Morning Prayer: Thursday of Proper 7 – 23 May, 2013

WEEK A

 

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: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

Opening – From Psalm 104
You spread out the heavens like a curtain;*
you lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above;
You make the clouds your chariot;*
 you ride on the wings of the wind;
You make the winds your messengers*
and flames of fire your servants.
You have set the earth upon its foundations,*
so that it never shall move at any time.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 105:1-22
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name;*
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him,*
and speak of all his marvellous works.
Glory in his holy name;*
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Search for the Lord and his strength;*
continually seek his face.
Remember the marvels he has done,*
his wonders and the judgements of his mouth,
O offspring of Abraham his servant,*
O children of Jacob his chosen.
He is the Lord our God;*
his judgements prevail in all the world.
He has always been mindful of his covenant,*
the promise he made for a thousand generations:
The covenant he made with Abraham,*
the oath that he swore to Isaac,
Which he established as a statute for Jacob,*
an everlasting covenant for Israel,
Saying, ‘To you will I give the land of Canaan*
to be your allotted inheritance.’
When they were few in number,*
of little account, and sojourners in the land,
Wandering from nation to nation*
and from one kingdom to another,
He let no one oppress them*
and rebuked kings for their sake,
Saying, ‘Do not touch my anointed*
and do my prophets no harm.’
Then he called for a famine in the land*
and destroyed the supply of bread.
He sent a man before them,*
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
They bruised his feet in fetters;*
his neck they put in an iron collar.
Until his prediction came to pass,*
the word of the Lord tested him.
The king sent and released him;*
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He set him as master over his household,*
as a ruler over all his possessions,
To instruct his princes according to his will*
and to teach his elders wisdom.
Glory to the Father . . .

Conclusion (from Isaiah 45))
Thus says the Lord who created the heavens,*
who formed the earth and made it;
who did not create it a chaos,*
but formed it to be inhabited -
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;*
for I am God: there is no other.
From my mouth has gone forth in righteousness*
a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,*
every tongue shall swear”.’
In the Lord all the offspring of Israel*
shall triumph and glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

READINGS

Readings of the day for Morning and Evening Prayer. Select one or more for each office.

Ruth 3.1-18
Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, ‘My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing-floor. Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing-floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.’ She said to her, ‘All that you tell me I will do.’

So she went down to the threshing-floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came quietly and uncovered his feet, and lay down. At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman! He said, ‘Who are you?’ And she answered, ‘I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.’ He said, ‘May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not be afraid; I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman. But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman more closely related than I. Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next-of-kin for you, good; let him do so. If he is not willing to act as next-of-kin for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will act as next-of-kin for you. Lie down until the morning.’

So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before one person could recognize another; for he said, ‘It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.’ Then he said, ‘Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out.’ So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley, and put it on her back; then he went into the city.She came to her mother-in-law, who said, ‘How did things go with you,my daughter?’ Then she told her all that the man had done for her,saying, ‘He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, “Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.” ’ She replied, ‘Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.’

1 Timothy 4.1-16
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.

If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe.

These are the things you must insist on and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Luke 13.31-35
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’

Silence

Response (Ps. 92.4)
V. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
V. I will sing for joy because of the works of your hands.
R. You have made me glad.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.

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
Almighty God, without you we are not able to please you.  Mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive 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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Morning Prayer: Wednesday of Proper 7 – 22 May, 2013

WEEK A

 

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: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

Opening – From Psalm 104
You spread out the heavens like a curtain;*
you lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above;
You make the clouds your chariot;*
 you ride on the wings of the wind;
You make the winds your messengers*
and flames of fire your servants.
You have set the earth upon its foundations,*
so that it never shall move at any time.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 30
I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up*
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to you,*
and you restored me to health.
You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead;*
you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
Sing to the Lord, you servants of his;*
give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.
For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye,*
his favour for a lifetime.
Weeping may spend the night,*
but joy comes in the morning.
While I felt secure, I said, ‘I shall never be disturbed.*
You, Lord, with your favour, made me as strong as
the mountains’
Then you hid your face,*
and I was filled with fear.
I cried to you, O Lord;*
I pleaded with the Lord, saying,
‘What profit is there in my blood, if I go to the Pit?*
will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me;*
O Lord, be my helper.’
You have turned my wailing into dancing;*
you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.
Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing;*
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever.
Glory be to the Father . . .

