From steve.benner at oremus.org Thu May 1 17:00:00 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 2 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080501170000.F2B481E3D3D@justus2c.anglican.org>
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Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
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OREMUS for Friday, May 2, 2008
Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher of the Faith, 373
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, almighty God,
through Jesus Christ the King of glory.
Born of a woman,
he came to our rescue.
Dying for us,
he trampled death and conquered sin.
By the glory of his resurrection
he opened the way to life eternal
and by his ascension,
gave us the sure hope
that where he is we may also be.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 20
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble,*
the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
Send you help from his holy place*
and strengthen you out of Zion;
Remember all your offerings*
and accept your burnt sacrifice;
Grant you your heart's desire*
and prosper all your plans.
We will shout for joy at your victory
and triumph in the name of our God;*
may the Lord grant all your requests.
Now I know that the Lord gives victory
to his anointed;*
he will answer him out of his holy heaven,
with the victorious strength of his right hand.
Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses,*
but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God.
They collapse and fall down,*
but we will arise and stand upright.
O Lord, give victory to the king*
and answer us when we call.
Psalm 29
Ascribe to the Lord, you gods,*
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name;*
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders;*
the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice;*
the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendour.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees;*
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,*
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;*
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe*
and strips the forests bare.
And in the temple of the Lord*
all are crying, 'Glory!'
The Lord sits enthroned above the flood;*
the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore.
The Lord shall give strength to his people;*
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
A Song of God's Children (Romans 8.2,14,15b-19)
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has set us free from the law of sin and death.
All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God;
for we have received the Spirit that enables us to cry, 'Abba, Father'.
The Spirit himself bears witness that we are children of God
and if God's children, then heirs of God;
If heirs of God, then fellow-heirs with Christ;
since we suffer with him now, that we may be glorified with him.
These sufferings that we now endure
are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed.
For the creation waits with eager longing
for the revealing of the children of God.
Psalm 149
Alleluia!
Sing to the Lord a new song;*
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in his maker;*
let the children of Zion be joyful in their king.
Let them praise his name in the dance;*
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people*
and adorns the poor with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice in triumph;*
let them be joyful on their beds.
Let the praises of God be in their throat*
and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To wreak vengeance on the nations*
and punishment on the peoples;
To bind their kings in chains*
and their nobles with links of iron;
To inflict on them the judgement decreed;*
this is glory for all his faithful people.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Isaiah 12]:
You will say on that day:
I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
and you comforted me.
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
And you will say on that day:
Give thanks to the Lord,
call on his name;
make known his deeds among the nations;
proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
HYMN
Words: Lauda Sion salvatorem Thomas Aquinas (1227-1274)
tr Alexander R.Thompson (1817-1895)
Tune:
Zion, to thy Saviour singing,
To thy Prince and Shepherd bringing
Sweetest hymns of love and praise,
Yet thou shalt not reach the measure
Of his worth, by all the treasure
Of thy most ecstatic lays!
Fill thy lips to overflowing
With sweet praise, his mercy showing,
Who this heavenly table spread;
On this day so glad and holy,
To each hungering spirit lowly
Giveth he the living bread.
O Good Shepherd, bread life-giving,
Us, thy grace and life receiving,
Feed and shelter evermore!
Thou on earth our weakness guiding,
We in heaven with thee abiding,
With all saints will thee adore.
SECOND READING [Acts 1:12-end]:
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near
Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to
the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew,
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the
Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer,
together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his
brothers.
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about
one hundred and twenty people) and said, 'Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled,
which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for
those who arrested Jesus for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in
this ministry.' (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and
falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. This became
known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language
Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 'For it is written in the book of Psalms,
"Let his homestead become desolate,
and let there be no one to live in it";
and
"Let another take his position of overseer."
So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus
went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he
was taken up from us one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.'
So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and
Matthias. Then they prayed and said, 'Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which
one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from
which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.' And they cast lots for them, and the
lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
We pray for God to fill us with his Spirit.
Generous God, we thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit.
We ask that we may be strengthened to serve you better.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to make us wise to understand your will.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the peace of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to keep us confident of your love,
wherever you call us.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to bring reconciliation and wholeness
where there is division, sickness and sorrow.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to equip us for the work
which you have given us.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to reveal in our lives the love of Jesus.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the breath of your Holy Spirit,
given by the risen Lord.
We ask you to keep the whole Church,
living and departed,
in the joy of eternal life.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
Open our ears to hear you, O God,
and our mouths to proclaim your glory
and the beauty of your holiness
as revealed to us in your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Everliving God,
whose servant Athanasius testified
to the mystery of the Word made flesh for our salvation:
help us, with all your saints,
to grow into the likeness of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Looking for the coming of the kingdom,
let us pray as our King has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
May Christ, our ascended King,
pour upon us the abundance of his gifts
and bring us to reign with him in glory. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from
_Common WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of
England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright
(c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000.
Outside the pages of the New Testament itself, Athanasius is probably the man
to whom we chiefly owe the preservation of the Christian faith. He was born
around AD 298, and lived in Alexandria, Egypt, the chief center of learning of
the Roman Empire.
In 313 the Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which changed
Christianity from a persecuted to an officially favored religion. About six years
later, a presbyter (elder, priest) Arius of Alexandria began to teach concerning
the Word of God (John 1:1) that "God begat him, and before he was begotten,
he did not exist." Athanasius was at that time a newly ordained deacon,
secretary to Bishop Alexander of Alexandria, and a member of his household.
His reply to Arius was that the begetting, or uttering, of the Word by the
Father is an eternal relation between Them, and not a temporal event. Arius
was condemned by the bishops of Egypt (with the exceptions of Secundus of
Ptolemais and Theonas of Marmorica), and went to Nicomedia, from which he
wrote letters to bishops throughout the world, stating his position.
The Emperor Constantine undertook to resolve the dispute by calling a council
of bishops from all over the Christian world. This council met in Nicea, just
across the straits from what is now Istanbul, in the year 325, and consisted of
317 bishops. Athanasius accompanied his bishop to the council, and became
recognized as a chief spokesman for the view that the Son was fully God,
co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.
The party of Athanasius was overwhelmingly in the majority. (The western, or
Latin, half of the Empire was very sparsely represented, but it was solidly
Athanasian, so that if its bishops had attended in force, the vote would have
been still more lopsided.) It remained to formulate a creedal statement to
express the consensus. The initial effort was to find a formula from Holy
Scripture that would express the full deity of the Son, equally with the Father.
However, the Arians cheerfully agreed to all such formulations, having
interpreted them already to fit their own views. (Those of you who have
conversed with members of the Watchtower Society, who consider themselves
the spiritual heirs of Arius, will know how this works.) Finally, the Greek word
"homo-ousios" (meaning "of the same substance, or nature, or essence") was
introduced, chiefly because it was one word that could not be understood to
mean what the Arians meant. Some of the bishops present, although in
complete disagreement with Arius, were reluctant to use a term not found in
the Scriptures, but eventually saw that the alternative was a creed that both
sides would sign, each understanding it in its own way, and that the Church
could not afford to leave the question of whether the Son is truly God (the
Arians said "a god") undecided. So the result was that the Council adopted a
creed which is a shorter version of what we now call the Nicene Creed,
declaring the Son to be "of one substance with the Father." At the end, there
were only two holdouts, the aforesaid Secundus and Theonas.
No sooner was the council over than its consensus began to fall apart.
Constantine had expected that the result would be unity, but found that the
Arians would not accept the decision, and that many of the orthodox bishops
were prepared to look for a wording a little softer than that of Nicea,
something that sounded orthodox, but that the Arians would accept. All sorts
of compromise formulas were worked out, with all shades of variation from the
formula of Nicea.
In 328, Alexander died, and Athanasius succeeded him as bishop of
Alexandria. He refused to participate in these negotiations, suspecting
(correctly as it turned out) that once the orthodox party showed a willingness
to make reaching an agreement their highest priority, they would end up giving
away the store. He defended the full deity of Christ against emperors,
magistrates, bishops, and theologians. For this, he was regarded as a
trouble-maker by Constantine and his successors, and was banished from
Alexandria a total of five times by various emperors. (Hence the expression
"Athanasius contra mundum," or, "Athanasius against the world.") Eventually,
Christians who believed in the Deity of Christ came to see that once they were
prepared to abandon the Nicene formulation, they were on a slippery slope that
led to regarding the Logos as simply a high-ranking angel. The more they
experimented with other formulations, the clearer it became that only the
Nicene formulation would preserve the Christian faith in any meaningful sense,
and so they re-affirmed the Nicene Creed at the Council of Constantinople in
381, a final triumph that Athanasius did not live to see.
It was a final triumph as far as councils of bishops were concerned, but the
situation was complicated by the fact that after Constantine there were several
Arian emperors (not counting the Emperor Julian, who was a pagan, but
correctly saw that the most effective way to fight Christianity was to throw all
his weight on the side of the Arians). Under one of them Arian missionaries
were sent to convert the Goths, who became the backbone of the Roman Army
(then composed chiefly of foreign mercenaries) with the result that for many
years Arianism was considered the mark of a good Army man. The conversion
of Clovis, King of the Franks, in 496, to orthodox Christianity either gave the
Athanasian party the military power to crush Arianism or denied the Arian
Goths the military supremacy that would have enabled them to crush
Athanasian Christianity, depending on your point of view.
Since Alexandria had the best astronomers, it was the duty of the Bishop of
Alexandria to write to the other bishops every year and tell them the correct
date for Easter. Naturally, his annual letter on this topic contained other
material as well. One Easter Letter (or Paschal Letter) of Athanasius is well
known for giving a list of the books that ought to be considered part of the
canonical Scriptures, with a supplementary list of books suitable for devotional
reading.
Quotations from the writings of Athanasius follow:
We were made "in the likeness of God." But in course of time that image
has become obscured, like a face on a very old portrait, dimmed with dust and
dirt.
When a portrait is spoiled, the only way to renew it is for the subject to
come back to the studio and sit for the artist all over again. That is why Christ
came--to make it possible for the divine image in man to be recreated. We
were made in God's likeness; we are remade in the likeness of his Son.
To bring about this re-creation, Christ still comes to men and lives among
them. In a special way he comes to his Church, his "body", to show us what
the "image of God" is really like.
