling wall?
They seek only to bring me down from my place of honour;*
lies are their chief delight.
They bless with their lips,*
but in their hearts they curse.
For God alone my soul in silence waits;*
truly, my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,*
my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.
In God is my safety and my honour;*
God is my strong rock and my refuge.
Put your trust in him always, O people,*
pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.
Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath,*
even those of low estate cannot be trusted.
On the scales they are lighter than a breath,*
all of them together.
Put no trust in extortion;
in robbery take no empty pride;*
though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.
God has spoken once, twice have I heard it,*
that power belongs to God.
Steadfast love is yours, O Lord,*
for you repay everyone according to his deeds.
Glory to the Father

Lord God, in a threatening world we look to you as our rock of hope. Hear us as we pour out our hearts to you, and give us your grace and protection, through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from Revelation 5 and 15)
Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty;*
just and true are your ways, O King of the ages!
Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord?*
for you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship in your presence,*
for your just dealings have been revealed.
To God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb*
be praise and honour, glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.

Antiphon: As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,*
so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

READING

John 6.24-35
 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’

Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Silence

Response (Psalm 119:89)
Lord, your word is everlasting.
Lord, your word is everlasting.
It stands firm in the heavens.
Your word is everlasting.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Lord, your word is everlasting.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: Abide with us, Lord,*
for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: Abide with us, Lord,*
for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Collects
Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry with the bread of his life and the word of his kingdom.  Renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your true and living bread, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

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Morning Prayer: Trinity 6 (Proper 18) – 31 July, 2011

WEEK D

 

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness;*
make your way straight before me.

Opening – (From Psalm 5)
In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;*
early in the morning I make my appeal and watch for you.
Through the greatness of your mercy I will go into your
house;*
I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you.
All who take refuge in you will be glad;*
they will sing out their joy for ever.
You will shelter them,*
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 145
I will exalt you, O God my King,*
and bless your name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless you*
and praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;*
there is no end to his greatness.
One generation shall praise your works to another*
and shall declare your power.
I will ponder the glorious splendour of your majesty*
and all your marvellous works.
They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts,*
and I will tell of your greatness.
They shall publish the remembrance of your great goodness;*
they shall sing of your righteous deeds.
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,*
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The Lord is loving to everyone*
and his compassion is over all his works.
All your works praise you, O Lord,*
and your faithful servants bless you.
They make known the glory of your kingdom*
and speak of your power;
That the peoples may know of your power*
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.
The Lord is faithful in all his words*
and merciful in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all those who fall;*
he lifts up those who are bowed down.
The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord,*
and you give them their food in due season.
You open wide your hand*
and satisfy the needs of every living creature.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways*
and loving in all his works.
The Lord is near to those who call upon him,*
to all who call upon him faithfully.
He fulfils the desire of those who fear him,*
he hears their cry and helps them.
The Lord preserves all those who love him,*
but he destroys all the wicked.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord;*
let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Glory be to the Father . . .

Almighty God, give us grace to know you more and more, that knowing we may love and loving we may praise, that the whole world may hear your name and worship you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Conclusion (from Isaiah 66)
Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her,*
all you who love her.
Share her joy with all your heart,*
all you who mourn over her.
Then you may suck and be fed from her breasts,*
delighting in her plentiful milk.
For thus says the Lord, I will send peace flowing over her like
a river,*
and the wealth of nations like a stream in flood;
you shall be carried in her arms,*
and rocked upon her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,*
so will I myself comfort you, and you shall find strength
in Jerusalem.
This you shall see and be glad at heart;*
your limbs shall be as the fresh grass in spring.*
Then I myself will gather all nations;*
and they shall come and behold my glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness;*
make your way straight before me.

READINGS

1 Kings 10.1-13
When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, (fame due to the name of the Lord), she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. When the queen of Sheba had observed all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his valets, and his burnt-offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.

