Sunday, February 6, 2011

Anglican (Church of England) Daily Readings And Prayers For Sunday, 6 February

From churchofengland.org, wapedia.com and gnpcb.org:

Daily Readings and Prayers:


Saints/Martyrs/Heroes/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated:  the Accession of Her Majesty, Elizabeth II Windsor, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith; The Martyrs of Japan, 1597



The Martyrs of Japan were Christians who were persecuted for their faith in Japan, mostly during the 17th century.


1. Christianity in Japan


Main article: Kirishitan







The Christian martyrs of Nagasaki. 16-17th century Japanese painting.

The shogunate and imperial government at first supported the Catholic mission and the missionaries, thinking that they would reduce the power of the Buddhist monks, and help trade with Spain and Portugal. However, the Shogunate was also wary of colonialism, seeing that in the Philippines the Spanish had taken power after converting the population. The government increasingly saw Roman Catholicism as a threat, and started persecuting Christians. Christianity was banned and those Japanese who refused to abandon their faith were killed.



On February 5, 1597, twenty-six Christians—six European Franciscan missionaries, three Japanese Jesuits and seventeen Japanese laymen including three young boys—were executed by crucifixion in Nagasaki. These individuals were raised on crosses and then pierced through with spears.



Persecution continued sporadically, breaking out again in 1613 and 1630. On September 10, 1632, 55 Christians were martyred in Nagasaki in what became known as the Great Genna Martyrdom. At this time Roman Catholicism was officially outlawed. The Church remained without clergy and theological teaching disintegrated until the arrival of Western missionaries in the nineteenth century.



While there were many more martyrs, the first martyrs came to be especially revered, the most celebrated of which was Paulo Miki. The Martyrs of Japan were canonized by the Roman Catholic Church on June 8, 1862 by Blessed Pius IX and are listed on the calendar as Sts. Paul Miki and his Companions, commemorated on February 6. Originally this feast day was listed as Sts. Peter Baptist and Twenty-Five Companions, Martyrs, and commemorated on February 5. [1]



Drawn from the oral histories of Japanese Catholic communities, Shusaku Endo's acclaimed novel Silence provides detailed accounts of the persecution of Christian communities and the suppression of the Church.



It will never be known for sure how many Christians were executed in Japan as records were either destroyed or not kept. There are varying thoughts about this. Some views[who?] are indicating to determine that the amount of executions was so vast, extending to an amount as high as 1,000,000 (one million) Christian converts.[citation needed]



2. The 26 Martyrs of Japan

Main article: Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan



The Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan (日本二十六聖人 Nihon Nijūroku Seijin?) refers to a group of Christians who were executed by crucifixion on February 5, 1597 at Nagasaki.



On August 15, 1549, St. Francis Xavier (later canonized by Gregory XV in 1622), Fr. Cosme de Torres, S.J. (a Jesuit priest), and Fr. John Fernandez arrived in Kagoshima, Japan, from Spain with hopes of bringing Catholicism to Japan. On September 29, St. Francis Xavier visited Shimazu Takahisa, the daimyo of Kagoshima, asking for permission to build the first Catholic mission in Japan. The daimyo agreed in hopes of creating a trade relationship with Europe.



A promising beginning to those missions—perhaps as many as 300,000 Christians by the end of the sixteenth century—met complications from competition between the missionary groups, political difficulty between Spain and Portugal, and factions within the government of Japan. Christianity was suppressed. By 1630, Christianity was driven underground.



The first Martyrs of Japan were canonized in 1862. They are commemorated on February 5 when, on that date in 1597, twenty-six missionaries and converts were killed by crucifixion. Two hundred and fifty years later, when Christian missionaries returned to Japan, they found a community of Japanese Christians that had survived underground.



