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| If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Mark 8:34 |
Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. Psalm 43:3
Morning Prayer
Oh Lord, most heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who has safely brought me to the beginning of this day; I give you thanks for my creation, preservation, and all the blessings of my life. Grant that this day I fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all my doings, being governed by your will, may be righteous in your sight. Through Christ our Lord, I pray. Amen.
Confession and Forgiveness
Holy god, Lord most gracious!
Rebuke us not in your anger, nor chasten us in your wrath!
Holy you have called us to come to you.
We feel unworthy, for we have failed you again and again.
We feel like running away, yet you keep calling us.
Have mercy on us, O God.
Have mercy!
Holy God, Father most gracious!
Rebuke us not in your anger, nor chasten us in your wrath!
Heal us from our sin, for we are troubled.
Deliver us for the sake of your steadfast love.
Our sins trouble us, O God.
We are troubled by how they have hurt others.
We are troubled by how they have hurt us.
Your ways are right! O righteous God!
And whenever we have refused to follow them
we have found out how right they are.
Have mercy on us, O God.
Holy God, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us for the sake of your Son,
who died to free us from our sins.
To you be honor and glory! Amen.
Today's Readings
The First Reading is taken from 2 Samuel 9:1-13
[David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth] David asked, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and he was summoned to David. The king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "At your service!" The king said, "Is there anyone remaining of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?" Ziba said to the king, "There remains a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet." The king said to him, "Where is he?" Ziba said to the king, "He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar." Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, and fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, "Mephibosheth!" He answered, "I am your servant." David said to him, "Do not be afraid, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan; I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you yourself shall eat at my table always." He did obeisance and said, "What is your servant, that you should look upon a dead dog such as I?" Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba, and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. You and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him, and shall bring in the produce, so that your master's grandson may have food to eat; but your master's grandson Mephibosheth shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do." Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons. Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he always ate at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet.
The Second Reading is taken from Acts 19:1-10
[Paul in Ephesus] While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" They replied, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." Then he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They answered, "Into John's baptism." Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied-- altogether there were about twelve of them. He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.
The Holy Gospel is written in Mark 8:34-9:1
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."
Morning Psalms
Psalm 119:97-104 Mem Quomodo dilexi!
97 Oh, how I love your law! all the day long it is in my mind.
98 Your commandment has made me wiser than my enemies, and it is always with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my study.
100 I am wiser than the elders, because I observe your commandments.
101 I restrain my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word.
102 I do not shrink from your judgments, because you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste! they are sweeter than honey to my mouth.
104 Through your commandments I gain understanding; therefore I hate every lying way.
Psalm 119:105-112 Nun Lucerna pedibus meis
105 Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path.
106 I have sworn and am determined to keep your righteous judgments.
107 I am deeply troubled; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.
108 Accept, O LORD, the willing tribute of my lips, and teach me your judgments.
109 My life is always in my hand, yet I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have set a trap for me, but I have not strayed from your commandments.
111 Your decrees are my inheritance for ever; truly, they are the joy of my heart.
112 I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes for ever and to the end.
Psalm 119:113-120 Samekh Iniquos odio habui
113 I hate those who have a divided heart, but your law do I love.
114 You are my refuge and shield; my hope is in your word.
115 Away from me, you wicked! I will keep the commandments of my God.
116 Sustain me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be disappointed in my hope.
117 Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and my delight shall be ever in your statutes.
118 You spurn all who stray from your statutes; their deceitfulness is in vain.
119 In your sight all the wicked of the earth are but dross; therefore I love your decrees.
120 My flesh trembles with dread of you; I am afraid of your judgments.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 81 Exultate Deo
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 He laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt.
6 I heard an unfamiliar voice saying, "I eased his shoulder from the burden; his 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 him, and their punishment would last for ever.
16 But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat and satisfy him with honey from the rock.
Psalm 82 Deus stetit
1 God takes his stand in the council of heaven; he 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 prince.'"
8 Arise, O God, and rule the earth, for you shall take all nations for your own.
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Day
Grant me, most merciful Jesus, your grace, that it may be with me and labor with me and dwell within me, this day and all the days of my short life.
Give me grace always to desire and seek what is most acceptable to you; whatever is most pleasing in your sight, let me do that. Let my will always follow yours; let your will be mine. Reform me into a spiritual perfection impossible for the world, which might be gained only by your grace; and help me to live in accord with it.
Let there be between you and me only one will, so that I may love what you love and hate what you hate; make me unfit to want anything that is unworthy in your sight, or to disdain whatever you might approve. Save me, Christ, I pray, out of love; for unworthy I might be, yet I love you dearly. Amen.
Prayer for Help with the Burdens of Life
Grant me, I pray, your divine helping grace; endow me with patience and strength to endure my tribulations with complete submission to your will. You know my misery and suffering and to you, my only hope and refuge, I flee for relief and comfort; trusting your infinite love and compassion, that in due time, when you know it is for the best, you will deliver me from my troubles, and turn my distress into comfort, and I will rejoice in your mercy, and exalt and praise your Holy Name, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
A 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.
You Raise Me Up
by Celtic Woman
by Celtic Woman
Alleluia! Christ has risen.
Christ has risen indeed. Alleluia!
Christ has risen indeed. Alleluia!
Closing Prayer
Lord, in utter humility I thank you and glorify you, that you might hear the prayer of one so small as myself, amidst the billions of souls among billions of stars in one of billions of galaxies in your universe. Let me go forth in your peace, keeping your Spirit always in my mind; and bless me, I pray, that I might always follow your will and live in the radiance of your blessing. Amen.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
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