Midday Prayer from the Chapel

By Daily Prayer from the Chapel at Ozark Presbyterian Church

A brief daily service of prayer in the Reformed Presbyterian tradition from the Chapel at Ozark Presbyterian Church.

Each service includes Scripture from a daily lectionary, with Psalms and Old Testa... more

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May 01, 2020 Daily Prayer, 3rd Friday in Eastertide

OPENING SENTENCES
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
Christ rose from the dead… The Lord clothed himself with humanity, and with suffering on behalf of the suffering one, and bound on behalf of the one constrained, and judged on behalf of the one convicted, and buried on behalf of the one entombed, rose from the dead and cried aloud: “Who takes issue with me? Let him stand before me. I set free the condemned. I gave life to the dead. I raise up the entombed.”
Praise the Lord,
The Lord’s name be praised.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE PSALMS
Psalm 148
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 49
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
Hear this, all peoples!
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
both low and high,
rich and poor together!
My mouth shall speak wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
those who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
Truly no man can ransom another,
or give to God the price of his life,
for the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
that he should live on forever
and never see the pit.
For he sees that even the wise die;
the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and leave their wealth to others.
Their graves are their homes forever,
their dwelling places to all generations,
though they called lands by their own names.
Man in his pomp will not remain;
he is like the beasts that perish.
This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;
yet after them people approve of their boast                                                                                                                       Selah
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Selah
Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him.
For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed
—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,
who will never again see light.
Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
THE PSALM PRAYER
Heavenly Father, who created and preserves all humankind: Do not allow your servants to be so entangled with earthly and corruptible things—the things in which the children of the world put their trust and assurance—that we fail to acknowledge at all times our own weakness and misery, lest through our unthankfulness we are justly denied the fruit of the hope that your children have in you alone, through Jesus Christ the Redeemer. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 6:1-15
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”
Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.
When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 2 John 1-13
The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. The children of your elect sister greet you.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from Luke 5:12-26
While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
THE MIDDAY PRAYERS
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Christ is risen from the dead, by death he has trampled down death, and upon those in the tombs he has bestowed life!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
And let our cry come to you.
Let us pray:
Friday Prayers
Lord our God, your steadfast love always goes before us and follows after us; your light, always shining, surrounds us. By grace, through faith, you have called us into your light, and through your Word by your Spirit, you direct our steps in the ways of goodness. Grant, Father, that we may always be hearing and answering your call and walking in your ways of goodness, through the cross of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Enable us, O God, to do all things as unto you; that small things may be filled with greatness, and great things may be crowned with humility; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God of mercy, this midday moment of rest is your welcome gift. Bless the work we have begun, make good its defects, and let us finish it in a way that pleases you. Grant this through Christ our Lord. We praise you, O God, with the morning light, and in the brightness of this day we bless your holy name. For all you have given to us with the gift of life, making us in your own image and granting us to share as children in your knowledge and your love, in your work and your joy, we thank you, Heavenly Father. For all good things in the world, for food and clothing, for home and friendship, for useful tasks and pure pleasures, we thank you, Heavenly Father. For all spiritual blessing: for your holy Word, for the Sacraments, for the gifts of prayer and Christian fellowship, for the good example and blessed memory of your saints, for the secret influence of your Spirit, we thank you, Heavenly Father. And above all we bless you for the redeeming life and death of your dear Son our Savior Jesus Christ. AMEN.
God of grace, let our concern for others reflect Christ’s self-giving love, not only in our prayers, but also in our practice. Especially we pray for:
those subjected to tyranny and oppression…
those who have been physically, or mentally, or spiritually wounded and injured…
those who are facing death…
the Church in Latin America…
Blessed Savior, from morning till evening, you hung upon the Cross, stretching out your loving arms: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may look to you and be saved; for your tender mercies’ sake.
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this present pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. AMEN.
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April 30, 2020 Daily Prayer, 3rd Thursday in Eastertide

OPENING SENTENCES
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world,
but in order that the world
might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)
O God, whose love has no end, and who through your Word by your Spirit made all things seen and unseen: In Christ you have opened the way from death to live for all who believe. Hear our prayers this day and give us your blessing. For Jesus’ sake, we pray. AMEN.
Praise the Lord.
The name of the Lord be praised.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE PSALMS
Psalm 147:12-20
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 113
Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised!
The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!
Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
THE PSALM PRAYER
O Good and Merciful Lord, who alone is worthy of all glory and majesty, and who takes pleasure in things that the world considers low and contemptable: We beseech you both to mortify and illumine our hearts and wills, so that all stubbornness and pride being put to death, we may humbly submit ourselves to you in obedience to your holy Word. Grant that we may bring forth the fruits of all sorts of good works and sing praises to you continually with heart and soul and voice. Through Jesus Christ our only Savior. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 5:13-31
Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
“Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 John 5:13-21
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from Luke 5:1-11
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
THE MIDDAY PRAYERS
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
And let our cry come to you.