God our Father, glorious in giving and restoring life, do not hide your face from your people overcome with loneliness and fear; turn our mourning into dancing and raise us up with your Son, that we may rejoice in your presence for ever. Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 45))
Thus says the Lord who created the heavens,*
who formed the earth and made it;
who did not create it a chaos,*
but formed it to be inhabited -
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;*
for I am God: there is no other.
From my mouth has gone forth in righteousness*
a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,*
every tongue shall swear”.’
In the Lord all the offspring of Israel*
shall triumph and glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

READINGS

Readings of the day for Morning and Evening Prayer. Select one or more for each office.

Ruth 2.14-23
At mealtime Boaz said to her, ‘Come here, and eat some of this bread, and dip your morsel in the sour wine.’ So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she got up to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, ‘Let her glean even among the standing sheaves, and do not reproach her. You must also pull out some handfuls for her from the bundles, and leave them for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.’

So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. She picked it up and came into the town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gleaned. Then she took out and gave her what was left over after she herself had been satisfied. Her mother-in-law said to her, ‘Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.’ So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, ‘The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.’ Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘Blessed be he by theLord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!’ Naomi also said to her, ‘The man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin.’Then Ruth the Moabite said, ‘He even said to me, “Stay close by my servants, until they have finished all my harvest.” ’ Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, ‘It is better, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, otherwise you might be bothered in another field.’ So she stayed close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests; and she lived with her mother-in-law.

1 Timothy 3.1-16
The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once,temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way— for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.

Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons. Womenlikewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be married only once, and let them manage their children and their households well; for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great:
He was revealed in flesh,
vindicated in spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory.

Luke 13.18-30
He said therefore, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.’

And again he said, ‘To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’

Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then in reply he will say to you, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” But he will say, “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!” There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’

Silence

Response (Ps. 92.4)
V. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
V. I will sing for joy because of the works of your hands.
R. You have made me glad.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.

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 for ever. Amen.

Collects
Almighty God, without you we are not able to please you.  Mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive 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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Morning Prayer: Tuesday of Proper 7 – 21 May, 2013

WEEK A

 

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: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

Opening – From Psalm 104
You spread out the heavens like a curtain;*
you lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above;
You make the clouds your chariot;*
 you ride on the wings of the wind;
You make the winds your messengers*
and flames of fire your servants.
You have set the earth upon its foundations,*
so that it never shall move at any time.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 47
Clap your hands, all you peoples;*
shout to God with a cry of joy.
For the Lord Most High is to be feared;*
he is the great king over all the earth.
He subdues the peoples under us,*
and the nations under our feet.
He chooses our inheritance for us,*
the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
God has gone up with a shout,*
the Lord with the sound of the ram’s-horn.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;*
sing praises to our king, sing praises.
For God is king of all the earth;*
sing praises with all your skill.
God reigns over the nations;*
God sits upon his holy throne.
The nobles of the peoples have gathered together*
with the people of the God of Abraham.
The rulers of the earth belong to God,*
and he is highly exalted.
Glory to the Father . . .

Blessed are you, God of all the earth; you have called us out of every people and nation to be a royal priesthood and citizens of your holy city.  May our words of praise call the world to turn to the joy of fellowship with you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 45))
Thus says the Lord who created the heavens,*
who formed the earth and made it;
who did not create it a chaos,*
but formed it to be inhabited -
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;*
for I am God: there is no other.
From my mouth has gone forth in righteousness*
a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,*
every tongue shall swear”.’
In the Lord all the offspring of Israel*
shall triumph and glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

READINGS

Readings of the day for Morning and Evening Prayer. Select one or more for each office.

