Morning Prayer 4.1.17, Frederick Denison Maurice, Priest, 1872

So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.

Francine Hughes Wilson has died, a Michigan woman who endured years of abuse from her husband until, one day in 1977, she set fire to his bedroom while he slept, grabbed her children and ran to the police. She was charged with first-degree murder but was found not guilty by reason of (temporary) insanity; she claimed a voice had urged her to do it. Faith McNulty wrote a book about the case called The Burning Bed, which was turned into an acclaimed TV movie starring Farrah Fawcett, watched by a reported 75 million Americans. All are credited with spurring police and prosecutors to take domestic violence more seriously, and women around the country to organize shelters for women and children escaping the abuse. (United Press International)

Thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, “I dwell in the high and holy place and also with the one who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15

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
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!

Harden not your hearts,
as your forebears did in the wilderness, *
at Meribah, and on that day at Massah,
when they tempted me.
They put me to the test, *
though they had seen my works.
Forty years long I detested that generation and said, *
“This people are wayward in their hearts;
they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my wrath, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Psalm 107:33-43

33  The LORD changed rivers into deserts, *
and water-springs into thirsty ground,
34  A fruitful land into salt flats, *
because of the wickedness of those who dwell there.
35  God changed deserts into pools of water *
and dry land into water-springs.
36  God settled the hungry there, *
and they founded a city to dwell in.
37  They sowed fields, and planted vineyards, *
and brought in a fruitful harvest.
38  God blessed them, so that they increased greatly; *
God did not let their herds decrease.
39  Yet when they were diminished and brought low, *
through stress of adversity and sorrow,
40  (God pours contempt on nobles *
and makes them wander in trackless wastes)
41  God lifted up the poor out of misery *
and multiplied their families like flocks of sheep.
42  The upright will see this and rejoice, *
but all wickedness will shut its mouth.
43  Whoever is wise will ponder these things, *
and consider well the mercies of the LORD.

Psalm 108:1-6

1  My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; *
I will sing and make melody.
2  Wake up, my spirit;
awake, lute and harp; *
I myself will waken the dawn.
3  I will confess you among the peoples, O LORD; *
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4  For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, *
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
5  Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *
and your glory over all the earth.
6  So that those who are dear to you may be delivered, *
save with your right hand and answer me.

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 23:9-15 (NRSV)

Concerning the prophets:
My heart is crushed within me,
all my bones shake;
I have become like a drunkard,
like one overcome by wine,
because of the LORD
and because of his holy words.
For the land is full of adulterers;
because of the curse the land mourns,
and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up.
Their course has been evil,
and their might is not right.
Both prophet and priest are ungodly;
even in my house I have found their wickedness,
says the LORD.
Therefore their way shall be to them
like slippery paths in the darkness,
into which they shall be driven and fall;
for I will bring disaster upon them
in the year of their punishment,
says the LORD.
In the prophets of Samaria
I saw a disgusting thing:
they prophesied by Baal
and led my people Israel astray.
But in the prophets of Jerusalem
I have seen a more shocking thing:
they commit adultery and walk in lies;
they strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that no one turns from wickedness;
all of them have become like Sodom to me,
and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.
Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets:
“I am going to make them eat wormwood,
and give them poisoned water to drink;
for from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”

Canticle: A Song of Creation
Song of the Three Young Men, 35-65

Invocation

Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
In the high vault of heaven, glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.

I The Cosmic Order

Glorify the Lord, you angels and all powers of the Lord, *
O heavens and all waters above the heavens.
Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew, *
all winds and fire and heat.
Winter and Summer, glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold, *
drops of dew and flakes of snow.
Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O nights and days, *
O shining light and enfolding dark.
Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.

Yearling ewes on a family farm in Indiana. Mid-March began the normal delivery time for lambs, and those who raise them are working long hours. (Royer Farm Fresh)

II The Earth and its Creatures

Let the earth glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills,
and all that grows upon the earth, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas, and streams, *
O whales and all that move in the waters.
All birds of the air, glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild, *
and all you flocks and herds.
O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.

III The People of God

Let the people of God glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O priests and servants of the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O spirits and souls of the righteous, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
You that are holy and humble of heart, glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.

Doxology

Let us glorify the Lord: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
sing praise and give honor for ever.
In the high vault of heaven, glorify the Lord, *
sing praise and give honor for ever.

