Spirituality: Daily Prayer

Friday 15 May 2026

Morning Prayer

Matthias, Apostle
Festivals / Matthias, Apostle

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory be to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Amen.

Psalmody

Antiphon:
The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice:*
let the multitude of the isles be glad.
Psalm 97.1


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

Glory be to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.

Amen.

or a suitable Hymn

(Or from Psalm 97)

1. You are the Lord, most high over all the earth;*
you are exalted far above all gods.
2. The Lord loves those who hate evil;*
preserving the lives of the saints and delivering them from
the hand of the wicked.
3. Light has sprung up for the righteous,*
and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.
4. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous.*
and give thanks to the holy name 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.

or

Glory be to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.

Amen.

or a suitable hymn


Psalm 39

1. I said, “I will keep watch upon my ways, so that I do not offend with my tongue. *
I will put a muzzle on my mouth while the wicked are in my presence.” 
2. So I held my tongue and said nothing; *
I refrained from rash words; but my pain became unbearable.
3. My heart was hot within me; while I pondered, the fire burst into flame; *
I spoke out with my tongue:
4. “Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days,*
so that I may know how short my life is.
5. You have given me a mere handful of days, and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight; *
truly, even those who stand erect are but a puff of wind.
6. We walk about like a shadow, and in vain we are in turmoil; *
we heap up riches and cannot tell who will gather them.
7. And now, what is my hope? * O Lord, my hope is in you.
8. Deliver me from all my transgressions * and do not make me the taunt of the fool.
9. I fell silent and did not open my mouth, * for surely it was you that did it.
10. Take your affliction from me; *
I am worn down by the blows of your hand. 
11. With rebukes for sin you punish us; like a moth you eat
away all that is dear to us; *
truly, everyone is but a puff of wind.
12. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears. *
for I am but a sojourner with you, a wayfarer, as all my ancestors were.
13. Turn your gaze from me, that I may be glad again, * before I go my way and am no more.”

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

Glory be to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.

Amen.


Psalm 41

1. Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! * The Lord will deliver them in the time of trouble. 
2. The Lord preserves them and keeps them alive, so that they may be happy in the land; *
the Lord does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.
3. The Lord sustains them on their sickbed * and ministers to them in their illness.
4. I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; *
heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
5. My enemies are saying wicked things about me, * asking when will I die and my name perish.
6. Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words;* their heart collects false rumours; they go outside and spread them.
7. All my enemies whisper together about me * and devise evil against me.
8. They say that a deadly thing has fastened on me; *
that I have taken to my bed and will never get up again.
9. Even my best friend, whom I trusted, who broke bread with me, *
has lifted up the heel and turned against me.
10. But you, O Lord, be merciful to me and raise me up, * and I shall repay them.
11. By this I know you are pleased with me, * that my enemy does not triumph over me.
12. In my integrity you hold me fast, *
and shall set me before your face for ever.
13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, * from age to age. Amen. Amen.


Conclusion

We praise you, O God - Te Deum

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

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

Glory be to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.

Amen.

Antiphon: The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice:* let the multitude of the isles be glad.

Reading(s)

1 Samuel 16.1-13a

The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.


1 Letter of John 2.18-25

Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.


Silence


Response (Psalm 89.1)

Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing.
Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing.
My mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
Throughout all generations.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing.

Song of Zechariah

Song of Zechariah Antiphon: Their sound* * has gone out through all the world.

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.

or

Glory be to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.

Amen.

(may be said by all)

Song of Zechariah Antiphon: Their sound* * has gone out through all the world.

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

Almighty God,
who, by the Holy Spirit, chose Matthias
to be numbered in the twelve apostles:
by the ministry of faithful pastors and teachers,
keep us steadfast in your truth;
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.

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