Ruth 1.19-2.13
So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, ‘Is this Naomi?’ She said to them,
‘Call me no longer Naomi,
call me Mara,
for the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me.
I went away full,
but the Lord has brought me back empty;
why call me Naomi
when the Lord has dealt harshly with me,
and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?’

So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, a prominent rich man, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favour.’ She said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’ So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, ‘The Lord be with you.’ They answered, ‘The Lord bless you.’ Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, ‘To whom does this young woman belong?’ The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, ‘She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, “Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.” So she came, and she has been on her feet from early this morning until now, without resting even for a moment.’

Then Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women.Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.’ Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, ‘Why have I found favour in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?’ But Boaz answered her, ‘All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. May theLord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!’ Then she said, ‘May I continue to find favour in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.’

1 Timothy 1.18-2.8
I am giving you these instructions, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, having faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have suffered shipwreck in the faith; among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have turned over to Satan, so that they may learn not to blaspheme.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For
there is one God;
there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human,
who gave himself a ransom for all
—this was attested at the right time. For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument;

Silence

Response (Ps. 92.4)
V. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
V. I will sing for joy because of the works of your hands.
R. You have made me glad.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God has remembered* his holy covenant.

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 remembered* his holy covenant.

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, without you we are not able to please you.  Mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive 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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Morning Prayer: Monday of Proper 7 – 20 May, 2013

WEEK A

 

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: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

Opening – From Psalm 104
You spread out the heavens like a curtain;*
you lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above;
You make the clouds your chariot;*
 you ride on the wings of the wind;
You make the winds your messengers*
and flames of fire your servants.
You have set the earth upon its foundations,*
so that it never shall move at any time.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 98
Sing to the Lord a new song,*
for he has done marvellous things.
With his right hand and his holy arm*
has he won for himself the victory.
The Lord has made known his victory;*
his righteousness has he openly shown in
the sight of the nations.
He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to
the house of Israel,*
and all the ends of the earth have seen the
victory of our God.
Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands;*
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
Sing to the Lord with the harp,*
with the harp and the voice of song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn*
shout with joy before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it,*
the lands and those who dwell therein.
Let the rivers clap their hands,*
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
when he comes to judge the earth.
In righteousness shall he judge the world*
and the peoples with equity.
Glory to the Father . . .

Lord God, we see your righteous rule in all your works, and we join our voices with the song of your whole creation in praising you, in and through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Conclusion (from Isaiah 45))
Thus says the Lord who created the heavens,*
who formed the earth and made it;
who did not create it a chaos,*
but formed it to be inhabited -
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;*
for I am God: there is no other.
From my mouth has gone forth in righteousness*
a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,*
every tongue shall swear”.’
In the Lord all the offspring of Israel*
shall triumph and glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

READINGS

Ruth 1.1-18

 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there for about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons or her husband.

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had had consideration for his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go back each of you to your mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband.’ Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. They said to her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.’ But Naomi said, ‘Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lordhas turned against me.’ Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

So she said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said,
‘Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.
Where you die, I will die—
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!’
When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

1 Timothy 1.1-17

 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope,

To Timothy, my loyal child in the faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

I urge you, as I did when I was on my way to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach any different doctrine, and not to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations rather than the divine trainingthat is known by faith. But the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately. This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers,fornicators, sodomites, slave-traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Luke 13.1-9

 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’

Silence

Response (Ps. 92.4)
V. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
V. I will sing for joy because of the works of your hands.
R. You have made me glad.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God has set us free* to worship him.

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 set us free* to worship him.

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, without you we are not able to please you.  Mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive 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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Morning Prayer: The Day of Pentecost (Proper 7) – 19 May, 2013

NEW LIFE – THE SPIRIT

 

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: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,* and
your glory over all the earth.

