Evening Prayer 12.7.16, Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, 397

Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

New nurses graduated last month from FSIL, the Faculty of Nursing Science of the Episcopal University of Haiti. As our websites prepare for the new budget year, we are gathering information about this program as a possible mission partner. It seems to be very similar to the Martha Kelley Scholarship we sponsor at Cuttington University School of Nursing in Liberia; one way we can help improve public health in poor nations is by educating nurses, each one of whom may touch the lives of thousands in his or her career. (university photo)

In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3

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: O Gracious Light
Phos hilaron

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 119:25-48

25  My soul cleaves to the dust; *
give me life according to your word.
26  I have confessed my ways, and you answered me; *
instruct me in your statutes.
27  Make me understand the way of your commandments, *
that I may meditate on your marvelous works.
28  My soul melts away for sorrow; *
strengthen me according to your word.
29  Take from me the way of lying; *
let me find grace through your law.
30  I have chosen the way of faithfulness; *
I have set your judgments before me.
31  I hold fast to your decrees; *
O LORD, let me not be put to shame.
32  I will run the way of your commandments, *
for you have set my heart at liberty.

33  Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes, *
and I shall keep it to the end.
34  Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law; *
I shall keep it with all my heart.
35  Make me go in the path of your commandments, *
for that is my desire.
36  Incline my heart to your decrees *
and not to unjust gain.
37  Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless; *
give me life in your ways.
38  Fulfill your promise to your servant, *
which you make to those who fear you.
39  Turn away the reproach which I dread, *
because your judgments are good.
40  Behold, I long for your commandments; *
in your righteousness preserve my life.

41  Let your loving-kindness come to me, O LORD, *
and your salvation, according to your promise.
42  Then shall I have a word for those who taunt me, *
because I trust in your words.
43  Do not take the word of truth out of my mouth, *
for my hope is in your judgments.
44  I shall continue to keep your law; *
I shall keep it for ever and ever.
45  I will walk at liberty, *
because I study your commandments.
46  I will tell of your decrees before rulers *
and will not be ashamed.
47  I delight in your commandments, *
which I have always loved.
48  I will lift up my hands to your commandments, *
and I will meditate on your statutes.

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 7:53—8:11 (NRSV)

Then each of them went home, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

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 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.

Guercino, 1621: Christ with the Woman Taken in Adultery (Dulwich Picture Gallery)

Collect of the Day: Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, 397

O God, you gave your servant Ambrose grace eloquently to proclaim your righteousness in the great congregation, and fearlessly to bear reproach for the honor of your Name: Mercifully grant to all bishops and pastors such excellence in preaching and faithfulness in ministering your Word, that your people may be partakers with them of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

On Gender Violence
By Anne O. Weatherhouse
from Breaking the Silence

Gracious God, like a mother hen you shelter us under your wings: Bring your truth and love into homes where domestic violence has shattered the peace. Provide sustenance for the victims and accountability for the abusers. Send wise and courageous friends who can offer alternatives, and bring your healing power into broken relationships. May your church provide a haven of safety and peace for the abused and reach out to support all who serve the needs of the abused in our communities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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: sunset on Race Point Beach, Provincetown, Massachusetts.

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.

Wednesday Evening Prayer List

For Disaster Victims
Earthquake in Indonesia
Pakistani plane crash, 48 on board
Wildfire in Tennessee
Fierce battle in Aleppo, Syria; thousands face annihilation
Drought in Southern Africa, India and Papua New Guinea
Refugee Crisis in the Middle East and Europe
Famine in Ethiopia and South Sudan
Civil war in Syria
Battle for Mosul, Iraq

For Prisoners
Matthew

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: What is the Crying at Jordan (#69, St. Mark’s, Berkeley, Irish; Carol Christopher Drake, alt.) – St. Peter’s, Essex Falls, New Jersey, 2013

Evening Prayer 11.17.16, Hugh & Robert Grosseteste, Bishops of Lincoln

The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.