What a responsibility the Church has, to be Christ's "body," showing him to
those who are unwilling or unable to see him in providence, or in creation!
Through the Word of God lived out in the Body of Christ they can come to the
Father, and themselves be made again "in the likeness of God." [James Kiefer,
abridged]
From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri May 2 20:18:13 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 20:18:13 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 3 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080502201813.E35EE1E33EB@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Saturday, May 3, 2008
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, almighty God,
through Jesus Christ the King of glory.
Born of a woman,
he came to our rescue.
Dying for us,
he trampled death and conquered sin.
By the glory of his resurrection
he opened the way to life eternal
and by his ascension,
gave us the sure hope
that where he is we may also be.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 8
O Lord our governor,*
how exalted is your name in all the world!
Out of the mouths of infants and children*
your majesty is praised above the heavens.
You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries,*
to quell the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,*
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
What are mortals, that you should be mindful of them?*
mere human beings, that you should seek them out?
You have made them little lower than the angels;*
you adorn them with glory and honour.
You give them mastery over the works of your hands;*
and put all things under their feet,
All sheep and oxen,*
even the wild beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,*
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
O Lord our governor,*
how exalted is your name in all the world!
Psalm 98
Sing to the Lord a new song,*
for he has done marvellous things.
With his right hand and his holy arm*
has he won for himself the victory.
The Lord has made known his victory;*
his righteousness has he openly shown
in the sight of the nations.
He remembers his mercy and faithfulness
to the house of Israel,*
and all the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.
Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands;*
lift up your voice, rejoice and sing.
Sing to the Lord with the harp,*
with the harp and the voice of song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn*
shout with joy before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it,*
the lands and those who dwell therein.
Let the rivers clap their hands,*
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
when he comes to judge the earth.
In righteousness shall he judge the world,*
and the peoples with equity.
Great and Wonderful (Revelation 15.3,4)
Great and wonderful are your deeds, .
Lord God the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, .
O ruler of the nations.
Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord? .
for you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship in your presence: .
for your just dealings have been revealed.
Psalm 150
Alleluia!
Praise God in his holy temple;*
praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts;*
praise him for his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn;*
praise him with lyre and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance;*
praise him with strings and pipe.
Praise him with resounding cymbals;*
praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath*
praise the Lord.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Jeremiah 23:5-8]:
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous
Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and
righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety.
And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The Lord is our righteousness.'
Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the Lord, when it shall no longer be said,
'As the Lord lives who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of Egypt', but
'As the Lord lives who brought out and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of
the land of the north and out of all the lands where he had driven them.' Then they
shall live in their own land.
HYMN
Words: William Gadsby (1773-1844)
Precious Jesus! Friend of sinners;
We, as such, to Thee draw near;
Let Thy spirit now dwell in us,
And with love our souls inspire;
Fill, O fill us
With that love which casts out fear.
Matchless Saviour; let us view Thee
As the Lord our Righteousness;
Cause each soul to cleave unto Thee,
Come, and with Thy presence bless.
Dear Immanuel,
Feast us with Thy sovereign grace.
Open now Thy precious treasure;
Let the blessings freely flow;
Give to each a gracious measure
Of Thy glory here below;
Loving Bridegroom,
'Tis Thyself we want to know.
Come, and claim us as Thy portion,
And let us lay claim to Thee;
Leave us not to empty notion,
But from bondage set us free;
King of glory!
We would live and reign with Thee.
SECOND READING [Acts 2:1-21]:
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly
from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire
house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a
tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at
this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them
speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, 'Are not all
these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own
native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and
Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya
belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and
Arabs in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power.' All
were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, 'What does this mean?' But others
sneered and said, 'They are filled with new wine.'
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: 'Men of Judea
and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed,
these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this
is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
"In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, Creator,
in the beginning you moved over the waters.
>From your breath all creation drew life.
Without you, life turns to dust.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Counselor,
by your inspiration, the prophets spoke and acted in faith.
You clothed them in power to be bearers of your Word.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Power,
you came as fire to Jesus' disciples;
you gave them voice before the rulers of this world.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Sanctifier,
you created us children of God;
you make us the living temple of your presence;
you intercede within us with sighs too deep for words.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Giver of life,
you guide and make holy the church you create;
you give gifts:
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and fortitude,
the spirit of knowledge and piety,
the spirit of the fear of the Lord,
that the whole creation may become what you want it to be.
Come, Holy Spirit!
True and only Light,
from whom comes every good gift.
Send your Spirit into our lives
with the power of a mighty wind.
Open the horizons of our minds
by the flame of your wisdom.
Loosen our tongues to show your praise,
for only in your Spirit can we voice your words of peace
and acclaim Jesus as Lord. Amen.
Looking for the coming of the kingdom,
let us pray as our King has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
May Christ, our ascended King,
pour upon us the abundance of his gifts
and bring us to reign with him in glory. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from
_Common WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of
England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright
(c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat May 3 20:58:40 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 20:58:40 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 4 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080503205840.302151E3114@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Sunday, May 4, 2008
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
Your living Word brings light out of darkness
and daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth.
Christ, the true Lamb, his passion accomplished,
has been raised to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith has opened the way to heaven
and sends on us your promised Spirit.
Pour upon us the riches of your grace
that we, the first fruits of your new creation,
may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit
and reveal your glory in all the world.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 93
The Lord is king; he has put on splendid apparel;*
the Lord has put on his apparel
and girded himself with strength.
He has made the whole world so sure*
that it cannot be moved;
Ever since the world began,
your throne has been established;*
you are from everlasting.
The waters have lifted up, O Lord,
the waters have lifted up their voice;*
the waters have lifted up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the sound of many waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea,*
mightier is the Lord who dwells on high.
Your testimonies are very sure,*
and holiness adorns your house, O Lord,
for ever and for evermore.
Psalm 96
Sing to the Lord a new song;*
sing to the Lord, all the whole earth.
Sing to the Lord and bless his name;*
proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations*
and his wonders among all peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;*
he is more to be feared than all gods.
As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols;*
but it is the Lord who made the heavens.
O the majesty and magnificence of his presence!*
O the power and the splendour of his sanctuary!
Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples;*
ascribe to the Lord honour and power.
Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name;*
bring offerings and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;*
let the whole earth tremble before him.
Tell it out among the nations: 'The Lord is king!*
he has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.'
Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder and all that is in it;*
let the field be joyful and all that is therein.
Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy
before the Lord when he comes,*
when he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness*
and the peoples with his truth.
A Song of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36.24-26,28b)
I will take you from the nations,
and gather you from all the countries.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you,
and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses.
A new heart I will give you,
and put a new spirit within you,
And I will remove from your body the heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
Psalm 117
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord, all you nations;*
laud him, all you peoples.
For his loving-kindness towards us is great,*
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Wisdom 9]:
'O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy,
who have made all things by your word,
and by your wisdom have formed humankind
to have dominion over the creatures you have made,
and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,
and pronounce judgement in uprightness of soul,
give me the wisdom that sits by your throne,
and do not reject me from among your servants.
For I am your servant, the son of your servant-girl,
a man who is weak and short-lived,
with little understanding of judgement and laws;
for even one who is perfect among human beings
will be regarded as nothing without the wisdom that comes from you.
You have chosen me to be king of your people
and to be judge over your sons and daughters.
You have given command to build a temple on your holy mountain,
and an altar in the city of your habitation,
a copy of the holy tent that you prepared from the beginning.
With you is wisdom, she who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
she understands what is pleasing in your sight
and what is right according to your commandments.
Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of your glory send her,
that she may labour at my side,
and that I may learn what is pleasing to you.
For she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.
Then my works will be acceptable,
and I shall judge your people justly,
and shall be worthy of the throne of my father.
For who can learn the counsel of God?
Or who can discern what the Lord wills?
For the reasoning of mortals is worthless,
and our designs are likely to fail;
for a perishable body weighs down the soul,
and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful mind.
We can hardly guess at what is on earth,
and what is at hand we find with labour;
but who has traced out what is in the heavens?
Who has learned your counsel,
unless you have given wisdom
and sent your holy spirit from on high?
And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,
and people were taught what pleases you,
and were saved by wisdom.'
HYMN
Words: Peter Abelard, twelfth century; trans. John Mason Neale, 1854
Tune: O quanta qualia
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/o
/o694.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
O what their joy and their glory must be,
those endless Sabbaths the bless d ones see;
crown for the valiant, to weary ones rest:
God shall be All, and in all ever blest.
What are the Monarch, his court and his throne?
What are the peace and the joy that they own?
O that the blest ones, who in it have share,
all that they feel could as fully declare!
Truly, "Jerusalem" name we that shore,
city of peace that brings joy evermore;
wish and fulfillment are not severed there,
nor do things prayed for come short of the prayer.
There, where no troubles distraction can bring,
we the sweet anthems of Zion shall sing;
while for thy grace, Lord, their voices of praise
thy bless d people eternally raise.
Now, in the meantime, with hearts raised on high,
we for that country must yearn and must sigh,
seeking Jerusalem, dear native land,
through our long exile on Babylon's strand.
Low before him with our praises we fall,
of whom and in whom and through whom are all;
of whom, the Father; and in whom, the Son;
and through whom, the Spirit, with them ever One.
SECOND READING [Ephesians 1]:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus
and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before
the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined
us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of
his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the
Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom
and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good
pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all
things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an
inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes
all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our
hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were
marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance
towards redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and
for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit
of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your
heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what
are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the
immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of
his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the
dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and
authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in
this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has
made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him
who fills all in all.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
This is World Communications Day an opportunity to praise God for the gift of
communication and the many ways we have of sharing the good news of the Gospel.
We pray that those responsible for the use of the mass-media will seek only the truth
and the right use of God's gifts. Lord, in your goodness, hear our
prayer.
Let us pray for those elected to serve the people of Zimbabwe. May they find ways of
working together for the good of all their people. Let us bring before the Lord those
who are most in need at this time, men, women and children. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We bring before the Lord those who are ministering to the needs of refugees and
displaced persons throughout the world. May they not be discouraged by the
magnitude of their task. May they be ministers of hope where hope is gone. Lord hear
us, hear our prayer.