Opening – (from Psalm 57)
My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;*
I will sing and make melody.
Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp:*
I myself will waken the dawn.
I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord;*
I will sing praise to you among the nations.
For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens,*
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Glory to the Father…

Psalm 33
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous;*
it is good for the just to sing praises.
Praise the Lord with the harp;*
play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
Sing for him a new song;*
sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.
For the word of the Lord is right,*
and all his works are sure.
He loves righteousness and justice;*
the loving-kindness of the Lord fills the whole earth.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,*
by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
He gathers up the waters of the ocean as in a water-skin*
and stores up the depths of the sea.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; *
let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
For he spoke, and it came to pass;*
he commanded, and it stood fast.
The Lord brings the will of the nations to naught;*
he thwarts the designs of the peoples.
But the Lord’s will stands fast for ever,*
and the designs of his heart from age to age.
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord!*
happy the people he has chosen to be his own!
The Lord looks down from heaven,*
and beholds all the people in the world.
From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze*
on all who dwell on the earth.
He fashions all the hearts of them*
and understands all their works.
There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army;*
a strong man is not delivered by his great strength.
The horse is a vain hope for deliverance;*
for all its strength it cannot save.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him,*
on those who wait upon his love,
To pluck their lives from death,*
and to feed them in time of famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;*
he is our help and our shield.
Indeed, our heart rejoices in him,*
for in his holy name we put our trust.
Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,*
as we have put our trust in you.
Blessed are you, Creator of the universe. In your loving kindness you watch over your chosen people. Make us witnesses to your truth and instruments of your peace, that all may know you as the God of justice, and praise your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Conclusion (Isaiah 61/Luke 4)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,*
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the
poor,
and has sent me to proclaim release to the captives;*
recovery of sight to the blind;
to set at liberty those who are oppressed;*
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;*
my soul shall exult in my God;
who has clothed me with the garment of salvation,*
and covered me with the robe of righteousness.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,*
so the Lord will cause righteousness to spring forth before
all nations.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,
and your glory over all the earth.

READINGS

Joel 2: 21-32
Do not fear, O soil;
be glad and rejoice,
for the Lord has done great things!
Do not fear, you animals of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit,
the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
O children of Zion, be glad
and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the later rain, as before.
The threshing-floors shall be full of grain,
the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent against you.
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other.
And my people shall never again
be put to shame.
Then afterwards
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

Acts of the Apostles 2: 14-21
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
“In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Silence

Response (Ps. 96.4)
V. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
R. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
V. Make known his deeds among the peoples.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: In the Spirit,* we have access
to the Father; alleluia!

 

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.

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 and everliving God, who fulfilled the promises of Easter by sending us your Holy Spirit and opening to every race and nation the way of life eternal: keep us in the unity of your Spirit, that every tongue may tell of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, 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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Morning Prayer: Wednesday of Easter 7 – 15 May, 2013

NEW LIFE – THE SPIRIT

 

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: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,* and
your glory over all the earth.

Opening – (from Psalm 57)
My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;*
I will sing and make melody.
Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp:*
I myself will waken the dawn.
I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord;*
I will sing praise to you among the nations.
For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens,*
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Glory to the Father…

Psalm 76
In Judah is God known;*
his name is great in Israel.
At Salem is his tabernacle,*
and his dwelling is in Zion.
There he broke the flashing arrows,*
the shield, the sword, and the weapons of battle.
How glorious you are!*
more splendid than the everlasting mountains!
The strong of heart have been despoiled;
they sink into sleep;*
none of the warriors can lift a hand.
At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,*
both horse and rider lie stunned.
What terror you inspire!*
who can stand before you when you are angry?
From heaven you pronounced judgement;*
the earth was afraid and was still;
When God rose up to judgement*
and to save all the oppressed of the earth.
Truly, wrathful Edom will give you thanks,*
and the remnant of Hamath will keep your feasts.
Make a vow to the Lord your God and keep it;*
let all around him bring gifts to him who is worthy
to be feared.
He breaks the spirit of princes,*
and strikes terror in the kings of the earth.
Judge eternal, love is the government of your holy city and the indictment of the proud. We give thanks for the great salvation you have revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Conclusion (Isaiah 61/Luke 4)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,*
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the
poor,
and has sent me to proclaim release to the captives;*
recovery of sight to the blind;
to set at liberty those who are oppressed;*
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;*
my soul shall exult in my God;
who has clothed me with the garment of salvation,*
and covered me with the robe of righteousness.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,*
so the Lord will cause righteousness to spring forth before
all nations.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,
and your glory over all the earth.