Romans 9:1-18 (NRSV)

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel, and not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For this is what the promise said, “About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.” Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac. Even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue, not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.” As it is written,

“I have loved Jacob,
but I have hated Esau.”

What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.

Canticle: Song of the Redeemed
Revelation 15:3-4

O ruler of the universe, Lord God,
great deeds are they that you have done, *
surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth, *
O King of all the ages.

Who can fail to do you homage, Lord
and sing the praises of your Name? *
for you only are the Holy One.
All nations will draw near and fall down before you *
because your just and holy works have been revealed.

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 6:60-71 (NRSV)

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

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

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.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Frederick Maurice, a latecomer to Anglicanism, was not impressed by its Sunday isolation from the rest of life, particularly the injustices visited upon the poor. He wrote, “We have been dosing our people with religion when what they want is not this but the living God.” He went on to be a founder of the Christian Socialist Movement while having to refute numerous attacks on his orthodoxy as well as his politics; being Professor of Moral Theology at Cambridge wasn’t enough for some people.

Collect of the Day: Frederick Denison Maurice, Priest, 1872

Almighty God, who restored our human nature to heavenly glory through the perfect obedience of our Savior Jesus Christ: Keep alive in your Church, we pray, a passion for justice and truth; that, like your servant Frederick Denison Maurice, we may work and pray for the triumph of the kingdom of your Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Collect for Saturday in the Fourth Week of Lent

Mercifully hear our prayers, O Lord, and spare all those who confess their sins to you; that those whose consciences are accused by sin may by your merciful pardon be absolved; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Saturdays

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saturday Morning Prayer List

For Those Seeking God’s Will
David, Tom, Brad & Danny, vocation
Dinah, religious life
Shirley & Maureen, discernment
Diocesan Commissions on Ministry

The Society of the Precious Blood writes, “Rooted within the monastic tradition, we live a life of prayer, silence, fellowship and solitude. The Eucharist is the center of our life, where we are most deeply united with Christ, one another and all for whom we pray. This is continued throughout the day in the Divine Office, the watch before the Blessed Sacrament and all the ordinariness of work, reading, creating and learning to live together.”

For Religious Orders & Communities
Society of St. Francis (men), Australia; Brazil; Korea; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Solomon Islands; California, New York; UK
Society of St. Francis, Third Order – Africa, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, and the Americas
Society of St. John the Evangelist, Massachusetts & UK
Society of the Holy Cross, Korea
Society of the Precious Blood, UK, Lesotho & South Africa

Please add your own prayers here.

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: I Repent (Steve Green, Phil Naish; Dave Noel) – Steve Green, 2010

Evening Prayer 3.1.17, Ash Wednesday

Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector…”

Fr. Lane Hensley, Church of the Transfiguration, Palos Park, Illinois, 2010. (Chicago Tribune)

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

GENERAL CONFESSION

God of all mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
opposing your will in our lives.
We have denied your goodness in each other,
in ourselves, and in the world you have created.
We repent of the evil that enslaves us,
the evil we have done,
and the evil done on our behalf.
Forgive, restore, and strengthen us
through our Savior Jesus Christ,
that we may abide in your love
and serve only your will. Amen.

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

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

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

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

Hymn: O Gracious Light

O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Psalm 102

1  LORD, hear my prayer, and let my cry come before you; *
hide not your face from me in the day of my trouble.
2  Incline your ear to me; *
when I call, make haste to answer me,
3  For my days drift away like smoke, *
and my bones are hot as burning coals.
4  My heart is smitten like grass and withered, *
so that I forget to eat my bread.
5  Because of the voice of my groaning *
I am but skin and bones.
6  I have become like a vulture in the wilderness, *
like an owl among the ruins.
7  I lie awake and groan; *
I am like a sparrow, lonely on a house-top.
8  My enemies revile me all day long, *
and those who scoff at me have taken an oath against me.
9  For I have eaten ashes for bread *
and mingled my drink with weeping.
10  Because of your indignation and wrath *
you have lifted me up and thrown me away.
11  My days pass away like a shadow, *
and I wither like the grass.
12  But you, O LORD, endure for ever, *
and your Name from age to age.
13  You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to have mercy upon it; *
indeed, the appointed time has come.
14  For your servants love its very rubble, *
and are moved to pity even for its dust.
15  The nations shall fear your Name, O LORD, *
and all the kings of the earth your glory.
16  For you, O LORD, will build up Zion, *
and your glory will appear.
17  You will look with favor on the prayer of the homeless; *
you will not despise their plea.
18  Let this be written for a future generation, *
so that a people yet unborn may praise the LORD.
19  For the LORD looked down from the holy place on high; *
and from the heavens beheld the earth;
20  To hear the groan of the captive *
and to set free those condemned to die;
21  That they may declare in Zion the Name of the LORD, *
and the praise of our God in Jerusalem;
22  When the peoples are gathered together, *
and the realms also, to serve the LORD.
23  The LORD has brought down my strength before my time; *
and shortened the number of my days;
24  And I said, “O my God,
do not take me away in the midst of my days; *
your years endure throughout all generations.
25  In the beginning, O LORD, you laid the foundations of the earth, *
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
26  They shall perish, but you will endure;
they all shall wear out like a garment; *
as clothing you will change them,
and they shall be changed;
27  But you are always the same, *
and your years will never end.
28  The children of your servants shall continue, *
and their offspring shall stand fast in your sight.”

