Morning Prayer 4.25.17, St. Mark the Evangelist

Ready for streaming, no special thing needed, pick your favorite congregation and pray right along. Blessings!

Our early webcast, with an attendance of 15, went well; click here.

The 9 o’clock service seemed to have an extra dose of joy today – and our man Clint, showing off his new mic, sounds better than ever. Do yourself a favor, go here!

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Consider the generations of old and see:
has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed?

St. Mark, from the Très Riches Heures, or illuminated Daily Office, of the Duc de Berry. St. Mark the Gospel Writer was the first bishop and most illustrious martyr of the Church of Alexandria.

We give thanks to the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:12

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.

Christ Our Passover
1 Cor. 5:7-8; Rom. 6:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:20-22

Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.

Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *
death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; *
but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.

Christ has been raised from the dead, *
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

Psalm 145

1  I will exalt you, O God my Sovereign, *
and bless your Name for ever and ever.
2  Every day will I bless you *
and praise your Name for ever and ever.
3  Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; *
there is no end to your greatness.
4  One generation shall praise your works to another *
and shall declare your power.
5  I will ponder the glorious splendor of your majesty *
and all your marvelous works.
6  They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts, *
and I will tell of your greatness.
7  They shall publish the remembrance of your great goodness; *
they shall sing of your righteous deeds.
8  The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.
9  O LORD, you are loving to everyone *
and your compassion is over all your works.
10  All your works praise you, O LORD, *
and your faithful servants bless you.
11  They make known the glory of your reign *
and speak of your power;
12  That the peoples may know of your power *
and the glorious splendor of your reign.
13  Your reign is an everlasting reign; *
your dominion endures throughout all ages.
14  O LORD, you are faithful in all your words *
and merciful in all your deeds.
15  The LORD upholds all those who fall *
and lifts up those who are bowed down.
16  The eyes of all wait upon you, O LORD, *
and you give them their food in due season.
17  You open wide your hand *
and satisfy the needs of every living creature.
18  O LORD, you are righteous in all your ways *
and loving in all your works.
19  O LORD, you are near to those who call upon you, *
to all who call upon you faithfully.
20  You fulfill the desire of those who fear you; *
you hear their cry and help them.
21  O LORD, you preserve all those who love you, *
but you destroy all the wicked.
22  My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; *
let all flesh bless your holy Name for ever and ever.

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

(Charles Pearce, Calligrapher)

THE LESSONS
Ecclesiasticus 2:1-11 (NRSV)

My child, when you come to serve the Lord,
prepare yourself for testing.
Set your heart right and be steadfast,
and do not be impetuous in time of calamity.
Cling to him and do not depart,
so that your last days may be prosperous.
Accept whatever befalls you,
and in times of humiliation be patient.
For gold is tested in the fire,
and those found acceptable, in the furnace of humiliation.
Trust in him, and he will help you;
make your ways straight, and hope in him.

You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy;
do not stray, or else you may fall.
You who fear the Lord, trust in him,
and your reward will not be lost.
You who fear the Lord, hope for good things,
for lasting joy and mercy.
Consider the generations of old and see:
has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed?
Or has anyone persevered in the fear of the Lord and been forsaken?
Or has anyone called upon him and been neglected?
For the Lord is compassionate and merciful;
he forgives sins and saves in time of distress.

Canticle: Song of Zechariah
Luke 1:68-79

Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel; *
you have come to your people and set them free.
You have raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of your servant David.
Through your holy prophets you promised of old
to save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
To show mercy to our forebears, *
and to remember your holy covenant.
This was the oath you swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship you without fear, *
holy and righteous before you
all the days of our life.
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
To give God’s people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

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

St. Mark’s Cathedral, Minneapolis. In 1954 it hosted the first World Congress of the Anglican Communion to be held outside England, and at that meeting the Compass Rose symbol was adopted. (Wikipedia)

Acts 12:25—13:3 (NRSV)

Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Canticle: We Praise You, O God
Te Deum laudamus

We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
All creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come to be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

Jusepe Leonardo, c. 1630: St. Mark. His Gospel is the oldest of the four, and scholars say Matthew, Luke and John borrowed heavily from it. Mark omits the birth of Jesus and plunges right in with the ministry of John the Baptist. It’s notable for structuring the miracles of Christ in a numerical scheme, and its brisk pace; everything happens “straightaway” (KJV) or “immediately.”