So she said to the king, ‘The report was true that I heard in my own land of your accomplishments and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. Not even half had been told me; your wisdom and prosperity far surpass the report that I had heard. Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually attend you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, he has made you king to execute justice and righteousness.’ Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones; never again did spices come in such quantity as that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which carried gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a great quantity of almug wood and precious stones. From the almug wood the king made supports for the house of the Lord, and for the king’s house, lyres also and harps for the singers; no such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

Meanwhile, King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba every desire that she expressed, as well as what he gave her out of Solomon’s royal bounty. Then she returned to her own land, with her servants.

Acts of the Apostles 13.1-13
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also to assist them. When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. But the magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, ‘You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now listen—the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun.’ Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went about groping for someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

Then Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem;

Silence

Response (Ps. 63:4)
V. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.
R. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.
V. On those who wait upon his love.
R. On those who fear him.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God has raised up for us* a mighty saviour.

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of
death,*
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father.

Benedictus Antiphon: God has raised up for us* a mighty saviour.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry with the bread of his life and the word of his kingdom.  Renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your true and living bread, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

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Evening Prayer: Saturday of Trinity 5 (Proper 17) – 30 July, 2011

WEEK C

 

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

Opening (from Psalm 139)
You trace my journeys and my resting-places*
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Indeed there is not a word on my lips,*
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me,*
and the light around me turn to night’,
Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day;*
darkness and light to you are both alike.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God,*
and the firmament shows his handiwork.
One day tells its tale to another,*
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
Although they have no words or language,*
and their voices are not heard,
Their sound has gone out into all lands,*
and their message to the ends of the world.
In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun;*
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again;*
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect
and revives the soul;*
the testimony of the Lord is sure
and gives wisdom to the innocent.
The statutes of the Lord are just
and rejoice the heart;*
the commandment of the Lord is clear
and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean
and endures for ever;*
the judgements of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold,*
sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.
By them also is your servant enlightened,*
and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can tell how often he offends?*
cleanse me from my secret faults.
Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me;*
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offence.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight,*
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
Glory be to the Father . . .

Gracious creator of heaven and earth, your Word has come among us as the true Sun of righteousness, and the good news of his birth has gone out to the ends of the world. Open our eyes to the light of your law, that we may be purified from sin and serve you without reproach for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Light and our Life. Amen

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd;*
I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures*
and leads me beside still waters.
He revives my soul*
and guides me along right pathways for his name’s sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil;*
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You spread a table before me in the presence of those
who trouble me;*
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over .
Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the
days of my life,*
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Glory to the Father . . .

Glory to you, Jesus Christ, our good shepherd. In the waters of baptism you give us new birth, at your table you nourish us with heavenly food, and in your goodness and mercy, you guide us beyond the terrors of evil and death to your Father’s home to dwell in eternal light. Glory to you forever.. Amen

Conclusion A Song of Pilgrimage (from Sirach 51)
While I was still young, before I began my travels,*
I sought for wisdom openly in my prayers.
I asked for her outside the temple sanctuary,*
and I will seek her to the end.
She has been the delight of my heart.*
from first blossom to early fruit.
I have kept firmly to the true path;*
I have followed her steps since my youth.
I bowed my ear a little and received her;*
I found wisdom and was well instructed.
Glory to the One who gives me wisdom!*
I will live according to her way.
From the beginning I gained understanding from her;*
therefore I will never be deserted.
Because I longed to find her with all my heart,*
I have gained a good possession.
As my reward the Lord has given me a tongue*
with which I shall sing his praises.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

READING

Mark 8.1-10
In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat, he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way—and some of them have come from a great distance.’ His disciples replied, ‘How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?’ He asked them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ They said, ‘Seven.’ Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them to the crowd. They had also a few small fish; and after blessing them, he ordered that these too should be distributed. They ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Now there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

 Silence

Response (Sirach 51:26)
V. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
V. Let your souls receive instruction.
R. Take her yoke upon you.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: God has come to the aid of his servant Israel,*
as he promised to Abraham and his children.