Psalm 130

1  Out of the depths have I called to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice; *
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
2  If you, LORD, were to note what is done amiss, *
O Lord, who could stand?
3  For there is forgiveness with you; *
therefore you shall be feared.
4  I wait for you, O LORD; my soul waits for you; *
in your word is my hope.
5  My soul waits for the LORD,
more than sentries for the morning, *
more than sentries for the morning.
6  O Israel, wait for the LORD, *
for with the LORD there is mercy;
7  There is plenteous redemption with the LORD, *
who shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

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.

Rebecca Brogan: Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (John the Baptist Artworks)

THE LESSON
Luke 18:9-14 (NRSV)

Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Canticle: The Song of Simeon
Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.

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.

(Jeff Cook/Quad City Times, 2008)

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

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.

That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear,
and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit
in the communion of all your saints,
entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.

The Rev. Tom Fehr, Chaplain of the Community of the Transfiguration in Cincinnati, Ohio, administered ashes to one of the Sisters last year. (Faith Lang)

Collect of the Day: Ash Wednesday

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Protection

O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

For the beauty of the Earth: roots of the ficus tree we saw this morning at St. Columba’s, Marathon, Florida. (The Rev. Michael Hartney)

For the Beauty of the Earth

We give you thanks, most gracious God, for the beauty of earth and sky and sea; for the richness of mountains, plains, and rivers; for the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers. We praise you for these good gifts, and pray that we may safeguard them for our posterity. Grant that we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation, to the honor and glory of your Name, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Diocese of Mandalay, Myanmar

Wednesday Evening Prayer List

For Disaster Victims
Deadly floods in Chile, millions without water
Flooding in Southern California & the U.S. West
Drought in Southern Africa, India and Papua New Guinea
Refugee Crisis in the Middle East and Europe
Famine in Niger, Mali, Ethiopia and South Sudan

For Prisoners
Matthew
The Rev. Andrew Brunson, missionary in Turkey

Prisoners of ISIS & Boko Haram: #BringBackOurGirls
Victims of human trafficking, including U.S. & Australian detainees
Guantanamo; political prisoners

The innocent, the guilty, the victims of crime
Children and families of prisoners
Prison chaplains and ministries, especially Sally & Francesca
John P. Craine House, diversion and prevention programs
Sr. Helen Prejean and all prison reformers
All who are condemned to die

For those who suffer for the sake of Conscience

O God our Father, whose Son forgave his enemies while he was suffering shame and death: Strengthen those who suffer for the sake of conscience; when they are accused, save them from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from despair; and to us your servants, give grace to respect their witness and to discern the truth, that our society may be cleansed and strengthened. This we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ, our merciful and righteous Judge. Amen.

Prayer for Mission

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.++

VIDEO: Wilt thou forgive that sin (#140, Donne, John Hilton, alt.; John Donne) – Connor Burrowes, 2009

Morning Prayer 3.1.17, Ash Wednesday

Ready for streaming now!

Our 7 a.m. service was rather joyful for a fast day; sometimes that’s how it happens. To stream this webcast, click here.

Good cantors, readings & spirit at 9 a.m. too, so go here.