3. 205 Martyrs of Japan (1597-1637)

They are also known as Alfonso Navarrete Benito, Pedro of Avila, Carlo Spinola, Ioachim Diaz Hirayama, Lucia de Freitas, and 200 Companion Martyrs of Japan. Among them are:



•Bl. Caius of Korea

•Bl. Thomas Tsugi - killed 1627

Beatified 7 May 1867. [2]



4. 16 Martyrs of Japan (1633-1637)

They are also known as Lawrence Ruiz, Dominic Ibáñez de Erquicia, James Kyushei Tomonaga, and 13 companions, Philippines, martyrs in Japan. [3] They are:



•St. Lorenzo Ruiz - killed 1637, one of the Thomasian Martyrs

•Antonio Gonzalez, one of the Thomasian Martyrs

•Domingo Ibáñez de Erquicia

•Jacobo Kyushei Gorobioye Tomonaga de Santa María

•Francis Shoyemon

•Jordan Ansalone

•Lazarus of Kyoto

•Luke Alonso

•Marina of Omura

•Magdalene of Nagasaki

•Matthew Kohiyoye

•Michael de Aozaraza

•Michael Kurobioye

•Thomas Rokuzayemon

•Vincent Shiwozuka

•William Courtet

Beatified February 18, 1981. [4] Canonized 18 October 1987. [5]



5. Martyrs of Japan (1632)

These were two Augustinian priests, Martin Lumbreras Peralta and Melchor Sanchez Perez. Beatified 23 April 1989. [2]



6. Petrus Kibe Kasui and 187 Companion Martyrs of Japan

Murdered between 1603 and 1639. They include:



•The Martyrs of Yatushiro (+1603-1609)

•The Martyrs of Yamaguchi (Melchior Kumagai Motonao, a samurai, and Damian, a blind catechist)

•Leo Saishio Shichiemon, a samurai from Sendai

•The Martyrs of Ikitsuki (Three members of the Nishi family)

•The Martyrs of Arima (Eight noble Christians burned alive on October 7, 1613)

•Adam Arakawa, a catechist from Amakusa

•The Martyrs of Kyoto (52 Christians burned alive on October 6, 1619)

•The Martyrs of Kumamoto (Members of the Kagayama and Ogasawara families)

•John Hara Mondo, a samurai killed in the Great Martyrdom of Edo

•The Martyrs of Hiroshima (Francis Toyama Jintaro, a samurai; Matthias Shobara Ichizaemon and Joachim Kuroemon, catechists)

•The Martyrs of Unzen (29 Christians drowned to death in the Shimabara river or scalded to death in the sulphur springs of Unzen)

•The Martyrs of Yonezawa (55 Christians beheaded on January 12, 1629)

•Michael Kusuriya, the "Good Samaritan of Nagasaki" who was burned alive in Nishizaka Hill; and Bro. Nicholas Keian Fukunaga, a Jesuit Brother who was the first Christian to suffer the "gallows and the pit."

•Fr. Julian Nakaura, a Jesuit priest. One of the four boys who were sent as emissaries to Europe (Tenshō embassy) in Nagasaki on October 21, 1633.

•Fr. Diego Yuki Ryosetsu, a Japanese priest who suffered the "gallows and the pit" in Osaka in 1636.

•Fr. Thomas Jihyoe, one of the Hermits of St. Augustine

•Fr. Peter Kibe Kasui, a Jesuit Priest who suffered the "gallows and the pit" in Tokyo in 1639.

They were beatified 24 November 2008. [6]



7. See also

•Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument

•Christianity in Japan

•Roman Catholicism in Japan

•Nanban trade

8. Notes



1."Sts. Peter Baptist and Twenty-Five Companions". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11755b.htm.

2.^ Martyrs of Japan (1597-1637) at Hagiography Circle

3.Biography at the Vatican website

4.USCCB (Office of Media Relations) - Beatifications During Pope John Paul II’s Pontificate

5.Lawrence Ruiz and companions from the Vatican website

6.Martyrs of Japan (1603-39) at Hagiography Circle



**************************************************************

Morning Prayer from


The Book of Common Prayer

Sunday, 6 February 2011

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

The Accession of Queen Elizabeth II, 1952

The introduction to the service is used on Sundays, and may be used on any occasion. If the Introduction is not used, the service begins with the opening responses.

¶ Introduction



The minister may use a seasonal sentence before using one or more of the penitential sentences.