Let us pray:
Thursday Prayers
Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon us; let your peace rule in our hearts, and may it be our strength and our song. We commit ourselves to your care and keeping this day; let your grace be mighty in us and sufficient for us. Defend us, O Lord Jesus, this day, from all motions of sin in our own hearts, and from all hurtful influences from the world and evil spirits. In our greatest temptations be nearest to us by your sustaining and conquering power; and as you, O blessed Savior, did overcome the tempter in the wilderness, so do overcome his deceits in us by your victorious grace. Keep us from sin; give us the rule over our own spirits; and prevent us from speaking unwisely with our lips. May we live together in peace and holy love, and be pleased to commend your blessing upon us, even life for evermore. Prepare us for all the events of the day; for its joys as well as for its trials, and grant that we may be seeking first your Kingdom, even as we trust in you for all other needful things.
With these prayers in our own behalf, accept, O Lord, our sincere intercessions for others. Let the light of your Gospel shine on all nations. Especially we pray for our own country: be gracious to us, Father. Bless all who are in authority over us. So rule their hearts, and strengthen their hands, that they may lack neither the will nor the power to punish wickedness, and to encourage and support true goodness.
Mighty God, with the dawn of your love you reveal your victory over all that would destroy or harm; you brighten the life of all who need and seek you. Especially we pray for:
families suffering separation…
people different from ourselves…
those isolated by sickness or sorrow…
the victims of violence or warfare…
the Church in the Pacific region…
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this presence pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. AMEN.
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April 29, 2020 Daily Prayer, 3rd Wednesday in Eastertide

OPENING SENTENCES
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
Those who patiently trust in the Lord
shall renew their strength.
They shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Praise the Lord.
The name of the Lord be praised.
O God and Father of the risen Christ, in whose resurrection we receive new life: Send your Spirit to dwell among us in this time of prayer and worship.
O risen Christ, Son of the Father, may we hear your word of peace today.
O Spirit of the living God, teach us once more to live in the power of Christ’s resurrection, in whose name we make all our prayers.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE PSALMS
Psalm 147:1-11
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
The Lord lifts up the humble;
he casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Psalm 118
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
All nations surrounded me;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
They surrounded me like bees;
they went out like a fire among thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
but the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
Glad songs of salvation
are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
the right hand of the Lord exalts,
the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”
I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the Lord.
The Lord has disciplined me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
THE PSALM PRAYER
O loving and merciful Father, who never leaves those who put their trust in you, and who, as a Father, disciplines your children for their own good: Grant that we may be built as living stones upon Jesus Christ, the true and only cornerstone of the Church; that, seeing as he was rejected and despised by men, your people all may acknowledge him always as our King and Savior, to the end that we may forever enjoy you and the fruit of your mercy and goodness in him. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 5:1-12
King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.
The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 John 5:1-12
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from Luke 4:38-44
And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
THE MIDDAY PRAYERS
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.
O omniscient and holy Lord God, we humbly confess before you our sins and weaknesses. Though you originally created us good, after your own image in righteousness and true holiness, yet has our nature fallen, and we are conceived and born in sin. Create in us, we beseech you, a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us. Make us by true faith partakers of Christ and all his benefits; and grant us the Holy Ghost that he may comfort and abide with us forever. Through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who taught us to pray together, saying:
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
And let our cry come to you.
Let us pray:
Wednesday Prayers
Almighty and most merciful father, from whom are all things and for whom all things exist, to whose tender compassion we owe our safety in days past, together with all the comforts of this present life, and the hopes of that which is to come: We praise you, O God; you are our very great joy, daily pouring your benefits upon us. Grant, we beseech you, that Jesus our Lord, the Hope of glory, may be formed in us, in all humility, patience, and absolute surrender of our souls and bodies to your holy will and pleasure. Leave us not, nor forsake us, O Father, but conduct us safe through all changes of our condition here, in an unchangeable love to you, and in holy tranquility of mind in your love to us, till we come to dwell with you and rejoice in you for ever. AMEN.
Merciful Father, strengthen us in prayer, that we may lift up the sin-brokenness of this world for your healing and share in the saving love of Christ our Lord. Especially we pray for:
those in positions of authority over others…
the lonely and forgotten…
children without families or homes…
those who provide care and relief to others in need…
the Church in Asia and the Middle East…
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this presence pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Eternal God, your hand shaped our lives by grace and your hand rescued us from sin by love. May your hand guide us through this day, shielding us from all evil, strengthening us to do justice and love kindness and walk humbly with you, in Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
[THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. AMEN.
...more
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April 28, 2020 Daily Prayer, 3rd Tuesday in Eastertide

OPENING SENTENCES
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
O give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him; sing praises to him
tell of his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! (Psalm 105:1-3)
Praise the Lord,
The Lord’s name be praised.
Glory to you, O God: for you have won victory over death, raising Jesus from the grave and giving us eternal life.