In the long-running battle between Myanmar and its own native Rohingya population, police are now burning villages and murdering inhabitants in Rakhine State, on the border with Bangladesh, which is where the Burmese government says the Rohingyas came from 150 years ago. Amnesty International just released satellite before-and-after pictures showing that whole towns have been wiped out. Burma’s president, a former dissident under house arrest, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, but shows no mercy to the Rohingyas. (Thein Zaw/Associated Press)

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because God is at my right hand, I shall not fall. Psalm 16:7-8

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 105:23-45

23  Israel came into Egypt, *
and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham.
24  The LORD made the chosen people exceedingly fruitful; *
the LORD made them stronger than their enemies;
25  Whose heart God turned, so that they hated the chosen people, *
and dealt unjustly with the servants of the LORD.
26  There came Moses, the servant of the LORD, *
and Aaron whom God had chosen.
27  They worked signs from the LORD among them, *
and portents in the land of Ham.
28  God sent darkness, and it grew dark; *
but the Egyptians rebelled against the words of the LORD.
29  God turned their waters into blood *
and caused their fish to die.
30  Their land was overrun by frogs, *
in the very chambers of their rulers.
31  God spoke, and there came swarms of insects *
and gnats within all their borders.
32  God gave them hailstones instead of rain, *
and flames of fire throughout their land.
33  God blasted their vines and their fig trees *
and shattered every tree in their country.
34  God spoke, and the locust came, *
and young locusts without number,
35  Which ate up all the green plants in their land *
and devoured the fruit of their soil.
36  God struck down the firstborn of their land, *
the firstfruits of all their strength.

37  God led out the chosen people with silver and gold; *
in all their tribes there was not one that stumbled.
38  Egypt was glad of their going, *
because they were afraid of them.
39  God spread out a cloud for a covering *
and a fire to give light in the night season.
40  They asked, and quails appeared, *
and God satisfied them with bread from heaven.
41  God opened the rock, and water flowed, *
so the river ran in the dry places.
42  For God remembered the holy promise *
and Abraham, chosen to serve.
43  So God led forth his people with gladness, *
the chosen ones with shouts of joy.
44  God gave the chosen people the lands of the nations, *
and they took the fruit of others’ toil,
45  That they might keep God’s statutes *
and observe the laws of the LORD.
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.

Bishop Grosseteste’s chapel and tomb at Lincoln Cathedral. He was a man of enormous learning; a philosopher and theologian, mathematician and physicist whose findings presaged those of Roger Bacon. In his church work he instituted a system of visitations of all his deaneries and monasteries, which put him in conflict with the monastic Chapter of the cathedral, who thought they should run it, not the bishop. By the time it was done he’d suspended the dean, subdean and precentor. He also had a stormy relationship with Pope Innocent IV, whose financial exactions he strenuously resisted – including a demand that Grosseteste pay so the pope’s nephew could set up housekeeping. When Grosseteste died he was universally mourned among the English, but the pope made sure he didn’t get canonized. (Wikipedia)

THE LESSON
Luke 17:20-37 (NRSV)

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them—it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then they asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

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

THE PRAYERS

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 by your Holy Spirit.

St. Hugh, a French Carthusian monk, was invited by England’s Henry II to establish a new abbey in Somerset as part of his effort to atone for his role in the murder of Thomas Becket. That abbey today is called Lincoln Cathedral. Hugh became bishop in 1186 and was known for his devotion to the poor and his cheerful disposition. He is shown with a swan, which was said to be so devoted to him it would follow him about and protect him, even while he slept, though it would attack anyone who tried to hurt him. James Kiefer called Hugh the “Protector of the Oppressed.”

Collect of the Day: Hugh, and Robert Grosseteste, Bishops of Lincoln, 1200, 1253

Holy God, our greatest treasure, you blessed Hugh and Robert, Bishops of Lincoln, with wise and cheerful boldness for the proclamation of your Word to rich and poor alike: Grant that all who minister in your Name may serve with diligence, discipline and humility, fearing nothing but the loss of you and drawing all to you through Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you in the communion of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for the Presence of Christ

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.