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 power of 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.

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

Emmanuel Tzanes, 1657: St. Mark. (Benaki Museum, Greece)

Collect of the Day: St. Mark the Evangelist

Almighty God, by the hand of Mark the evangelist you have given to your Church the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God: We thank you for this witness, and pray that we may be firmly grounded in its truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

• Octave of Prayer for the retiring and rising Bishops of Indianapolis

No U.S. Troops Killed in War Last Week; One Dies in Maryland Copter Crash
They Have Names, compiled since 2007 by Clint Gilliland

Total War Deaths: 8,369

Iraq: Total Deaths: 4,839
– no U.S. or allied casualties reported this past week

Afghanistan: Total Deaths: 3,530
– no U.S. or allied casualties reported this past week

Stateside: An Army Blackhawk helicopter crashed on a golf course in southern Maryland last week. Spc. Jeremy Darrell Tomlin, 22, a UH-60 crew chief from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, died at the scene, the Army announced.

For Those in the Armed Forces of our Country

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14++

VIDEO: I heard the voice of Jesus say (#692, Kingsfold, English, adapt. Ralph Vaughan Williams; Horatius Bonar, alt.) – BBC “Songs of Praise,” 2009

Morning Prayer 4.18.17, Easter Tuesday

Ready now for Streaming!

For a joyful early webcast, click here.

Or if you’d rather have a joyful later one, go here!
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Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

The Girl Scouts of America have formed a troop for homeless girls sheltered in a hotel in Queens, New York, in a part of town represented by a city councilmember who was himself homeless as a child and now regularly visits shelters in his district. He suggested the Girl Scouts could help, the organization waived its usual enrollment fees, and now 21 girls are receiving leadership training, merit badges, extra educational opportunities and the chance to serve others. (Sam Hodgson/The New York Times)

Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Hebrews 9:24

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.

Christ Our Passover
1 Cor. 5:7-8; Rom. 6:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:20-22

Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.

Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *
death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; *
but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.

Christ has been raised from the dead, *
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

Psalm 103

1  Bless the LORD, O my soul, *
and all that is within me, bless God’s holy Name.
2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, *
and forget not all the benefits of the LORD.
3  Who forgives all your sins *
and heals all your infirmities;
4  Who redeems your life from the grave *
and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;
5  Who satisfies you with good things *
and your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
6  The LORD executes righteousness *
and judgment for all who are oppressed.
7  To Moses were made known God’s ways *
and to the children of Israel the works of the LORD.
8  The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.
9  The LORD will not always accuse us, *
nor remain angry for ever.
10  The LORD has not dealt with us according to our sins, *
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.
11  For as the heavens are high above the earth, *
so is the LORD’s mercy great upon the God-fearing.
12  As far as the east is from the west, *
so far has the LORD removed our sins from us.
13  As a father cares for his children, *
so does the LORD care for the God-fearing.
14  For the LORD knows whereof we are made *
and remembers that we are but dust.
15  Our days are like the grass; *
we flourish like a flower of the field;
16  When the wind goes over it, it is gone, *
and its place shall know it no more.
17  But the merciful goodness of the LORD endures for ever on the God-fearing, *
and the righteousness of the LORD on children’s children;
18  On those who keep the holy covenant *
and remember the commandments and do them.
19  The LORD has set a throne in heaven, *
and the sovereignty of the LORD has dominion over all.
20  Bless the LORD, you holy angels,
you mighty ones who do God’s bidding, *
and hearken to the voice of God’s word.
21  Bless the LORD, all you holy hosts, *
you holy ministers who do God’s will.
22  Bless the LORD, all you works of God,
in all places of God’s dominion; *
bless the LORD, O my soul.