Glory to you, O Christ: for us and for our salvation you took on mortal flesh and overcame death and opened the gate to everlasting life.
Glory to you, O Holy Spirit: you unite us to Christ, give us new life in him, and lead us into all truth.
Glory to you, O Blessed and Undivided Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. AMEN.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE PSALMS
Psalm 146
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 116
I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I spoke:
“I am greatly afflicted”;
I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”
What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.
O Lord, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
THE PSALM PRAYER
Almighty God, the only helper and deliverer of all those who love and honor you: Extend your mercy and goodness to help us your children, as often as we call on you in our afflictions. Turn our sorrows into joys, and imprint a true faith in our hearts, so that we may be able to give a good confession of it before all people, and that we may so profit from your fatherly discipline that we may never cease to celebrate and call on your holy Name before all people. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 4:28-37
All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,
for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?”
At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 John 4:7-21
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from Luke 4:31-37
And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
THE MIDDAY PRAYERS
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Christ is risen from the dead, by death he has trampled down death, and upon those in the tombs he has bestowed life!
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
And let our cry come to you.
Let us pray:
Tuesday Prayers
God of all truth and grace, who has caused the Sun of Righteousness to arise upon a dark and benighted world, in bringing up your Holy One from the grave; be pleased graciously so to illuminate the hearts of your people with the beams of heavenly wisdom, that they may continually walk in your light, and know both to avoid evil and to follow after that which is good; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessed be your name, O Lord of our life, for all your goodness and love toward us. Help us with a believing heart to embrace all the sufferings and death of Christ, through which we obtain the forgiveness of our sins, and grant that we may become more and more united to his sacred body by the Holy Ghost, who dwells both in Christ and in us. Enable us to crucify the flesh with its sinful affections and desires, so that sin may no more have dominion over us. And grant us grace moment by moment to offer ourselves unto him, body and soul, a living sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise, and at last to obtain life everlasting in the world to come.
God of grace, we offer our prayers for the needs of others and commit ourselves to serve them even as we have been served in Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Especially we pray for:
those close to us, our family, friends, neighbors…
refugees and homeless men, women, and children…
the outcast and those who are in prison for conscience sake…
those from whom we are estranged…
the Church in Africa…
God, our creator, you have given us work to do and call us to use our talents for the good of all. Guide us as we work, and teach us to live in the Spirit who made us your sons and daughters, in the love that made us sisters and brothers, through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this presence pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. AMEN.
...more
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April 27, 2020 Daily Prayer, 3rd Monday in Eastertide

OPENING SENTENCES
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
From the rising of the sun to its setting
my name is great among the nations,
says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 1:11)
Praise the Lord.
The name of the Lord be praised.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE PSALMS
Psalm 145
A Song of Praise. Of David.
I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.
The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
Psalm 115
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
he will bless those who fear the Lord,
both the small and the great.
May the Lord give you increase,
you and your children!
May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!
THE PSALM PRAYER
O Lord of all consolation and comfort, look down on your Church, oppressed by her enemies and deliver her for the glory of your holy Name, that the ungodly may be kept from blaspheming you. Destroy the filthy idolatry that overruns the whole world, and do not allow, good and gracious God, your people to be exposed to the angry will of your enemies and ours. Do this, so that, in spite of all troubles, we who are defended and maintained by you, may bless and glorify your name, now and forevermore. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 4:19-27
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 John 3:19-4:6
By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from Luke 4:14-30
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘ “Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.
THE MIDDAY PRAYERS
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Christ is risen from the dead, by death he has trampled down death, and upon those in the tombs he has bestowed life!
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
And let our cry come to you.
Let us pray:
Monday Prayers
God of all truth and grace, who has caused the Sun of Righteousness to arise upon a dark and benighted world, in bringing up your Holy One from the grave; be pleased graciously so to illuminate the hearts of your people with the beams of heavenly wisdom, that they may continually walk in your light, and know both to avoid evil and to follow after that which is good; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Lord Jesus, give us such a love for you, such an awareness of your life in us, such a strong desire to resemble you, that we shall cease to do evil and learn to do good. Preserve us from blindness to our own defects and from all pretense and deceiving of ourselves. Let your compassion and love always be over us; make us brave to bear your mark and seal openly in the sight of all people. O Lord and Master, deliver us and save us to the uttermost, we pray. Almighty God, you are a very present help in time of trouble: Do not let the heart of your people fail when tribulations, trials, or temptations come, but rather sustain and comfort them until these present troubles are past.
O Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, Spirit of promise and Sanctifier of those who believe, dwell in us as the Spirit of holiness. Purge our hearts from all evil passions and desires, from envy, hatred, and malice: that we may never allow the sun to go down upon our anger, but may always seek our rest with a conscience free from offence toward you and toward all people.