This week is the sixtieth anniversary of the first celebration of World Red Cross Day
and Red Crescent Day. We praise and thank God for those who have worked tirelessly
to help people in need. May they rejoice in sharing the compassion of our loving God.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for fathers and mothers who are anxious for the safety of their children. We
pray also for those young people who feel afraid for their own safety. May all in our
community, young and old, work together to build and keep a safe environment for all.
Lord, in your goodness, hear our prayer.
We ask God's blessing on all families under strain. Let us pray for the family of
Madeleine McCann that they may find comfort and strength in the love of those
around them. Lord, in your goodness, hear our prayer.
We pray for the peoples of Gaza. Especially we bring before the Lord the needs of all
who have to carry the greatest burdens of violence and unrest. May those who can
bring peace be encouraged and supported in their efforts. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
O God, the King of glory,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
Do not leave us comfortless,
but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us,
and exalt us to that place
where our Savior Christ has gone before;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Being made one by the power of the Spirit,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you now and always. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from _Common
WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from
which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council,
2000.
The intercession is from Redemptorist Publications. http://www.rpbooks.co.uk/
The closing sentence is from in _New Patterns for Worship_, copyright (c)
The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun May 4 22:29:10 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 22:29:10 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 5 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080504222910.0D3F51E37C4@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Monday, May 5, 2008
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
Your living Word brings light out of darkness
and daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth.
Christ, the true Lamb, his passion accomplished,
has been raised to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith has opened the way to heaven
and sends on us your promised Spirit.
Pour upon us the riches of your grace
that we, the first fruits of your new creation,
may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit
and reveal your glory in all the world.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 97
The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice;*
let the multitude of the isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,*
righteousness and justice
are the foundations of his throne.
A fire goes before him*
and burns up his enemies on every side.
His lightnings light up the world;*
the earth sees it and is afraid.
The mountains melt like wax
at the presence of the Lord,*
at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The heavens declare his righteousness,*
and all the peoples see his glory.
Confounded be all who worship carved images
and delight in false gods!*
Bow down before him, all you gods.
Zion hears and is glad and the cities of Judah rejoice,*
because of your judgements, O Lord.
For you are the Lord: most high over all the earth;*
you are exalted far above all gods.
The Lord loves those who hate evil;*
he preserves the lives of his saints
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light has sprung up for the righteous,*
and joyful gladness for those who are true-hearted.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,*
and give thanks to his holy name.
Psalm 110:1-5
The Lord said to my lord, 'Sit at my right hand,*
until I make your enemies your footstool.'
The Lord will send the sceptre of your power
out of Zion,*
saying, 'Rule over your enemies round about you.
'Princely state has been yours
from the day of your birth,*
in the beauty of holiness have I begotten you,
like dew from the womb of the morning.'
The Lord has sworn and he will not recant:*
'You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.'
A Song of God's Grace (Ephesians 1.3-10)
Blessed are you,
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
for you have blest us in Christ Jesus
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
You chose us to be yours in Christ
before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and blameless before you.
In love you destined us for adoption as your children,
through Jesus Christ,
according to the purpose of your will,
To the praise of your glorious grace,
which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
In you, we have redemption
through the blood of Christ,
the forgiveness of our sins,
According to the riches of your grace,
which you have lavished upon us.
You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight,
the mystery of your will,
According to your purpose
which you set forth in Christ,
as a plan for the fullness of time,
To unite all things in Christ,
things in heaven and things on earth.
Psalm 146
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!*
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in rulers,
nor in any child of earth,*
for there is no help in them.
When they breathe their last, they return to earth,*
and in that day their thoughts perish.
Happy are they who have the God of Jacob
for their help!*
whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth, the seas,
and all that is in them;*
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,*
and food to those who hunger.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;*
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger;*
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
The Lord shall reign for ever,*
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Isaiah 66:1-2,10-13]:
Thus says the Lord:
Heaven is my throne
and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
and what is my resting-place?
All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things are mine,
says the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look,
to the humble and contrite in spirit,
who trembles at my word.
Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her
that you may nurse and be satisfied
from her consoling breast;
that you may drink deeply with delight
from her glorious bosom.
For thus says the Lord:
I will extend prosperity to her like a river,
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
HYMN
Words: Horatio G. Spafford, 1873.
Tune: Ville de Havre
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Refrain
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
Refrain
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
Refrain
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
Refrain
But, Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Bless?d hope, bless?d rest of my soul!
Refrain
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Refrain
SECOND READING [Acts 2:22-36]:
Peter said, 'You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a
man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did
through him among you, as you yourselves know this man, handed over to you
according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by
the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from
death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says
concerning him,
"I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One experience corruption.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence."
'Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both
died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he
knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his
descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the
Messiah, saying,
"He was not abandoned to Hades,
nor did his flesh experience corruption."
This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at
the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy
Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. For David did not ascend
into the heavens, but he himself says,
"The Lord said to my Lord,
'Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.' "
Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him
both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.'
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
We pray for God to fill us with his Spirit.
Generous God, we thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit.
We ask that we may be strengthened to serve you better.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to make us wise to understand your will.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the peace of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to keep us confident of your love,
wherever you call us.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to bring reconciliation and wholeness
where there is division, sickness and sorrow.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to equip us for the work
which you have given us.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to reveal in our lives the love of Jesus.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the breath of your Holy Spirit,
given by the risen Lord.
We ask you to keep the whole Church,
living and departed,
in the joy of eternal life.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
When you came among us in majesty, O God,
you took the form of a servant.
May we whom you call to your priestly service
work to establish justice on earth,
that we may inherit your kingdom in heaven;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Being made one by the power of the Spirit,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you now and always. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from
_Common WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of
England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright
(c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Mon May 5 17:00:00 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 6 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080505170000.CC6E11E3330@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
Your living Word brings light out of darkness
and daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth.
Christ, the true Lamb, his passion accomplished,
has been raised to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith has opened the way to heaven
and sends on us your promised Spirit.
Pour upon us the riches of your grace
that we, the first fruits of your new creation,
may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit
and reveal your glory in all the world.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 57
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful,
for I have taken refuge in you;*
in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge
until this time of trouble has gone by.
I will call upon the Most High God,*
the God who maintains my cause.
He will send from heaven and save me;
he will confound those who trample upon me;*
God will send forth his love and his faithfulness.
I lie in the midst of lions that devour the people;*
their teeth are spears and arrows,
their tongue a sharp sword.
They have laid a net for my feet and I am bowed low;*
they have dug a pit before me
but have fallen into it themselves.
Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,*
and your glory over all the earth.
My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;*
I will sing and make melody.
Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp;*
I myself will waken the dawn.
I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord;*
I will sing praise to you among the nations.
For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens,*
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,*
and your glory over all the earth.
Psalm 138
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart;*
before the gods I will sing your praise.
I will bow down towards your holy temple
and praise your name,*
because of your love and faithfulness;
For you have glorified your name*
and your word above all things.
When I called, you answered me;*
you increased my strength within me.
All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord,*
when they have heard the words of your mouth.
They will sing of the ways of the Lord,*
that great is the glory of the Lord.
Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly;*
he perceives the haughty from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you keep me safe;*
you stretch forth your hand
against the fury of my enemies;
your right hand shall save me.
The Lord will make good his purpose for me;*
O Lord, your love endures for ever;
do not abandon the works of your hands.
A Song of Judith (Judith 16.13-16)
I will sing a new song to my God,
for you are great and glorious,
truly strong and invincible.
May your whole creation serve you,
for you spoke and all things came to be.
You sent forth your Spirit and they were formed,
for no one can resist your voice.
Mountains and seas are stirred to their depths;
at your presence rocks shall melt like wax.
But to those who fear you,
you continue to show mercy.
No sacrifice, however fragrant, can please you,
but whoever fears the Lord
shall stand in your sight for ever.
Psalm 147:1-12
Alleluia!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!*
how pleasant it is to honour him with praise!
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;*
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted*
and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars*
and calls them all by their names.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;*
there is no limit to his wisdom.
The Lord lifts up the lowly,*
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;*
make music to our God upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds*
and prepares rain for the earth;
He makes grass to grow upon the mountains*
and green plants to serve us all.
He provides food for flocks and herds*
and for the young ravens when they cry.
He is not impressed by the might of a horse,*
he has no pleasure in human strength;
But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him,*
in those who await his gracious favour.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Isaiah 26:1-7]:
On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city;
he sets up victory
like walls and bulwarks.
Open the gates,
so that the righteous nation that keeps faith
may enter in.
Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace
in peace because they trust in you.
Trust in the Lord for ever,
for in the Lord God
you have an everlasting rock.
For he has brought low
the inhabitants of the height;
the lofty city he lays low.
He lays it low to the ground,
casts it to the dust.
The foot tramples it,
the feet of the poor,
the steps of the needy.
The way of the righteous is level;
O Just One, you make smooth the path of the righteous.
HYMN
Words: Horatius Bonar, 1857
Tune: Kingsland
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t698.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
however dark it be;
lead me by thine own hand,
choose out the path for me.
Smooth let it be or rough,
it will be still the best;
winding or straight, it leads
right onward to thy rest.
I dare not choose my lot;
I would not, if I might;
choose thou for me, my God,
so I shall walk aright.
The kingdom that I seek
is thine; so let the way
that leads to it be thine,
else I must surely stray.
Take thou my cup, and it
with joy or sorrow fill,
as best to thee may seem;
choose thou my good and ill.
Choose thou for me my friends,
my sickness or my health;
choose thou my cares for me
my poverty or wealth.
Not mine, not mine the choice
in things or great or small;
be thou my Guide, my Strength
my wisdom and my all.
SECOND READING [Acts 2:37-end]:
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the
other apostles, 'Brothers, what should we do?' Peter said to them, 'Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be
forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you,
for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls
to him.' And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, 'Save
yourselves from this corrupt generation.' So those who welcomed his message were
baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted
themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the
prayers.
Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the
apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would
sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home
and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the
goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who
were being saved.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, Creator,
in the beginning you moved over the waters.
>From your breath all creation drew life.
Without you, life turns to dust.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Counselor,
by your inspiration, the prophets spoke and acted in faith.