READINGS

Ezekiel 11: 14-25
Then the word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, your kinsfolk, your own kin, your fellow exiles, the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘They have gone far from the Lord; to us this land is given for a possession.’ Therefore say: Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far away among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a little while in the countries where they have gone. Therefore say: Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. When they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, so that they may follow my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, says the Lord God.

Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. And the glory of the Lord ascended from the middle of the city, and stopped on the mountain east of the city. The spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen left me. And I told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me.

Hebrews 7: 1-17
This ‘King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him’; and to him Abraham apportioned ‘one-tenth of everything’. His name, in the first place, means ‘king of righteousness’; next he is also king of Salem, that is, ‘king of peace’. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest for ever.

See how great he is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils. And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also are descended from Abraham. But this man, who does not belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Now if perfection had been attainable through the levitical priesthood—for the people received the law under this priesthood—what further need would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than one according to the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. Now the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek, one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life. For it is attested of him,
‘You are a priest for ever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.’

Silence

Response (Ps. 96.4)
V. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
R. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
V. Make known his deeds among the peoples.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: I will not leave you desolate, says the Lord;*
I will come to you; alleluia.

 

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.

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, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven.  Mercifully give us faith to know that, as he promised, he abides with us on earth to the end of time;  who is alive 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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Morning Prayer: Tuesday of Easter 7 – 14 May, 2013

NEW LIFE – THE SPIRIT

 

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: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,* and
your glory over all the earth.

Opening – (from Psalm 57)
My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;*
I will sing and make melody.
Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp:*
I myself will waken the dawn.
I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord;*
I will sing praise to you among the nations.
For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens,*
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Glory to the Father…

Psalm 72
Give the king your justice, O God,*
and your righteousness to the king’s son;
That he may rule your people righteously*
and the poor with justice;
That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people,*
and the little hills bring righteousness.
He shall defend the needy among the people;*
he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.
He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure,*
from one generation to another.
He shall come down like rain upon the mown field,*
like showers that water the earth.
In his time shall the righteous flourish;*
there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall
be no more.
He shall rule from sea to sea,*
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
His foes shall bow down before him,*
and his enemies lick the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute,*
and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts.
All kings shall bow down before him,*
and all the nations do him service.
For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress,*
and the oppressed who has no helper.
He shall have pity on the lowly and poor;*
he shall preserve the lives of the needy.
He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence,*
and dear shall their blood be in his sight.
Long may he live!
and may there be given to him gold from Arabia;*
may prayer be made for him always,
and may they bless him all the day long.
May there be abundance of grain on the earth,
growing thick even on the hilltops;*
may its fruit flourish like Lebanon,
and its grain like grass upon the earth.
May his name remain for ever
and be established as long as the sun endures;*
may all the nations bless themselves in him and
call him blessed.
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,*
who alone does wondrous deeds!
And blessed be his glorious name for ever!*
and may all the earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
O God, bring our nation and all nations to a sense of justice and equity, that poverty, oppression, and violence may vanish and all may know peace and plenty. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion (Isaiah 61/Luke 4)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,*
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the
poor,
and has sent me to proclaim release to the captives;*
recovery of sight to the blind;
to set at liberty those who are oppressed;*
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;*
my soul shall exult in my God;
who has clothed me with the garment of salvation,*
and covered me with the robe of righteousness.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,*
so the Lord will cause righteousness to spring forth before
all nations.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,
and your glory over all the earth.