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: God has come to the aid of his servant Israel,*
as he promised to Abraham and his children.

PRAYERS                                                                

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

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Morning Prayer: Saturday of Trinity 5 (Proper 17) – 30 July, 2011

WEEK C

 

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

Opening – From Psalms 66 and 92
All the earth bows down before you,*
sings to you, sings out your name.
Bless our God, you peoples;*
make the voice of his praise to be heard.
It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,*
and to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning*
and of your faithfulness in the night season.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 119:49-72
Remember your word to your servant,*
because you have given me hope.
This is my comfort in my trouble,*
that your promise gives me life.
The proud have derided me cruelly,*
but I have not turned from your law.
When I remember your judgements of old,*
O Lord, I take great comfort.
I am filled with a burning rage,*
because of the wicked who forsake your law.
Your statutes have been like songs to me*
wherever I have lived as a stranger.
I remember your name in the night, O Lord,*
and dwell upon your law.
This is how it has been with me,*
because I have kept your commandments.
You only are my portion, O Lord;*
I have promised to keep your words.
I entreat you with all my heart,*
be merciful to me according to your promise.
I have considered my ways*
and turned my feet toward your decrees.
I hasten and do not tarry*
to keep your commandments.
Though the cords of the wicked entangle me,*
I do not forget your law.
At midnight I will rise to give you thanks,*
because of your righteous judgements.
I am a companion of all who fear you*
and of those who keep your commandments.
The earth, O Lord, is full of your love;*
instruct me in your statutes.
O Lord, you have dealt graciously with your servant,*
according to your word.
Teach me discernment and knowledge,*
for I have believed in your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,*
but now I keep your word.
You are good and you bring forth good;*
instruct me in your statutes.
The proud have smeared me with lies,*
but I will keep your commandments with my whole heart.
Their heart is gross and fat,*
but my delight is in your law.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,*
that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is dearer to me*
than thousands in gold and silver.
Glory to the Father . . .

Conclusion (from Isaiah 12)
Behold God is my salvation;*
I will trust and not be afraid;
the Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water*
from the wells of salvation.
Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name;*
make known his deeds among the nations.
Sing to the Lord for he has done gloriously;*
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Sion,*
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

READINGS

2 Samuel 5.22-6.11
Once again the Philistines came up, and were spread out in the valley of Rephaim. When David inquired of the Lord, he said, ‘You shall not go up; go round to their rear, and come upon them opposite the balsam trees. When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then be on the alert; for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.’ David did just as the Lordhad commanded him; and he struck down the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.

When they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen shook it. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there because he reached out his hand to the ark; and he died there beside the ark of God. David was angry because the Lord had burst forth with an outburst upon Uzzah; so that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. David was afraid of the Lord that day; he said, ‘How can the ark of theLord come into my care?’ So David was unwilling to take the ark of the Lord into his care in the city of David; instead David took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months; and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

Acts of the Apostles 17.16-34
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the market-place every day with those who happened to be there. Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, ‘What does this babbler want to say?’ Others said, ‘He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.’ (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, ‘May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.’ Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.

Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For “In him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said,
“For we too are his offspring.”
Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.’

When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, ‘We will hear you again about this.’ At that point Paul left them. But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Silence

Response (Ps. 63:4)
V. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
V. And lift up my hands in your name.
R. As long as I live.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God will guide us*
in the way of peace.

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of
death,*
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father.

Benedictus Antiphon: God will guide us*
in the way of peace.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

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Evening Prayer: Friday of Trinity 5 (Proper 17) – 29 July, 2011

WEEK C

 

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

Opening (from Psalm 139)
You trace my journeys and my resting-places*
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Indeed there is not a word on my lips,*
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me,*
and the light around me turn to night’,
Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day;*
darkness and light to you are both alike.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 15
Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *
who may abide upon your holy hill?
Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right,*
who speaks the truth from his heart.
There is no guile upon his tongue;
he does no evil to his friend;*
he does not heap contempt upon his neighbour.
In his sight the wicked is rejected,*
but he honours those who fear the Lord.
He has sworn to do no wrong*
and does not take back his word.
He does not give his money in hope of gain,*
nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things*
shall never be overthrown.
Glory to the Father . . .