You clothed them in power to be bearers of your Word.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Power,
you came as fire to Jesus' disciples;
you gave them voice before the rulers of this world.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Sanctifier,
you created us children of God;
you make us the living temple of your presence;
you intercede within us with sighs too deep for words.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Giver of life,
you guide and make holy the church you create;
you give gifts:
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and fortitude,
the spirit of knowledge and piety,
the spirit of the fear of the Lord,
that the whole creation may become what you want it to be.
Come, Holy Spirit!
True and only Light,
from whom comes every good gift.
Send your Spirit into our lives
with the power of a mighty wind.
Open the horizons of our minds
by the flame of your wisdom.
Loosen our tongues to show your praise,
for only in your Spirit can we voice your words of peace
and acclaim Jesus as Lord. Amen.
Lord our God, supreme over all things,
we ask you to look upon the humble and lowly,
to put new strength into our souls
and to complete your purpose for us,
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Being made one by the power of the Spirit,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you now and always. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from
_Common WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of
England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright
(c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Tue May 6 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 7 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080506170001.6120B1E3342@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
Your living Word brings light out of darkness
and daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth.
Christ, the true Lamb, his passion accomplished,
has been raised to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith has opened the way to heaven
and sends on us your promised Spirit.
Pour upon us the riches of your grace
that we, the first fruits of your new creation,
may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit
and reveal your glory in all the world.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 33
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous;*
it is good for the just to sing praises.
Praise the Lord with the harp;*
play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
Sing for him a new song;*
sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.
For the word of the Lord is right,*
and all his works are sure.
He loves righteousness and justice;*
the loving-kindness of the Lord fills the whole earth.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,*
by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
He gathers up the waters of the ocean
as in a water-skin*
and stores up the depths of the sea.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;*
let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
For he spoke and it came to pass;*
he commanded and it stood fast.
The Lord brings the will of the nations to naught;*
he thwarts the designs of the peoples.
But the Lord's will stands fast for ever,*
and the designs of his heart from age to age.
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord!*
happy the people he has chosen to be his own!
The Lord looks down from heaven,*
and beholds all the people in the world.
>From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze*
on all who dwell on the earth.
He fashions all the hearts of them*
and understands all their works.
There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army;*
the strong are not delivered by great strength.nbsp;
The horse is a vain hope for deliverance;*
for all its strength it cannot save.
Behold, the eye of the Lord
is upon those who fear him,*
on those who wait upon his love,
To pluck their lives from death,*
and to feed them in time of famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;*
he is our help and our shield.
Indeed, our heart rejoices in him,*
for in his holy name we put our trust.
Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,*
as we have put our trust in you.
A Song of the New Creation (Isaiah 43.15,16,18,19,20c,21)
'I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.'
Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
'Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
'Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
'I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
'The people whom I formed for myself,
that they might declare my praise.'
Psalm 147:13-end
Alleluia!
Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem;*
praise your God, O Zion;
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;*
he has blessed your children within you.
He has established peace on your borders;*
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth,*
and his word runs very swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;*
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
He scatters his hail like bread crumbs;*
who can stand against his cold?
He sends forth his word and melts them;*
he blows with his wind and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,*
his statutes and his judgements to Israel.
He has not done so to any other nation;*
to them he has not revealed his judgements.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Isaiah 25:1-9]:
O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you, I will praise your name;
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin;
the palace of aliens is a city no more,
it will never be rebuilt.
Therefore strong peoples will glorify you;
cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
For you have been a refuge to the poor,
a refuge to the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat.
When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm,
the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place,
you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds;
the song of the ruthless was stilled.
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines,
of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear.
And he will destroy on this mountain
the shroud that is cast over all peoples,
the sheet that is spread over all nations;
he will swallow up death for ever.
Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,
and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
HYMN
Words: saac Watts, 1707;
as altered by William Cameron, 1781, and Hymns Ancient & Modern
Music: Ballerma, Beatitudo, Sennen Cove
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/h/h363.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
How bright these glorious spirits shine!
Whence all their white array?
How came they to the blissful seats
of everlasting day?
Lo! these are they from sufferings great
who came to realms of light,
and in the blood of Christ have washed
those robes which shine so bright.
Now with triumphal palms they stand
before the throne on high,
and serve the God they love amidst
the glories of the sky.
His presence fills each heart with joy,
tunes every mouth to sing:
by day, by night, the sacred courts
with glad hosannas ring.
Hunger and thirst are felt no more,
nor suns with scorching ray;
God is their sun, whose cheering beams
diffuse eternal day.
The Lamb who dwells amidst the throne
shall oer them still preside,
feed them with nourishment divine,
and all their footsteps guide.
Midst pastures green he'll lead his flock
where living streams appear;
and God the Lord from every eye
shall wipe off every tear.
To Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
the God whom we adore,
be glory, as it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
SECOND READING [Acts 3:1-10]:
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three
o'clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People
would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could
ask for alms from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go
into the temple, he asked them for alms. Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and
said, 'Look at us.' And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something
from them. But Peter said, 'I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.' And he took him by the right
hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them,
walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising
God, and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the
Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what
had happened to him.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Christ has gathered the church in unity through the Spirit.
With sure hope, let us pray.
Maker of all things,
in the beginning you created heaven and earth.
In the fullness of time, you restored all things in Christ.
Renew our world, in this day, with your grace and mercy.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Life of the world,
you breathed life into the flesh you created.
Now, by your Spirit, breathe new life into the children of earth.
Turn hatred into love, sorrow into joy, and war into peace.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Lover of concord,
you desire the unity of all Christians.
Set aflame the whole Church with the fire of your Spirit.
Unite us to stand in the world as a sign of your love.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of compassion,
through your Spirit you supply every human need.
Heal the sick, and comfort the distressed.
Befriend the friendless, and help the helpless.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Source of peace,
your Spirit restores our anxious spirits.
In our labor, give us rest;
in our temptation, strength;
in our sadness, consolation.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Blessed are you, Creator of the universe:
In your loving kindness you watch over your chosen people.
Make us witnesses to your truth
and instruments of your peace
that all may know you as the God of justice,
and praise your holy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Being made one by the power of the Spirit,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you now and always. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from
_Common WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of
England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright
(c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Wed May 7 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 8 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080507170001.B55551E3ED8@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Thursday, May 8, 2008
Julian of Norwich, Spiritual Writer, c.1417
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
Your living Word brings light out of darkness
and daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth.
Christ, the true Lamb, his passion accomplished,
has been raised to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith has opened the way to heaven
and sends on us your promised Spirit.
Pour upon us the riches of your grace
that we, the first fruits of your new creation,
may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit
and reveal your glory in all the world.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 72
Give the king your justice, O God,*
and your righteousness to the king's son;
That he may rule your people righteously*
and the poor with justice;
That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people,*
and the little hills bring righteousness.
He shall defend the needy among the people;*
he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.
He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure,*
from one generation to another.
He shall come down like rain upon the mown field,*
like showers that water the earth.
In his time shall the righteous flourish;*
there shall be abundance of peace
till the moon shall be no more.
He shall rule from sea to sea,*
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
His foes shall bow down before him,*
and his enemies lick the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute,*
and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts.
All kings shall bow down before him,*
and all the nations do him service.
For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress,*
and the oppressed who has no helper.
He shall have pity on the lowly and poor;*
he shall preserve the lives of the needy.
He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence,*
and dear shall their blood be in his sight.
Long may he live,
and may there be given to him gold from Arabia;*
may prayer be made for him always,
and may they bless him all the day long.
May there be abundance of grain on the earth,
growing thick even on the hilltops;*
may its fruit flourish like Lebanon,
and its grain like grass upon the earth.
May his name remain for ever
and be established as long as the sun endures;*
may all the nations bless themselves in him
and call him blessed.
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,*
who alone does wondrous deeds!
And blessed be his glorious name for ever!*
and may all the earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
A Song of Julian of Norwich
God chose to be our mother in all things
and so made the foundation of his work,
most humbly and most pure,
in the Virgin's womb.
God, the perfect wisdom of all,
arrayed himself in this humble place.
Christ came in our poor flesh
to share a mother's care.
Our mothers bear us for pain and for death;
our true mother, Jesus,
bears us for joy and endless life.
Christ carried us within him in love and travail,
until the full time of his passion.
And when all was completed
and he had carried us so for joy,
still all this could not satisfy
the power of his wonderful love.
All that we owe is redeemed in truly loving God,
for the love of Christ works in us;
Christ is the one whom we love.
Psalm 148
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;*
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you angels of his;*
praise him, all his host.
Praise him, sun and moon;*
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, heaven of heavens,*
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord;*
for he commanded and they were created.
He made them stand fast for ever and ever;*
he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,*
you sea-monsters and all deeps;
Fire and hail, snow and fog,*
tempestuous wind, doing his will;
Mountains and all hills,*
fruit trees and all cedars;
Wild beasts and all cattle,*
creeping things and winged birds;
Kings of the earth and all peoples,*
princes and all rulers of the world;
Young men and maidens,*
old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,*
for his name only is exalted,
his splendour is over earth and heaven.
He has raised up strength for his people
and praise for all his loyal servants,*
the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Isaiah 9:2-7]:
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
HYMN
Words: Alan Gaunt (1935-), after Julian of Norwich (c)
Tune: Aus der Tiefe (Heinlein)
httphttp://oremus.org/hymnal/l/l900.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
Listen, frightened spirits, hear!
Christ has spoken loud and clear:
'Through all tempest, pain and fear,
You shall not be overcome.'
When you agonize and grieve,
Call to mind his cross, believe
Love like this will not deceive.
You shall not be overcome.
Though you suffer grievous ill,
Dare to trust his promise still;
Sure, in God's unchanging will,
You shall not be overcome.
In your trouble and distress,
Though your faith grow less and less,
Grounded in Christ's faithfulness,
You shall not be overcome.
Word of Life, once crucified,
Resurrected Love, who died,
Held for ever at your side,
We shall not be overcome!
SECOND READING [Acts 3:11-end]:
While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico
called Solomon's Portico, utterly astonished. When Peter saw it, he addressed the
people, 'You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as
though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant
Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had
decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to
have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised
from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has
made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has
given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.
'And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this
way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah
would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out,
so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may
send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the
time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets.
Moses said, "The Lord your God will raise up for you from your own people a
prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. And it will be that everyone
who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out from the people." And all
the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, also predicted
these days. You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God
gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, "And in your descendants all the families
of the earth shall be blessed." When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you,
to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.'