—

And the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Today is Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting on the first day of Lent. Anglican and other churches all over the world will be open for Holy Eucharist and the imposition of ashes as a reminder of our sin and mortality. It’s a simple act of reconciliation, as seen at Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis, in 2012; just line up and receive as the minister makes a cross on your forehead. (Matt Detrich/The Indianapolis Star)

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

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 (PCP)
Venite

1  Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
2  Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving; *
and raise a loud shout to the LORD with psalms.
3  For the LORD is a great God; *
and a great Sovereign above all gods.
4  The LORD holds the caverns of the earth; *
and sustains the heights of the hills.
5  The sea belongs to God, who made it, *
whose hands have molded the dry land.
6  Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the LORD our Maker.
7  For the LORD is our God,
and we are the people of God’s pasture and the sheep of God’s hand. *
Oh, that today you would hearken to God’s voice!

8  Harden not your hearts,
as your ancestors did in the wilderness, *
at Meribah, and on that day at Massah,
when they tempted me.
9  They put me to the test, *
though they had seen my works.
10  Forty years long I detested that generation and said, *
“This people are wayward in their hearts;
they do not know my ways.”
11  So I swore in my wrath, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Psalm 32

1  Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *
and whose sin is put away!
2  Happy are they to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, *
and in whose spirit there is no guile!
3  While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *
because of my groaning all day long.
4  For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *
my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
5  Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *
and did not conceal my guilt.
6  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” *
Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
7  Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble; *
when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
8  You are my hiding-place;
you preserve me from trouble; *
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
9  “I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; *
I will guide you with my eye.
10  Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; *
who must be fitted with bit and bridle,
or else they will not stay near you.”
11  Great are the tribulations of the wicked; *
but mercy embraces those who trust in the LORD.
12  Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; *
shout for joy, all who are true of heart.

Psalm 143

1  LORD, hear my prayer,
and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; *
answer me in your righteousness.
2  Enter not into judgment with your servant, *
for in your sight shall no one living be justified.
3  For my enemy has sought my life,
crushed me to the ground, *
and made me live in dark places like those who are long dead.
4  My spirit fails within me; *
my heart within me is desolate.
5  I remember the time past;
I muse upon all your deeds; *
I consider the works of your hands.
6  I spread out my hands to you; *
my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.
7  O LORD, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; *
do not hide your face from me
or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
8  Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
for I put my trust in you; *
show me the road that I must walk,
for I lift up my soul to you.
9  Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD, *
for I flee to you for refuge.
10  Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; *
let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
11  Revive me, O LORD, for your Name’s sake; *
for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.

12  Of your goodness, destroy my enemies
and bring all my foes to naught, *
for truly I am your servant.

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.

Jonah and the Bush: poor me. (Living the Lectionary blog)

THE LESSONS
Jonah 3:1—4:11 (NRSV)

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city. The LORD God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” And he said, “Yes, angry enough to die.” Then the LORD said, “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”

Canticle: A Song of Penitence
Prayer of Manasseh, 1-2, 4, 6-7, 11-15

O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, *
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and of all their righteous offspring:
You made the heavens and the earth, *
with all their vast array.
All things quake with fear at your presence; *
they tremble because of your power.
But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; *
it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.
O Lord, you are full of compassion, *
long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.
You hold back your hand; *
you do not punish as we deserve.
In your great goodness, Lord,
you have promised forgiveness to sinners, *
that they may repent of their sin and be saved.
And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, *
and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.
I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, *
and I know my wickedness only too well.
Therefore I make this prayer to you: *
Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.
Do not let me perish in my sin, *
nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.
For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, *
and in me you will show forth your goodness.
Unworthy as I am, you will save me,
in accordance with your great mercy, *
and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.
For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, *
and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen.

Hebrews 12:1-14 (NRSV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children—

“My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
or lose heart when you are punished by him;
for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves,
and chastises every child whom he accepts.”

Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

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.

Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (iconographer unknown)

Luke 18:9-14 (NRSV)

Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

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.  Help us, O God our Savior;
R.  Deliver us and forgive us our sins.
V.  Look upon your congregation;
R.  Give to your people the blessing of peace.
V.  Declare your glory among the nations;
R.  And your wonders among all peoples.
V.  Do not let the oppressed be shamed and turned away;
R.  Never forget the lives of your poor.
V.  Continue your loving-kindness to those who know you;
R.  And your favor to those who are true of heart.
V.  Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning;
R.  So shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

Collect of the Day: Ash Wednesday

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Grace

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power; that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For joy in God’s creation: a very large ficus tree a few years ago at St. Columba’s, Marathon, Florida. Tonight we’ll have a closeup of that root system. (The Rev. Michael Hartney)

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.