God of love, teach us to walk blamelessly in your ways, that  our whole life may be established in you, and that we may  come to the place prepared for us by your Son, Jesus Christ  our Redeemer. Amen

Psalm 16
Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you;*
I have said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord,
my good above all other.’
All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land,*
upon those who are noble among the people.
But those who run after other gods*
shall have their troubles multiplied.
Their libations of blood I will not offer,*
nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
O Lord, you are my portion and my cup;*
it is you who uphold my lot.
My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;*
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel;*
my heart teaches me, night after night.
I have set the Lord always before me;*
because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.
My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices;*
my body also shall rest in hope.
For you will not abandon me to the grave,*
nor let your holy one see the Pit.
You will show me the path of life;*
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Glory to the Father . . .

Gracious God, we bless your holy name for the heritage you have given us. Show us the path of life, that we may follow it in hope, and come to know the joy of the resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

Conclusion A Song of Pilgrimage (from Sirach 51)
While I was still young, before I began my travels,*
I sought for wisdom openly in my prayers.
I asked for her outside the temple sanctuary,*
and I will seek her to the end.
She has been the delight of my heart.*
from first blossom to early fruit.
I have kept firmly to the true path;*
I have followed her steps since my youth.
I bowed my ear a little and received her;*
I found wisdom and was well instructed.
Glory to the One who gives me wisdom!*
I will live according to her way.
From the beginning I gained understanding from her;*
therefore I will never be deserted.
Because I longed to find her with all my heart,*
I have gained a good possession.
As my reward the Lord has given me a tongue*
with which I shall sing his praises.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

READING

Mark 7.24-37
From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’

 Silence

Response (Sirach 51:26)
V. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
V. Let your souls receive instruction.
R. Take her yoke upon you.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: God has cast down the might*
and lifted up the lowly

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: God has cast down the might*
and lifted up the lowly

PRAYERS                                                                

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Morning Prayer: Friday of Trinity 5 (Proper 17) – 29 July, 2011

WEEK C

 

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

Opening – From Psalms 66 and 92
All the earth bows down before you,*
sings to you, sings out your name.
Bless our God, you peoples;*
make the voice of his praise to be heard.
It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,*
and to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning*
and of your faithfulness in the night season.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 40
I waited patiently upon the Lord;*
he stooped to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay;*
he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;*
many shall see, and stand in awe,
and put their trust in the Lord.
Happy are they who trust in the Lord!*
they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.
Great things are they that you have done, O Lord my God!
how great your wonders and your plans for us!*
there is none who can be compared with you.
Oh, that I could make them known and tell them!*
but they are more than I can count.
In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure*
(you have given me ears to hear you);
Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required,*
and so I said, ‘Behold, I come.
In the roll of the book it is written concerning me:*
“I love to do your will, O my God;
your law is deep in my heart.”’
I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation;*
behold, I did not restrain my lips;
and that, O Lord, you know.
Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance;*
I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the
great congregation.
You are the Lord;
do not withhold your compassion from me;*
let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever,
For innumerable troubles have crowded upon me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see;*
they are more in number than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;*
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed
who seek after my life to destroy it;*
let them draw back and be disgraced
who take pleasure in my misfortune.
Let those who say ‘Aha!’ and gloat over me be confounded,*
because they are ashamed.
Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad;*
let those who love your salvation continually say,
‘Great is the Lord!’
Though I am poor and afflicted,*
the Lord will have regard for me.
You are my helper and my deliverer;*
do not tarry, O my God.
Glory to the Father . . .