Thursday Evening Prayer List

For Sobriety & Recovery
a friend entering treatment today

For Those with Addictions

O blessed Lord, you ministered to all who came to you: Look with compassion on all who through addiction have lost their health and freedom. Restore to them the assurance of your unfailing mercy; remove from them the fears that beset them; strengthen them in the work of their recovery; and to those who care for them, give patient understanding and persevering love. Amen.

For Mental Health & Family Peace
Adam
Scotty

For Those with Mental Illness
alt. Dinah Danby

O heavenly Father, we beseech you to have mercy upon all your children who are living with mental illness. Give them loving and supportive families and friends, and bless their caregivers with wisdom and compassion. Restore them to strength of mind and cheerfulness of spirit, and give them health and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Mission of the Church

Almighty God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to reconcile the world to yourself: We praise and bless you for those whom you have sent in the power of the Spirit to preach the Gospel to all nations. We thank you that in all parts of the earth a community of love has been gathered together by their prayers and labors, and that in every place your servants call upon your Name; for the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours for ever. 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.

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

VIDEO: Episcopal Religious Communities: Sr. Julian, Br. John & Others Take Life Vows – Community of the Gospel, last month (17:09)

Sr. Julian & Br. John are regulars on our daily Morning Prayer webcasts. We are happy and proud to share in this life-changing event.

Morning Prayer 11.17.16, Hugh, & Robert Grosseteste, Bishops of Lincoln, 1200, 1253

Both webcasts are available for streaming.

Our 7 a.m. service is available; click here.

We prayed at 9 a.m. too; go here.

—

The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

The altar guild last Sunday at Trinity Church, Kirksville, Missouri, where someone finally got these ladies to line up at their work station long enough to take a picture; usually they’re so busy you can never get them to stand still. (Maria L. Evans)

The Lord is in the holy temple; let all the earth keep silence. Habakkuk 2:20

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 105:1-22

1  Give thanks to the LORD and call upon God’s Name; *
make known the deeds of the LORD among the peoples.
2  Sing to the LORD, sing praises, *
and speak of all God’s marvelous works.
3  Glory in God’s holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4  Search for the LORD and the strength of the LORD; *
continually seek the face of God.
5  Remember the marvels God has done, *
the wonders and the judgments of God’s mouth,
6  O offspring of Abraham, God’s servant, *
O children of Jacob, God’s chosen.
7  The LORD is our God, *
whose judgments prevail in all the world.
8  The LORD has always been mindful of the covenant, *
the promise made for a thousand generations:
9  The covenant made with Abraham, *
the oath sworn to Isaac,
10  Which God established as a statute for Jacob, *
an everlasting covenant for Israel,
11  Saying, “To you will I give the land of Canaan *
to be your allotted inheritance.”
12  When they were few in number, *
of little account, and sojourners in the land,
13  Wandering from nation to nation *
and from one realm to another,
14  God let no one oppress them *
and rebuked rulers for their sake,
15  Saying, “Do not touch my anointed *
and do my prophets no harm.”

16  Then the LORD called for a famine in the land *
and destroyed the supply of bread.
17  The LORD sent a man before them, *
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18  They bruised his feet in fetters; *
his neck they put in an iron collar.
19  Until his prediction came to pass, *
the word of the LORD tested him.
20  The king sent and released him; *
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
21  He set him as a master over his household, *
as a ruler over all his possessions,
22  To instruct his princes according to his will *
and to teach his elders wisdom.

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.

Robert Grosseteste was a distinguished scholar of law, medicine, languages, sciences and theology, and a translator of Aristotle, whom he often sought to refute. He introduced Roger Bacon to the scientific method and is often thought of as the father of English science. (British Library)

THE LESSONS
Malachi 2:1-16 (NRSV)

And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse on you and I will curse your blessings; indeed I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and I will put you out of my presence. Know, then, that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the LORD of hosts. My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction.

Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors? Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob anyone who does this — any to witness or answer, or to bring an offering to the LORD of hosts. And this you do as well: You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor at your hand. You ask, “Why does he not?” Because the LORD was a witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did not one God make her? Both flesh and spirit are his. And what does the one God desire? Godly offspring. So look to yourselves, and do not let anyone be faithless to the wife of his youth. For I hate divorce, says the LORD, the God of Israel, and covering one’s garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless.

Canticle: A Song of Wisdom
Wisdom 10:15-19,20b-21

Wisdom freed from a nation of oppressors *
a holy people and a blameless race.
She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, *
withstood dread rulers with wonders and signs.
To the saints she gave the reward of their labors, *
and led them by a marvelous way;
She was their shelter by day *
and a blaze of stars by night.
She brought them across the Red Sea, *
she led them through mighty waters;
But their enemies she swallowed in the waves *
and spewed them out from the depths of the abyss.
And then, Lord, the righteous sang hymns to your Name, *
and praised with one voice your protecting hand;
For Wisdom opened the mouths of the mute, *
and gave speech to the tongues of a new-born people.

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.

James 4:13—5:6 (NRSV)

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.” Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.

Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you.

Canticle: A Song of True Motherhood
by Julian of Norwich

God chose to be our mother in all things *
and so made the foundation of his work,
most humbly and most pure, in the Virgin’s womb.
God, the perfect wisdom of all, *
arrayed himself in this humble place.
Christ came in our poor flesh *
to share a mother’s care.
Our mothers bear us for pain and for death; *
our true mother, Jesus, bears us for joy and endless life.
Christ carried us within him in love and travail, *
until the full time of his passion.
And when all was completed and he had carried us so for joy, *
still all this could not satisfy the power of his wonderful love.
All that we owe is redeemed in truly loving God, *
for the love of Christ works in us;
Christ is the one whom we love.

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.

Luke 17:20-37 (NRSV)

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them—it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then they asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

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

THE PRAYERS

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

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

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.

St. Hugh and the Swan, which followed him around everywhere he went. Hugh grew up in the Grande Chartreuse monastery in France and was brought to England by Henry II to lead a Carthusian house as part of the king’s atonement for the murder of Thomas Becket. Hugh built the Witham Charterhouse and admonished the king for keeping bishoprics vacant so he could pocket their income. Henry finally convened a council to fill the vacancies and Hugh was elected Bishop of Lincoln, but he didn’t trust the outcome and demanded that the cathedral chapter be able to elect their own bishop; they picked him too. (Altarpiece at St.-Honoré Charterhouse, Thuison, France)

Collect of the Day: Hugh, and Robert Grosseteste, Bishops of Lincoln, 1200, 1253

Holy God, our greatest treasure, you blessed Hugh and Robert, Bishops of Lincoln, with wise and cheerful boldness for the proclamation of your Word to rich and poor alike: Grant that all who minister in your Name may serve with diligence, discipline and humility, fearing nothing but the loss of you and drawing all to you through Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you in the communion of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Guidance

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thursday Morning Prayer List

In Places of War, Political Unrest & Violence
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, México, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela, Yemen

For peace in these nations
For peacemakers and military personnel
For civilians in danger zones
For first responders and emergency workers

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.

God’s blessing be with us,
Christ’s peace be with us,
the Spirit’s outpouring be with us,
now and always. Amen.++

VIDEO: Here in Christ we gather (#576, Mandatum, Richard Proulx; Latin, tr. James Quinn, SJ) – James Shaffran, 2013

Evening Prayer 11.16.16, Margaret, Queen of Scotland, 1093

He was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

U.S. television anchor Gwen Ifill has died of cancer at 61, an A.M.E. preacher’s daughter who was the first Black female in the newsroom of a Boston newspaper, earned increasingly responsible positions at the best and biggest papers, then became an anchor and editor at public television’s “NewsHour.” Serious, hardworking and disciplined, she became a national figure for moderating political debates, as above in 2008 when she was greeted by then-Senator Joe Biden. Off-camera she had a dazzling, uncensored smile that could light up a room, and was loved by audiences and peers across the political spectrum. She used to tell friends that if she missed church on Sunday, she felt flat the rest of the week. (Don Emmert/Associated Press)