The minister introduces the service



Dearly beloved [brethren],

the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge

and confess our manifold sins and wickedness;



[and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before

the face of almighty God our heavenly Father;

but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent and

obedient heart;

to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same

by his infinite goodness and mercy.

And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge

our sins before God;

yet ought we most chiefly so to do,

when we assemble and meet together

to render thanks for the great benefits that we have

received at his hands,

to set forth his most worthy praise,

to hear his most holy word,

and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary,

as well for the body as the soul.]



Wherefore I pray and beseech you,

as many as are here present,

to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice,

unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying [after me]:



(or)



Beloved, we are come together in the presence of almighty God and of the whole company of heaven to offer unto him through our Lord Jesus Christ our worship and praise and thanksgiving; to make confession of our sins; to pray, as well for others as for ourselves, that we may know more truly the greatness of God's love and shew forth in our lives the fruits of his grace; and to ask on behalf of all men such things as their well-being doth require.



Wherefore let us kneel in silence, and remember God's presence with us now.



All Almighty and most merciful Father,

we have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep.

We have followed too much the devices and desires

of our own hearts.

We have offended against thy holy laws.

We have left undone those things

which we ought to have done;

and we have done those things

which we ought not to have done;

and there is no health in us.

But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.

Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults.

Restore thou them that are penitent;

according to thy promises declared unto mankind

in Christ Jesu our Lord.

And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,

that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,

to the glory of thy holy name.

Amen.



A priest says



Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who desireth not the death of a sinner,

but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live;

and hath given power, and commandment, to his ministers

to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent,

the absolution and remission of their sins:

he pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent

and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.

Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance,

and his Holy Spirit,

that those things may please him which we do at this present;

and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy;

so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.



or other ministers may say



Grant, we beseech thee, merciful Lord,

to thy faithful people pardon and peace,

that they may be cleansed from all their sins,

and serve thee with a quiet mind;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.



All Our Father, which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done,

in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

¶ Morning Prayer



The introduction to the service is used on Sundays, and may be used on any occasion. If the Introduction is not used, the service begins with the opening responses.



These responses are used



O Lord, open thou our lips

All and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.



O God, make speed to save us.

All O Lord, make haste to help us.



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost;

All as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.



Praise ye the Lord.

All The Lord's name be praised.



Venite, exultemus Domino



1 O come, let us sing unto the Lord :

let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.



2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving :

and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms.



3 For the Lord is a great God :

and a great King above all gods.



4 In his hand are all the corners of the earth :

and the strength of the hills is his also.



5 The sea is his, and he made it :

and his hands prepared the dry land.



6 O come, let us worship, and fall down :

and kneel before the Lord our Maker.



7 For he is the Lord our God :

and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.



[8 Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts :

as in the provocation,

and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness;



9 When your fathers tempted me :

proved me, and saw my works.



10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said :

It is a people that do err in their hearts,

for they have not known my ways.



11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath :

that they should not enter into my rest.]

Psalm 95



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :

world without end. Amen.



Psalmody

Psalm 5





1 Ponder my words, O Lord :

consider my meditation.



2 O hearken thou unto the voice of my calling, my King, and my God :

for unto thee will I make my prayer.



3 My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord :

early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.



4 For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness :

neither shall any evil dwell with thee.



5 Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight :

for thou hatest all them that work vanity.



6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing :

the Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.



7 But as for me, I will come into thine house, even upon the multitude of thy mercy :

and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.



8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, because of mine enemies :

make thy way plain before my face.



9 For there is no faithfulness in his mouth :

their inward parts are very wickedness.



10 Their throat is an open sepulchre :

they flatter with their tongue.



11 Destroy thou them, O God; let them perish through their own imaginations :

cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness; for they have rebelled against thee.



12 And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice :

they shall ever be giving of thanks, because thou defendest them; they that love thy Name shall be joyful in thee;



13 For thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous :

and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield.



Psalm 6





1 O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation :

neither chasten me in thy displeasure.



2 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak :

O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.



3 My soul also is sore troubled :

but, Lord, how long wilt thou punish me?