God our saviour, hear our prayer for all who suffer at the hands of others, and especially for those who suffer for the sake of justice. Raise and comfort them, and lead us all in the paths of loving service. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 12)
Behold God is my salvation;*
I will trust and not be afraid;
the Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water*
from the wells of salvation.
Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name;*
make known his deeds among the nations.
Sing to the Lord for he has done gloriously;*
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Sion,*
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

READINGS

2 Samuel 5.1-12
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, ‘Look, we are your bone and flesh. For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The Lord said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel.’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.

The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, ‘You will not come in here, even the blind and the lame will turn you back’—thinking, ‘David cannot come in here.’ Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. David had said on that day, ‘Whoever wishes to strike down the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, those whom David hates.’ Therefore it is said, ‘The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.’ David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inwards. And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar trees, and carpenters and masons who built David a house. David then perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

Acts of the Apostles 17.1-15
After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, ‘This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.’ Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the market-places they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason’s house. When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, ‘These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.’ The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go.

That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing. But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds. Then the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left him.

Silence

Response (Ps. 63:4)
V. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
V. And lift up my hands in your name.
R. As long as I live.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: In tender compassion,*
God’s dawn has broken upon us.

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of
death,*
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father.

Benedictus Antiphon: In tender compassion,*
God’s dawn has broken upon us.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

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Evening Prayer: Thursday of Trinity 5 (Proper 17) – 28 July, 2011

WEEK C

 

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

Opening (from Psalm 139)
You trace my journeys and my resting-places*
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Indeed there is not a word on my lips,*
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me,*
and the light around me turn to night’,
Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day;*
darkness and light to you are both alike.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 107:33-43
The Lord changed rivers into deserts,*
and water-springs into thirsty ground,
A fruitful land into salt flats,*
because of the wickedness of those who dwell there.
He changed deserts into pools of water*
and dry land into water-springs.
He settled the hungry there,*
and they founded a city to dwell in.
They sowed fields, and planted vineyards,*
and brought in a fruitful harvest.
He blessed them, so that they increased greatly;*
he did not let their herds decrease.
Yet when they were diminished and brought low,*
through stress of adversity and sorrow,
(He pours contempt on princes*
and makes them wander in trackless wastes)
He lifted up the poor out of misery*
and multiplied their families like flocks of sheep.
The upright will see this and rejoice,*
but all wickedness will shut its mouth.
Whoever is wise will ponder these things,*
and consider well the mercies of the Lord.
Glory to the Father . . .

O God, the divine seeker, you are light to the lost, bread to the hungry, deliverance to the captive, healing to the sick, eternal vision to the dying, and harbour to every soul in peril. Gather the wanderers from every corner of the world into the community of your mercy and grace, that we may eternally praise you for our salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion A Song of Pilgrimage (from Sirach 51)
While I was still young, before I began my travels,*
I sought for wisdom openly in my prayers.
I asked for her outside the temple sanctuary,*
and I will seek her to the end.
She has been the delight of my heart.*
from first blossom to early fruit.
I have kept firmly to the true path;*
I have followed her steps since my youth.
I bowed my ear a little and received her;*
I found wisdom and was well instructed.
Glory to the One who gives me wisdom!*
I will live according to her way.
From the beginning I gained understanding from her;*
therefore I will never be deserted.
Because I longed to find her with all my heart,*
I have gained a good possession.
As my reward the Lord has given me a tongue*
with which I shall sing his praises.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

READING

Mark 7.1-23
Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?’ He said to them, ‘Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
“This people honours me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.”
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.’

Then he said to them, ‘You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition! For Moses said, “Honour your father and your mother”; and, “Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.” But you say that if anyone tells father or mother, “Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban” (that is, an offering to God)— then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or mother, thus making void the word of God through your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many things like this.’

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.’

