Evening Prayer: Patrick, Bishop, Patron of Ireland, 461 – 17 March, 2013 (Transferred)

Festivals

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Sing to the Lord a new song; *
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.

Opening (from Psalm 149)
Let Israel rejoice in his maker;*
let the children of Zion be joyful in their king.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people*
and adorns the poor with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice in triumph;*
let them be joyful on their beds.
Let the praises of God be in their throat*
and a two-edged sword in their hand.
Glory be to the Father…

Psalm 116
I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my
supplication,*
because he has inclined his ear to me
whenever I called upon him.
The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me;*
I came to grief and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord:*
‘O Lord, I pray you, save my life.’
Gracious is the Lord and righteous;*
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord watches over the innocent;*
I was brought very low, and he helped me.
Turn again to your rest, O my soul,*
for the Lord has treated you well.
For you have rescued my life from death,*
my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord*
in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I said,
‘I have been brought very low.’*
In my distress I said, ‘No one can be trusted.’
How shall I repay the Lord*
for all the good things he has done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord*
is the death of his servants.
O Lord, I am your servant;*
I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me from my bonds.
I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
In the courts of the Lord’s house,*
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father . . .

Eternal God, faithful in your tender compassion, you give us hope for our life here and hereafter through the victory of your only Son. When we share his cup of salvation, revive in us the joy of this everlasting gift. We ask this in his name. Amen

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations;*
laud him, all you peoples.
For his loving-kindness toward us is great,*
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father . . .

Faithful God, your loving kindness for all people is revealed in Jesus Christ. Let your kingdom come now in peace and justice in all the world. We ask this in his name. Amen

Conclusion: Glory and Honour (From Revelation 4 and 5)
Glory and honour and power*
are yours by right, O Lord our God;
For you created all things*
and by your will they have their being.
Glory and honour and power*
are yours by right, O Lamb who was slain;
For by your blood you ransomed us for God,*
from every race and language,
from every people and nation.
To make us a kingdom of priests*
to stand and serve before our God.
To God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb*
be praise and honour, glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Glory be to the Father . . .

Antiphon: Sing to the Lord a new song; *
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.

READING

Isaiah 42: 1-17
Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the end of the earth!
Let the sea roar and all that fills it,
the coastlands and their inhabitants.
Let the desert and its towns lift up their voice,
the villages that Kedar inhabits;
let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy,
let them shout from the tops of the mountains.
Let them give glory to the Lord,
and declare his praise in the coastlands.
The Lord goes forth like a soldier,
like a warrior he stirs up his fury;
he cries out, he shouts aloud,
he shows himself mighty against his foes.
For a long time I have held my peace,
I have kept still and restrained myself;
now I will cry out like a woman in labour,
I will gasp and pant.
I will lay waste mountains and hills,
and dry up all their herbage;
I will turn the rivers into islands,
and dry up the pools.
I will lead the blind
by a road they do not know,
by paths they have not known
I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,
the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I will do,
and I will not forsake them.
They shall be turned back and utterly put to shame—
those who trust in carved images,
who say to cast images,
‘You are our gods.’

Luke 10: 1-20
After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!”And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.” I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgement it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum,
will you be exalted to heaven?
No, you will be brought down to Hades.

‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’

The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’

Silence

Response (Ps. 30.1)
V. You delight, Lord, in those who fear you.
R. You delight, Lord, in those who fear you.
V. Who wait in hope for your mercy.
R. Those who fear you.
V. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. You delight, Lord, in those who fear you.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: Those that sow in tears*
shall reap with songs of joy.

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

Magnificat Antiphon: Those that sow in tears*
shall reap with songs of joy.

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, in your providence you chose your servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of your Word: grant that walking in that light we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

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

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Evening Prayer: Wednesday of Lent 3 – 6 March

RETURNING TO GOD

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Show me your ways, O Lord,*
and teach me your paths.