4 Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul :

O save me for thy mercy’s sake.



5 For in death no man remembereth thee :

and who will give thee thanks in the pit?



6 I am weary of my groaning; every night wash I my bed :

and water my couch with my tears.



7 My beauty is gone for very trouble :

and worn away because of all mine enemies.



8 Away from me, all ye that work vanity :

for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.



9 The Lord hath heard my petition :

the Lord will receive my prayer.



10 All mine enemies shall be confounded, and sore vexed :

they shall be turned back, and put to shame suddenly.







At the end of each psalm these words are said or sung



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :

world without end. Amen.



Old Testament Reading

First Reading: Jeremiah 26.1-16







In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the Lord, saying,

Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;

Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord.

Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king’s house unto the house of the Lord, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the Lord’s house.

Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.

Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.







Te Deum Laudamus



Either the Te Deum Laudamus (as follows) or Benedicite, omnia opera is said or sung.



We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.

To thee all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powers therein.

To thee cherubin and seraphin continually do cry,

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.

The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.

The noble army of martyrs praise thee.

The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee:

the Father of an infinite majesty;

thine honourable, true and only Son;

also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.



Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.

Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.

When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,

thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.

When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,

thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.

We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.

We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,

whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting.



O Lord, save thy people and bless thine heritage.

Govern them and lift them up for ever.

Day by day we magnify thee;

and we worship thy name, ever world without end.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee.

O Lord, in thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.



New Testament Reading

Second Reading: Acts 3.1-10







Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.







Benedictus



Either The Benedictus (as follows) or Jubilate Deo (Psalm 100) is said or sung.



1 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel :

for he hath visited, and redeemed his people;



2 And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us :

in the house of his servant David;



3 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets :

which have been since the world began;



4 That we should be saved from our enemies :

and from the hands of all that hate us;



5 To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers :

and to remember his holy covenant;



6 To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham :

that he would give us,



7 That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies :

might serve him without fear,



8 In holiness and righteousness before him :

all the days of our life.



9 And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest :

for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;



10 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people :

for the remission of their sins;



11 Through the tender mercy of our God :

whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us;



12 To give light to them that sit in darkness,

and in the shadow of death :

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1.68-79



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :

world without end. Amen.



The Apostles' Creed



All I believe in God the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth:

and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried.

He descended into hell;

the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty;

from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;

the holy catholic Church;

the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Amen.



Prayers



The Lord be with you.

All And with thy spirit.



Let us pray.



Lord, have mercy upon us.

All Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.



All Our Father, which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done,

in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil. Amen.



O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.

All And grant us thy salvation.



O Lord, save the Queen.

All And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.



Endue thy ministers with righteousness.

All And make thy chosen people joyful.



O Lord, save thy people.

All And bless thine inheritance.



Give peace in our time, O Lord.

All Because there is none other that fighteth for us,

but only thou, O God.



O God, make clean our hearts within us.

All And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.



Three Collects are said.



The Collect of the Day



O Lord, we bessech thee to keep thy Church and household continually in thy true religion; that they who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.





The Collect for Peace



O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord,

in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life,

whose service is perfect freedom;

defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies;

that we, surely trusting in thy defence,

may not fear the power of any adversaries;

through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.



The Collect for Grace



O Lord, our heavenly Father,

almighty and everlasting God,

who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day;

defend us in the same with thy mighty power;

and grant that this day we fall into no sin,

neither run into any kind of danger,

but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance,

to do always that is righteous in thy sight;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.



The order for the end of the service may include:



¶ hymns or anthems

¶ a sermon

¶ further prayers (which may include prayers from here)



This prayer may be used to conclude the service



The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost,

be with us all evermore.

All Amen.



© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004

All of the official Common Worship publications are being published by Church House Publishing.
**************************************************************
 
Evening Prayer from


The Book of Common Prayer

Sunday, 6 February 2011

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

The Accession of Queen Elizabeth II, 1952

The introduction to the service is used on Sundays, and may be used on any occasion. If the Introduction is not used, the service begins with the opening responses.

¶ Introduction



The minister may use a seasonal sentence before using one or more of the penitential sentences.