When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. He said to them, ‘Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?’ (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, ‘It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’

 Silence

Response (Sirach 51:26)
V. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
V. Let your souls receive instruction.
R. Take her yoke upon you.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: Show, O Lord, the strength of your arm;*
scatter the proud and exalt the lowly.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: Show, O Lord, the strength of your arm;*
scatter the proud and exalt the lowly.

PRAYERS                                                                

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

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Morning Prayer: Thursday of Trinity 5 (Proper 17) – 28 July, 2011

WEEK C

 

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

Opening – From Psalms 66 and 92
All the earth bows down before you,*
sings to you, sings out your name.
Bless our God, you peoples;*
make the voice of his praise to be heard.
It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,*
and to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning*
and of your faithfulness in the night season.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 107:1-32
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,*
and his mercy endures for ever.
Let all those whom the Lord has redeemed proclaim*
that he redeemed them from the hand of the foe.
He gathered them out of the lands;*
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert wastes;*
they found no way to a city where they might dwell.
They were hungry and thirsty;*
their spirits languished within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,*
and he delivered them from their distress.
He put their feet on a straight path*
to go to a city where they might dwell.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his mercy*
and the wonders he does for his children.
For he satisfies the thirsty*
and fills the hungry with good things.
Some sat in darkness and deep gloom,*
bound fast in misery and iron;
Because they rebelled against the words of God*
and despised the counsel of the Most High.
So he humbled their spirits with hard labour;*
they stumbled, and there was none to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,*
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them out of darkness and deep gloom*
and broke their bonds asunder.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his mercy*
and the wonders he does for his children.
For he shatters the doors of bronze*
and breaks in two the iron bars.
Some were fools and took to rebellious ways;*
they were afflicted because of their sins.
They abhorred all manner of food*
and drew near to death’s door.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,*
and he delivered them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them*
and saved them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his mercy*
and the wonders he does for his children.
Let them offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving*
and tell of his acts with shouts of joy.
Some went down to the sea in ships*
and plied their trade in deep waters;
They beheld the works of the Lord*
and his wonders in the deep.
Then he spoke, and a stormy wind arose,*
which tossed high the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to the heavens and fell back to the depths;*
their hearts melted because of their peril.
They reeled and staggered like drunkards*
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,*
and he delivered them from their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper*
and quieted the waves of the sea.
Then were they glad because of the calm,*
and he brought them to the harbour they were bound for.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his mercy*
and the wonders he does for his children.
Let them exalt him in the congregation of the people*
and praise him in the council of the elders.
Glory to the Father . . .

Conclusion (from Isaiah 12)
Behold God is my salvation;*
I will trust and not be afraid;
the Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water*
from the wells of salvation.
Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name;*
make known his deeds among the nations.
Sing to the Lord for he has done gloriously;*
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Sion,*
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

READINGS

2 Samuel 4.1-12
When Saul’s son Ishbaal heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. Saul’s son had two captains of raiding bands; the name of one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab. They were sons of Rimmon, a Benjaminite from Beeroth—for Beeroth is considered to belong to Benjamin. (Now the people of Beeroth had fled to Gittaim and are there as resident aliens to this day).

Saul’s son Jonathan had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled; and, in her haste to flee, it happened that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ishbaal, while he was taking his noonday rest. They came inside the house as though to take wheat, and they struck him in the stomach; then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped. Now they had come into the house while he was lying on his couch in his bedchamber; they attacked him, killed him, and beheaded him. Then they took his head and travelled by way of the Arabah all night long. They brought the head of Ishbaal to David at Hebron and said to the king, ‘Here is the head of Ishbaal, son of Saul your enemy who sought your life; the Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.’

David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, ‘As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, when the one who told me, “See, Saul is dead”, thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag—this was the reward I gave him for his news. How much more then, when wicked men have killed a righteous man on his bed in his own house! And now shall I not require his blood at your hand, and destroy you from the earth?’ So David commanded the young men, and they killed them; they cut off their hands and feet, and hung their bodies beside the pool at Hebron. But the head of Ishbaal they took and buried in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

Acts of the Apostles 16.25-40
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.