Opening (from Psalm 25)
You are the God of my salvation;*
in you have I trusted all the day long.
Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love,*
for they are from everlasting.
Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;*
remember me according to your love.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,*
for my hope has been in you.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 78.1-39
Part I
Hear my teaching, O my people;*
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable;*
I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
That which we have heard and known,
and what our forefathers have told us,*
we will not hide from their children.
We will recount to generations to come
the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord,*
and the wonderful works he has done.
He gave his decrees to Jacob and established a law for Israel,*
which he commanded them to teach their children;
That the generations to come might know,
and the children yet unborn;*
that they in their turn might tell it to their children;
So that they might put their trust in God,*
and not forget the deeds of God,
but keep his commandments;
And not be like their forefathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,*
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
The people of Ephraim, armed with the bow,*
turned back in the day of battle;
They did not keep the covenant of God,*
and refused to walk in his law;
They forgot what he had done,*
and the wonders he had shown them.
He worked marvels in the sight of their forefathers,*
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
He split open the sea and let them pass through;*
he made the waters stand up like walls.
He led them with a cloud by day,*
and all the night through with a glow of fire.
He split the hard rocks in the wilderness*
and gave them drink as from the great deep.
He brought streams out of the cliff,*
and the waters gushed out like rivers.
But they went on sinning against him,*
rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
They tested God in their hearts,*
demanding food for their craving.
They railed against God and said,*
‘Can God set a table in the wilderness?
True, he struck the rock, the waters gushed out, and the
gullies overflowed;*
but is he able to give bread
or to provide meat for his people?’

When the Lord heard this, he was full of wrath;*
a fire was kindled against Jacob,
and his anger mounted against Israel;
For they had no faith in God,*
nor did they put their trust in his saving power.
So he commanded the clouds above*
and opened the doors of heaven.
He rained down manna upon them to eat*
and gave them grain from heaven.
So mortals ate the bread of angels;*
he provided for them food enough.
He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens*
and led out the south wind by his might.
He rained down flesh upon them like dust*
and wingèd birds like the sand of the sea.
He let it fall in the midst of their camp*
and round about their dwellings.
So they ate and were well filled,*
for he gave them what they craved.
But they did not stop their craving,*
though the food was still in their mouths.
So God’s anger mounted against them;*
he slew their strongest men
and laid low the youth of Israel.
In spite of all this, they went on sinning*
and had no faith in his wonderful works.
So he brought their days to an end like a breath*
and their years in sudden terror.
Whenever he slew them, they would seek him,*
and repent, and diligently search for God.

They would remember that God was their rock,*
and the Most High God their redeemer.
But they flattered him with their mouths*
and lied to him with their tongues.
Their heart was not steadfast toward him,*
and they were not faithful to his covenant.
But he was so merciful that he forgave their sins
and did not destroy them;*
many times he held back his anger
and did not permit his wrath to be roused.
For he remembered that they were but flesh,*
a breath that goes forth and does not return.

Conclusion (from Matthew 5)
Blessed are the poor in spirit,*
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,*
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,*
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,*
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,*
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,*
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,*
for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,*

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Show me your ways, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.

READING

John 8: 12-20
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ Then the Pharisees said to him, ‘You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.’ Jesus answered, ‘Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgement is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.’ Then they said to him, ‘Where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’ He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

Silence

Response (Psalm 86.15)
V. You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.
R. You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.
V. Slow to anger, full of kindness and truth.
R. Full of compassion.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: Lord, you are indeed the Saviour of the world.*

Give us living water, that we may not thirst.

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

Magnificat Antiphon: Lord, you are indeed the Saviour of the world.*

Give us living water, that we may not thirst.

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, whose Son Jesus Christ gives the water of eternal life, may we always thirst for you, the spring of life and source of goodness; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

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

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Evening Prayer: Saturday of Lent 1 – 23 February, 2013

RETURNING TO GOD

 

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Show me your ways, O Lord,*
and teach me your paths.