Yours is the day, O God, yours also the night; you established the moon and the sun. You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. Psalm 74:15-16

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: O Gracious Light
Phos hilaron

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 119:121-144

121  I have done what is just and right; *
do not deliver me to my oppressors.
122  Be surety for your servant’s good; *
let not the proud oppress me.
123  My eyes have failed from watching for your salvation *
and for your righteous promise.
124  Deal with your servant according to your loving-kindness *
and teach me your statutes.
125  I am your servant; grant me understanding, *
that I may know your decrees.
126  It is time for you to act, O LORD, *
for they have broken your law.
127  Truly, I love your commandments *
more than gold and precious stones.
128  I hold all your commandments to be right for me; *
all paths of falsehood I abhor.

129  Your decrees are wonderful; *
therefore I obey them with all my heart.
130  When your word goes forth it gives light; *
it gives understanding to the simple.
131  I open my mouth and pant; *
I long for your commandments.
132  Turn to me in mercy, *
as you always do to those who love your Name.
133  Steady my footsteps in your word; *
let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134  Rescue me from those who oppress me, *
and I will keep your commandments.
135  Let your countenance shine upon your servant *
and teach me your statutes.
136  My eyes shed streams of tears, *
because people do not keep your law.

137  You are righteous, O LORD, *
and upright are your judgments.
138  You have issued your decrees *
with justice and in perfect faithfulness.
139  My indignation has consumed me, *
because my enemies forget your words.
140  Your word has been tested to the uttermost, *
and your servant holds it dear.
141  I am small and of little account, *
yet I do not forget your commandments.
142  Your justice is an everlasting justice *
and your law is the truth.
143  Trouble and distress have come upon me, *
yet your commandments are my delight.
144  The righteousness of your decrees is everlasting; *
grant me understanding, that I may live.

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.

A despised Samaritan was the only one to show Jesus any gratitude. (Artist unknown)

THE LESSON
Luke 17:11-19 (NRSV)

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

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 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.

Margaret was an English princess when she married Malcolm, King of Scotland; he came to rely on her in matters of state, as well as church and household. She established schools, hospitals and orphanages, worked with her husband to rebuild the monastery at Iona, and founded Dumfermline Abbey, a Benedictine house which later became her final resting place. (source unknown)

Collect of the Day: Margaret, Queen of Scotland, 1093

O God, you called your servant Margaret to an earthly throne that she might advance your heavenly kingdom, and gave her zeal for your church and love for your people: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate her this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; though Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

In Times of Conflict

O God, you have bound us together in a common life: Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.

Artist’s rendering of a new star named MWC480, surrounded by a layer of methyl cyanide. By “new” scientists mean new to us, just coming into human view. (National Radio Astronomy Observatory)

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.

Wednesday Evening Prayer List

For Disaster Victims
Earthquake in New Zealand
Civil war in Syria
Battle for Mosul, Iraq
Drought in Southern Africa, India and Papua New Guinea
Refugee Crisis in the Middle East and Europe
Famine in Ethiopia and South Sudan

For Prisoners
Matthew

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

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: God is love, let heaven adore him (#379, Abbot’s Leigh, Cyril Vincent Taylor; Timothy Rees) – BBC “Songs of Praise,” 2012

Morning Prayer 11.12.16, Charles Simeon, Priest, 1836

Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the LORD is near
in the valley of decision.