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
Isaiah 30:18-21 (NRSV)

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.

Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Canticle: A Song of Praise
Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy name; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Acts 2:36-41 (NRSV)

Peter said, “Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

Canticle: A Song to the Lamb
Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13

Splendor and honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore.

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.

Sixty thousand people are homeless in New York City, and 40% of them are children under 18. Government doesn’t do a good job of serving them, unless community organizations like the Girl Scouts step up and help. People without a permanent address need ties to community institutions like churches and schools; now the members of Troop 6000 are having fun and learning again, instead of missing out. (Sam Hodgson/The New York Times)

John 14:15-31 (NRSV)

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.”

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 power of 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.

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

The Glorious Icon; notice the chains, fetters, locks and keys below. (iconographer unknown)

Collect of the Day: Tuesday in Easter Week

O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be dominion and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

USA Mourns SSgt. Mark De Alencar, Killed in Afghan Firefight
They Have Names, compiled since 2007 by Clint Gilliland

Total War Deaths: 8,369

Iraq: Total Deaths: 4,839
– no U.S. or allied casualties reported this past week

Afghanistan: Total Deaths: 3,530
De ALENCAR, Mark R., 37, SSGT, US Army, Edgewood, MD, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)

A Special Forces soldier killed April 8 in Afghanistan has been identified as Staff Sgt. Mark De Alencar, according to a Defense Department release. De Alencar, 37, died of injuries from enemy small arms fire while his unit was conducting counter-ISIS operations in Nangarhar Province. A weapons sergeant, he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Alencar, whose father is an Army veteran, enlisted in 2009 and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2016.

For Those in the Armed Forces of our Country

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14++

VIDEO: Welcome, happy morning! (#179, Fortunatus, Arthur S. Sullivan; Vanantius Honorius Fortunatus, tr. John Ellerton, alt.) – St. Bartholomew’s, New York City, 2015

Morning Prayer 4.11.17, Tuesday in Holy Week

Ready for Streaming

Our early webcast was a happy time, even during the hardest week of the year; click here.

Mother Gwen was our solo cantor at 9 a.m. and acquitted herself with aplomb. To watch and pray with us, go here.

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Our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The soil beneath a public housing project in East Chicago, Indiana is contaminated with lead from an old industrial plant – so much lead that children haven’t been allowed to play outside for years. Now the city is trying to close the complex but having trouble relocating the residents; most have been placed elsewhere, but a few families are holding out for a decent offer. The city wants to move them across the state line to the south side of Chicago, with significantly higher gun violence, but parents don’t want their kids living there. Tearing down contaminated housing doesn’t increase the availability of low-cost alternatives; a city has to build more just to stay even. (Alyssa Schukar/The New York Times)

Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which was brought upon me, whom the Lord has afflicted. Lamentations 1:12

CONFESSION OF SIN

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

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.

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 you are 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 6

1  LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger; *
do not punish me in your wrath.
2  Have pity on me, LORD, for I am weak; *
heal me, LORD, for my bones are racked.
3  My spirit shakes with terror; *
how long, O LORD, how long?
4  Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; *
save me for your mercy’s sake.
5  For in death no one remembers you; *
and who will give you thanks in the grave?
6  I grow weary because of my groaning; *
every night I drench my bed
and flood my couch with tears.
7  My eyes are wasted with grief *
and worn away because of all my enemies.
8  Depart from me, all evildoers, *
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
9  The LORD has heard my supplication; *
the LORD accepts my prayer.
10  All my enemies shall be confounded and quake with fear; *
they shall turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

Psalm 12

1  Help me, LORD, for there is no godly one left; *
the faithful have vanished from among us.
2  All speak falsely with their neighbor; *
with a smooth tongue they speak from a double heart.
3  Oh, that the LORD would cut off all smooth tongues, *
and close the lips that utter proud boasts!
4  Those who say, “With our tongue will we prevail; *
our lips are our own; who is lord over us?”
5  “Because the needy are oppressed,
and the poor cry out in misery, *
I will rise up,” says the LORD,
“and give them the help they long for.”
6  The words of the LORD are pure words, *
like silver refined from ore
and purified seven times in the fire.
7  O LORD, watch over us *
and save us from this generation for ever.
8  The wicked prowl on every side, *
and that which is worthless is highly prized by everyone.