God, our Father, of whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named: Bestow upon your household of faith, that grace that shall keep us in the fellowship of Christ’s way; and grant to each one of us that heavenly guidance and control, in all our labors, pleasures, and trials, which shall maintain our hearts in peace with one another and with you. Graciously help and prosper us in our various labors with a willing and cheerful mind; and defend us all, by your almighty power, both from inward evil and from outward harm, so that when the day is ended it may not leave us in sorrow, strife, or shame, but in true unity and thankful rest, through your merciful favor and your forgiving love; in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In his name, Father, we dare to pray for others, claiming your love in Jesus Christ for the whole world and committing ourselves to care for those around us in his name. Especially, we pray for:
those who work for the benefit of others…
those who cannot work today…
those who teach and those who learn…
those who are poor, or neglected and forgotten…
the Church of Jesus Christ in Europe…
Lord Jesus, give us such a love for you, such an awareness of your life in us, such a strong desire to resemble you, that we shall cease to do evil and learn to do good. Preserve us from blindness to our own defects and from all pretense and deceiving of ourselves. Let your compassion and love always be over us; make us brave to bear your mark and seal openly in the sight of all people. O Lord and Master, deliver us and save us to the uttermost, we pray. Almighty God, you are a very present help in time of trouble: Do not let the heart of your people fail when tribulations, trials, or temptations come, but rather sustain and comfort them until these present troubles are past.
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this presence pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. AMEN.
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April 26, 2020 Morning Prayer, 3rd Sunday in Eastertide

Lo, with praises to Jehovah, blessing give with one accord, all of you who faithful service to Jehovah do afford, standing serving him each night in the dwelling of the Lord.
Toward his holy sanctuary let your hands be lifted high to give blessing to Jehovah. And from Zion in reply may Jehovah blessing give, he who made the earth and sky.
THE CALL TO WORSHIP
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1a)
Those who dwell in the land of deep darkness, on them has the light shined. We have seen Christ’s glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Isaiah 9:2b; John 1:14b)
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Let us worship God.
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me; Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.
THE OPENING SENTENCES
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:1-6)
All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice; him serve with fear, his praise forth tell, come ye before him and rejoice.
The Lord ye know is God indeed; without our aid he did us make; we are his folk, he doth us feed, and for his sheep he doth us take.
O enter then his gates with praise, approach with joy his courts unto; praise, laud, and bless his name always, for it is seemly so to do.
For why? The Lord our God is good, his mercy is forever sure; his truth at all times firmly stood, and shall from age to age endure.
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the God whom heav’n and earth adore, from men and from the angel host be praise and glory ever more!
Most worthy are you of all praise and worship, O good and gracious God, surpassing all things in goodness, holiness, and truth. By you alone are we made holy and sanctified. We praise you for our glorious redemption, purchased for us by your dearly beloved Son, Christ Jesus. Give us your Holy Spirit to govern us and to lift us up now in worship to you. And grant that all things that breathe with life may praise you as the true life of all creatures, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who reigns with you and the Holy Ghost, one God forever and ever. AMEN.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE CALL TO CONFESSION
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are but dust. (Psalm 103:13-14)
THE PRAYERS OF CONFESSION
Heavenly Father, we humbly acknowledge our many sins and offenses against you. We have neglected opportunities for doing good that you have sent our way. We have been overcome by temptations from which you stood ready to protect us. We have trusted in the wisdom of this world rather than in the wisdom and way of Christ. We have looked too little to the good and blessing of others and too much to our own pleasure and gain in what we have planned, and we have lived as though there is no life to come. Have mercy on us, O Lord, and forgive us, for Jesus’ sake, we pray…
A time of Silent Confession
God of all truth and grace, who has caused the Sun of Righteousness to arise upon a dark and benighted world, in bringing up your Holy One from the grave; be pleased graciously so to illuminate the hearts of your people with the beams of heavenly wisdom, that they may continually walk in your light, and know both to avoid evil and to follow after that which is good; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. AMEN.
THE ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Hear what the Lord says to those who repent and believe in him:
We know that a person is not counted righteous by works of the law, but through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, so we have believed in Jesus Christ, in order to be counted righteous by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be counted righteous. (Galatians 2:16)
The Lord Jesus has commanded his Church to declare the forgiveness of sins to all who repent and believe his Gospel, so as his minister, I tell you, if you have cast the burden of your sins upon the Lord in true repentance, if you believe in Christ as he is freely offered in the Gospel, and if from now on you desire to keep to his ways in the power of the Spirit given to you, I tell you, your sins are forgiven.
I hear the Savior say, “Your strength indeed is small, child of weakness, watch and pray, find in me your all in all.”
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.
Lord, now indeed I find your power, and yours alone, can change the leper’s spots, and melt the heart of stone.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.
For nothing good have I whereby thy grace to claim — I’ll wash my garments white in the blood of Calv’ry’s lamb.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.
And when, before the throne, I stand in him complete, “Jesus died my soul to save,” my lips shall still repeat.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.