A team of archaeologists at the University of Maryland in Annapolis has discovered artifacts on a former slave plantation which they say illustrate the amalgamation of African spiritual practices and Christian symbols, with Ezekiel’s Wheel (Ezek. 1:16) used side by side with African vessels. Many indigenous peoples, including American Indians, use a wheel as a symbol of the unity of life, its use is universal; researchers theorize that Ezekiel’s vision of wheels within wheels served to link the African and American religious cultures. Early Methodist evangelists were active in the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay, followed by African Methodist Episcopal missionaries. (University of Maryland Archaeology photo)

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

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

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

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

Psalm 95:1-7
Venite

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

Psalm 87

1  On the holy mountain stands the city God has founded; *
the LORD loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
2  Glorious things are spoken of you, *
O city of our God.
3  I count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me; *
behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia:
in Zion were they born.
4  Of Zion it shall be said, “Everyone was born in Zion, *
and the Most High shall sustain it.”
5  Enrolling the people, the LORD will record, *
“These also were born there.”
6  The singers and the dancers will say, *
“All my fresh springs are in you.”

Psalm 90

1  Lord, you have been our refuge *
from one generation to another.
2  Before the mountains were brought forth,
or the land and the earth were born, *
from age to age you are God.
3  You turn us back to the dust and say, *
“Go back, O child of earth.”
4  For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past *
and like a watch in the night.
5  You sweep us away like a dream; *
we fade away suddenly like the grass.
6  In the morning it is green and flourishes; *
in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7  For we consume away in your displeasure; *
we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.
8  Our iniquities you have set before you, *
and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
9  When you are angry, all our days are gone; *
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10  The span of our life is seventy years,
perhaps in strength even eighty; *
yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow,
for they pass away quickly and we are gone.
11  Who regards the power of your wrath? *
who rightly fears your indignation?
12  So teach us to number our days *
that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

13  Return, O LORD; how long will you tarry? *
be gracious to your servants.
14  Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; *
so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15  Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us *
and the years in which we suffered adversity.
16  Show your servants your works *
and your splendor to their children.
17  May the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; *
prosper the work of our hands;
prosper our handiwork.

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.

Zekiel Saw the Wheel, a lithograph from 1940; it’s everywhere you look, from chariot to automobile. (Talbot Historical Society)

THE LESSONS
Joel 3:9-17 (NRSV)

Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare war,
stir up the warriors.
Let all the soldiers draw near,
let them come up.
Beat your plowshares into swords,
and your pruning hooks into spears;
let the weakling say, “I am a warrior.”

Come quickly,
all you nations all around,
gather yourselves there.
Bring down your warriors, O LORD.
Let the nations rouse themselves,
and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat;
for there I will sit to judge
all the neighboring nations.

Put in the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
for the wine press is full.
The vats overflow,
for their wickedness is great.

Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the LORD is near
in the valley of decision.
The sun and the moon are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.

The LORD roars from Zion,
and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
and the heavens and the earth shake.
But the LORD is a refuge for his people,
a stronghold for the people of Israel.

So you shall know that I, the LORD your God,
dwell in Zion, my holy mountain.
And Jerusalem shall be holy,
and strangers shall never again pass through it.

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.

A neighbor’s maple tree last week in Boise, Idaho: sing praise and give honor for ever. (The Rev. Debbie Graham)

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.

James 2:1-13 (NRSV)

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

Canticle: A Song of the Heavenly City
Revelation 21:22-26, 22:1-4

I saw no temple in the city, *
for its temple is the God of surpassing strength and the Lamb.
And the city has no need of sun or moon to light it, *
for the glory of God shines on it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
By its light the nations shall walk, *
and the rulers of the world lay their honor and glory there.
Its gates shall never be shut by day, nor shall there be any night; *
into it they will bring the honor and glory of nations.
I saw the clean river of the water of life, bright as crystal, *
flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
The tree of life spanned the river, giving fruit every month, *
and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
All curses cease where the throne of God and the Lamb stands,
and all servants give worship there; *
there they will see God’s face, whose Name shall be on their foreheads.

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.

Luke 16:10-17 (NRSV)

Jesus said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. So he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.

“The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped.”

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

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

THE PRAYERS

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.