Opening (from Psalm 25)
You are the God of my salvation;*
in you have I trusted all the day long.
Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love,*
for they are from everlasting.
Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;*
remember me according to your love.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,*
for my hope has been in you.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 130
Out of the depths have I called you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice;*
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss,*
O Lord, who could stand?
For there is forgiveness with you;*
therefore you shall be feared.
I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him;*
in his word is my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,*
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, wait for the Lord,*
for with the Lord there is mercy;
With him there is plenteous redemption,*
and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.
Rescue us, O God for whom we wait, from the depths of depression and despair. May we trust in your mercy, know the fullness of your redemption, and share in the glory of your kingdom; through our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Psalm 131
O Lord, I am not proud;*
I have no haughty looks.
I do not occupy myself with great matters,*
or with things that are too hard for me.
But I still my soul and make it quiet,
like a child upon its mother’s breast;*
my soul is quieted within me.
O Israel, wait upon the Lord,*
from this time forth for evermore.
God of earthquake, wind, and fire, may we know you also in the voice of silence. Teach us the way of quiet, that we may find our peace in your presence, in the pattern of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Conclusion (from Matthew 5)
Blessed are the poor in spirit,*
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,*
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,*
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,*
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,*
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,*
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,*
for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,*
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Show me your ways, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.

READING

John 4:1-26
Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, ‘Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John’— although it was not Jesus himself but his disciples who baptized— he left Judea and started back to Galilee. But he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’. (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’ Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’

Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come back.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you.’

 

Silence

Response (Psalm 86.15)
V. You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.
R. You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.
V. Slow to anger, full of kindness and truth.
R. Full of compassion.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: We shall not live by bread alone,* but by every
word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

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

Magnificat Antiphon: We shall not live by bread alone,* but by every
word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

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, whose Son fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are but did not sin, give us grace to discipline ourselves in submission to your Spirit, that as you know our weakness so we may know your power to save; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

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

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Evening Prayer: Friday of Lent 1 – 22 February, 2013

RETURNING TO GOD

 

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Show me your ways, O Lord,*
and teach me your paths.

Opening (from Psalm 25)
You are the God of my salvation;*
in you have I trusted all the day long.
Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love,*
for they are from everlasting.
Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;*
remember me according to your love.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,*
for my hope has been in you.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 130
Out of the depths have I called you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice;*
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss,*
O Lord, who could stand?
For there is forgiveness with you;*
therefore you shall be feared.
I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him;*
in his word is my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,*
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, wait for the Lord,*
for with the Lord there is mercy;
With him there is plenteous redemption,*
and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.
Rescue us, O God for whom we wait, from the depths of depression and despair. May we trust in your mercy, know the fullness of your redemption, and share in the glory of your kingdom; through our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Psalm 131
O Lord, I am not proud;*
I have no haughty looks.
I do not occupy myself with great matters,*
or with things that are too hard for me.
But I still my soul and make it quiet,
like a child upon its mother’s breast;*
my soul is quieted within me.
O Israel, wait upon the Lord,*
from this time forth for evermore.
God of earthquake, wind, and fire, may we know you also in the voice of silence. Teach us the way of quiet, that we may find our peace in your presence, in the pattern of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Conclusion (from Matthew 5)
Blessed are the poor in spirit,*
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,*
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,*
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,*
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,*
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,*
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,*
for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,*
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Show me your ways, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.

READING

John 3: 22-36
After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized— John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison.

Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew. They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.” He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.’

The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.

Silence

Response (Psalm 86.15)
V. You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.
R. You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.
V. Slow to anger, full of kindness and truth.
R. Full of compassion.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: We shall not live by bread alone,* but by every
word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

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

Magnificat Antiphon: We shall not live by bread alone,* but by every
word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

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, whose Son fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are but did not sin, give us grace to discipline ourselves in submission to your Spirit, that as you know our weakness so we may know your power to save; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

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

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Normal Service Resumed

Apologies for the break in service and a huge thank you to Yvonne for all her hard work aver the last few years. Congratulations on your new job Yvonne! The site is now up and running again and will resume with morning prayer tomorrow morning.

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Monday 07 January, 2013

Apologies for the break in posts. I have started a new job and this with family commitments have meant I have little spare time.

When things settle I hope to be back posting.

Until then, take care

Yvonne

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Morning Prayer: Tuesday of 1 Advent – 04 December, 2012

Anticipation

 

V. O Lord, open our lips:
R. and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Show your servants your works*
and your splendour to their children.

Opening – From Psalm 90
Lord, you have been our refuge*
from one generation to another.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or the land and the earth were born,*
from age to age you are God.
Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning;*
so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
Make us glad by the measure of the days that you
afflicted us*
and the years in which we suffered adversity.