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.

Rembrandt, 1630: Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem

THE LESSONS
Jeremiah 15:10-21 (NRSV)

Woe is me, my mother, that you ever bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me. The LORD said: Surely I have intervened in your life for good, surely I have imposed enemies on you in a time of trouble and in a time of distress. Can iron and bronze break iron from the north?

Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder, without price, for all your sins, throughout all your territory. I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.

O LORD, you know;
remember me and visit me,
and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance do not take me away;
know that on your account I suffer insult.
Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart;
for I am called by your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
I did not sit in the company of merrymakers,
nor did I rejoice;
under the weight of your hand I sat alone,
for you had filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain unceasing,
my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook,
like waters that fail.

Therefore thus says the LORD:
If you turn back, I will take you back,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall serve as my mouth.
It is they who will turn to you,
not you who will turn to them.
And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you to save you and deliver you,
says the LORD.
I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.

Canticle: A Song of Praise
Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy name; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Philippians 3:15-21 (NRSV)

Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

Canticle: A Song to the Lamb
Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13

Splendor and honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore.

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.

John 12:20-26 (NRSV)

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.”

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 power of 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.

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

Jesus falls the first time. (Church of St. Jean Baptiste au Beguinage, Brussels, Belgium)

Collect of the Day: Tuesday in Holy Week

O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Killed in War Last Week, but Name Not Yet Announced
They Have Names, compiled since 2007 by Clint Gilliland

Total War Deaths: 8,368

Afghanistan: Total Deaths: 3,529
– No U.S. or allied casualties reported this past week

Iraq: Total Deaths: 4,839
– One soldier lost, information not released yet

Civilian Death Estimates
Iraq: 155,923 – 174,355 (Iraq Body Count Project, through March 2016)
Afghanistan: more than 26,000 (Costs of War, Brown University, through January 2015)

For Those in the Armed Forces of our Country

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14++

VIDEO: Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow (#160, Charlestown, from The Southern Harmony; William J. Sparrow-Simpson) – Choir of 2nd Presbyterian, Lexington, Kentucky, 2016

Morning Prayer 3.28.17, Tuesday in Lent 4

Anyone Can Watch & Listen – Please Join Us!

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I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.

Historic Christ Church, Philadelphia, the oldest parish in the state, mandated in William Penn’s royal land grant; this building was erected in 1744, thirty years before American colonists seceded from the British Empire. Bishop William White and 15 signers of the nation’s founding documents are buried in the churchyard. (Wikipedia)

Rend your hearts, and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Joel 2:13

CONFESSION OF SIN

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

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.

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 you are 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 97

1  The LORD is Sovereign;
let the earth rejoice; *
let the multitude of the isles be glad.
2  Clouds and darkness are round about you, *
righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne.
3  A fire goes before you *
and burns up your enemies on every side.
4  Your lightnings light up the world; *
the earth sees it and is afraid.
5  The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, *
at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6  The heavens declare your righteousness, O LORD, *
and all the peoples see your glory.
7  Confounded be all who worship carved images
and delight in false gods! *
Bow down before the LORD, all you gods.
8  Zion hears and is glad, and the cities of Judah rejoice, *
because of your judgments, O LORD.
9  For you are the LORD,
most high over all the earth; *
you are exalted far above all gods.
10  The LORD loves those who hate evil; *
the LORD preserves the lives of the faithful
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11  Light has sprung up for the righteous, *
and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.
12  Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, *
and to the holy Name of the LORD give your praise.

