Spirituality: Daily Prayer

Thursday 29 October 2026

Morning Prayer

James Hannington, Bishop, and Companions, Martyrs, 1885
Week C / Week of Proper 30

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:
Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
ng the glory of the divine name!
Psalm 66.1


Opening

Come, let us sing

1 Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before the presence of the Lord with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to God with psalms.
3 For you, O Lord, are a great God, * and a great sovereign above all gods.
4 In your hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are yours also.
5 The sea is yours, for you made it, *
and your hands have moulded the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 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!
8 “Harden not your hearts, *
as your forebears did in the wilderness.
9 They put me to the test, * though they had seen my works.
10 So I swore in my wrath, *
‘They shall not enter into 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

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 Psalms 66 and 92)

1. All the earth bows down before you,*
sings to you, sings out your name.
2. Bless our God, you peoples;*
make the voice of God’s praise to be heard.
3. It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,*
and to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
4. to tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning*
and of your faithfulness in the night season.

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 146

1. Hallelujah! *
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2. I will praise the Lord as long as I live; *
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
3. Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
for there is no help in them.
4. When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *
and in that day their thoughts perish.
5. Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *
For their hope is in the Lord their God,
6. who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
who keeps promises for ever;
7. who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
food to those who hunger and sets the prisoners
free.
8. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind! *
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down and
loves the righteous.
9. The Lord cares for the stranger *
and sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates
the way of the wicked
10. The Lord shall reign for ever, *
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!

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.


Conclusion

Isaiah 12

1. Behold God is my salvation;*
I will trust and not be afraid;
2. the Lord God is my strength and my song;
the Lord God has become my salvation.
3. With joy you will draw water*
from the wells of salvation.
4. Give thanks to the Lord, call upon God’s name;*
make known the Lord’s deeds among the nations.
5. Sing to the Lord who has done gloriously;*
let this be known in all the earth.
6. Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Sion,*
for great in your midst is the Holy One of 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.

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: Be joyful in God, all you lands;* sing the glory of the divine name!

Reading(s)

Ecclesiasticus 31.12-18, 25-32.2

Are you seated at the table of the great?
Do not be greedy at it,
and do not say, ‘How much food there is here!’
Remember that a greedy eye is a bad thing.
What has been created more greedy than the eye?
Therefore it sheds tears for any reason.
Do not reach out your hand for everything you see,
and do not crowd your neighbour at the dish.
Judge your neighbour’s feelings by your own,
and in every matter be thoughtful.
Eat what is set before you like a well-bred person,
and do not chew greedily, or you will give offence.
Be the first to stop, as befits good manners,
and do not be insatiable, or you will give offence.
If you are seated among many others,
do not help yourself before they do.

I take pleasure in three things,
and they are beautiful in the sight of God and of mortals:
agreement among brothers and sisters, friendship among neighbours,
and a wife and husband who live in harmony.
I hate three kinds of people,
and I loathe their manner of life:
a pauper who boasts, a rich person who lies,
and an old fool who commits adultery.

If you gathered nothing in your youth,
how can you find anything in your old age?
How attractive is sound judgement in the grey-haired,
and for the aged to possess good counsel!
How attractive is wisdom in the aged,
and understanding and counsel in the venerable!
Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
and their boast is the fear of the Lord.

I can think of nine whom I would call blessed,
and a tenth my tongue proclaims:
a man who can rejoice in his children;
a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes.
Happy the man who lives with a sensible wife,
and one who does not plough with ox and ass together.
Happy is one who does not sin with the tongue,
and one who has not served an inferior.
Happy is one who finds a friend,
and one who speaks to attentive listeners.
How great is one who finds wisdom!
But none is superior to one who fears the Lord.
Fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
to whom can we compare one who has it?

Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!
Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a woman!
Any suffering, but not suffering from those who hate!
And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
There is no venom worse than a snake’s venom,
and no anger worse than a woman’s wrath.

I would rather live with a lion and a dragon
than live with an evil woman.
A woman’s wickedness changes her appearance,
and darkens her face like that of a bear.
Her husband sits among the neighbours,
and he cannot help sighing bitterly.
Any iniquity is small compared to a woman’s iniquity;
may a sinner’s lot befall her!
A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged—
such is a garrulous wife to a quiet husband.
Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty,
and do not desire a woman for her possessions.
There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace
when a wife supports her husband.
Dejected mind, gloomy face,
and wounded heart come from an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees
come from the wife who does not make her husband happy.
From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die.
Allow no outlet to water,
and no boldness of speech to an evil wife.
If she does not go as you direct,
separate her from yourself.

Happy is the husband of a good wife;
the number of his days will be doubled.
A loyal wife brings joy to her husband,
and he will complete his years in peace.
A good wife is a great blessing;
she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord.
Whether rich or poor, his heart is content,
and at all times his face is cheerful.

Of three things my heart is frightened,
and of a fourth I am in great fear:
Slander in the city, the gathering of a mob,
and false accusation—all these are worse than death.
But it is heartache and sorrow when a wife is jealous of a rival,
and a tongue-lashing makes it known to all.
A bad wife is a chafing yoke;
taking hold of her is like grasping a scorpion.
A drunken wife arouses great anger;
she cannot hide her shame.
The haughty stare betrays an unchaste wife;
her eyelids give her away.

Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter,
or else, when she finds liberty, she will make use of it.
Be on guard against her impudent eye,
and do not be surprised if she sins against you.
As a thirsty traveller opens his mouth
and drinks from any water near him,
so she will sit in front of every tent-peg
and open her quiver to the arrow.

A wife’s charm delights her husband,
and her skill puts flesh on his bones.
A silent wife is a gift from the Lord,
and nothing is so precious as her self-discipline.
A modest wife adds charm to charm,
and no scales can weigh the value of her chastity.
Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,
so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.
Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand,
so is a beautiful face on a stately figure.
Like golden pillars on silver bases,
so are shapely legs and steadfast feet.


Revelation 12.7-17

And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,

‘Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Messiah,
for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,
who accuses them day and night before our God.
But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.
Rejoice then, you heavens
and those who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
for the devil has come down to you
with great wrath,
because he knows that his time is short!’

So when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to her place where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. Then from his mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman; it opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus.


Silence


Response (Psalm 63.4)

I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
And lift up my hands in your name.
As long as I live.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
I will bless you Lord as long as I live.

Song of Zechariah

Song of Zechariah Antiphon: Christ is the chosen of God: * * who brings healing to the nations.

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: Christ is the chosen of God: * * who brings healing to the nations.

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, in your mercy:
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace;
that they may be cleansed from all their sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
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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