READINGS

Ezekiel 7: 10-15, 23b-27
See, the day! See, it comes!
Your doom has gone out.
The rod has blossomed, pride has budded.
Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness.
None of them shall remain,
not their abundance, not their wealth;
no pre-eminence among them.
The time has come, the day draws near;
let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn,
for wrath is upon all their multitude.
For the sellers shall not return to what has been sold as long as they remain alive. For the vision concerns all their multitude; it shall not be revoked. Because of their iniquity, they cannot maintain their lives.
They have blown the horn and made everything ready;
but no one goes to battle,
for my wrath is upon all their multitude.
The sword is outside, pestilence and famine are inside;
those in the field die by the sword;
those in the city—famine and pestilence devour them.
Make a chain!
For the land is full of bloody crimes;
the city is full of violence.
I will bring the worst of the nations
to take possession of their houses.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the strong,
and their holy places shall be profaned.
When anguish comes, they will seek peace,
but there shall be none.
Disaster comes upon disaster,
rumour follows rumour;
they shall keep seeking a vision from the prophet;
instruction shall perish from the priest,
and counsel from the elders.
The king shall mourn,
the prince shall be wrapped in despair,
and the hands of the people of the land shall tremble.
According to their way I will deal with them;
according to their own judgements I will judge them.
And they shall know that I am the Lord.

Hebrews 6: 13-20
When God made a promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, ‘I will surely bless you and multiply you.’ And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Human beings, of course, swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all dispute. In the same way, when God desired to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it by an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God would prove false, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Silence

Response (Ps. 96.4)
V. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
R. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
V. Make known his deeds among the peoples.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: I will not leave you desolate, says the Lord;*
I will come to you; alleluia.

 

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.

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, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven.  Mercifully give us faith to know that, as he promised, he abides with us on earth to the end of time;  who is alive 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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Morning Prayer: Monday of Easter 7 – 13 May, 2013

NEW LIFE – THE SPIRIT

 

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: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,* and
your glory over all the earth.

Opening – (from Psalm 57)
My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;*
I will sing and make melody.
Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp:*
I myself will waken the dawn.
I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord;*
I will sing praise to you among the nations.
For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens,*
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Glory to the Father…

Psalm 81
Sing with joy to God our strength*
and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
Raise a song and sound the timbrel,*
the merry harp, and the lyre.
Blow the ram’s-horn at the new moon,*
and at the full moon, the day of our feast.
For this is a statute for Israel,*
a law of the God of Jacob.
He laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph,*
when he came out of the land of Egypt.
I heard an unfamiliar voice saying,*
‘I eased his shoulder from the burden;
his hands were set free from bearing the load.’
You called on me in trouble, and I saved you;*
I answered you from the secret place of thunder
and tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you:*
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
There shall be no strange god among you;*
you shall not worship a foreign god.
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said,*
‘Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.’
And yet my people did not hear my voice,*
and Israel would not obey me.
So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts,*
to follow their own devices.
Oh, that my people would listen to me!*
that Israel would walk in my ways!
I should soon subdue their enemies*
and turn my hand against their foes.
Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,*
and their punishment would last for ever.
But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat*
and satisfy him with honey from the rock.
Glory to the Father . . .

Father, forgive our foolish ways, and feed us always with that living bread which is given for the life of the world, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (Isaiah 61/Luke 4)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,*
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the
poor,
and has sent me to proclaim release to the captives;*
recovery of sight to the blind;
to set at liberty those who are oppressed;*
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;*
my soul shall exult in my God;
who has clothed me with the garment of salvation,*
and covered me with the robe of righteousness.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,*
so the Lord will cause righteousness to spring forth before
all nations.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,
and your glory over all the earth.

READINGS

Ezekiel 4: 1-17
And you, O mortal, take a brick and set it before you. On it portray a city, Jerusalem; and put siege-works against it, and build a siege-wall against it, and cast up a ramp against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering-rams against it all round. Then take an iron plate and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; set your face towards it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.