Charles Simeon, a co-founder of the Church Missionary Society, helped change the tenor of the Church of England from class-based propriety to a people on fire with a passionate devotion to mission and, in the words of historian William E.H. Lecky, “a spirit of fervent philanthropy.” (The Rev. Tobias S. Haller)

Collect of the Day: Charles Simeon, Priest, 1836

O loving God, we know that all things are ordered by your unerring wisdom and unbounded love: Grant us in all things to see your hand; that, following the example and teaching of your servant Charles Simeon, we may walk with Christ in all simplicity, and serve you with a quiet and contented mind; 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 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
Dioceses of Los Angeles & North Carolina: elections soon
David, Brad & Danny, vocation
Dinah, religious life
Maureen, discernment
Diocesan Commissions on Ministry

St. Marguerite’s Retreat House of the Community of St. John Baptist in Mendham, New Jersey. (convent photo)

For Religious Orders & Communities
Community of Divine Compassion, Zimbabwe
Community of St. Clare, UK
Community of St. Francis (women), California; Korea; UK
Community of St. John Baptist, New Jersey & UK
Community of St. Mary – Northern, Southern & Western U.S. provinces

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: Father all loving, who rulest in majesty (#568, Was kebet, German, 1754, harm. Ralph Vaughan Williams; P.R.N. Appleford) – Christian Hymnal Society, 2014

Evening Prayer 11.9.16, 25th Ordinary Wednesday

I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at her concession speech Wednesday, with running mate Tim Kaine behind her. The defeat is painful, she said, but her supporters owe the president-elect “an open mind and a chance to lead.” (Jewel Samad/Agence France-Presse)

Yours is the day, O God, yours also the night; you established the moon and the sun. You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. Psalm 74:15-16

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: O Gracious Light
Phos hilaron

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 81

1  Sing with joy to God our strength *
and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
2  Raise a song and sound the timbrel, *
the merry harp, and the lyre.
3  Blow the ram’s-horn at the new moon, *
and at the full moon, the day of our feast.
4  For this is a statute for Israel, *
a law of the God of Jacob.
5  God laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph, *
when the people came out of the land of Egypt.
6  I heard an unfamiliar voice saying, *
“I eased their shoulder from the burden;
their hands were set free from bearing the load.”
7  You called on me in trouble, and I saved you; *
I answered you from the secret place of thunder
and tested you at the waters of Meribah.
8  Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you: *
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9  There shall be no strange god among you; *
you shall not worship a foreign god.
10  I am the LORD your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, *
“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.”
11  And yet my people did not hear my voice, *
and Israel would not obey me.
12  So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, *
to follow their own devices.
13  Oh, that my people would listen to me! *
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14  I should soon subdue their enemies *
and turn my hand against their foes.
15  Those who hate the LORD would cringe before me, *
and their punishment would last for ever.
16  But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat *
and satisfy them with honey from the rock.

Psalm 82

1  God arises in the council of heaven; *
and gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
2  ”How long will you judge unjustly, *
and show favor to the wicked?
3  Save the weak and the orphan; *
defend the humble and needy;
4  Rescue the weak and the poor; *
deliver them from the power of the wicked.
5  They do not know, neither do they understand;
they go about in darkness; *
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6  Now I say to you, ‘You are gods, *
and all of you children of the Most High;
7  Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, *
and fall like any leader.’”
8  Arise, O God, and rule the earth, *
for you shall take all nations for your own.

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 Lost Coin (freebibleimages.com)

THE LESSON
Luke 15:1-10 (NRSV)

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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 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.

Midway Baptist Church, Midway, Kentucky (Deacon Letha Tomes Drury)

Collect of the Day: Proper 27

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

In Times of Conflict

O God, you have bound us together in a common life: Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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: a green turaco of sub-Saharan Africa. (via Facebook)

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.

Wednesday Evening Prayer List

For Disaster Victims
Civil war in Syria
Battle for Mosul, Iraq
Drought in Southern Africa, India and Papua New Guinea
Refugee Crisis in the Middle East and Europe
Famine in Ethiopia and South Sudan

For Prisoners
Matthew

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: From thee all skill and science flow (#566, St. Peter, Alexander R. Reinagle; Charles Kingsley) – Andrew Remillard, piano, 2015