Morning Prayer1: The Preparation
O Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, God of compassion and mercy, to you be praise and glory for ever! [In the darkness of our sin, your light breaks forth like the dawn and your healing springs up for deliverance.] As we rejoice in the gift of your saving help, sustain us with your bountiful Spirit and open our lips to sing your praise, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Blessed be God for ever!
Christ, though tempted like us, was without sin: O come, let us worship.
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Opening Canticle: A Song of Triumph (From Psalm 95)
Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and raise a loud shout to him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hands are the depths of the earth, and the heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands have moulded the dry land. Come, let us bow down and bend the knee, and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.* O that today you would hearken to his voice! [Harden not your hearts as your forebears did in the wilderness, at Meribah and on that day at Massah, when they tempted me. They put me to the test, though they had seen my works. Forty years long I detested that generation and said, ‘This people are wayward in their hearts; they do not know my ways.’ So I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’]
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
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The Opening Prayer
The night has passed and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind:
(Silence may be kept)
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. Amen.
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2: The Word of GodThe Psalmody
Psalm 25 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; my God, I put my trust in you; let me not be humiliated, nor let my enemies triumph over me. Let none who look to you be put to shame; let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes. Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for 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 and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord. Gracious and upright is the Lord; therefore he teaches sinners in his way. He guides the humble in doing right and teaches his way to the lowly. All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. For your Name’s sake, O Lord, forgive my sin, for it is great. Who are they who fear the Lord? he will teach them the way that they should choose. They shall dwell in prosperity, and their offspring shall inherit the land. The Lord is a friend to those who fear him and will show them his covenant. My eyes are ever looking to the Lord, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn to me and have pity on me, for I am left alone and in misery. The sorrows of my heart have increased; bring me out of my troubles. Look upon my adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin. Look upon my enemies, for they are many, and they bear a violent hatred against me. Protect my life and deliver me; let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for my hope has been in you. Deliver Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
Psalm 148 Hallelujah! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights. Praise him, all you angels of his; praise him, all his host. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, heaven of heavens, and you waters above the heavens. Let them praise the Name of the Lord; for he commanded, and they were created. He made them stand fast for ever and ever; he gave them a law which shall not pass away. Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea-monsters and all deeps; Fire and hail, snow and fog, tempestuous wind, doing his will; Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars; Wild beasts and all cattle, creeping things and winged birds; Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the world; Young men and maidens, old and young together. Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for his Name only is exalted, his splendor is over earth and heaven. He has raised up strength for his people and praise for all his loyal servants, the children of Israel, a people who are near him. Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The First Lesson:
If there are two Scripture Readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the second canticle.
Gen. 39:1-23
Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him; he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge; and, with him there, he had no concern for anything but the food that he ate. Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me." But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, with me here, my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not consent to lie beside her or to be with her. One day, however, when he went into the house to do his work, and while no one else was in the house, she caught hold of his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, she called out to the members of her household and said to them, "See, my husband has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us! He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice; and when he heard me raise my voice and cry out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside." Then she kept his garment by her until his master came home, and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me; but as soon as I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside." When his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, "This is the way your servant treated me," he became enraged. And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; he remained there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love; he gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. The chief jailer committed to Joseph's care all the prisoners who were in the prison, and whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The chief jailer paid no heed to anything that was in Joseph's care, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.
Canticle 2: A Song of New Creation
(Isaiah 43. 15-21)I will make a way in the wilderness,* and rivers in the desert.
‘I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, whom I have chosen.’ Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, ‘Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. ‘Behold, I make all things new; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? ‘I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, ‘The people whom I formed for myself, that they might declare my praise.’
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
I will make a way in the wilderness,* and rivers in the desert.
The Second Lesson:
One or more readings appointed for the day are read. The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
Mark 2:1-12
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ’stand up and take your mat and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-- he said to the paralytic-- "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home." And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Gospel Canticle: The Benedictus
(Isaiah 43. 15-21)You have given your people knowledge of salvation, O God,* by the forgiveness of their sins.
Blessèd 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 Savior, 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 to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
You have given your people knowledge of salvation, O God,* by the forgiveness of their sins.
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3: The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
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4: The Prayers
With faith and love and in union with Christ, let us offer our prayer before the throne of grace.
Have mercy on your people, for whom your Son laid down his life. Lord, have mercy.