Psalm 99

1  The LORD is Sovereign;
let the people tremble; *
the LORD is enthroned upon the cherubim;
let the earth shake.
2  The LORD is great in Zion; *
and is high above all peoples.
3  Let them confess the Name of the LORD,
which is great and awesome; *
the LORD is the Holy One.
4  “O mighty Sovereign, lover of justice,
you have established equity; *
you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”
5  Proclaim the greatness of the LORD our God, *
and fall down before the footstool of the Holy One.
6  Moses and Aaron among your priests,
and Samuel among those who call upon your Name, *
they called upon the LORD, and you answered them.
7  You spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *
they kept your testimonies and the decree that you gave them.
8  O LORD our God, you answered them indeed; *
you were a God who forgave them,
yet punished them for their evil deeds.
9  Proclaim the greatness of the LORD our God
and worship him upon God’s holy hill; *
for the LORD our God is the Holy One.

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
Jeremiah 17:19-27 (NRSV)

Thus said the LORD to me: Go and stand in the People’s Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, and say to them: Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates. Thus says the LORD: For the sake of your lives, take care that you do not bear a burden on the sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the sabbath or do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. Yet they did not listen or incline their ear; they stiffened their necks and would not hear or receive instruction.

But if you listen to me, says the LORD, and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but keep the sabbath day holy and do no work on it, then there shall enter by the gates of this city kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall be inhabited forever. And people shall come from the towns of Judah and the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, from the hill country, and from the Negeb, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the LORD. But if you do not listen to me, to keep the sabbath day holy, and to carry in no burden through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates; it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched.

Canticle: A Song of Praise
Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy name; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Box pews at Christ Church, Philadelphia; artifacts used by General Washington, Benjamin Rush, Sally Franklin Bache and others help draw 250,000 visitors a year. (Sara Ellis)

Romans 7:13-25 (NRSV)

Did what is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.

Canticle: A Song to the Lamb
Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13

Splendor and honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore.

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.

John 6:16-27 (NRSV)

When evening came, Jesus’ disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going. The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”

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 power of 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.

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

J.L.G. Ferris, c. 1908: General George Washington at Christ Church, Philadelphia. Besides winning a revolutionary war, presiding over the founding of a new nation and managing a plantation, he served as a church warden and vestryman for decades in Virginia. He embodied the principle that if you want to get something done, ask a busy person for help.

Collect of the Day: Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Lent

O God, with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light: Quench our thirst with living water, and flood our darkened minds with heavenly light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Air Force & Army Lose Two to War Last Week
They Have Names, compiled since 2007 by Clint Gilliland

Total War Deaths: 8,367

Iraq: Total Deaths: 4,838
MORROW, Alexandria Mae, 25, SSGT, US Air Force, Dansville, NY, 366th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

Staff Sgt. Alexandria Mae Morrow, 25, was stationed in Mountain Home, Idaho. She died on March 22 in Southwest Asia while performing maintenance duties to support combat operations. “Those who knew her valued her love of life and art, her leadership, her skills and her passion,” said Col. Jefferson O’Donnell, 366th Fighter Wing commander. “Her actions and contributions as a weapons loader just in five months overseas, let alone seven years as a gunfighter, have set records for weapons employment in combat. We honor her for making the greatest sacrifice.”

Afghanistan: Total Deaths: 3,529

BONIFACE, Robert R., 34, SGT 1st Class, US Army, San Luis Obispo, CA, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group

Sgt. Boniface enlisted in the Army in March 2006 and went straight into Special Forces training after completing infantry basic training and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was bestowed the coveted Green Beret on Jan. 14, 2010. He served as a Special Forces medical sergeant, considered to be the finest first-response/trauma medical technicians in the world. Boniface and his unit were in Afghanistan’s Logar Province, near the eastern border with Pakistan, supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He is survived by his wife, Rebekah Boniface, and daughter, Mia Elia Boniface; and his parents, Elia and David Boniface. (SLO Tribune)

For Those in the Armed Forces of our Country

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14++

VIDEO: Peace Like a River (African-American Spiritual, arr. Mack Wilberg) – Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra, 2012

Morning Prayer 3.14.17, Tuesday of the 2nd Week of Lent

Streaming Prayer Here!