THE MORNING PSALM
Psalm 136
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
THE PSALM PRAYER
Such is your goodness, O Lord, such is your goodness that you not only desire to encourage us by it, but also you desire that we feel and know and acknowledge it. It is our happiness so to do, O heavenly Father! You have made all things, and you have made them wonderfully and in great beauty. Grant that we may study the works of your hands with a devout heart, so that our hearts may turn again and again to you in song and love and wonder. And especially, Father, as you have poured out all the treasures of your goodness in Christ Jesus, our Lord and your beloved Son so that your people might be delivered from eternal death, cause us always to celebrate your praises and give you thanks—not as much as you deserve, but as much as we can—and with all our heart and strength. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 4:1-18
King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.
How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and his dominion endures from generation to generation.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
“I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
A SONG OF THE MULTITUDE IN HEAVEN
Alleuia!
Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small.
Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God,
for his judgments are true and just. Alleuia!
Sing praise to our God, all you his servants,
all who fear him, great and small. Alleuia!
The Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns as King;
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come
and his bride is prepared to welcome him. Alleuia!
Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluiaI
Amen! Alleluia! (based on Revelation 19:1-7)
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 Peter 4:7-11
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
THE PRAYER FOR GRACE
Lord Jesus, give us such a love for you, such an awareness of your life in us, such a strong desire to resemble you, that we shall cease to do evil and learn to do good. Preserve us from blindness to our own defects and from all pretense and deceiving of ourselves. Let your compassion and love always be over us; make us brave to bear your mark and seal openly in the sight of all people. O Lord and Master, deliver us and save us to the uttermost, we pray. AMEN.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from John 21:15-25
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”
He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”
He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?”
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
THE ANTHEM—PSALM 23
THE PRAYER FOR UNDERSTANDING
Give us teachable hearts, O Lord, receptive to your Word, and alive to understand it. Fill us with divine Wisdom, that we may forever rejoice in the Truth. For Jesus’ sake, we pray. AMEN.
THE HOMILY
THE MORNING PRAYERS
Almighty and Everlasting God: by you all things were created; things we can see and things we can’t. We praise you for your might and goodness that preserve and sustain us. We thank you for the love that surrounds us, for kind thoughts and encouraging words, for self-effacing sacrifices—for every blessing and benefit, we thank you and bless you.
But above all these good things, we bless you and praise you and thank you for our redemption in Jesus Christ, and for the power of your love that breaks through every barrier we set up. We thank you for the new and better covenant in the sprinkled blood of Christ, for the Communion of all the Saints in Christ, for the Sacraments of Grace that reveal, seal, and apply to us the benefits of Christ, and for the certain hope that one day we shall see your face in light and glory.
Keep us, O Lord—keep us, we pray, in thankful remembrance of your great goodness, that we may always walk in your ways and live to your praise. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Prayers for Grace
Lord, hear our humble prayers in the name of Christ—prayers for the whole family of humankind. Dispel the great darkness of disordered loves and false worship. Destroy every godless and oppressive power. Free the captives, give sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. Lead the nations in righteousness and peace. Let the Gospel go forth in power, and let your Kingdom come, we pray.
Have mercy on your Church, Lord. Bless her, and let your people confess the name of Christ, in public and in private, with boldness. Let your saints die to sin and live by the power of the life of Christ. Let your Good News of Salvation – in all its richness and deepness – let that Good News go out that sinners may be converted, forgiven, cleansed, and raised to new life. Bring home the wanderers, we pray.
Look with favor on our nation. Give wisdom and justice to our President and his advisors. Guide the Congress into ways of righteousness and equity. Bless the judiciary with purity of purpose, impartial judgment according to the law. Subdue in our land love of luxury, hatred and envy of others, the covetousness that so fills our hearts, and the pretentions to understanding and wisdom that seem to fill our public discourse; claiming to be wise, we have become fools Have mercy on us, O Lord!. Make us content with what we have. Overcome racism and classism in all its subtle ugliness; teach us to love one another.
Bless our city of Ozark – its elected leaders, its doctors and nurses, its teachers and school administrators. Bless also all those who work against ignorance and suffering and poverty and all the evils of life in this present evil age. Bless the rescue mission, the Salvation Army, meals on wheels—all those who serve our neighbors in need. Bless our hospital. Increase among us the grace of liberality, so that the various works of love among us may not suffer lack.
Remember in tender mercy those who are sick or in pain of mind or body, especially those whom we lift up before you now in our hearts… Be with them in all their trials, comfort them, heal them, deliver them, O Lord, through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this present pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Good Father, we ask all these things in Jesus’ name, even as we pray together the prayer that he taught us:
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
Rise, O church, and lift your voices, Christ has conquered death and hell. Sing as all the earth rejoices; resurrection anthems swell.
Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the Risen King!
See the tomb where death had laid him, Empty now, its mouth declares: “Death and I could not contain him, for the Throne of Life he shares.”
Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the Risen King!
Hear the earth protest and tremble, see the stone removed with pow’r; all hell’s minions may assemble but cannot withstand his hour.