When morning came, the magistrates sent the police, saying, ‘Let those men go.’ And the jailer reported the message to Paul, saying, ‘The magistrates sent word to let you go; therefore come out now and go in peace.’ But Paul replied, ‘They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves.’ The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens; so they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. After leaving the prison they went to Lydia’s home; and when they had seen and encouraged the brothers and sisters there, they departed.

Silence

Response (Ps. 63:4)
V. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
V. And lift up my hands in your name.
R. As long as I live.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God has come to us * and set us free

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of
death,*
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father.

Benedictus Antiphon: God has come to us * and set us free

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

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Evening Prayer: Wednesday of Trinity 5 (Proper 17) – 27 July, 2011

WEEK C

 

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

Opening (from Psalm 139)
You trace my journeys and my resting-places*
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Indeed there is not a word on my lips,*
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me,*
and the light around me turn to night’,
Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day;*
darkness and light to you are both alike.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 73
Truly, God is good to Israel,*
to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped;*
I had almost tripped and fallen;
Because I envied the proud*
and saw the prosperity of the wicked:
For they suffer no pain,*
and their bodies are sleek and sound;
In the misfortunes of others they have no share;*
they are not afflicted as others are;
Therefore they wear their pride like a necklace*
and wrap their violence about them like a cloak.
Their iniquity comes from gross minds,*
and their hearts overflow with wicked thoughts.
They scoff and speak maliciously;*
out of their haughtiness they plan oppression.
They set their mouths against the heavens,*
and their evil speech runs through the world.
And so the people turn to them*
and find in them no fault.
They say, ‘How should God know?*
is there knowledge in the Most High?’
So then, these are the wicked;*
always at ease, they increase their wealth.
In vain have I kept my heart clean,*
and washed my hands in innocence.
I have been afflicted all day long,*
and punished every morning.
Had I gone on speaking this way,*
I should have betrayed the generation of your children.
When I tried to understand these things,*
it was too hard for me;
Until I entered the sanctuary of God*
and discerned the end of the wicked.
Surely, you set them in slippery places;*
you cast them down in ruin.
Oh, how suddenly do they come to destruction,*
come to an end, and perish from terror!
Like a dream when one awakens, O Lord,*
when you arise you will make their image vanish.
When my mind became embittered,*
I was sorely wounded in my heart.
I was stupid and had no understanding;*
I was like a brute beast in your presence.
Yet I am always with you;*
you hold me by my right hand.
You will guide me by your counsel,*
and afterwards receive me with glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?*
and having you I desire nothing upon earth.
Though my flesh and my heart should waste away,*
God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.
Truly, those who forsake you will perish;*
you destroy all who are unfaithful.
But it is good for me to be near God;*
I have made the Lord God my refuge.
I will speak of all your works*
in the gates of the city of Zion.
Glory to the Father . . .

Most High, you know our faithlessness, and our blindness to the rewards of goodness. Guide us with your counsel and be the strength of our hearts, that we may not fall but rejoice in the life of your eternal city; through Jesus Christ our Mediator. Amen

Conclusion A Song of Pilgrimage (from Sirach 51)
While I was still young, before I began my travels,*
I sought for wisdom openly in my prayers.
I asked for her outside the temple sanctuary,*
and I will seek her to the end.
She has been the delight of my heart.*
from first blossom to early fruit.
I have kept firmly to the true path;*
I have followed her steps since my youth.
I bowed my ear a little and received her;*
I found wisdom and was well instructed.
Glory to the One who gives me wisdom!*
I will live according to her way.
From the beginning I gained understanding from her;*
therefore I will never be deserted.
Because I longed to find her with all my heart,*
I have gained a good possession.
As my reward the Lord has given me a tongue*
with which I shall sing his praises.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

READING

Mark 6.47-56
When evening came, the boat was out on the lake, and he was alone on the land. When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the lake. He intended to pass them by. But when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