Glory be to the Father…

Psalm 20
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble,*
the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
Send you help from his holy place*
and strengthen you out of Zion;
Remember all your offerings*
and accept your burnt sacrifice;
Grant you your heart’s desire*
and prosper all your plans.
We will shout for joy at your victory
and triumph in the name of our God;*
may the Lord grant all your requests.
Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his anointed;*
he will answer him out of his holy heaven,
with the victorious strength of his right hand.
Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses,*
but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God.

They collapse and fall down,*
but we will arise and stand upright.
O Lord, give victory to the king*
and answer us when we call.
God, our hope and our defence, protect all those who call upon your name, that they may stand upright in the day of trouble, and share in the victory of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Psalm 21

The king rejoices in your strength, O Lord;*
how greatly he exults in your victory!
You have given him his heart’s desire;*
you have not denied him the request of his lips.
For you meet him with blessings of prosperity,*
and set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him;*
length of days, for ever and ever.
His honour is great, because of your victory;*
splendour and majesty have you bestowed upon him.
For you will give him everlasting felicity*
and will make him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king puts his trust in the Lord;*
because of the loving-kindness of the Most High, he
will not fall.
Your hand will lay hold upon all your enemies;*
your right hand will seize all those who hate you.
You will make them like a fiery furnace*
at the time of your appearing, O Lord;
You will swallow them up in your wrath,*
and fire shall consume them.
You will destroy their offspring from the land*
and their descendants from among the
peoples of the earth.
Though they intend evil against you
and devise wicked schemes,*
yet they shall not prevail.
For you will put them to flight*
and aim your arrows at them.
Be exalted, O Lord, in your might;*
we will sing and praise your power.
Giver of life and source of all blessings, may the leaders of the nations serve your people with justice and protect them from violence, hardship, and exploitation. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our King. Amen

Conclusion (Isaiah 2: 2-5)
In days to come, the mountain where the Lord dwells*
will be lifted high above all the mountains
and raised above the hills.
All the nations will flock to it;*
countless peoples will come to it.
And they will say, Come let us go to the mountain of the
Lord,*
to the temple of the God of Jacob,
who will teach us his ways,*
and we will walk in his paths;
who will sit in judgement over the nations;*
be arbiter among many peoples.
They will beat their swords into ploughshares,*
and their spears into sickles;
nationshall not lift up sword against nation,*
nor ever again prepare for war.
O people of Jacob come,*
let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Show your servants your works,
and your splendour to their children.

READINGS

Isaiah 1.21-31
How the faithful city
has become a whore!
She that was full of justice,
righteousness lodged in her—
but now murderers!
Your silver has become dross,
your wine is mixed with water.
Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.
They do not defend the orphan,
and the widow’s cause does not come before them.
Therefore says the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:
Ah, I will pour out my wrath on my enemies,
and avenge myself on my foes!
I will turn my hand against you;
I will smelt away your dross as with lye
and remove all your alloy.
And I will restore your judges as at the first,
and your counsellors as at the beginning.
Afterwards you shall be called the city of righteousness,
the faithful city.
Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together,
and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
For you shall be ashamed of the oaks
in which you delighted;
and you shall blush for the gardens
that you have chosen.
For you shall be like an oak
whose leaf withers,
and like a garden without water.
The strong shall become like tinder,
and their work like a spark;
they and their work shall burn together,
with no one to quench them.

1 Thessalonians 2.1-12
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully maltreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

You remember our labour and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was towards you believers. As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you should lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Silence

Response (Ps. 96.10)
V. Tell it out among the nations: ‘The Lord is King!’
R. Tell it out among the nations: ‘The Lord is King!’
V. He will judge the peoples with equity.
R. ‘The Lord is King.’
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Tell it out among the nations: ‘The Lord is King!’

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: Look up and raise your heads,*
because your redemption is drawing near.
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: Look up and raise your heads,*
because your redemption is drawing near.