He has conquered! He has conquered! Christ the Lord, the Risen King!
Doubt may lift its head to murmur, scoffers mock and sinners jeer; but the truth proclaims a wonder thoughtful hearts receive with cheer.
He is risen! He is risen! Now receive the Risen King!
We acclaim your life, O Jesus, Now we sing your victory. Sin or hell may seek to seize us, but your conquest keeps us free.
Stand in triumph! Stand in triumph! Worship Christ, the Risen King!
THE CONFESSION OF OUR FAITH
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy catholic Church; The communion of saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. AMEN.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The peace of Christ be with you all.
Bless, O Lord, the worship of your people, here and in all places; and grant us, we pray, always to seek the light of your Word and to love the fellowship of your Spirit, that we may have the will and the power to walk in the way of him whose holy humanity was given up to do your will. Through Jesus our Redeemer and Example. AMEN.
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. ALLELUIA!AMEN!
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April 25, 2020 Daily Prayer, 2nd Saturday in Eastertide

OPENING SENTENCES
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
Those who patiently trust in the Lord
shall renew their strength.
They shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Praise the Lord.
The name of the Lord be praised.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE PSALMS
Psalm 149
Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.
Let the godly exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles with fetters of iron,
to execute on them the judgment written!
This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
THE PSALM PRAYER
Eternal and everlasting Father, fountain of all goodness and mercy, we give you praise and thanks that you have made known to us our Shepherd and Defender, Jesus Christ, who will deliver us, the children whom you have adopted, from the power of all our enemies. Grant that we, casting away all fear and terror, even of death itself, may embrace and confess your truth, which it has pleased you to reveal to us in your Son, our Lord and Sovereign Master, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 3:19-30
Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 John 3:11-18
“For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from Luke 4:1-13
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him,
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ”
And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,
“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’ ”
And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you,’
and
“ ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
And Jesus answered him,
“It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
THE MIDDAY PRAYERS
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.
Lord Jesus Christ, our deliverer, you walk with the meek and the poor, the compassionate and those who mourn, and you call us to walk humbly with you. When we are foolish, be our wisdom; when we are weak, be our strength; that, as we learn to do justice and to love kindness, your rule as King over us may come as blessing.
Lord our God, hear us now, as we pray together as our Savior taught us:
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
And let our cry come to you.
Let us pray:
Saturday Prayers
Your tender mercies are new every morning, great God of light, and all day long you are working good in the world. Stir up in your servants the desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.
Almighty God, our Father and Preserver: We give you thanks that of your goodness you have watched over us the past night and brought us to a new day. And we beseech you to strengthen and guard us by your Spirit; that we may spend it completely in your service and to your glory, looking to your blessing for all prosperity, and seeking only those things which are well pleasing in your sight. Enable us, O Lord, while we labor for the life that now is, always to consider that heavenly life that you have promised to your children. Defend us body and soul from all harm. Reveal your steadfast love to all people, according to the need of every living soul, especially those whom we love and those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, whom we now remember silently before you (here let there be a moment of silence); protect our country and prosper your Church here in North America; bless those who do good in the world, and restrain and avenge those who do evil. And finally, be pleased to cast out of your remembrance all our past offenses, forgiving them in your boundless mercy and purifying our hearts, that we may lead a better life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this present pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. AMEN.
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April 24, 2020 Daily Prayer, 2nd Friday in Eastertide

OPENING SENTENCES
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
It is I,” says the Christ.
“So, come all families of people,
adulterated with sin,
and receive forgiveness of sins.
For I am your freedom.
I am the Passover of salvation,
I am the Lamb slaughtered for you,
I am your ransom,
I am your life,
I am your light,
I am you salvation,
I am your resurrection,
I am your King.
I shall raise you up by my right hand,
I will lead you to the heights of heaven,
there shall I show you the everlasting Father.”
Praise the Lord,
The Lord’s name be praised.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE PSALMS
Psalm 148
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 138
Of David.
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.
All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
THE PSALM PRAYER
Mighty Lord, full of peace and goodness, who has always borne such favor towards your Church that even strange nations have been compelled to acknowledge and praise your marvelous bounty with which you exalt those who are despised and contemptible in the world’s eyes and cast down those who are proud and haughty: Make, Lord, all people to submit to your mighty hand; and preserve your people from all calamities, so that all the world may know that you will not leave imperfect the work that you have begun in us. Through Jesus Christ your Son. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 3:1-18
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 John 3:1-10
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from Luke 3:15-22
As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
THE MIDDAY PRAYERS
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Christ is risen from the dead, by death he has trampled down death, and upon those in the tombs he has bestowed life!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
We humbly confess before you, O Lord, our sin and the guilt that comes from it; we beseech you to pardon our sins and transgressions. Create in us a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us, that we may have power to serve you in righteousness and true holiness all our days. Give us, O Lord, an abiding sense of the vanity and shortness of this mortal life. Seeing that the Son of man will come at an hour when least expect it, may we be always ready; that so the dread summons may not come upon us unawares; but that, being well-prepared and our lamps burning, we may be like those who wait for their Lord, who taught us to pray together, saying:
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
And let our cry come to you.