The minister introduces the service



Dearly beloved [brethren],

the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge

and confess our manifold sins and wickedness;



[and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before

the face of almighty God our heavenly Father;

but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent and

obedient heart;

to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same

by his infinite goodness and mercy.

And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge

our sins before God;

yet ought we most chiefly so to do,

when we assemble and meet together

to render thanks for the great benefits that we have

received at his hands,

to set forth his most worthy praise,

to hear his most holy word,

and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary,

as well for the body as the soul.]



Wherefore I pray and beseech you,

as many as are here present,

to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice,

unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying [after me]:



(or)



Beloved, we are come together in the presence of almighty God and of the whole company of heaven to offer unto him through our Lord Jesus Christ our worship and praise and thanksgiving; to make confession of our sins; to pray, as well for others as for ourselves, that we may know more truly the greatness of God's love and shew forth in our lives the fruits of his grace; and to ask on behalf of all men such things as their well-being doth require.



Wherefore let us kneel in silence, and remember God's presence with us now.



All Almighty and most merciful Father,

we have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep.

We have followed too much the devices and desires

of our own hearts.

We have offended against thy holy laws.

We have left undone those things

which we ought to have done;

and we have done those things

which we ought not to have done;

and there is no health in us.

But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.

Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults.

Restore thou them that are penitent;

according to thy promises declared unto mankind

in Christ Jesu our Lord.

And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,

that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,

to the glory of thy holy name.

Amen.



A priest says



Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who desireth not the death of a sinner,

but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live;

and hath given power, and commandment, to his ministers

to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent,

the absolution and remission of their sins:

he pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent

and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.

Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance,

and his Holy Spirit,

that those things may please him which we do at this present;

and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy;

so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.



or other ministers may say



Grant, we beseech thee, merciful Lord,

to thy faithful people pardon and peace,

that they may be cleansed from all their sins,

and serve thee with a quiet mind;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.



All Our Father, which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done,

in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

¶ Evening Prayer



The introduction to the service is used on Sundays, and may be used on any occasion. If the Introduction is not used, the service begins with the opening responses.



These responses are used



O Lord, open thou our lips

All and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.



O God, make speed to save us.

All O Lord, make haste to help us.



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost;

All as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.



Praise ye the Lord.

All The Lord's name be praised.



Psalmody

Psalm [1

[



1 Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners :

and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful.



2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord :

and in his law will he exercise himself day and night.



3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the water-side :

that will bring forth his fruit in due season.



4 His leaf also shall not wither :

and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper.



5 As for the ungodly, it is not so with them :

but they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth.



6 Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgement :

neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous.



7 But the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous :

and the way of the ungodly shall perish.

]



Psalm 3]





1 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me :

many are they that rise against me.



2 Many one there be that say of my soul :

There is no help for him in his God.



3 But thou, O Lord, art my defender :

thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head.



4 I did call upon the Lord with my voice :

and he heard me out of his holy hill.



5 I laid me down and slept, and rose up again :

for the Lord sustained me.



6 I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people :

that have set themselves against me round about.



7 Up, Lord, and help me, O my God :

for thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.



8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord :

and thy blessing is upon thy people.



Psalm 4





1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness :

thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble; have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer.



2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine honour :

and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after leasing?



3 Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to himself the man that is godly :

when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.



4 Stand in awe, and sin not :

commune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still.



5 Offer the sacrifice of righteousness :

and put your trust in the Lord.



6 There be many that say :

Who will shew us any good?



7 Lord, lift thou up :

the light of thy countenance upon us.



8 Thou hast put gladness in my heart :

since the time that their corn, and wine, and oil, increased.



9 I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest :

for it is thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.







At the end of each psalm these words are said or sung



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :

world without end. Amen.



Old Testament Reading



First Reading: Amos 2.4-16

Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:

But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;

That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:

And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.

And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord.

But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.

Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:

Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.

And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord.





Magnificat



Either the Magnificat (as follows) or Cantate Domino (Psalm 98) is said or sung.



1 My soul doth magnify the Lord :

and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.