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, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility, that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

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

 

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Evening Prayer: Friday of Pentecost 19 (Proper 27) – 12 October, 2012

WEEK D

 

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

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

PSALMODY

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

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

Psalm 116
I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my
supplication,*
because he has inclined his ear to me
whenever I called upon him.
The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me;*
I came to grief and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord:*
‘O Lord, I pray you, save my life.’
Gracious is the Lord and righteous;*
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord watches over the innocent;*
I was brought very low, and he helped me.
Turn again to your rest, O my soul,*
for the Lord has treated you well.
For you have rescued my life from death,*
my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord*
in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I said,
‘I have been brought very low.’*
In my distress I said, ‘No one can be trusted.’
How shall I repay the Lord*
for all the good things he has done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord*
is the death of his servants.
O Lord, I am your servant;*
I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me from my bonds.
I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
In the courts of the Lord’s house,*
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father . . .

Eternal God, faithful in your tender compassion, you give us hope for our life here and hereafter through the victory of your only Son. When we share his cup of salvation, revive in us the joy of this everlasting gift. We ask this in his name. Amen

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations;*
laud him, all you peoples.
For his loving-kindness toward us is great,*
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father . . .

Faithful God, your loving kindness for all people is revealed in Jesus Christ. Let your kingdom come now in peace and justice in all the world. We ask this in his name. Amen

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

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

READING

Luke 8.1-15
Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’

Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that
“looking they may not perceive,
and listening they may not understand.”

‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

 Silence

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

MAGNIFICAT

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

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

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

PRAYERS

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

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

Collects
Almighty God, you have built your Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.  Join us together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may become a holy temple, acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

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

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

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

 

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Evening Prayer: Thursday of Pentecost 19 (Proper 27) – 11 October, 2012

WEEK D

 

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

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

PSALMODY

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

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

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

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

READING

Luke 7.36-50

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.’ Jesus spoke up and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Teacher,’ he replied, ‘speak.’ ‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ Then turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’

 

 Silence

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

MAGNIFICAT

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

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

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

PRAYERS

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

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

Collects
Almighty God, you have built your Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.  Join us together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may become a holy temple, acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

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

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

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

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Morning Prayer: Thursday of Pentecost 19 (Proper 27) – 11 October, 2012

WEEK D

 

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

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

PSALMODY

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

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

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

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

READINGS

Micah 3.1-8
And I said:
Listen, you heads of Jacob
and rulers of the house of Israel!
Should you not know justice?—
you who hate the good and love the evil,
who tear the skin off my people,
and the flesh off their bones;
who eat the flesh of my people,
flay their skin off them,
break their bones in pieces,
and chop them up like meat in a kettle,
like flesh in a cauldron.
Then they will cry to the Lord,
but he will not answer them;
he will hide his face from them at that time,
because they have acted wickedly.
Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets
who lead my people astray,
who cry ‘Peace’
when they have something to eat,
but declare war against those
who put nothing into their mouths.
Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision,
and darkness to you, without revelation.
The sun shall go down upon the prophets,
and the day shall be black over them;
the seers shall be disgraced,
and the diviners put to shame;
they shall all cover their lips,
for there is no answer from God.
But as for me, I am filled with power,
with the spirit of the Lord,
and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression
and to Israel his sin.

Acts of the Apostles 24.1-23
Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, and they reported their case against Paul to the governor. When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

‘Your Excellency, because of you we have long enjoyed peace, and reforms have been made for this people because of your foresight. We welcome this in every way and everywhere with utmost gratitude. But, to detain you no further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. We have, in fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, and so we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to learn from him concerning everything of which we accuse him.’

The Jews also joined in the charge by asserting that all this was true.

When the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied:

‘I cheerfully make my defence, knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation. As you can find out, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. They did not find me disputing with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd either in the synagogues or throughout the city. Neither can they prove to you the charge that they now bring against me. But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our ancestors, believing everything laid down according to the law or written in the prophets. I have a hope in God—a hope that they themselves also accept—that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience towards God and all people. Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation and to offer sacrifices. While I was doing this, they found me in the temple, completing the rite of purification, without any crowd or disturbance. But there were some Jews from Asia—they ought to be here before you to make an accusation, if they have anything against me. Or let these men here tell what crime they had found when I stood before the council, unless it was this one sentence that I called out while standing before them, “It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.” ’

But Felix, who was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing with the comment, ‘When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.’ Then he ordered the centurion to keep him in custody, but to let him have some liberty and not to prevent any of his friends from taking care of his needs.

Silence

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

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God has 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, you have built your Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.  Join us together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may become a holy temple, acceptable to you; 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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