Let us pray:
Friday Prayers
Lord our God, your steadfast love always goes before us and follows after us; your light, always shining, surrounds us. By grace, through faith, you have called us into your light, and through your Word by your Spirit, you direct our steps in the ways of goodness. Grant, Father, that we may always be hearing and answering your call and walking in your ways of goodness, through the cross of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Enable us, O God, to do all things as unto you; that small things may be filled with greatness, and great things may be crowned with humility; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God of mercy, this midday moment of rest is your welcome gift. Bless the work we have begun, make good its defects, and let us finish it in a way that pleases you. Grant this through Christ our Lord. We praise you, O God, with the morning light, and in the brightness of a new day we bless your holy name. For all you have given to us with the gift of life, making us in your own image and granting us to share as children in your knowledge and your love, in your work and your joy, we thank you, Heavenly Father. For all good things in the world, for food and clothing, for home and friendship, for useful tasks and pure pleasures, we thank you, Heavenly Father. For all spiritual blessings, for Thy holy Word, for Christian fellowship, for the good example and blessed memory of your saints, for the secret influence of your Spirit, we thank you, Heavenly Father. And above all we bless you for the redeeming life and death of your dear Son our Savior Jesus Christ. AMEN.
God of grace, let our concern for others reflect Christ’s self-giving love, not only in our prayers, but also in our practice. Especially we pray for:
those subjected to tyranny and oppression…
those who have been physically, or mentally, or spiritually wounded and injured…
those who are facing death…
the Church in Latin America…
Blessed Savior, from morning till evening, you hung upon the Cross, stretching out your loving arms: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may look to you and be saved; for your tender mercies’ sake.
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this present pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. AMEN.
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April 23, 2020 Daily Prayer, 2nd Thursday in Eastertide

OPENING SENTENCES
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
He who sanctifies
and those who are sanctified
have all one source,
and he is not ashamed to call us brothers. (Hebrews 2:11)
Lord our God, we come unto you as your children. O give us the Spirit of adoption, though whom we cry, Abba Father. And loving you, who has first loved us, grant us grace to dedicate ourselves anew to your blessed service, in body and in soul. Through him who is not ashamed to call us brothers, even Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. AMEN.
Praise the Lord.
The name of the Lord be praised.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE PSALMS
Psalm 147:12-20
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 68
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.
God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
and those who hate him shall flee before him!
As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
as wax melts before fire,
so the wicked shall perish before God!
But the righteous shall be glad;
they shall exult before God;
they shall be jubilant with joy!
Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the Lord;
exult before him!
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,                                                                                                                 Selah
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
you restored your inheritance as it languished;
your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
The Lord gives the word;
the women who announce the news are a great host:
“The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil—
though you men lie among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with shimmering gold.
When the Almighty scatters kings there,
let snow fall on Zalmon.
O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God desired for his abode,
yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands;
the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
You ascended on high,
leading a host of captives in your train
and receiving gifts among men,
even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.
Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Selah
Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
The Lord said,
“I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
that you may strike your feet in their blood,
that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”
Your procession is seen, O God,
the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them virgins playing tambourines:
“Bless God in the great congregation,
the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
There is Benjamin, the least of them,
in the lead, the princes of Judah in their throng,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
Summon your power, O God,
the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings shall bear gifts to you.
Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.
Nobles shall come from Egypt;
Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
sing praises to the Lord,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Selah
to him who rides in the heavens,the ancient heavens;
behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
and whose power is in the skies.
Awesome is God from his sanctuary;
the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!
THE PSALM PRAYER
Most powerful God of Hosts, who maintains and keeps all those who trust in you: Send out your invincible army to destroy our enemies; make feeble the strength of the proud; turn our trouble into prosperity, and grant that in the midst of our assemblies the praise of your holy name may be celebrated in a way most agreeable to your holy Word, proclaimed by your Son our Lord, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 2: 31-49
Daniel continued, saying to the King, “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
“This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.” Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 John 2:18-28
Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.
I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from Luke 3:1-14
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
THE MIDDAY PRAYERS
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Christ is risen from the dead, by death he has trampled down death, and upon those in the tombs he has bestowed life!
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
And let our cry come to you.
Let us pray:
Thursday Prayers
God of Blazing light, through the power of the cross you shattered our darkness, scattering the fears that bind us and setting us free to live as your children. Give us courage and conviction that always we may joyfully deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow you in the new life of faithful service, led by the light that shines through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon us; let your peace rule in our hearts, and may it be our strength and our song. We commit ourselves to your care and keeping this day; let your grace be mighty in us and sufficient for us. Keep us from sin; give us the rule over our own spirits; and prevent us from speaking unwisely with our lips. May we live together in peace and holy love, and be pleased to commend your blessing upon us, even life for evermore. Prepare us for all the events of the day; for its joys as well as for its trials, and grant that we may be seeking first your Kingdom, even as we trust in you for all other needful things. For Jesus’ sake AMEN.