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
We pray for God to fill us with his Spirit.
Generous God, we thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit.
We ask that we may be strengthened to serve you better.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to make us wise to understand your will.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the peace of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to keep us confident of your love,
wherever you call us.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to bring reconciliation and wholeness
where there is division, sickness and sorrow.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to equip us for the work
which you have given us.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to reveal in our lives the love of Jesus.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the breath of your Holy Spirit,
given by the risen Lord.
We ask you to keep the whole Church,
living and departed,
in the joy of eternal life.
Lord, come to bless us.
Fill us with your Spirit.
Your kingdom come, O Lord,
with deliverance for the needy,
with peace for the righteous,
with overflowing blessing for all nations,
with glory, honour and praise
for the only Saviour,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Eternal God,
whose blessings overflow,
grant us the knowledge of your beloved Julian,
that we may keep the watch of prayer
and proclaim your marvelous wisdom
made manifest in our Savior Jesus Christ,
whose love is sovereign over all creation. Amen.
Being made one by the power of the Spirit,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you now and always. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from
_Common WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of
England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright
(c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000.
The Lady Juliana was born about 1342, and when she was thirty years old, she became
gravely ill and was expected to die. Then, on the seventh day, the medical crisis passed,
and she had a series of fifteen visions, or "showings," in which she was led to contemplate
the Passion of Christ. These brought her great peace and joy. She became an anchoress,
living in a small hut near to the church in Norwich, where she devoted the rest of her life
to prayer and contemplation of the meaning of her visions. The results of her meditations
she wrote in a book called Revelations of Divine Love, available in modern English in a
Penguin Paperback edition. During her lifetime, she became known as a counselor, whose
advice combined spiritual insight with common sense, and many persons came to speak
with her. Since her death, many more have found help in her writings. The precise date of
her death is uncertain.
Her book is a tender meditation on God's eternal and all-embracing love, as expressed to
us in the Passion of Christ. She describes seeing God holding a tiny thing in his hand, like
a small brown nut, which seemed so fragile and insignificant that she wondered why it did
not crumble before her eyes. She understood that the thing was the entire created
universe, which is as nothing compared to its Creator, and she was told, "God made it,
God loves it, God keeps it."
She was concerned that sometimes when we are faced wiith a difficult moral decision, it
seems that no matter which way we decide, we will have acted from motives that are less
then completely pure, so that neither decision is defensible. She finally wrote: "It is enough
to be sure of the deed. Our courteous Lord will deign to redeem the motive." [James
Kiefer, abridged]
From steve.benner at oremus.org Thu May 8 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 9 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080508170001.2C9F51E3A37@justus2c.anglican.org>
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Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
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OREMUS for Friday, May 9, 2008
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
Your living Word brings light out of darkness
and daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth.
Christ, the true Lamb, his passion accomplished,
has been raised to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith has opened the way to heaven
and sends on us your promised Spirit.
Pour upon us the riches of your grace
that we, the first fruits of your new creation,
may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit
and reveal your glory in all the world.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 116
I love the Lord,
because he has heard the voice of my supplication,*
because he has inclined his ear to me
whenever I called upon him.
The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me;*
I came to grief and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord:*
'O Lord, I pray you, save my life.'
Gracious is the Lord and righteous;*
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord watches over the innocent;*
I was brought very low and he helped me.
Turn again to your rest, O my soul,*
for the Lord has treated you well.
For you have rescued my life from death,*
my eyes from tears and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord*
in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I said,
'I have been brought very low.'*
In my distress I said, 'No one can be trusted.'
How shall I repay the Lord*
for all the good things he has done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord*
is the death of his servants.
O Lord, I am your servant;*
I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me from my bonds.
I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
In the courts of the Lord's house,*
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Alleluia!
A Song of God's Children (Romans 8.2,14,15b-19)
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has set us free from the law of sin and death.
All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God;
for we have received the Spirit that enables us to cry, 'Abba, Father'.
The Spirit himself bears witness that we are children of God
and if God's children, then heirs of God;
If heirs of God, then fellow-heirs with Christ;
since we suffer with him now, that we may be glorified with him.
These sufferings that we now endure
are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed.
For the creation waits with eager longing
for the revealing of the children of God.
Psalm 147:1-12
Alleluia!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!*
how pleasant it is to honour him with praise!
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;*
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted*
and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars*
and calls them all by their names.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;*
there is no limit to his wisdom.
The Lord lifts up the lowly,*
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;*
make music to our God upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds*
and prepares rain for the earth;
He makes grass to grow upon the mountains*
and green plants to serve us all.
He provides food for flocks and herds*
and for the young ravens when they cry.
He is not impressed by the might of a horse,*
he has no pleasure in human strength;
But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him,*
in those who await his gracious favour.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [2 Samuel 22:32-34,44-51]:
For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
The God who has girded me with strength
has opened wide my path.
He made my feet like the feet of deer,
and set me secure on the heights.
You delivered me from strife with the peoples;
you kept me as the head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
Foreigners came cringing to me;
as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.
Foreigners lost heart,
and came trembling out of their strongholds.
The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,
the God who gave me vengeance
and brought down peoples under me,
who brought me out from my enemies;
you exalted me above my adversaries,
you delivered me from the violent.
For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing praises to your name.
He is a tower of salvation for his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his descendants for ever.
HYMN
Words: Latin, seventh century; trans. John Mason Neale, 1851
Music: Westminster Abbey,
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/c/c063.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
Christ is made the sure foundation,
Christ the head and cornerstone,
chosen of the Lord, and precious,
binding all the Church in one;
holy Zion's help for ever,
and her confidence alone.
All that dedicated city,
dearly loved of God on high,
in exultant jubilation
pours perpetual melody;
God the One in Three adoring
in glad hymns eternally.
To this temple, where we call thee,
come, O Lord of Hosts, today;
with thy wonted loving-kindness
hear thy servants as they pray,
and thy fullest benediction
shed within its walls alway.
Here vouchsafe to all thy servants
what they ask of thee of gain;
what they gain from thee, for ever
with the bless?d to retain,
and hereafter in thy glory
evermore with thee to reign.
Laud and honor to the Father,
laud and honor to the Son,
laud and honor to the Spirit,
ever Three, and ever One,
consubstantial, co-eternal,
while unending ages run.
SECOND READING [Acts 4:1-12]:
While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the
temple, and the Sadducees came to them, much annoyed because they were teaching
the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. So they
arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
But many of those who heard the word believed; and they numbered about five
thousand.
The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the
high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly
family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, 'By what
power or by what name did you do this?' Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said
to them, 'Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a
good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been
healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is
standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom
you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is
"the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;
it has become the cornerstone."
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among
mortals by which we must be saved.'
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, Creator,
in the beginning you moved over the waters.
>From your breath all creation drew life.
Without you, life turns to dust.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Counselor,
by your inspiration, the prophets spoke and acted in faith.
You clothed them in power to be bearers of your Word.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Power,
you came as fire to Jesus' disciples;
you gave them voice before the rulers of this world.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Sanctifier,
you created us children of God;
you make us the living temple of your presence;
you intercede within us with sighs too deep for words.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Giver of life,
you guide and make holy the church you create;
you give gifts:
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and fortitude,
the spirit of knowledge and piety,
the spirit of the fear of the Lord,
that the whole creation may become what you want it to be.
Come, Holy Spirit!
True and only Light,
from whom comes every good gift.
Send your Spirit into our lives
with the power of a mighty wind.
Open the horizons of our minds
by the flame of your wisdom.
Loosen our tongues to show your praise,
for only in your Spirit can we voice your words of peace
and acclaim Jesus as Lord. Amen.
Lord,
you shared the limits of our life
to save us from the snares of death;
may we have the courage to walk before you
in the land of the living,
and witness to your presence before all the people;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Being made one by the power of the Spirit,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you now and always. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from
_Common WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of
England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright
(c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri May 9 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 10 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080509170001.6B8151E411A@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Saturday, May 10, 2008
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
Your living Word brings light out of darkness
and daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth.
Christ, the true Lamb, his passion accomplished,
has been raised to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith has opened the way to heaven
and sends on us your promised Spirit.
Pour upon us the riches of your grace
that we, the first fruits of your new creation,
may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit
and reveal your glory in all the world.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,*
a very present help in trouble;
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,*
and though the mountains be toppled
into the depths of the sea;
Though its waters rage and foam,*
and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.
The Lord of hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
There is a river whose streams
make glad the city of God,*
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her;
she shall not be overthrown;*
God shall help her at the break of day.
The nations make much ado
and the kingdoms are shaken;*
God has spoken and the earth shall melt away.
The Lord of hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come now and look upon the works of the Lord,*
what awesome things he has done on earth.
It is he who makes war to cease in all the world;*
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear
and burns the shields with fire.
'Be still, then, and know that I am God;*
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.'
The Lord of hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Psalm 133
O how good and pleasant it is,*
when a family lives together in unity!
It is like fine oil upon the head*
that runs down upon the beard,
Upon the beard of Aaron,*
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.
It is like the dew of Hermon*
that falls upon the hills of Zion.
For there the Lord has ordained the blessing:*
life for evermore.
Great and Wonderful (Revelation 15.3,4)
Great and wonderful are your deeds, .
Lord God the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, .
O ruler of the nations.
Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord? .
for you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship in your presence: .
for your just dealings have been revealed.
Psalm 150
Alleluia!
Praise God in his holy temple;*
praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts;*
praise him for his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn;*
praise him with lyre and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance;*
praise him with strings and pipe.
Praise him with resounding cymbals;*
praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath*
praise the Lord.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Deuteronomy 16:9-12]:
You shall count seven weeks; begin to count the seven weeks from the time the sickle
is first put to the standing grain. Then you shall keep the festival of weeks to the Lord
your God, contributing a freewill-offering in proportion to the blessing that you have
received from the Lord your God. Rejoice before the Lord your God you and your
sons and your daughters, your male and female slaves, the Levites resident in your
towns, as well as the strangers, the orphans, and the widows who are among you at
the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. Remember
that you were a slave in Egypt, and diligently observe these statutes.