Trouble-free webcast at 7 a.m. despite the Eastern snowstorm; click here.

Joan was one of three cantors this morning at 9 a.m.; go here.

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Ever since the creation of the world God’s eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made.

The Bishop of Haiti, Msgr. Jean-Zaché Duracin, with a missioners from the Diocese of Eastern Oregon, including our own Beth Spell, center, earlier this year. (mission photo)

Rend your hearts, and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Joel 2:13

CONFESSION OF SIN

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

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.

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 you are 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 61

1  Hear my cry, O God, *
and listen to my prayer.
2  I call upon you from the ends of the earth
with heaviness in my heart; *
set me upon the rock that is higher than I.
3  For you have been my refuge, *
a strong tower against the enemy.
4  I will dwell in your house for ever; *
I will take refuge under the cover of your wings.
5  For you, O God, have heard my vows; *
you have granted me the heritage of those who fear your Name.
6  Add length of days to our ruler’s life; *
with years extending over many generations.
7  Let our ruler sit enthroned before God for ever; *
watched over by your love and faithfulness.
8  So will I always sing the praise of your Name, *
and day by day I will fulfill my vows.

Psalm 62

1  For God alone my soul in silence waits; *
from God comes my salvation.
2  God alone is my rock and my salvation, *
my stronghold, so that I shall not be greatly shaken.
3  How long will you assail me to crush me,
all of you together, *
as if you were a leaning fence, a toppling wall?
4  They seek only to bring me down from my place of honor; *
lies are their chief delight.
5  They bless with their lips, *
but in their hearts they curse.
6  For God alone my soul in silence waits; *
truly, my hope is in God.
7  God alone is my rock and my salvation, *
my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.
8  In God is my safety and my honor; *
God is my strong rock and my refuge.
9  Put your trust in God always, O people, *
pour out your hearts before God, who is our refuge.
10  Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, *
even those of low estate cannot be trusted.
11  On the scales they are lighter than a breath, *
all of them together.
12  Put no trust in extortion;
in robbery take no empty pride; *
though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.
13  God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, *
that power belongs to God.
14  Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, *
for you repay all people according to their deeds.

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
Jeremiah 2:1-13 (NRSV)

The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD:

I remember the devotion of your youth,
your love as a bride,
how you followed me in the wilderness,
in a land not sown.
Israel was holy to the LORD,
the first fruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it were held guilty;
disaster came upon them,
says the LORD.

Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says the LORD:

What wrong did your ancestors find in me
that they went far from me,
and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?
They did not say, “Where is the LORD
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness,
in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
in a land that no one passes through,
where no one lives?”
I brought you into a plentiful land
to eat its fruits and its good things.
But when you entered you defiled my land,
and made my heritage an abomination.
The priests did not say, “Where is the LORD?”
Those who handle the law did not know me;
the rulers transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after things that do not profit.

Therefore once more I accuse you,
says the LORD,
and I accuse your children’s children.
Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
send to Kedar and examine with care;
see if there has ever been such a thing.
Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
for something that does not profit.
Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
says the LORD,
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living water,
and dug out cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns
that can hold no water.

Canticle: A Song of Praise
Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy name; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Romans 1:16-25 (NRSV)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Canticle: A Song to the Lamb
Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13

Splendor and honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore.

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.

Joseph-Marie Vien, 1752: Jesus Heals the Official’s Son (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Marseille, France)

John 4:43-54 (NRSV)

When the two days were over, he went from that place to Galilee (for Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in the prophet’s own country). When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the festival; for they too had gone to the festival.

Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my little boy dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, “Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.” The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he himself believed, along with his whole household. Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.

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 power of 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.

