Morning Prayer 9.3.14, Prudence Crandall, Teacher & Prophetic Witness, 1890

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Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!”

All Saints’/Cristo Rey, a bilingual congregation in Watsonville, California, was decorated Sunday for Quinceañera to celebrate the 15th birthdays of Latino girls in the parish; they wear white gowns, go to Mass, then have a party. (The Rev. Michael Dresbach)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 95:1-7
Venite

Come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving;
and raise to the Lord a shout with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God;
you are great above all gods.
In your hand are the caverns of the earth;
and the heights of the hills are yours also.
The sea is yours, for you made it,
and your hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee,
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For you are our God,
and we are the people of your pasture, and the sheep of your hand.
Oh, that today we would hearken to your voice!

Psalm 38

1  O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger; *
do not punish me in your wrath.
2  For your arrows have already pierced me, *
and your hand presses hard upon me.
3  There is no health in my flesh,
because of your indignation; *
there is no soundness in my body, because of my sin.
4  For my iniquities overwhelm me; *
like a heavy burden they are too much for me to bear.
5  My wounds stink and fester *
by reason of my foolishness.
6  I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; *
I go about in mourning all the day long.
7  Searing pain fills my innards; *
there is no health in my body.
8  I am utterly numb and crushed; *
I wail, because of the groaning of my heart.
9  O Lord, you know all my desires, *
and my sighing is not hidden from you.
10  My heart is pounding, my strength has failed me, *
and the brightness of my eyes is gone from me.
11  My friends and companions draw back from my affliction; *
my neighbors stand afar off.
12  Those who seek after my life lay snares for me; *
those who strive to hurt me speak of my ruin
and plot treachery all the day long.
13  But I am like the deaf who do not hear, *
like those who are mute and do not open their mouth.
14  I have become like one who does not hear *
and from whose mouth comes no defense.
15  For in you, O LORD, have I fixed my hope; *
you will answer me, O Lord my God.
16  For I said, “Do not let them rejoice at my expense, *
those who gloat over me when my foot slips.”
17  Truly, I am on the verge of falling, *
and my pain is always with me.
18  I will confess my iniquity *
and be sorry for my sin.
19  Those who are my enemies without cause are mighty, *
and many in number are those who wrongfully hate me.
20  Those who repay evil for good slander me, *
because I follow the course that is right.
21  O LORD, do not forsake me; *
be not far from me, O my God.
22  Make haste to help me, *
O Lord of my salvation.

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

THE LESSONS
Job 12:1; 14:1-22 (NRSV)

Then Job answered:

“A mortal, born of woman, few of days and full of trouble, comes up like a flower and withers, flees like a shadow and does not last. Do you fix your eyes on such a one? Do you bring me into judgment with you? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one can. Since their days are determined, and the number of their months is known to you, and you have appointed the bounds that they cannot pass, look away from them, and desist, that they may enjoy, like laborers, their days.

“For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant. But mortals die, and are laid low; humans expire, and where are they? As waters fail from a lake, and a river wastes away and dries up, so mortals lie down and do not rise again; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake or be roused out of their sleep. Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If mortals die, will they live again? All the days of my service I would wait until my release should come. You would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands.

“For then you would not number my steps, you would not keep watch over my sin; my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and you would cover over my iniquity.

“But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place; the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of mortals. You prevail forever against them, and they pass away; you change their countenance, and send them away. Their children come to honor, and they do not know it; they are brought low, and it goes unnoticed. They feel only the pain of their own bodies, and mourn only for themselves.”

Canticle: Third Song of Isaiah
Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19

Arise, shine, for your light has come, *
and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.
For behold, darkness covers the land; *
deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.
But over you the Lord will rise, *
and his glory will appear upon you.
Nations will stream to your light, *
and kings to the brightness of your dawning.
Your gates will always be open; *
by day or night they will never be shut.
They will call you, The City of the Lord, *
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Violence will no more be heard in your land, *
ruin or destruction within your borders.
You will call your walls, Salvation, *
and all your portals, Praise.
The sun will no more be your light by day; *
by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.
The Lord will be your everlasting light, *
and your God will be your glory.

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

Acts 12:18-25 (NRSV)

When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!” And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.

VIDEO: Song of Zechariah – musicians uncredited; video by Pastor Kit Carlson
Luke 1:68-79

John 8:47-59 (NRSV)

Jesus said, “Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.”

The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord.
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

(The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
Govern and uphold them, now and always.
Day by day we bless you;
We praise your Name for ever.
Lord, keep us from all sin today;
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope;
And we shall never hope in vain.

Ms. Crandall was a Quaker who opened a school for girls in Canterbury, Connecticut in 1831. Two years later she admitted a Black girl, which so outraged her neighbors that she had to close it for fear of her students’ safety. Sixty years later, after the U.S. Civil War, the state apologized, called her an official Heroine and gave her a pension. (Prudence Crandall Museum)

Collect of the Day: Prudence Crandall, Teacher and Prophetic Witness, 1890

God, the wellspring of justice and strength: We thank you for raising up in Prudence Crandall a belief in education and a resolute will to teach girls of every color and race, that alongside her they might take their place in working for the nurture and well-being of all society, undaunted by prejudice or adversity. Grant that we, following her example, may participate in the work of building up the human family in Christ, your Word and Wisdom; who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

For joy in God’s creation: headland of Dana Point, California. (D. Ramey Logan)

For Joy in God’s Creation

O heavenly Father, you have filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that, rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Diocese of Grahamstown, South Africa

Cathedral of St. Michael and St. George, Grahamstown. Opened in 1830, it has the tallest spire in South Africa. (roomsforafrica.com)

Wednesday Morning Prayer List

Healing of Body, Mind & Soul
Tom, cancer treatment
Thom, Alzheimer’s
Donald Bell, lesion
Don, palliative care
Greg, healing of wound
Joe, recent heart surgery
Dan, cancer
Madeline, cancer
Kevin, cancer
Judith Yannariello, pancreatic cancer and chemo
Subdeacon Clint, soul-medic
+Tom Shaw, SSJE, Bishop of Massachusetts
Greg, cancer

For Caregivers
Jena
Jack
Krissy

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfil now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Holy eternal Majesty,
Holy incarnate Word,
Holy abiding Spirit,
Bless us for evermore. Amen.++

VIDEO: Fairest Lord Jesus (#383, St. Elizabeth, German, 1842) – Maranatha Celtic