Bestow upon us, O most merciful Father, what is needful for us, and give us grace not to abuse your favors. Give us, we beseech you, contented minds, and help us to regard with compassion the wants and sorrows of others, and pray for them as we do for ourselves. Especially we pray for:
families suffering separation…
people different from ourselves…
those isolated by sickness or sorrow…
the victims of violence or warfare…
the Church in the Pacific region…
Almighty God, you are a very present help in time of trouble: Do not let the heart of your people fail when tribulations, trials, or temptations come, but rather sustain and comfort them until these present troubles are past.
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this present pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. AMEN.
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April 22, 2020 Daily Prayer, 2nd Wednesday in Eastertide

OPENING SENTENCES
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
I am the Light of the world, says the Lord Jesus;
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
O God and Father of the risen Christ, in whose light do we see light and in whose resurrection we receive new life: Send your Spirit to dwell among us in this time of prayer and worship.
O risen Christ, Son of the Father, may we hear your word of peace today.
O Spirit of the living God, teach us once more to live in the power of Christ’s resurrection, in whose name we make all our prayers. AMEN.
Praise the Lord.
The name of the Lord be praised.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE PSALMS
Psalm 147:1-11
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
The Lord lifts up the humble;
he casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Psalm 9
To the choirmaster: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish before your presence.
For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.
You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
their cities you rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.
But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
and he judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with uprightness.
The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion!
Tell among the peoples his deeds!
For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
Be gracious to me, O Lord!
See my affliction from those who hate me,
O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
that I may recount all your praises,
that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may rejoice in your salvation.
The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah
The wicked shall return to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.
For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail;
let the nations be judged before you!
Put them in fear, O Lord!
Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah
THE PSALM PRAYER
Almighty God, who never despises those who trust in you: Hear the complaint of your poor servants and do not allow the wicked to accomplish their cruel plans against us, but rather, take them in their own snares. Do this so that we may magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Defender. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Daniel 2:17-30
Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”
Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.”
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 John 2:12-17
I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from John 17:20-26
Jesus continued to pray, saying, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
THE MIDDAY PRAYERS
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Christ is risen from the dead, by death he has trampled down death, and upon those in the tombs he has bestowed life!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O omniscient and holy Lord God, we humbly confess before you our sins and weaknesses. Though you originally created us good, after your own image in righteousness and true holiness, yet has our nature fallen, and we are conceived and born in sin. Create in us, we beseech you, a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us. Make us by true faith partakers of Christ and all his benefits; and grant us the Holy Ghost that he may comfort and abide with us forever. Through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who taught us to pray together, saying:
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
And let our cry come to you.
Let us pray:
Wednesday Prayers
Almighty and most merciful father, from whom are all things and for whom all things exist, to whose tender compassion we owe our safety in days past, together with all the comforts of this present life, and the hopes of that which is to come: We praise you, O God; you are our very great joy, daily pouring your benefits upon us. Grant, we beseech you, that Jesus our Lord, the Hope of glory, may be formed in us, in all humility, patience, and absolute surrender of our souls and bodies to your holy will and pleasure. Leave us not, nor forsake us, O Father, but conduct us safe through all changes of our condition here, in an unchangeable love to you, and in holy tranquility of mind in your love to us, till we come to dwell with you and rejoice in you for ever.
O Lord, as you have called us to serve one another, and the generation in which we live, give us strength to do our daily work with cheerfulness and in humble dependence upon your help. Prosper our labors, and let the work of our hands be established upon us for your praise. Help us to carry the spirit of the Lord’s Day, your holy day, into all that we do; and while our bodies and minds are engaged in honest and useful work, may our hearts still live and rest in you. Save us from the spirit of worldliness. Do not allow us to seek our good what we possess, and having food and clothing and a roof over our heads, grant may we be content with that. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Merciful Father, strengthen us in prayer, that we may lift up the brokenness of this world for your healing and share in the saving love of Christ our Lord. Especially we pray for:
those in positions of authority over others…
the lonely and forgotten…
children without families or homes…
those who provide care and relief to others in need…
the Church in Asia and the Middle East…
Eternal God, your hand shaped our lives by grace and your hand rescued us from sin by love. May your hand guide us through this day, shielding us from all evil, strengthening us to do justice and love kindness and walk humbly with you, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Holy and mighty Lord, who turned back the angel of the plague from the dwellings of your people: We beseech you to hear our cry for those who are suffering and dying under this present pestilence. In your mercy give understanding and sound judgment to those called to make decisions of public policy; bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness; strengthen those who labor to heal and comfort the afflicted; support those who are in pain and distress; speedily restore those who have been brought low; and unto all who are beyond healing in this life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. AMEN.
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