Then lie on your left side, and place the punishment of the house of Israel upon it; you shall bear their punishment for the number of the days that you lie there. For I assign to you a number of days, three hundred and ninety days, equal to the number of the years of their punishment; and so you shall bear the punishment of the house of Israel. When you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the punishment of the house of Judah; forty days I assign you, one day for each year. You shall set your face towards the siege of Jerusalem, and with your arm bared you shall prophesy against it. See, I am putting cords on you so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege.

And you, take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread for yourself. During the number of days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat it. The food that you eat shall be twenty shekels a day by weight; at fixed times you shall eat it. And you shall drink water by measure, one-sixth of a hin; at fixed times you shall drink. You shall eat it as a barley-cake, baking it in their sight on human dung. The Lordsaid, ‘Thus shall the people of Israel eat their bread, unclean, among the nations to which I will drive them.’ Then I said, ‘Ah Lord God! I have never defiled myself; from my youth up until now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by animals, nor has carrion flesh come into my mouth.’ Then he said to me, ‘See, I will let you have cow’s dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread.’

Then he said to me, Mortal, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with fearfulness; and they shall drink water by measure and in dismay. Lacking bread and water, they will look at one another in dismay, and waste away under their punishment.

Hebrews 6: 1-12
Therefore let us go on towards perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith towards God, instruction about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement. And we will do this, if God permits. For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, since on their own they are crucifying again the Son of God and are holding him up to contempt. Ground that drinks up the rain falling on it repeatedly, and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and on the verge of being cursed; its end is to be burned over.

Even though we speak in this way, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we want each one of you to show the same diligence, so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Silence

Response (Ps. 96.4)
V. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
R. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
V. Make known his deeds among the peoples.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: I will not leave you desolate, says the Lord;*
I will come to you; alleluia.

 

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.

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, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven.  Mercifully give us faith to know that, as he promised, he abides with us on earth to the end of time;  who is alive 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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Morning Prayer: Seventh Sunday of Easter – 12 May, 2013

NEW LIFE – THE SPIRIT

 

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: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,* and
your glory over all the earth.

Opening – (from Psalm 57)
My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;*
I will sing and make melody.
Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp:*
I myself will waken the dawn.
I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord;*
I will sing praise to you among the nations.
For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens,*
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Glory to the Father…

Psalm 33
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous;*
it is good for the just to sing praises.
Praise the Lord with the harp;*
play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
Sing for him a new song;*
sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.
For the word of the Lord is right,*
and all his works are sure.
He loves righteousness and justice;*
the loving-kindness of the Lord fills the whole earth.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,*
by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
He gathers up the waters of the ocean as in a water-skin*
and stores up the depths of the sea.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; *
let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
For he spoke, and it came to pass;*
he commanded, and it stood fast.
The Lord brings the will of the nations to naught;*
he thwarts the designs of the peoples.
But the Lord’s will stands fast for ever,*
and the designs of his heart from age to age.
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord!*
happy the people he has chosen to be his own!
The Lord looks down from heaven,*
and beholds all the people in the world.
From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze*
on all who dwell on the earth.
He fashions all the hearts of them*
and understands all their works.
There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army;*
a strong man is not delivered by his great strength.
The horse is a vain hope for deliverance;*
for all its strength it cannot save.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him,*
on those who wait upon his love,
To pluck their lives from death,*
and to feed them in time of famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;*
he is our help and our shield.
Indeed, our heart rejoices in him,*
for in his holy name we put our trust.
Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,*
as we have put our trust in you.
Blessed are you, Creator of the universe. In your loving kindness you watch over your chosen people. Make us witnesses to your truth and instruments of your peace, that all may know you as the God of justice, and praise your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Conclusion (Isaiah 61/Luke 4)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,*
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the
poor,
and has sent me to proclaim release to the captives;*
recovery of sight to the blind;
to set at liberty those who are oppressed;*
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;*
my soul shall exult in my God;
who has clothed me with the garment of salvation,*
and covered me with the robe of righteousness.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,*
so the Lord will cause righteousness to spring forth before
all nations.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,
and your glory over all the earth.