2 For he hath regarded :

the lowliness of his handmaiden.



3 For behold, from henceforth :

all generations shall call me blessed.



4 For he that is mighty hath magnified me :

and holy is his Name.



5 And his mercy is on them that fear him :

throughout all generations.



6 He hath shewed strength with his arm :

he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.



7 He hath put down the mighty from their seat :

and hath exalted the humble and meek.



8 He hath filled the hungry with good things :

and the rich he hath sent empty away.



9 He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel :

as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.

Luke 1.46-55



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :

world without end. Amen.



New Testament Reading



Second Reading: Ephesians 4.17-32

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But ye have not so learned Christ;

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Neither give place to the devil.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.





Nunc dimittis



Either the Nunc dimittis (as follows) or Deus misereatur (Psalm 67) is said or sung.



1 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace :

according to thy word.



2 For mine eyes have seen :

thy salvation;



3 Which thou hast prepared :

before the face of all people;



4 To be a light to lighten the Gentiles :

and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

Luke 2.29-32



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :

world without end. Amen.



The Apostles' Creed



All I believe in God the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth:

and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried.

He descended into hell;

the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty;

from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;

the holy catholic Church;

the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Amen.



Prayers



The Lord be with you.

All And with thy spirit.



Let us pray.



Lord, have mercy upon us.

All Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.



All Our Father, which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done,

in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil. Amen.



O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.

All And grant us thy salvation.



O Lord, save the Queen.

All And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.



Endue thy ministers with righteousness.

All And make thy chosen people joyful.



O Lord, save thy people.

All And bless thine inheritance.



Give peace in our time, O Lord.

All Because there is none other that fighteth for us,

but only thou, O God.



O God, make clean our hearts within us.

All And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.



Three Collects are said.



The Collect of the Day



O Lord, we bessech thee to keep thy Church and household continually in thy true religion; that they who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.





The Collect for Peace



O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels,

and all just works do proceed;

give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give;

that both, our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments,

and also that, by thee,

we being defended from the fear of our enemies

may pass our time in rest and quietness;

through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

All Amen.



The Collect for Aid against all Perils



Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord;

and by thy great mercy defend us

from all perils and dangers of this night;

for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

All Amen.



The order for the end of the service may include:



¶ hymns or anthems

¶ a sermon

¶ further prayers (which may include prayers from here)



This prayer may be used to conclude the service



The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost,

be with us all evermore.

All Amen.



© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004

All of the official Common Worship publications are being published by Church House Publishing.
**************************************************************
 
An Order for Night Prayer


(Compline) in Traditional Language



Sunday, 6 February 2011

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

The Accession of Queen Elizabeth II, 1952



Note



The ancient office of Compline derives its name from a Latin word meaning 'completion' (completorium). It is above all a service of quietness and reflection before rest at the end of the day. It is most effective when the ending is indeed an ending, without additions, conversation or noise. If there is an address, or business to be done, it should come first. If the service is in church, those present depart in silence; if at home, they go quietly to bed.



For further Notes, see here.







Preparation



The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

All Amen.



[Brethren,] be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil,

as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

whom resist, steadfast in the faith.

1 Peter 5.8,9

But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.

All Thanks be to God.



Our help is in the name of the Lord

All who hath made heaven and earth.



A period of silence for reflection on the past day may follow.



The following or other suitable words of penitence may be used



All We confess to God almighty,

the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,

that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,

through our own grievous fault.

Wherefore we pray God to have mercy upon us.



Almighty God, have mercy upon us,

forgive us all our sins and deliver us from all evil,

confirm and strengthen us in all goodness,

and bring us to life everlasting;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.



A priest may say



May the almighty and merciful Lord

grant unto you pardon and remission of all your sins,

time for amendment of life,

and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit.

All Amen.



O God, make speed to save us.

All O Lord, make haste to help us.



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost;

All as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.



Praise ye the Lord.

All The Lord's name be praised.



The following or another suitable hymn may be sung



Before the ending of the day,

Creator of the world we pray,

That with thy wonted favour thou

Wouldst be our guard and keeper now.