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

Rib vaulting at Salisbury Cathedral, England (photographer unknown)

Collect for Tuesday in the Second Week of Lent

O God, you willed to redeem us from all iniquity by your Son: Deliver us when we are tempted to regard sin without abhorrence, and let the virtue of his passion come between us and our mortal enemy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

No Coalition Forces Killed in War Last Week
They Have Names, compiled since 2007 by Clint Gilliland

Total War Deaths: 8,365

Afghanistan: Total Deaths: 3,528
-no U.S. or allied casualties reported this past week

Iraq: Total Deaths: 4,837
-no U.S. or allied casualties reported this past week

COMMENT: Thanks be to God for last week’s hiatus. Watch over, and protect the “several hundred” (multiply by two or three) Marines who have been deployed to Syria with heavy artillery to assist in the taking of Raqqa. At least the artillery gives them about a 20 mile reach. Not as good for all the Marines advancing into Raqqa. Raqqa is the de facto headquarters and capital of ISIL/ISIS in the north of the country. This operation has the propensity to be a very ugly one. Keep our Marines safe, Lord. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Civilian Death Estimates
Iraq: 155,923 – 174,355 (Iraq Body Count Project, through March 2016)
Afghanistan: more than 26,000 (Costs of War, Brown University, through January 2015)

For Those in the Armed Forces of our Country

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14++

VIDEO: All ye who seek a comfort sure (St. Bernard, from Tochter Sion; Edward Caswall) – Choir of St. Alban’s Cathedral, 1992

Morning Prayer 2.28.17, Anna Julia Haywood Cooper & Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, Educators, 1964, 1904

Ready for streaming now!

Our cantors were in good voice at 7 a.m. and our spiritual unity was noticeable; to play it back, click here.

Robin’s birthday & heartfelt prayers at 9 a.m., you can’t miss that; go here.

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It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Big Sur, California has been cut off from civilization with the failure of this bridge on the Pacific Coast Highway, which may topple into the ocean at any moment. It’s some of the most scenic coastline in the world and attracts millions of tourists, but the 400 permanent residents pay a steep price to live there with only one escape route. Nearby Esalen Institute had to be evacuated, and the New Camaldoli Hermitage, a Roman Catholic monastery, has been closed to visitors (and income) for two months already. A temporary bridge may take a year to build; rainfall in parts of California is the heaviest in over a century. (Kodiak Greenwood/San Francisco Chronicle)

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 you are 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 26

1  Give judgment for me, O LORD,
for I have lived with integrity; *
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
2  Test me, O LORD, and try me; *
examine my heart and my mind.
3  For your love is before my eyes; *
I have walked faithfully with you.
4  I have not sat with the worthless, *
nor do I consort with the deceitful.
5  I have hated the company of evildoers; *
I will not sit down with the wicked.
6  I will wash my hands in innocence, O LORD, *
that I may go in procession round your altar,
7  Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving *
and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
8  LORD, I love the house in which you dwell *
and the place where your glory abides.
9  Do not sweep me away with sinners, *
nor my life with those who thirst for blood,
10  Whose hands are full of evil plots, *
and their right hand full of bribes.
11  As for me, I will live with integrity, *
redeem me, O LORD, and have pity on me.
12  My foot stands on level ground; *
in the full assembly I will bless the LORD.

Psalm 28

1  O LORD, I call to you;
my Rock, do not be deaf to my cry; *
lest, if you do not hear me,
I become like those who go down to the Pit.
2  Hear the voice of my prayer when I cry out to you, *
when I lift up my hand to your holy of holies.
3  Do not snatch me away with the wicked or with the evildoers, *
who speak peaceably with their neighbors,
while strife is in their hearts.
4  Repay them according to their deeds, *
and according to the wickedness of their actions.
5  According to the work of their hands repay them, *
and give them their just deserts.
6  O LORD, they have no understanding of your doings,
nor of the works of your hands; *
therefore you will break them down and not build them up.
7  Blessed is the LORD! *
for you have heard the voice of my prayer.
8  The LORD is my strength and my shield; *
my heart trusts in you, and I have been helped;
9  Therefore my heart dances for joy, *
and in my song will I praise you.
10  You, O LORD, are the strength of your people, *
a safe refuge for your anointed.
11  Save your people and bless your inheritance; *
shepherd them and carry them for ever.