READINGS

2 Samuel 23: 1-5
Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man whom God exalted,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the favourite of the Strong One of Israel:
The spirit of the Lord speaks through me,
his word is upon my tongue.
The God of Israel has spoken,
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
One who rules over people justly,
ruling in the fear of God,
is like the light of morning,
like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.
Is not my house like this with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
Will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?

Ephesians 1: 15-23
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Silence

Response (Ps. 96.4)
V. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
R. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
V. Make known his deeds among the peoples.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: I will not leave you desolate, says the Lord;*
I will come to you; alleluia.

 

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.

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, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven.  Mercifully give us faith to know that, as he promised, he abides with us on earth to the end of time;  who is alive 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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Morning Prayer: Saturday of Easter 6 – 11 May, 2013

NEW LIFE – THE SPIRIT

 

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: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,* and
your glory over all the earth.

Opening – (from Psalm 57)
My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;*
I will sing and make melody.
Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp:*
I myself will waken the dawn.
I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord;*
I will sing praise to you among the nations.
For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens,*
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Glory to the Father…

Psalm 147
Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!*
how pleasant it is to honour him with praise!
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;*
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted*
and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars*
and calls them all by their names.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;*
there is no limit to his wisdom.
The Lord lifts up the lowly,*
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;*
make music to our God upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds*
and prepares rain for the earth;
He makes grass to grow upon the mountains*
and green plants to serve mankind.
He provides food for flocks and herds*
and for the young ravens when they cry.
He is not impressed by the might of a horse,*
he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;
But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him,*
in those who await his gracious favour.
Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem;*
praise your God, O Zion;
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;*
he has blessed your children within you.
He has established peace on your borders;*
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth,*
and his word runs very swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;*
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
He scatters his hail like bread crumbs;*
who can stand against his cold?
He sends forth his word and melts them;*
he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,*
his statutes and his judgements to Israel.
He has not done so to any other nation;*
to them he has not revealed his judgements.
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father  . . .

God of the universe, Lord of life, give us grace to see you in all your works, in all creatures, all people, and in our hearts, that we may faithfully serve you and worthily praise your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (Isaiah 61/Luke 4)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,*
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the
poor,
and has sent me to proclaim release to the captives;*
recovery of sight to the blind;
to set at liberty those who are oppressed;*
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;*
my soul shall exult in my God;
who has clothed me with the garment of salvation,*
and covered me with the robe of righteousness.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,*
so the Lord will cause righteousness to spring forth before
all nations.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,
and your glory over all the earth.

READINGS

Ezekiel 3: 4-17
He said to me: Mortal, go to the house of Israel and speak my very words to them. For you are not sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel— not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. But the house of Israel will not listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me; because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. See, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. Like the hardest stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not fear them or be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. He said to me: Mortal, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart and hear with your ears; then go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them. Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God’; whether they hear or refuse to hear.

Then the spirit lifted me up, and as the glory of the Lord rose from its place, I heard behind me the sound of loud rumbling; it was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, that sounded like a loud rumbling. The spirit lifted me up and bore me away; I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me. I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who lived by the river Chebar. And I sat there among them, stunned, for seven days.

At the end of seven days, the word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, I have made you a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.

Hebrews 5: 7-14
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

About this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become dull in understanding. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.

Silence

Response (Ps. 96.4)
V. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
R. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.
V. Make known his deeds among the peoples.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name, alleluia, alleluia.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: I will not leave you desolate, says the Lord;*
I will come to you; alleluia.

 

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.

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
Merciful God, you have prepared for those who love you riches beyond imagination.  Pour into our hearts such love towards you that we, loving you above all things, may obtain your promises which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive 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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