Morning Prayer
Wednesday after Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Week of Proper 5
O 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 shall be for ever.
Amen.
Psalmody
Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will praise my God while I have my being. (Psalm 104.34)
Opening
Venite
1 O come let us sing out to the Lord,*
let us shout in triumph to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his face with thanksgiving*
and cry out to him joyfully in psalms.
3 For the Lord is a great God,*
and a great king above all gods.
4 In his hands are the depths of the earth,*
and the peaks of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his and he made it;*
his hands moulded dry land.
6 Come let us worship and bow down,*
and kneel before the Lord our maker.
7 For he himself is our God;*
we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
8 Today if only you would hear his voice:*
‘Do not harden your hearts as Israel did in the wilderness;
9 when your fathers tested me;*
put me to proof though they had seen my works.
10 Of whom I swore in my wrath:*
“They shall not enter my rest.”’
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
or a suitable Hymn
(Or from Psalm 104)
1 You spread out the heavens like a curtain;*
you lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above;
2 You make the clouds your chariot;*
you ride on the wings of the wind;
3 You make the winds your messengers*
and flames of fire your servants.
4 You have set the earth upon its foundations,*
so that it never shall move at any time.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
or a suitable hymn
Psalm 89.37-52
37 It shall stand fast for evermore like the moon,*
the abiding witness in the sky.”’
38 But you have cast off and rejected your anointed;*
you have become enraged at him.
39 You have broken your covenant with your servant,*
defiled his crown, and hurled it to the ground.
40 You have breached all his walls*
and laid his strongholds in ruins.
41 All who pass by despoil him;*
he has become the scorn of his neighbours.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes*
and made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have turned back the edge of his sword*
and have not sustained him in battle.
44 You have put an end to his splendour*
and cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short the days of his youth*
and have covered him with shame.
46 How long will you hide yourself, O Lord?
will you hide yourself for ever?*
how long will your anger burn like fire?
47 Remember, Lord, how short life is,*
how frail you have made all flesh.
48 Who can live and not see death?*
who can save himself from the power of the grave?
49 Where, Lord, are your loving-kindnesses of old,*
which you promised David in your faithfulness?
50 Remember, Lord, how your servant is mocked,*
how I carry in my bosom the taunts of many peoples,
51 The taunts your enemies have hurled, O Lord,*
which they hurled at the heels of your anointed.
52 Blessed be the Lord for evermore!*
Amen, I say, Amen.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Remember us, gracious God, when we cannot see your way and purpose, and renew in us the joy of your kingdom of light and life. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
Conclusion
Isaiah 45
1 Thus says the Lord who created the heavens,*
who formed the earth and made it;
2 who did not create it a chaos,*
but formed it to be inhabited -
3 Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;*
for I am God: there is no other.
4 From my mouth has gone forth in righteousness*
a word that shall not return:
5 "To me every knee shall bow,*
every tongue shall swear".'
6 In the Lord all the offspring of Israel*
shall triumph and glory.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will praise my God while I have my being.
Reading(s)
Genesis 27.1-29
When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called his elder son Esau and said to him, ‘My son’; and he answered, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘See, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me. Then prepare for me savoury food, such as I like, and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.’Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, ‘I heard your father say to your brother Esau, “Bring me game, and prepare for me savoury food to eat, that I may bless you before the Lord before I die.” Now therefore, my son, obey my word as I command you. Go to the flock, and get me two choice kids, so that I may prepare from them savoury food for your father, such as he likes; and you shall take it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.’ But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, ‘Look, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a man of smooth skin. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.’ His mother said to him, ‘Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my word, and go, get them for me.’ So he went and got them and brought them to his mother; and his mother prepared savoury food, such as his father loved. Then Rebekah took the best garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob; and she put the skins of the kids on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. Then she handed the savoury food, and the bread that she had prepared, to her son Jacob.So he went in to his father, and said, ‘My father’; and he said, ‘Here I am; who are you, my son?’ Jacob said to his father, ‘I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, so that you may bless me.’ But Isaac said to his son, ‘How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?’ He answered, ‘Because the Lord your God granted me success.’ Then Isaac said to Jacob, ‘Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.’ So Jacob went up to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, ‘The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.’ He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. He said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ He answered, ‘I am.’ Then he said, ‘Bring it to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.’ So he brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, ‘Come near and kiss me, my son.’ So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said,‘Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed. May God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!’
Romans 12.1-8
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Silence
Response Psalm (Psalm 92.4)
In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
I will sing for joy because of the works of your hands.
You have made me glad.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
Benedictus
Benedictus antiphon: God promised of old to save us.
1 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
2 He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
3 Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.
4 He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
5 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6 free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
7 You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8 to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9 In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10 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 shall be for ever. Amen.
(may be said by all)
Benedictus antiphon: God promised of old to save us.
Prayers
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen
Collect of the Day
O Lord,
watch over your household with constant love:
that, supported by you alone,
we may always stand firm in your protection;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Amen
God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
Amen
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!
The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal.
Amen.
Evening Prayer
Wednesday after Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Week of Proper 5
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 shall be for ever.
Amen.
Psalmody
Antiphon: O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness! you are clothed with majesty and splendour.
Opening (from Psalm 104)
1 You appointed the moon to mark the seasons,*
and the sun knows the time of its setting.
2 You make darkness that it may be night,*
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.
3 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever;*
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.
4 May these words of mine please him;*
I will rejoice in the Lord.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
or a suitable Hymn
Psalm 55
1 Hear my prayer, O God;*
do not hide yourself from my petition.