Wednesday Morning Prayer List

Healing of Body, Mind & Soul
Sr. Charity, abdominal surgery and complications
Gary Sudyam, hit by car, spinal cord injuries
Michele Steele, cancer
Kathie Inboden, Stage II pancreatic cancer
Julie, RSD, suicide attempt
Jeanetta MacKay, recurrence of cancer
Jon, diabetic macular edema
Arthur Wilbur, advanced Parkinson’s
Marjorie, ovarian cancer
Nick, myeloma
Katherine, early Alzheimer’s, and her son Robert, early dementia
Fr.Doug Yarbrough, multiple sclerosis
Sr. Judy, breast cancer
Gayle, age 80, will to live
Cameron Lacy, acute leukemia
Clint’s daughter Julia Butcher, breast cancer
Rayell Segerstrom, melanoma
Ron, late stage brain cancer
Baylin, child with cancer
Martha’s brother Lewis
Fr. Robert Hughes, Parkinson’s
Treese, cancer recovery
Joan, chemo
Debbie, lupus
Honorary Deacon Clint, cancer
Clint’s daughter Julia Butcher, breast cancer recovery

For Caregivers & Families
Linda
Teresa

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

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.

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.

May the blessing of the God of Abraham and Sarah, and of Jesus Christ born of our sister Mary, and of the Holy Spirit, who broods over the world as a mother over her children, be upon us and remain with us always. Amen.++

VIDEO: Burial of the Alleluia – St. John Cantius Church, Chicago, last Sunday

Evening Prayer 2.25.17, John Roberts, Priest, 1949

Jesus said, “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.”

The Falls Church (Episcopal) in Virginia is a large, prestigious parish which dates from American colonial days; George Washington was a church warden when the oldest extant building was erected in 1769. A town then grew up around the church and is now a sought-after suburb of Washington, D.C. That colonial building was erected by slaves, a fact predviously omitted from the parish history. Now they’ve decided to rectify that, with a ceremony February 11 dedicating a new plaque honoring the slave craftsmen and offering “gratitude and repentance.” This is part of a larger, long-running effort by the Episcopal Church to come to grips with its role in slavery and the slave trade. Above, the Rector of Falls Church, the Rev. John Ohmer, reads as parishioners Nikki and Edward Henderson of the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, which helped lead the effort, assist in the dedication. (parish photo)

If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night,” darkness is not dark to you, O Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike. Psalm 139:10-11

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

O God, be not far from us.
Come quickly to help us, O 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. Alleluia.

Hymn: Light of the World
Phos hilaron

Light of the world in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

Psalm 104

1  Bless the LORD, O my soul; *
O LORD my God, how excellent is your greatness!
you are clothed with majesty and splendor.
2  You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak *
and spread out the heavens like a curtain.
3  You lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above; *
you make the clouds your chariot;
you ride on the wings of the wind.
4  You make the winds your messengers *
and flames of fire your servants.
5  You have set the earth upon its foundations, *
so that it never shall move at any time.
6  You covered it with the Deep as with a mantle; *
the waters stood higher than the mountains.
7  At your rebuke they fled; *
at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.
8  They went up into the hills and down to the valleys beneath, *
to the places you had appointed for them.
9  You set the limits that they should not pass; *
they shall not again cover the earth.
10  You send the springs into the valleys; *
they flow between the mountains.
11  All the beasts of the field drink their fill from them, *
and the wild asses quench their thirst.
12  Beside them the birds of the air make their nests *
and sing among the branches.
13  You water the mountains from your dwelling on high; *
the earth is fully satisfied by the fruit of your works.
14  You make grass grow for flocks and herds *
and plants to serve humankind;
15  That they may bring forth food from the earth, *
and wine to gladden our hearts,
16  Oil to make a cheerful countenance, *
and bread to strengthen the heart.
17  The trees of the LORD are full of sap, *
the cedars of Lebanon which the LORD planted,
18  In which the birds build their nests, *
and in whose tops the stork makes its dwelling.
19  The high hills are a refuge for the mountain goats, *
and the stony cliffs for the rock badgers.
20  You appointed the moon to mark the seasons, *
and the sun knows the time of its setting.
21  You make darkness that it may be night, *
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.
22  The lions roar after their prey *
and seek their food from God.
23  The sun rises, and they slip away *
and lay themselves down in their dens.
24  Mortals go forth to their work *
and to their labor until the evening.