 Silence

Response (Sirach 51:26)
V. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
V. Let your souls receive instruction.
R. Take her yoke upon you.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: God looks with favour*
on his lowly servant

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: God looks with favour*
on his lowly servant

PRAYERS                                                                

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Morning Prayer: Wednesday of Trinity 5 (Proper 17) – 27 July, 2011

WEEK C

 

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

Opening – From Psalms 66 and 92
All the earth bows down before you,*
sings to you, sings out your name.
Bless our God, you peoples;*
make the voice of his praise to be heard.
It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,*
and to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning*
and of your faithfulness in the night season.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear?*
the Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom then shall I be afraid?
When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh,*
it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who
stumbled and fell.
Though an army should encamp against me,*
yet my heart shall not be afraid;
And though war should rise up against me,*
yet will I put my trust in him.
One thing have I asked of the Lord; one thing I seek;*
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days
of my life;
To behold the fair beauty of the Lord*
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter;*
he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling
and set me high upon a rock.
Even now he lifts up my head*
above my enemies round about me.
Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation
with sounds of great gladness;*
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call;*
have mercy on me and answer me.
You speak in my heart and say, ‘Seek my face.’*
Your face, Lord, will I seek.
Hide not your face from me,*
nor turn away your servant in displeasure.
You have been my helper;
cast me not away;*
do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.
Though my father and my mother forsake me,*
the Lord will sustain me.
Show me your way, O Lord;*
lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.
Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries,*
for false witnesses have risen up against me,
and also those who speak malice.
What if I had not believed
that I should see the goodness of the Lord*
in the land of the living!
O tarry and await the Lord’s pleasure;*
be strong, and he shall comfort your heart;
wait patiently for the Lord.
Glory to the Father . . .

Faithful God, the shelter of all who hope in you, may those who seek your face be set free from fear and distress, and come to see your goodness in the land of the living; through Jesus Christ, our Light and our Salvation . Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 12)
Behold God is my salvation;*
I will trust and not be afraid;
the Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water*
from the wells of salvation.
Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name;*
make known his deeds among the nations.
Sing to the Lord for he has done gloriously;*
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Sion,*
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

READINGS

2 Samuel 3.22-39
Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for David had dismissed him, and he had gone away in peace. When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, ‘Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he has dismissed him, and he has gone away in peace.’ Then Joab went to the king and said, ‘What have you done? Abner came to you; why did you dismiss him, so that he got away? You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you, and to learn your comings and goings and to learn all that you are doing.’

When Joab came out from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know about it. When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gateway to speak with him privately, and there he stabbed him in the stomach. So he died for shedding the blood of Asahel, Joab’sbrother. Afterwards, when David heard of it, he said, ‘I and my kingdom are for ever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner son of Ner. May the guilt fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge, or who is leprous, or who holds a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks food!’ So Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, ‘Tear your clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.’ And King David followed the bier. They buried Abner at Hebron. The king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. The king lamented for Abner, saying,
‘Should Abner die as a fool dies?
Your hands were not bound,
your feet were not fettered;
as one falls before the wicked
you have fallen.’
And all the people wept over him again. Then all the people came to persuade David to eat something while it was still day; but David swore, saying, ‘So may God do to me, and more, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down!’ All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; just as everything the king did pleased all the people. So all the people and all Israel understood that day that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner. And the king said to his servants, ‘Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? Today I am powerless, even though anointed king; these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too violent for me. The Lord pay back the one who does wickedly in accordance with his wickedness!’

Acts of the Apostles 16.16-24
One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, ‘These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.’ She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And it came out that very hour.

But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place before the authorities. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, ‘These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.’ The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Silence

Response (Ps. 63:4)
V. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
V. And lift up my hands in your name.
R. As long as I live.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God promised of old* to save us

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of
death,*
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father.

Benedictus Antiphon: God promised of old* to save us

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

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