2 Listen to me and answer me;*
I have no peace, because of my cares.
3 I am shaken by the noise of the enemy*
and by the pressure of the wicked;
4 For they have cast an evil spell upon me*
and are set against me in fury.
5 My heart quakes within me,*
and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
6 Fear and trembling have come over me,*
and horror overwhelms me.
7 And I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove!*
I would fly away and be at rest.
8 I would flee to a far-off place*
and make my lodging in the wilderness.
9 I would hasten to escape*
from the stormy wind and tempest.’
10 Swallow them up, O Lord; confound their speech;*
for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
11 Day and night the watchmen make their rounds upon her walls,*
but trouble and misery are in the midst of her.
12 There is corruption at her heart;*
her streets are never free of oppression and deceit.
13 For had it been an adversary who taunted me,
then I could have borne it;*
or had it been an enemy who vaunted himself against me,
then I could have hidden from him.
14 But it was you, a man after my own heart,*
my companion, my own familiar friend.
15 We took sweet counsel together,*
and walked with the throng in the house of God.
16 Let death come upon them suddenly;
let them go down alive into the grave;*
for wickedness is in their dwellings, in their very midst.
17 But I will call upon God,*
and the Lord will deliver me.
18 In the evening, in the morning, and at noonday,
I will complain and lament,*
and he will hear my voice.
19 He will bring me safely back from the battle
waged against me;*
for there are many who fight me.
20 God, who is enthroned of old, will hear me and
bring them down;*
they never change; they do not fear God.
21 My companion stretched forth his hand against his comrade;*
he has broken his covenant.
22 His speech is softer than butter,*
but war is in his heart.
23 His words are smoother than oil,*
but they are drawn swords.
24 Cast your burden upon the Lord,
and he will sustain you;*
he will never let the righteous stumble.
25 For you will bring the bloodthirsty and deceitful*
down to the pit of destruction, O God.
26 They shall not live out half their days,*
but I will put my trust in you.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
God of grace, when we are frightened and alone, help us to trust you and cast our burdens upon you, that we may be upheld by your saving strength. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
1 John 4
1 Beloved let us love one another,*
for love is of God;
2 And those who love are born of God*
and know God.
3 Those who do not love do not know God,*
for God is love.
4 In this the love of God was made manifest among us,*
that God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might live through him.
5 In this is love: not that we loved God,*
but that God loved us and sent his Son
to be the expiation for our sins.
6 Beloved, if God so loved us,*
we also ought to love one another.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon: O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness! you are clothed with majesty and splendour.
Reading(s)
John 8.12-20
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ Then the Pharisees said to him, ‘You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.’ Jesus answered, ‘Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgement is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.’ Then they said to him, ‘Where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’ He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Silence
Response Psalm Psalm 119.105
Your word is a lantern to my feet.
Your word is a lantern to my feet.
A light upon my path.
A lantern to my feet.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Your word is a lantern to my feet.
Magnificat
Magnificat Antiphon: God looks with favour on his lowly servant.
1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
*my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
2 for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
3 The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
4 He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
5 He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
6 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
7 He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
8 He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
9 the promise he 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 shall be for ever. Amen.
(may be said by all)
Magnificat Antiphon: God looks with favour on his lowly servant.
Prayers
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Collect of the Day
O Lord,
watch over your household with constant love:
that, supported by you alone,
we may always stand firm in your protection;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!
The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Night Prayer
Wednesday after Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Week of Proper 5
The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
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 shall be for ever. Amen.
Alleluia!
Psalmody
Antiphon: Make haste, O Lord, to deliver me, for you are my tower of strength.
Psalm 31.1-5
1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;_x000D_ let me never be put to shame;*_x000D_ deliver me in your righteousness._x000D_2 Incline your ear to me;*_x000D_ make haste to deliver me._x000D_3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,_x000D_ for you are my crag and my stronghold;*_x000D_ for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me._x000D_4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me,*_x000D_ for you are my tower of strength._x000D_5 Into your hands I commend my spirit,*_x000D_ for you have redeemed me,_x000D_ O Lord, O God of truth._x000D__x000D_ Glory to the Father..._x000D_
Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths have I called you, O Lord;_x000D_ Lord, hear my voice;*_x000D_ let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication._x000D_2 If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss,*_x000D_ O Lord, who could stand?_x000D_3 For there is forgiveness with you;*_x000D_ therefore you shall be feared._x000D_4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him;*_x000D_ in his word is my hope._x000D_5 My soul waits for the Lord,_x000D_ more than watchmen for the morning,*_x000D_ more than watchmen for the morning._x000D_6 O Israel, wait for the Lord,*_x000D_ for with the Lord there is mercy;_x000D_7 With him there is plenteous redemption,*_x000D_ and he 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 shall be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon: Make haste, O Lord, to deliver me for you are my tower of strength._x000D_
Reading(s)
Ephesians 4.26
Do not let anger lead you into sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
Thanks be to God.
Silence
Response (Psalm 31.5)
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
For you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth.
I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Nunc Dimittis
Antiphon: Preserve us, O Lord,* while waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace;* your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation* which you have prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal you to 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 shall be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon: Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
Prayers
Collect
O Lord,
watch over your household with constant love:
that, supported by you alone,
we may always stand firm in your protection;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Conclusion
The Lord be with you;
and also with you.
Let us bless the Lord;
Thanks be to God.
May the almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit, bless and keep us.
Amen.
or
Bless the Lord, the God of our fathers;
Sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
Sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
The almighty and most merciful Lord
guard us and give us his blessing.
Amen.