Bring healing and wholeness to people and nations, and have pity on those torn apart by division. Lord, have mercy.
Strengthen all who are persecuted for your name’s sake, and deliver them from evil. Lord, have mercy.
Look in mercy upon all who suffer, and hear those who cry out in pain and desolation. Lord, have mercy.
Bring comfort to the dying, and gladden their hearts with the power of your glory. Lord, have mercy.
Give rest to the departed and bring them, with your saints, to glory everlasting. Lord, have mercy.
Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for others.
Silence may be kept.
As we rejoice in the triumph of the cross, we pray that the whole of creation may find fulfillment in the eternal kingdom of God:
The Collect:
The collect of the day (see lectionary) or the following may be used:
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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5: The Conclusion
May God our Redeemer show us compassion and love. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
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Evening Prayer1: Confession
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept. Officiant and People together
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
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2: The Preparation
O God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Let your ways be known upon earth Your saving power among the nations.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Opening Canticle: A Song of Entreaty (From Psalm 143)
Lord, hear my prayer, answer me in your righteousness. Enter not into judgement with your servant, for in your sight shall no one living be justified. My spirit faints within me; my heart within me is desolate. I spread out my hands to you; my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land. O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; do not hide your face from me. Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning, for I put my trust in you. Show me the road that I must walk, for I lift up my soul to you. Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; let your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Revive me, O Lord, for your name’s sake; for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Opening Prayer
Stir up in us, O God, the fire of your love, that we may be cleansed of all our sins and so be made ready to come into your presence, singing your praises now and for ever. Amen.
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3: The Word of GodThe Psalmody
Psalm 27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid? When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who stumbled and fell. Though an army should encamp against me, yet my heart shall not be afraid; And though war should rise up against me, yet will I put my trust in him. One thing have I asked of the Lord; one thing I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; To behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter; he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling and set me high upon a rock. Even now he lifts up my head above my enemies round about me. Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation with sounds of great gladness; I will sing and make music to the Lord. Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me. You speak in my heart and say, "Seek my face.” Your face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not your face from me, nor turn away your servant in displeasure. You have been my helper; cast me not away; do not forsake me, O God of my salvation. Though my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will sustain me. Show me your way, O Lord; lead me on a level path, because of my enemies. Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, and also those who speak malice. What if I had not believed that I should see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! O tarry and await the Lord’s pleasure; be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; wait patiently for the Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Second Canticle: The Song of Christ's Glory
(Philippians 2. 5b-11)At the name of Jesus* every knee shall bow.
Christ Jesus was in the form of God, but he did not cling to equality with God. He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and was born in our human likeness. Being found in human form, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross; Therefore, God has highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name above every name, That at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
At the name of Jesus* every knee shall bow.
The Lesson:
One or more readings appointed for the day are read. The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
1 Cor. 2:14-3:15
Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else's scrutiny. "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.
Gospel Canticle: The Song of Mary
(Luke 1:46-55)Come, let us return to the Lord,* for our God will richly pardon.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; for he has looked with favor 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 fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Come, let us return to the Lord,* for our God will richly pardon.
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4: The Prayers
In the love of God, let us complete our evening sacrifice of praise.
For the unity and peace of the holy Church of God throughout the world: Lord, have mercy.
For the peace and stability of all peoples and for those in authority: Lord, have mercy.
For our own country and its national life and for all who dwell among us: Lord, have mercy.
For a blessing on our homes, for our relations and friends and all whom we love: Lord, have mercy.
For the sick and the suffering and for all who minister to their needs: Lord, have mercy.
For all who sleep in Christ, that Christ will remember them in his heavenly kingdom: Lord, have mercy.
Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for others. Silence may be kept.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of the blessèd Virgin Mary, (Saint N.) and all the saints, let us commend ourselves into the mighty hands of God:
The Collect:
The collect of the day (see lectionary) or the following may be used:
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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5: The Conclusion
CHRISTARAKSHA (from the BCP of the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon)May the cross of the Son of God, which is mightier than all the hosts of Satan and more glorious than all the hosts of heaven, abide with you in your going out and your coming in. By day and night, at morning and at evening, at all times and in all places may it protect and defend you. From the wrath of evildoers, from the assaults of evil spirits, from foes visible and invisible, from the snares of the devil, from all passions that beguile the soul and body: may it guard, protect and deliver you. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