From all ill dreams defend our eyes,

From nightly fears and fantasies;

Tread underfoot our ghostly foe,

That no pollution we may know.



O Father, that we ask be done,

Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son;

Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,

Doth live and reign eternally.



The Word of God



Psalmody



One or more of the following psalms may be used



Psalm 4



1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness :

thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble;

have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer.



2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine honour :

and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after leasing?



3 Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to himself

the man that is godly :

when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.



4 Stand in awe, and sin not :

commune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still.



5 Offer the sacrifice of righteousness :

and put your trust in the Lord.



6 There be many that say :

Who will shew us any good?



7 Lord, lift thou up :

the light of thy countenance upon us.



8 Thou hast put gladness in my heart :

since the time that their corn, and wine, and oil increased.



9 I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest :

for it is thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.



Psalm 31.1-6



1 In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust :

let me never be put to confusion, deliver me in thy righteousness.



2 Bow down thine ear to me :

make haste to deliver me.



3 And be thou my strong rock, and house of defence :

that thou mayest save me.



4 For thou art my strong rock, and my castle :

be thou also my guide, and lead me for thy name's sake.



5 Draw me out of the net, that they have laid privily for me :

for thou art my strength.



6 Into thy hands I commend my spirit :

for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.



Psalm 91



1 Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High :

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.



2 I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my stronghold :

my God, in him will I trust.



3 For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter :

and from the noisome pestilence.



4 He shall defend thee under his wings,

and thou shalt be safe under his feathers :

his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.



5 Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night :

nor for the arrow that flieth by day;



6 For the pestilence that walketh in darkness :

nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noonday.



7 A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand :

but it shall not come nigh thee.



8 Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold :

and see the reward of the ungodly.



9 For thou, Lord, art my hope :

thou hast set thine house of defence very high.



10 There shall no evil happen unto thee :

neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.



11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee :

to keep thee in all thy ways.



12 They shall bear thee in their hands :

that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.



13 Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder :

the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.



14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him :

I will set him up, because he hath known my name.



15 He shall call upon me, and I will hear him :

yea, I am with him in trouble;

I will deliver him, and bring him to honour.



16 With long life will I satisfy him :

and shew him my salvation.



Psalm 134



1 Behold now, praise the Lord :

all ye servants of the Lord;



2 Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord :

even in the courts of the house of our God.



3 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary :

and praise the Lord.



4 The Lord that made heaven and earth :

give thee blessing out of Sion.



At the end of the psalmody, the following is said or sung



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :

world without end. Amen.



Scripture Reading



One of the following short lessons or another suitable passage is read



Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not, O Lord our God.

Jeremiah 14.9



(or)



Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11.28-30



(or)



Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13.20,21



All Thanks be to God.



The following responsory may be said



Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

All Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

For thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.

All I commend my spirit.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

All Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.



Keep me as the apple of an eye.

All Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.



Gospel Canticle



The Nunc dimittis (The Song of Simeon) is said or sung



All 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.



1 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace :

according to thy word.



2 For mine eyes have seen :

thy salvation;



3 Which thou hast prepared :

before the face of all people;



4 To be a light to lighten the Gentiles :

and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

Luke 2.29-32

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :

and to the Holy Ghost;



as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :

world without end. Amen.



All 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



Lord, have mercy upon us.

All Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.



All Our Father, which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done,

in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil. Amen.



Blessed art thou, Lord God of our fathers:

All to be praised and glorified above all for ever.



Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost:

All let us praise him and magnify him for ever.



Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven:

All to be praised and glorified above all for ever.



The almighty and most merciful Lord guard us and give us his blessing.

All Amen.







[Wilt thou not turn again and quicken us;

All that thy people may rejoice in thee?



O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us;

All and grant us thy salvation.



Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin;

All O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.



O Lord, hear our prayer;

All and let our cry come unto thee.]



Let us pray.



One or more of the following Collects is said



Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this place,

and drive from it all the snares of the enemy;

let thy holy angels dwell herein to preserve us in peace;

and may thy blessing be upon us evermore;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.



Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord;

and by thy great mercy defend us

from all perils and dangers of this night;

for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

All Amen.



O Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God,

who at this evening hour didst rest in the sepulchre,

and didst thereby sanctify the grave

to be a bed of hope to thy people:

make us so to abound in sorrow for our sins,

which were the cause of thy passion,

that when our bodies lie in the dust,

our souls may live with thee;

who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost,

one God, world without end.

All Amen.



Look down, O Lord, from thy heavenly throne,

illuminate the darkness of this night with thy celestial brightness,

and from the sons of light banish the deeds of darkness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.



Be present, O merciful God,

and protect us through the silent hours of this night,

so that we who are wearied

by the changes and chances of this fleeting world,

may repose upon thy eternal changelessness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.



The Conclusion



We will lay us down in peace and take our rest.

All For it is thou, Lord, only that makest us dwell in safety.



Abide with us, O Lord,

All for it is toward evening and the day is far spent.



As the watchmen look for the morning,

All so do we look for thee, O Christ.



[Come with the dawning of the day

All and make thyself known in the breaking of bread.]



The Lord be with you

All and with thy spirit.



Let us bless the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.



The almighty and merciful Lord,

the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,

bless us and preserve us.

All Amen.



© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004

All of the official Common Worship publications are being published by Church House Publishing.
**************************************************************
 
Book of Common Prayer Daily Office Lectionary


February 6

5 Epiphany


Ps. 93, 96; Ps. 34; Isa. 57:14-21; Heb. 12:1-6; John 7:37-46

Psalm 93

The Lord Reigns

93:1 The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty;

the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.

Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

2 Your throne is established from of old;

you are from everlasting.



3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord,

the floods have lifted up their voice;

the floods lift up their roaring.

4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters,

mightier than the waves of the sea,

the Lord on high is mighty!



5 Your decrees are very trustworthy;

holiness befits your house,

O Lord, forevermore.



Psalm 96

Worship in the Splendor of Holiness

96:1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song;

sing to the Lord, all the earth!

2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;

tell of his salvation from day to day.

3 Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples!

4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

he is to be feared above all gods.

5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,

but the Lord made the heavens.

6 Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.



7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

bring an offering, and come into his courts!

9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; [1]

tremble before him, all the earth!



10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!

Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;

he will judge the peoples with equity.”



11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

12 let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

13 before the Lord, for he comes,

for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness,

and the peoples in his faithfulness.



Psalm 34

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

[2] Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

let the humble hear and be glad.

3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!



4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.



8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no lack!

10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.



11 Come, O children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 What man is there who desires life

and loves many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from speaking deceit.

14 Turn away from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.



15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous

and his ears toward their cry.

16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,

to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.



19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

20 He keeps all his bones;

not one of them is broken.

21 Affliction will slay the wicked,

and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;

none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.



Isaiah 57:14-21

Comfort for the Contrite

14 And it shall be said,

“Build up, build up, prepare the way,

remove every obstruction from my people's way.”

15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,

who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“I dwell in the high and holy place,

and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,

to revive the spirit of the lowly,

and to revive the heart of the contrite.

16 For I will not contend forever,

nor will I always be angry;

for the spirit would grow faint before me,

and the breath of life that I made.

17 Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry,

I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,

but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.

18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;

I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,

19 creating the fruit of the lips.

Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord,

“and I will heal him.

20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea;

for it cannot be quiet,

and its waters toss up mire and dirt.

21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”



Hebrews 12:1-6

Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.



Do Not Grow Weary

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?



“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

nor be weary when reproved by him.

6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

and chastises every son whom he receives.”



John 7:37-46

Rivers of Living Water

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as [3] the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.



Division Among the People

40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.



45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”



Footnotes

[1] 96:9 Or in holy attire

[2] 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet

[3] 7:38 Or let him come to me, and let him who believes in me drink. As

This reading plan is adapted from the Daily Office Lectionary found in The Book of Common Prayer.


The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Quotation information. Purchase an ESV. Comments? webmaster@gnpcb.org. Audio problems? Update Flash or try MP3s. Audio read by David Cochran Heath. Copyright© Crossway Bibles.


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