25  O LORD, how manifold are your works! *
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
26  Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
creatures both small and great.
27  There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan, *
which you have made for the sport of it.
28  All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.
29  You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
30  You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.
31  You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.
32  May your glory, O LORD, endure for ever; *
may you rejoice in all your works.
33  You look at the earth and it trembles; *
you touch the mountains and they smoke.
34  I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.
35  May these words of mine please you; *
I will rejoice in the LORD.
36  Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, *
and the wicked be no more.
37  Bless the LORD, O my soul. *
Hallelujah!

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

The new plaque in the sidewalk at the Falls Church in Virginia. Perhaps the job of reconciling the parish and its history is only begun, but it is well begun; may other churches follow. (parish photo)

THE LESSON
Matthew 6:1-6 (NRSV)

Jesus said, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Canticle: The Song of Mary
Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your Name.
You have mercy on those who fear you *
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm, *
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones, *
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things, *
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

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

THE PRAYERS

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.

That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear,
and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit
in the communion of all your saints,
entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.

John Roberts was a priest and missionary among the Shoshone and Arapahoe Indians in Wyoming. He worked tirelessly establishing schools and churches from his arrival in 1883 to his death in 1949. Above in 1906, with students at his Fort Washakie Mission School for girls, which complemented a nearby government school for boys – raising a question, did the government not pay to educate girls?

Collect of the Day: John Roberts, Priest, 1949

Almighty God, who raised up your servant John Roberts to be a witness among the Shoshone and Arapahoe peoples; May we, inspired by his example and prayers, invite all people to the riches of your grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Saturdays

O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your unending day upon us who watch for you, that our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship on the morrow give you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Diocese of Malakal, Sudan

Saturday Evening Prayer List: For the Church

For Our Mission Partners
Cuttington University School of Nursing, Liberia
The American Friends of Cuttington, New York
Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion, New York; Canon Jamie Callaway
Haiti Nursing Foundation
Diocese of Brasilia Afterschool Program, Brazil
Rosebud Episcopal Mission, South Dakota
St. André’s School, Mithon, Haiti

For Mission

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13++

VIDEO: When all thy mercies, O my God (#415, unknown tune; Joseph Addison, alt.) – NAC Concert Choir, 2011

Evening Prayer 2.19.17, Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Holy Trinity Cathedral in Accra, Ghana, where last month the Presiding Bishop led bishops, missioners and other laypeople on a pilgrimage of reconciliation in memory of Africans enslaved and shipped to the Americas. (Guido Sohne)

Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

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

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

Hymn: Light of the World
Phos hilaron

Light of the world in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

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.

THE LESSON
John 10:7-16 (NRSV)

So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Canticle: The Song of Simeon
Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.

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 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

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is 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.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

(Fr. Leo Arrowsmith)

Collect of the Day: Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Sundays

Lord God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ triumphed over the powers of death and prepared for us our place in the new Jerusalem: Grant that we, who have this day given thanks for his resurrection, may praise you in that City of which he is the light, and where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Diocese of Mahajanga, Madagascar

Sunday Evening Prayer List

For This Congregation
Our Asia-Pacific, British, North American & Spanish-language subscribers
Our Facebook group, Twitter followers & iTunes audience
Our Mission Board
Our Chaplain, Mother Gwen
Our Missioner, Deacon Maria
Our Honorary Deacon, Clint
Our Officiants, Cantors’ Guild & Production Team
Our Episcopal Visitor, +Catherine

A Collect for Mission

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21++

VIDEO: The king of love my shepherd is (#645, St. Columba, Irish; Henry Williams Baker, para. Ps. 23) – uncredited musicians, arr. Gonzalo L. Gonzalez, 2013

Morning Prayer 2.19.17, Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry led a pilgrimage of reconciliation to Ghana last month to visit sites used in the slave trade, and Episcopal Relief and Development’s projects to build up the local economy. Above, the PB and Massachusetts Suffragan Bishop Gayle Harris take a look at one of the slave “castles” built by the British, Dutch and Portugese which lined Africa’s west coast to serve the slave trade’s Middle Passage. Human beings were kidnapped in the countryside, taken to camps, then marched to the sea to be loaded onto ships destined for the Southern U.S. and Caribbean islands. Both bishops’ ancestors likely passed through a place like this, along with an estimated 12-25 million others. (Reportage and photos by Lynette Wilson/Episcopal News Service)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

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 100
Jubilate

Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.

Know this: The Lord himself is God;
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.