HYMN
Words: Timothy Dudley-Smith (c) Hope Publishing. Used with permission.
Tune: Repton
In power unseen upon us rest,
your gracious gifts impart:
a mind renewed, a spirit blessed,
a life where Christ is manifest,
an understanding heart.
Be present, Spirit of the Lord,
let sounds of earth be dumb:
the Father's love be shed abroad,
the dew of blessing on us poured
O silent Spirit, come!
Love's sovereign work of grace fulfill
our souls to Christ incline,
intent to do the Father's will
and stand by faith before him still
in righteousness divine.
O Spirit come, and with us stay;
make every heart your home.
So work in us that we who pray
may walk with Christ in wisdom's way:
O Holy Spirit, come!
SECOND READING [Romans 8:12-18]:
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the
flesh for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put
to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God
are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' it is that very
Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then
heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ if, in fact, we suffer with him so that
we may also be glorified with him.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the
glory about to be revealed to us.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Christ has gathered the church in unity through the Spirit.
With sure hope, let us pray.
Maker of all things,
in the beginning you created heaven and earth.
In the fullness of time, you restored all things in Christ.
Renew our world, in this day, with your grace and mercy.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Life of the world,
you breathed life into the flesh you created.
Now, by your Spirit, breathe new life into the children of earth.
Turn hatred into love, sorrow into joy, and war into peace.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Lover of concord,
you desire the unity of all Christians.
Set aflame the whole Church with the fire of your Spirit.
Unite us to stand in the world as a sign of your love.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of compassion,
through your Spirit you supply every human need.
Heal the sick, and comfort the distressed.
Befriend the friendless, and help the helpless.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Source of peace,
your Spirit restores our anxious spirits.
In our labor, give us rest;
in our temptation, strength;
in our sadness, consolation.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Holy Trinity, God in perfect Unity,
send your life-giving blessing
upon the brothers and sisters of Christ,
that they may live for evermore with joy
the life of unity that springs from you,
God, to all eternity. Amen.
Being made one by the power of the Spirit,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you now and always. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from
_Common WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of
England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright
(c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat May 10 19:24:39 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 19:24:39 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 11 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080510192439.04D8C1E3F3A@justus2c.anglican.org>
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Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
There you will find links to each day's Oremus, an archive for the past year,
and the lectionary and calendar we follow. You can access our online
hymnal, collection of liturgical texts and a NRSV Bible Browser at our site.
We also provide links to other forms of Anglican daily prayer
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OREMUS for Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Day of Pentecost
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Blessed are you, God of power and majesty,
this day we give you thanks
because in fulfilment of your promise
you pour out your Spirit upon us,
filling us with your gifts, leading us into all truth,
and uniting peoples of many tongues in the confession of one faith.
Your Spirit gives us grace to call you Father,
to proclaim your gospel to all nations
and to serve you as a royal priesthood.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/eastocan.html
Psalm 48
Great is the Lord and highly to be praised;*
in the city of our God is his holy hill.
Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth,
is the hill of Zion,*
the very centre of the world
and the city of the great king.
God is in her citadels;*
he is known to be her sure refuge.
Behold, the kings of the earth assembled*
and marched forward together.
They looked and were astounded;*
they retreated and fled in terror.
Trembling seized them there;*
they writhed like a woman in childbirth,
like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.
As we have heard, so have we seen,
in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God;*
God has established her for ever.
We have waited in silence
on your loving-kindness, O God,*
in the midst of your temple.
Your praise, like your name, O God,
reaches to the world's end;*
your right hand is full of justice.
Let Mount Zion be glad
and the cities of Judah rejoice,*
because of your judgements.
Make the circuit of Zion; walk round about her;*
count the number of her towers.
Consider well her bulwarks; examine her strongholds;*
that you may tell those who come after.
This God is our God for ever and ever;*
he shall be our guide for evermore.
Psalm 122
I was glad when they said to me,*
'Let us go to the house of the Lord.'
Now our feet are standing*
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city*
that is at unity with itself.
To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord,*
the assembly of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.
For there are the thrones of judgement,*
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:*
'May they prosper who love you.
'Peace be within your walls*
and quietness within your towers.
'For my family and companions' sake,*
I pray for your prosperity.
'Because of the house of the Lord our God,*
I will seek to do you good.'
>
A Song of God's Children (Romans 8:2,14,15b-19)
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has set us free from the law of sin and death.
All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God;
for we have received the Spirit that enables us to cry, 'Abba, Father'.
The Spirit himself bears witness that we are children of God
and if God's children, then heirs of God;
If heirs of God, then fellow-heirs with Christ;
since we suffer with him now, that we may be glorified with him.
These sufferings that we now endure
are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed.
For the creation waits with eager longing
for the revealing of the children of God.
Psalm 117
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord, all you nations;*
laud him, all you peoples.
For his loving-kindness towards us is great,*
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Wisdom 7:22-8:1]:
There is in Wisdom a spirit that is intelligent, holy,
unique, manifold, subtle,
mobile, clear, unpolluted,
distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen,
irresistible, beneficent, humane,
steadfast, sure, free from anxiety,
all-powerful, overseeing all,
and penetrating through all spirits
that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle.
For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;
because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.
For she is a breath of the power of God,
and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.
For she is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness.
Although she is but one, she can do all things,
and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
in every generation she passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God, and prophets;
for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.
She is more beautiful than the sun,
and excels every constellation of the stars.
Compared with the light she is found to be superior,
for it is succeeded by the night,
but against wisdom evil does not prevail.
She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,
and she orders all things well.
HYMN
Words: Brian Wren (c)
Tune: University College
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t487.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
There's a spirit in the air,
telling Christians everywhere:
"Praise the love that Christ revealed,
living, working in our world."
Lose your shyness, find your tongue;
tell the world what God has done:
God in Christ has come to stay,
we can see his power today.
When believers break the bread
when a hungry child is fed:
praise the love that Christ revealed
living, working in our world.
Still his Spirit leads the fight,
seeing wrong and setting right:
God in Christ has come to stay,
we can see his power today.
When a stranger's not alone,
where the homeless find a home,
praise the love that Christ revealed,
living, working in our world.
May the Spirit fill our praise,
guide our thoughts and change our ways:
God in Christ has come to stay,
we can see his power today.
There's a Spirit in the air,
calling people everywhere:
praise the love that Christ revealed,
living, working in our world.
SECOND READING [1 Corinthians 2]:
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you
in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him
crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my
proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and
of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers
of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God's wisdom, secret and hidden, which
God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if
they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him'
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the
depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is
within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God. Now we have
received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the
gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human
wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.
Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to
them, and they are unable to understand them because they are discerned spiritually. Those who
are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else's scrutiny.
'For who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?'
But we have the mind of Christ.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the
Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may
follow.
Prayer:
Let us pray especially for the people of Burma. We bring before the Lord those who have lost
everything in the disaster. In particular we pray for those who have been bereaved and are feeling
totally abandoned. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer..
We ask that God will bless all those who work in the many aid agencies which are trying to help
the people of Burma. May they persevere in their efforts and not be discouraged. Lord, in your
goodness, hear our prayer..
We bring before the Lord those who are ministering to the needs of refugees and displaced
persons throughout the world. May they be confident even as they are faced by many and massive
problems. May they be ministers of God's love wherever they are. Lord hear us, hear our
prayer..
We pray that we may be concerned for those more in need than ourselves. Concern for action on
poverty is a daily call from the Lord to care for those who are most vulnerable in our
communities. Let us pray for all those who work in civil society to make sure help is available
where it is needed. Lord, hear us, hear our prayer..
Let us pray for those elected to serve the people of Zimbabwe. May they find ways of working
together for the good of all their people. Let us bring before the Lord those who are most in need
at this time, men, women and children. Lord, in your goodness, hear our
prayer..
We pray for the peoples of Gaza and all who live in the Holy Land. Especially we bring before the
Lord the needs of all who have to carry the greatest burdens of violence and unrest. May those
who can bring peace be encouraged and supported in their efforts. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer..
We pray for God to fill us with his Spirit.
Generous God, we thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit.
May we be strengthened to serve you better.
We thank you for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit.
Make us wise to understand your will.
We thank you for the peace of your Holy Spirit.
Keep us confident of your love, wherever you call us.
We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit.
Bring reconciliation and wholeness
where there is division, sickness and sorrow.
We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
Equip us for the work which you have given us.
We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit.
Reveal in our lives the love of Jesus.
Almighty God,
on this day you opened the way of eternal life
to every race and nation
by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit:
Shed abroad this gift throughout the world
by the preaching of the Gospel,
that it may reach to the ends of the earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Rejoicing in the God's new creation,
let us pray as our Redeemer has taught us:
- The Lord's Prayer
God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you now and always. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms and the invitation to the Lord's Prayer are from _Celebrating
Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis
1992, which is used with permission.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving (adapted) and the canticle are from
_Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary Edition_, copyright
(c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
Hymn(c) 1969, revised 1995
by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
For permission to reproduce this hymn, contact:
In US, Canada, Australia & New Zealand: Hope Publishing Company,
www.hopepublishing.com
Rest of the World: Stainer & Bell Ltd.,
www.stainer.co.uk
The intercession and closing sentence are from _New Patterns for
Worship_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The collect is from The Book of Common Prayer According to the Use
of The Episcopal Church_.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun May 11 19:31:20 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 19:31:20 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 12 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080511193138.C6ACA1E3E3C@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Monday, May 12, 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
by whose word the heavens were formed
and the earth was brought forth from the waters.
The reflection of your glory
shines in each created thing,
and, though earth's flowering fades,
you call life out of death
into the light that endures forever,
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul,*
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,*
and forget not all his benefits.
He forgives all your sins*
and heals all your infirmities;
He redeems your life from the grave*
and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;
He satisfies you with good things,*
and your youth is renewed like an eagle's.
The Lord executes righteousness*
and judgement for all who are oppressed.
He made his ways known to Moses*
and his works to the children of Israel.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,*
slow to anger and of great kindness.
He will not always accuse us,*
nor will he keep his anger for ever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,*
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,*
so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,*
so far has he removed our sins from us.
As a father cares for his children,*
so does the Lord care for those who fear him.
For he himself knows whereof we are made;*
he remembers that we are but dust.
