Morning Prayer
Gregory the Enlightener, Bishop, “Apostle of Armenia”, c 332
Creation Week 4
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: The tree of life produces fruit each month And the leaves of the tree are for healing of nations. Revelation 22:2
Opening
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 Isaiah 40:26-28)
To whom then will you compare me,
or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see:
Who created these?
God who brings out their host and numbers them,
calling them all by name;
God is great in strength,
mighty in power, and not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,
‘My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God’?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
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 98
1 Sing to the Lord a new song,*
for he has done marvellous things.
2 With his right hand and his holy arm*
has he won for himself the victory.
3 The Lord has made known his victory;*
his righteousness has he openly shown in
the sight of the nations.
4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel,*
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
5 Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands;*
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
6 Sing to the Lord with the harp,*
with the harp and the voice of song.
7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn*
shout with joy before the King, the Lord.
8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it,*
the lands and those who dwell therein.
9 Let the rivers clap their hands,*
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
when he comes to judge the earth.
10 In righteousness shall he judge the world*
and the peoples with equity.
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.
Lord God, we see your righteous rule in all your works, and we join our voices with the song of your whole creation in praising you, in and through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Conclusion
Revelation 21:3-5
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
God will dwell with them, they will be God’s peoples,
And God will be with them, and will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’
And the one who was seated on the throne said,
‘See, I am making all things new.'
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: The tree of life produces fruit each month and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Reading(s)
Hosea 5.8-6.6
Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah. Sound the alarm at Beth-aven; look behind you, Benjamin! Ephraim shall become a desolation on the day of punishment; among the tribes of Israel I declare what is sure. The princes of Judah have become like those who remove the landmark; on them I will pour out my wrath like water. Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgement, because he was determined to go after vanity. Therefore I am like maggots to Ephraim, and like rottenness to the house of Judah. When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound. For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear and go away; I will carry off, and no one shall rescue. I will return again to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face. In their distress they will beg my favour: ‘Come, let us return to the Lord; for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.’ What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have killed them by the words of my mouth, and my judgement goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings.
Acts 21.27-36
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, who had seen him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd. They seized him, shouting, ‘Fellow-Israelites, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place; more than that, he has actually brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’ For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all the city was aroused, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. While they were trying to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. When they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the tribune came, arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; he inquired who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another; and as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. When Paul came to the steps, the violence of the mob was so great that he had to be carried by the soldiers. The crowd that followed kept shouting, ‘Away with him!’
Silence
Response Psalm (Isaiah 40:3)
In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Prepare the way of the Lord,
Glory to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit.
In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord.
Benedictus
Benedictus antiphon: O Lord God, you made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32.17
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: O Lord God, you made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32.17
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
God of our salvation,
be with us when we call upon you,
and bless us with your steadfast loving kindness:
restore in us the beauty of your creation
and keep intact the gifts you have restored,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
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
Gregory the Enlightener, Bishop, “Apostle of Armenia”, c 332
Creation Week 4
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: The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.
Opening (from Isaiah 43:15,18-21)
I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.
Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honour me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
For I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
To give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
So that they might declare my 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.
or a suitable Hymn
Psalm 107.33-43
33 The Lord changed rivers into deserts,*
and water-springs into thirsty ground,
34 A fruitful land into salt flats,*
because of the wickedness of those who dwell there.
35 He changed deserts into pools of water*
and dry land into water-springs.
36 He settled the hungry there,*
and they founded a city to dwell in.
37 They sowed fields, and planted vineyards,*
and brought in a fruitful harvest.
38 He blessed them, so that they increased greatly;*
he did not let their herds decrease.
39 Yet when they were diminished and brought low,*
through stress of adversity and sorrow,
40 (He pours contempt on princes*
and makes them wander in trackless wastes)
41 He lifted up the poor out of misery*
and multiplied their families like flocks of sheep.
42 The upright will see this and rejoice,*
but all wickedness will shut its mouth.
43 Whoever is wise will ponder these things,*
and consider well the mercies of the Lord.
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.
O God, the divine seeker, you are light to the lost, bread to the hungry, deliverance to the captive, healing to the sick, eternal vision to the dying, and harbour to every soul in peril. Gather the wanderers from every corner of the world into the community of your mercy and grace, that we may eternally praise you for our salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Conclusion
All you Works of the Lord, bless the Lord :
praise and magnify God for ever.
O all Green Things upon the Earth, bless the Lord :
praise and magnify God for ever.
O Seas and Floods, bless the Lord :
praise and magnify God for ever.
O Whales, and all that move in the Waters, bless the Lord :
praise and magnify God for ever.
O all Birds of the Air, bless the Lord :
praise and magnify God for ever.
O all Beasts and Cattle, bless the Lord :
praise and magnify God for ever.
Glory to God, Source of All Being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning is now, and shall be forever, 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.
Antiphon: The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord. As the waters cover the sea.
Reading(s)
Luke 6.1-11
One sabbath while Jesus was going through the cornfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ Jesus answered, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?’ Then he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’ On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come and stand here.’ He got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?’ After looking around at all of them, he said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Silence
Response Psalm Psalm 104:24
O Lord, in wisdom you have made all that is the earth is full of your creatures.
All living things both small and great the earth is full of your creatures.
Glory to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit.
O Lord, in wisdom you have made all that is, the earth is full of your creatures.
Magnificat
Magnificat Antiphon: I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
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: I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
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
God of our salvation,
be with us when we call upon you,
and bless us with your steadfast loving kindness:
restore in us the beauty of your creation
and keep intact the gifts you have restored,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
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
Gregory the Enlightener, Bishop, “Apostle of Armenia”, c 332
Creation Week 4
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: My body shall rest in hope.
Psalm 16
1 Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you;*_x000D_ I have said to the Lord, 'You are my Lord,_x000D_ my good above all other.'_x000D_2 All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land,*_x000D_ upon those who are noble among the people._x000D_3 But those who run after other gods*_x000D_ shall have their troubles multiplied._x000D_4 Their libations of blood I will not offer,*_x000D_ nor take the names of their gods upon my lips._x000D_5 O Lord, you are my portion and my cup;*_x000D_ it is you who uphold my lot._x000D_6 My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;*_x000D_ indeed, I have a goodly heritage._x000D_7 I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel;*_x000D_ my heart teaches me, night after night._x000D_8 I have set the Lord always before me;*_x000D_ because he is at my right hand I shall not fall._x000D_9 My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices;*_x000D_ my body also shall rest in hope._x000D_10 For you will not abandon me to the grave,*_x000D_ nor let your holy one see the Pit._x000D_11 You will show me the path of life;*_x000D_ in your presence there is fullness of joy,_x000D_ and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
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: My body shall rest in hope.
Reading(s)
1 Peter 5.6,7
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you.
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
God of our salvation,
be with us when we call upon you,
and bless us with your steadfast loving kindness:
restore in us the beauty of your creation
and keep intact the gifts you have restored,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
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.