For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

Psalm 118

1  Give thanks to the LORD, who is good; *
whose mercy endures for ever.
2  Let Israel now proclaim, *
“The mercy of the LORD endures for ever.”
3  Let the house of Aaron now proclaim, *
“The mercy of the LORD endures for ever.”
4  Let those who fear the LORD now proclaim, *
“The mercy of the LORD endures for ever.”
5  I called to the LORD in my distress; *
the LORD answered by setting me free.
6  The LORD is at my side, therefore I will not fear; *
what can anyone do to me?
7  The LORD is at my side to help me; *
I will triumph over those who hate me.
8  It is better to rely on the LORD *
than to put any trust in flesh.
9  It is better to rely on the LORD *
than to put any trust in rulers.
10  All the ungodly encompass me; *
in the Name of the LORD I will repel them.
11  They hem me in, they hem me in on every side; *
in the name of the LORD I will repel them.
12  They swarm about me like bees;
they blaze like a fire of thorns; *
in the name of the LORD I will repel them.
13  I was pressed so hard that I almost fell, *
but the LORD came to my help.

14  The LORD is my strength and my song, *
and has become my salvation.
15  There is a sound of exultation and victory *
in the tents of the righteous:
16  ”The right hand of the LORD has triumphed! *
the right hand of the LORD is exalted!
the right hand of the LORD has triumphed!”
17  I shall not die, but live, *
and declare the works of the LORD.
18  The LORD has punished me sorely, *
but he did not hand me over to death.

19  Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I will enter them;
I will offer thanks to the LORD.
20  ”This is the gate of the LORD; *
those who are righteous may enter.”
21  I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
and have become my salvation.
22  The same stone which the builders rejected *
has become the chief cornerstone.
23  This is the LORD’s doing, *
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24  On this day the LORD has acted; *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25  Hosanna, LORD, hosanna! *
LORD, send us now success.
26  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; *
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
27  God is the LORD, who has shined upon us; *
form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.
28  “You are my God, and I will thank you; *
you are my God, and I will exalt you.”
29  Give thanks to the LORD, who is good; *
whose mercy endures 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
Isaiah 66:7-14 (NRSV)

Before she was in labor she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her
she delivered a son.
Who has heard of such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
Shall a nation be delivered in one moment?
Yet as soon as Zion was in labor
she delivered her children.
Shall I open the womb and not deliver?
says the Lord;
shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?
says your God.

Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her—
that you may nurse and be satisfied
from her consoling breast;
that you may drink deeply with delight
from her glorious bosom.

For thus says the Lord:
I will extend prosperity to her like a river,
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
your bodies shall flourish like the grass;
and it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants,
and his indignation is against his enemies.

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.

The Presiding Bishop and other pilgrims from the House of Bishops and Episcopal Relief and Development after Eucharist at Most Holy Trinity Cathedral in Accra January 22. The group visited ERD-sponsored development programs, including one that provides donkeys for women in agriculture, and NetsForLife, which combats malaria.

1 John 3:4-10 (NRSV)

Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God. The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.

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.

A tour guide at the Pikoro slave camp in Ghana’s Upper East Region demonstrates the use of the Punishment Rock; slaves who didn’t submit were tied to the rock and left in the sun to die. Half a million captives from Burkina Faso and Mali were held at this camp.

John 10:7-16 (NRSV)

So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

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

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is 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.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Christ the King Church, adjacent to Cape Coast Castle, was the first Anglican church in Ghana; it replaced an Anglican chapel in the castle, above the slave dungeons.

Collect of the Day: Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Sundays

O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday Morning Prayer List: Our Donors: thank you!

2017 DONORS
as of Friday

Intercessor – $50 – 99
Davidson Bidwell-Waite
Caroline Braun
Libbye Brooks
Leslie Bryan, in memory of Billy Bryan, in honor of Connie Bryan
The Rev. Denise Cabana
May B. Daw
The Rev. Dr. Christopher Dreisbach
Marilyn Engstrom
Patty Gotway
Jill Littlefield
Steve LoCastro
The McAskill Family, in honor of John Alexander McAskill
Dale McNeill
Julie Morris, in honor of dailyoffice.org
The Rev. Deacon Susan Reeve
Joseph Scholtes

Please add your own prayers here.

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.

The General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. 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: The spacious firmament on high (#409, Addison’s (London), John Sheeles; Joseph Addison, para. Ps. 19) – Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, 2010