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

THE LESSONS
Deuteronomy 6:16-25 (NRSV)

Do not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. You must diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his decrees, and his statutes that he has commanded you. Do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may go in and occupy the good land that the LORD swore to your ancestors to give you, thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has promised.

When your children ask you in time to come, “What is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances that the LORD our God has commanded you?” then you shall say to your children, “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. The LORD displayed before our eyes great and awesome signs and wonders against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household. He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land that he promised on oath to our ancestors. Then the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our lasting good, so as to keep us alive, as is now the case. If we diligently observe this entire commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, we will be in the right.”

Canticle:  A Song of Pilgrimage
Ecclesiasticus 51:13-16, 20b-22

Before I ventured forth,
even while I was very young, *
I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
In the forecourts of the temple I asked for her, *
and I will seek her to the end.
From first blossom to early fruit, *
she has been the delight of my heart.
My foot has kept firmly to the true path, *
diligently from my youth have I pursued her.
I inclined my ear a little and received her; *
I found for myself much wisdom and became adept in her.
To the one who gives me wisdom will I give glory, *
for I have resolved to live according to her way.
From the beginning I gained courage from her, *
therefore I will not be forsaken.
In my inmost being I have been stirred to seek her, *
therefore have I gained a good possession.
As my reward the Almighty has given me the gift of language,*
and with it will I offer praise to God.

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.

Hebrews 2:1-10 (NRSV)

Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the message declared through angels was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will.

Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere,

“What are human beings that you are mindful of them,
or mortals, that you care for them?
You have made them for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned them with glory and honor,
subjecting all things under their feet.”

Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Canticle: A Song of Faith
1 Peter 1:3-4, 18-21

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
by divine mercy we have a new birth into a living hope;
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, *
we have an inheritance that is imperishable in heaven.
The ransom that was paid to free us *
was not paid in silver or gold,
But in the precious blood of Christ, *
the Lamb without spot or stain.
God raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory *
so that we might have faith and hope in God.

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 Pharisees ask John the Baptist if he is the Christ. (Ultimate Bible Pictures)

John 1:19-28 (NRSV)

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,'” as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

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 power of 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.

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

Anna Cooper, born into slavery about 1859, was educated at St. Augustine’s University, married a professor, became an Episcopalian and had a long and distinguished career in education, civil rights and community organizing, especially in Washington, D.C. At age 65 she became the fourth African-American woman to earn a doctorate from the Sorbonne, Paris; at age 70 she became president of Freylinghuysen University and served until she was 82.

Collect of the Day: Anna Julia Haywood Cooper and Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, Educators, 1964, 1904

Eternal God, you inspired Anna Julia Haywood Cooper and Elizabeth Evelyn Wright with the love of learning and the joy of teaching: Help us also to gather and use the resources of our communities for the education of all your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Massachusetts Soldier Killed in Iraq
They Have Names, compiled since 2007 by Clint Gilliland

Total War Deaths: 8,365

Afghanistan: Total Deaths: 3,528
-no U.S. or allied casualties reported this past week

Iraq: Total Deaths: 4,837
ODIORNE, Brian P., 21, PFC, US Army, Ware, MA, 1st Cavalry Division

Private 1st Class Brian P. Odiorne, of Ware, Massachusetts, was killed in Al Anbar province, Iraq, on February 20. His death was not combat related, but details of how he died have not been disclosed. Odiorne, 21, joined the Army in October 2015 and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, since May 2016. He was trained as a cannon crew member. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Army Service Medal. He will be posthumously awarded the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal and Overseas Service Ribbon.

For Those in the Armed Forces of our Country

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

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.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14++

VIDEO: When in our music God is glorified (#420, Engelberg, Charles Villiers Stanford; F. Pratt Green) – Mark Thallander Foundation Choir Festival, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, 2008