Our days are like the grass;*
we flourish like a flower of the field;
When the wind goes over it, it is gone,*
and its place shall know it no more.
But the merciful goodness of the Lord
endures for ever on those who fear him,*
and his righteousness on children's children;
On those who keep his covenant*
and remember his commandments and do them.
The Lord has set his throne in heaven,*
and his kingship has dominion over all.
Bless the Lord, you angels of his,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,*
and hearken to the voice of his word.
Bless the Lord, all you his hosts,*
you ministers of his who do his will.
Bless the Lord, all you works of his,
in all places of his dominion;*
bless the Lord, O my soul.
A Song of Jonah (Jonah 2.2-7,9)
I called to you, O God, out of my distress
and you answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
and you heard my voice.
You cast me into the deep,
into the heart of the seas,
and the flood surrounded me,
all your waves and billows passed over me.
Then I said, I am driven away from your sight;
how shall I ever look again upon your holy temple?
The waters closed in over me,
the deep was round about me;
weeds were wrapped around my head
at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me for ever,
yet you brought up my life from the depths, O God.
As my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, O God,
and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.
With the voice of thanksgiving, I will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay;
deliverance belongs to the Lord!
Psalm 146
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!*
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in rulers,
nor in any child of earth,*
for there is no help in them.
When they breathe their last, they return to earth,*
and in that day their thoughts perish.
Happy are they who have the God of Jacob
for their help!*
whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth, the seas,
and all that is in them;*
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,*
and food to those who hunger.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;*
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger;*
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
The Lord shall reign for ever,*
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Jeremiah 31:31-34]:
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made
with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of
Egypt a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But
this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the
Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be
their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say
to each other, 'Know the Lord', for they shall all know me, from the least of them to
the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no
more.
HYMN
Words: Augustus Montague Toplady (1740-1778)
Tune: Cleveland
A debtor to mercy alone,
of covenant-mercy I sing;
nor fear, with thy righteousness on,
my person and offering to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
with me can have nothing to do;
my Saviour's obedience and blood
hide all my transgressions from view.
The work which his goodness began,
the arm of his strength will complete;
his promise is Yes and Amen
and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
nor all things below and above,
can make him his purpose forego
or sever my soul from his love.
My name from the palms of his hands
eternity will not erase;
impressed on his heart it remains
in marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure
as sure as the earnest is given;
more happy, but not more secure,
the glorified spirits in heaven.
SECOND READING [Acts 4:5-6,13-22]:
Now when the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high
priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family, they
saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary
men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. When they saw
the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in
opposition. So they ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter
with one another. They said, 'What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who
live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it. But
to keep it from spreading further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more
to anyone in this name.' So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at
all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, 'Whether it is right in God's
sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from
speaking about what we have seen and heard.' After threatening them again, they let
them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all of them praised
God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing had been
performed was more than forty years old.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Holy God,
we rejoice in the martyrs and prophets, teachers and leaders,
and all the ordinary and extraordinary believers
who have lived and loved the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For their witness and encouragement,
We thank you, Lord.
Recalling their stories and deeds,
we dare to take up our crosses.
For their witness and encouragement,
We thank you, Lord.
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
we plead for the human family and all creation:
For those addicted or tormented:
We pray to you, Lord.
For the victims of terrorism and disaster:
We pray to you, Lord.
For those who despair of life's goodness:
We pray to you, Lord.
For ecumenical councils and church agencies:
We pray to you, Lord.
For a resolution to unresolved matters of this day:
We pray to you, Lord.
O Lord,
increase in us faith and devotion;
replenish our hearts with all goodness,
and by your great mercy keep us in the same.
Give us godly zeal in prayer,
true humility in prosperity,
perfect patience in adversity,
and continual joy in the Holy Spirit;
for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Savior. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
The intercession is reprinted from _THE DAILY OFFICE: A Book of Hours of
Daily Prayer after the Use of the Order of Saint Luke_, (c) 1997 by The Order
of Saint Luke. Used by permission.
The collect is by William Laud.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Mon May 12 17:00:32 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 17:00:32 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 13 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080512170032.260EC1E4061@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Tuesday, May 13, 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
by whose word the heavens were formed
and the earth was brought forth from the waters.
The reflection of your glory
shines in each created thing,
and, though earth's flowering fades,
you call life out of death
into the light that endures forever,
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 145
I will exalt you, O God my King,*
and bless your name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless you*
and praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;*
there is no end to his greatness.
One generation shall praise your works to another*
and shall declare your power.
I will ponder the glorious splendour of your majesty*
and all your marvellous works.
They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts,*
and I will tell of your greatness.
They shall publish the remembrance
of your great goodness;*
they shall sing of your righteous deeds.
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,*
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The Lord is loving to everyone*
and his compassion is over all his works.
All your works praise you, O Lord,*
and your faithful servants bless you.
They make known the glory of your kingdom*
and speak of your power;
That the peoples may know of your power*
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.
The Lord is faithful in all his words*
and merciful in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all those who fall;*
he lifts up those who are bowed down.
The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord,*
and you give them their food in due season.
You open wide your hand*
and satisfy the needs of every living creature.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways*
and loving in all his works.
The Lord is near to those who call upon him,*
to all who call upon him faithfully.
He fulfils the desire of those who fear him,*
he hears their cry and helps them.
The Lord preserves all those who love him,*
but he destroys all the wicked.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord;*
let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
A Song of the Messiah (Isaiah 9.2,3b,4a,6,7)
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
upon them the light has dawned.
You have increased their joy and given them great gladness;
they rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest.
For you have shattered the yoke that burdened them;
the collar that lay heavy on their shoulders.
For to us a child is born and to us a son is given,
and the government will be upon his shoulder.
And his name will be called: Wonderful Counsellor;
the Mighty God;
the Everlasting Father; the Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness.
>From this time forth and for evermore;
the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Psalm 147:1-12
Alleluia!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!*
how pleasant it is to honour him with praise!
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;*
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted*
and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars*
and calls them all by their names.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;*
there is no limit to his wisdom.
The Lord lifts up the lowly,*
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;*
make music to our God upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds*
and prepares rain for the earth;
He makes grass to grow upon the mountains*
and green plants to serve us all.
He provides food for flocks and herds*
and for the young ravens when they cry.
He is not impressed by the might of a horse,*
he has no pleasure in human strength;
But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him,*
in those who await his gracious favour.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Numbers 11:16-17, 24-30]:
The Lord said to Moses, 'Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you
know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of
meeting, and have them take their place there with you. I will come down and talk
with you there; and I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them; and
they shall bear the burden of the people along with you so that you will not bear it all
by yourself.
So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered
seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. Then the Lord came
down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and
put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied.
But they did not do so again.
Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and
the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out
to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses,
'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.' And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant
of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, 'My lord Moses, stop them!' But Moses said
to him, 'Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets,
and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!' And Moses and the elders of Israel
returned to the camp.
HYMN
Words:
Tune:
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t698.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
SECOND READING [Acts 4:23-end]:
After Peter and John were released, they went to their friends and reported what the
chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard it, they raised their
voices together to God and said, 'Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the
earth, the sea, and everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through
our ancestor David, your servant:
"Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
and the rulers have gathered together
against the Lord and against his Messiah."
For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the
peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you
anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And
now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with
all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are
performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.' When they had prayed, the
place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one
claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in
common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among
them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of
what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any
had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave
the name Barnabas (which means 'son of encouragement'). He sold a field that
belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Baptizing God,
you have plunged us into the waters as death to sin
and have raised us to be alive to you in joy and service.
For all whose eager and resolute living in you
makes them saints to us:
We thank you, Lord.
For the community made holy in Christ,
the living and the dead, the near and the far away:
We thank you, Lord.
For an awareness of our kinship
to holy and just men and women:
We thank you, Lord.
For reminding us that perfection in you is a journey
of consistent love to you and to others:
We thank you, Lord.
For sustaining us in the faithful use of means of grace,
that we may resolve to live in your love and peace:
We thank you, Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ,
raise us with you
that we may know the mystery of life,
and that we may see the heavenly in the earthly. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
The intercession is reprinted from _THE DAILY OFFICE: A Book of Hours of
Daily Prayer after the Use of the Order of Saint Luke_, (c) 1997 by The Order
of Saint Luke. Used by permission.
The collect is based on a prayer by Charles Kingsley.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Tue May 13 17:00:00 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 14 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080513170000.D00F01E3990@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Saint Matthias the Apostle
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, almighty God,
for your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who established the Church
upon the foundation of the apostles,
through whom we have received the Good News
and come to know the mystery of salvation.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 33
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous;*
it is good for the just to sing praises.
Praise the Lord with the harp;*
play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
Sing for him a new song;*
sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.
For the word of the Lord is right,*
and all his works are sure.
He loves righteousness and justice;*
the loving-kindness of the Lord fills the whole earth.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,*
by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
He gathers up the waters of the ocean
as in a water-skin*
and stores up the depths of the sea.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;*
let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
For he spoke and it came to pass;*
he commanded and it stood fast.
The Lord brings the will of the nations to naught;*
he thwarts the designs of the peoples.
But the Lord's will stands fast for ever,*
and the designs of his heart from age to age.
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord!*
happy the people he has chosen to be his own!
The Lord looks down from heaven,*
and beholds all the people in the world.
>From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze*
on all who dwell on the earth.
He fashions all the hearts of them*
and understands all their works.
There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army;*
the strong are not delivered by great strength.nbsp;
The horse is a vain hope for deliverance;*
for all its strength it cannot save.
Behold, the eye of the Lord
is upon those who fear him,*
on those who wait upon his love,
To pluck their lives from death,*
and to feed them in time of famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;*
he is our help and our shield.
Indeed, our heart rejoices in him,*
for in his holy name we put our trust.
Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,*
as we have put our trust in you.
A Song of Christ's Appearing (1 Timothy 3:16; 6:15-16)
Christ Jesus was revealed in the flesh
and vindicated in the spirit.
He was seen by angels
and proclaimed among the nations.
Believed in throughout the world,
he was taken up in glory.
This will be made manifest at the proper time
by the blessed and only Sovereign,
Who alone has immortality,
and dwells in unapproachable light.
To the King of kings and Lord of lords
be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.
Psalm 147:13-end
Alleluia!
Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem;*
praise your God, O Zion;
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;*
he has blessed your children within you.
He has established peace on your borders;*
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth,*
and his word runs very swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;*
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
He scatters his hail like bread crumbs;*
who can stand against his cold?
He sends forth his word and melts them;*
he blows with his wind and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,*
his statutes and his judgements to Israel.
He has not done so to any other nation;*
to them he has not revealed his judgements.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [1 Samuel 12:1-5]:
Samuel said to all Israel, 'I have listened to you in all that you have said to me, and
have set a king over you. See, it is the king who leads you now; I am old and grey, but
my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until this day. Here I am; testify
against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose
donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from
whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will
restore it to you.' They said, 'You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken
anything from the hand of anyone.' He said to them, 'The Lord is witness against you,
and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.'
And they said, 'He is witness.'
HYMN
Words: Gerard Moultrie (1829-1885)
Tune: Sherbourne
Bishop of the souls of men,
when the foeman's step is nigh,
when the wolf lays wait by night
for the lambs continually,
watch, O Lord, about us keep,
guard us, Shepherd of the sheep.
When the hireling flees away,
caring only for his gold,
and the gate unguarded stands
at the entrance to the fold,
stand, O Lord, thy flock before,
thou the Guardian, thou the Door.
Lord, whose guiding finger ruled
in the casting of the lot,
that thy Church might fill the throne
of the lost Iscariot,
in our trouble ever thus
stand, good Master, nigh to us.
When the saints their order take
in the new Jerusalem,
and Matthias stands elect,
give us part and lot with him,
where in thine own dwelling-place
we may witness face to face.
SECOND READING [Acts 1:15-end]:
In those days Peter stood up among the believers
(together the crowd numbered about one hundred and twenty
people) and said, 'Friends, the scripture had to be
fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold
concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who
arrested Jesus for he was numbered among us and was
allotted his share in this ministry.' (Now this man
acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and
falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all
his bowels gushed out. This became known to all the
residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in
their language Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 'For
it is written in the book of Psalms,
"Let his homestead become desolate,
and let there be no one to live in it";
and
"Let another take his position of overseer."
So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the
time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he
was taken up from us one of these must become a witness
with us to his resurrection.' So they proposed two,
Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus,
and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, 'Lord, you know
everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have
chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship
from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.'
And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on
Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Let us pray to God,
whose word was entrusted to the Apostles
and has spread to all the world.
Empower your Church
to proclaim the saving message of Jesus Christ.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
Give us courage and strength
to spread the Gospel in places
where it has not been preached.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
Bless us in our personal lives
that we may live fully according to Jesus' example.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
Open our eyes to your Word in the Holy Scriptures
that we find new paths of understanding.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
Remember, in your mercy, those who have gone before
marked with the sign of faith and led by the Gospel.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
Feed your people, O Lord,
with your holy Word
and free us from the temptations
which lead us away from you
that, being filled with your mercy,
we may be admitted to your holy presence;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God,
who in the place of Judas chose your faithful servant Matthias
to be numbered among the Twelve:
Grant that your Church, being delivered from false apostles,
may always be guided and governed by faithful and true pastors;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Wed May 14 17:00:02 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 17:00:02 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 15 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080514170002.A1D4B1E43A9@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Thursday, May 15, 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
by whose word the heavens were formed
and the earth was brought forth from the waters.
The reflection of your glory
shines in each created thing,
and, though earth's flowering fades,
you call life out of death
into the light that endures forever,
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 18:1-20
I love you, O Lord my strength,*
O Lord my stronghold, my crag and my haven.
My God, my rock in whom I put my trust,*
my shield, the horn of my salvation and my refuge;
you are worthy of praise.
I will call upon the Lord,*
and so shall I be saved from my enemies.
The breakers of death rolled over me,*
and the torrents of oblivion made me afraid.
The cords of hell entangled me,*
and the snares of death were set for me.
I called upon the Lord in my distress*
and cried out to my God for help.
He heard my voice from his heavenly dwelling;*
my cry of anguish came to his ears.
The earth reeled and rocked;*
the roots of the mountains shook;
they reeled because of his anger.
Smoke rose from his nostrils
and a consuming fire out of his mouth;*
hot burning coals blazed forth from him.
He parted the heavens and came down*
with a storm cloud under his feet.
He mounted on cherubim and flew;*
he swooped on the wings of the wind.
He wrapped darkness about him;*
he made dark waters and thick clouds his pavilion.
>From the brightness of his presence, through the clouds,*
burst hailstones and coals of fire.
The Lord thundered out of heaven;*
the Most High uttered his voice.
He loosed his arrows and scattered them;*
he hurled thunderbolts and routed them.
The beds of the seas were uncovered,
and the foundations of the world laid bare,*
at your battle cry, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
He reached down from on high and grasped me;*
he drew me out of great waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemies
and from those who hated me;*
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster;*
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into an open place;*
he rescued me because he delighted in me./td>
A Song of the New Creation (Isaiah 43.15,16,18,19,20c,21)
'I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.'
Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
'Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
'Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
'I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
'The people whom I formed for myself,
that they might declare my praise.'
Psalm 148
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;*
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you angels of his;*
praise him, all his host.
Praise him, sun and moon;*
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, heaven of heavens,*
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord;*
for he commanded and they were created.
He made them stand fast for ever and ever;*
he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,*
you sea-monsters and all deeps;
Fire and hail, snow and fog,*
tempestuous wind, doing his will;
Mountains and all hills,*
fruit trees and all cedars;
Wild beasts and all cattle,*
creeping things and winged birds;
Kings of the earth and all peoples,*
princes and all rulers of the world;
Young men and maidens,*
old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,*
for his name only is exalted,
his splendour is over earth and heaven.
He has raised up strength for his people
and praise for all his loyal servants,*
the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Wisdom 11:21-12:2]:
For it is always in your power to show great strength,
and who can withstand the might of your arm?
Because the whole world before you is like a speck that tips the scales,
and like a drop of morning dew that falls on the ground.
But you are merciful to all, for you can do all things,
and you overlook people's sins, so that they may repent.
For you love all things that exist,
and detest none of the things that you have made,
for you would not have made anything if you had hated it.
How would anything have endured if you had not willed it?
Or how would anything not called forth by you have been preserved?
You spare all things, for they are yours, O Lord, you who love the living.
For your immortal spirit is in all things.
Therefore you correct little by little those who trespass,
and you remind and warn them of the things through which they sin,
so that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in you, O Lord.
HYMN
Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Tune: Aberystwyth, Hollingside
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high;
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide,
O receive my soul at last!
Other refuge have I none,
Hangs my helpless soul on thee;
Leave, ah, leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
All my help from thee I bring;
Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of thy wing.
Thou, O Christ, art all I want;
More than all in thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am,
Thou art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound,
Make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art;
Freely let me take of thee;
Spring thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.
SECOND READING [Acts 5:29-end]:
Peter and the apostles answered the high priest who had ordered their arrest, 'We
must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up
Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right
hand as Leader and Saviour, so that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness
of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has
given to those who obey him.'
When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the
council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up
and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. Then he said to them,
'Fellow-Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. For some
time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four
hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and
disappeared. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got
people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in
the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if
this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will
not be able to overthrow them in that case you may even be found fighting against
God!'
They were convinced by him, and when they had called in the apostles, they had them
flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer
dishonour for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did
not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may
follow.
Prayer:
Foundation of all that is,
you are our dwelling place for all time.
For what you have wrought through the waters of baptism
and your indwelling Spirit:
We praise you, Lord.
For the peace and strength of your surrounding mercy:
We praise you, Lord.
For all the ways your grace has shaped the patterns of our lives:
We praise you, Lord.
Free us and all your church to be at home with you today.
Strong God, hear us.
Make our hearts hospitable to all whom we meet today.
Strong God, hear us.
Steady in us all our choices and encounters.
Strong God, hear us.
Hold tenderly to your Church,
east, west, north, south,
past, present and future for Christ's sake.
Strong God, hear us.
Almighty God,
your wisdom orders our earthly life:
Give us grace to walk by faith and not by sight,
that in the midst of those things which pass our understanding,
we may believe in your loving care
and the assurance of your motherly embrace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
The intercession is reprinted from _THE DAILY OFFICE: A Book of Hours of
Daily Prayer after the Use of the Order of Saint Luke_, (c) 1997 by The Order
of Saint Luke. Used by permission.
The collect is by Stephen T. Benner, 2008, and is inspired by an anonymous prayer in
The Prayer Manual.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Thu May 15 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 16 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080515170001.322AC1E36D4@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Friday, May 16, 2008
Ember Friday
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
by whose word the heavens were formed
and the earth was brought forth from the waters.
The reflection of your glory
shines in each created thing,
and, though earth's flowering fades,
you call life out of death
into the light that endures forever,
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 43
Give judgement for me, O God,
and defend my cause against an ungodly people;*
deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked.
For you are the God of my strength;
why have you put me from you?*
and why do I go so heavily
while the enemy oppresses me?
Send out your light and your truth,
that they may lead me,*
and bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling;
That I may go to the altar of God,
to the God of my joy and gladness;*
and on the harp I will give thanks to you,
O God my God.
Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul?*
and why are you so disquieted within me?
Put your trust in God;*
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 134
Behold now, bless the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord,*
you that stand by night in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands in the holy place
and bless the Lord;*
the Lord who made heaven and earth
bless you out of Zion.
A Song of David (1 Chronicles 29.10b-13,14b)
Blessed are you, God of Israel, for ever and ever,
for yours is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendour and the majesty.
Everything in heaven and on earth is yours;
yours is the kingdom, O Lord,
and you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honour come from you
and you rule over all.
In your hand are power and might;
yours it is to give power and strength to all.
And now we give you thanks, our God,
and praise your glorious name.
For all things come from you,
and of your own have we given you.
Psalm 149
Alleluia!
Sing to the Lord a new song;*
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in his maker;*
let the children of Zion be joyful in their king.
Let them praise his name in the dance;*
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people*
and adorns the poor with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice in triumph;*
let them be joyful on their beds.
Let the praises of God be in their throat*
and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To wreak vengeance on the nations*
and punishment on the peoples;
To bind their kings in chains*
and their nobles with links of iron;
To inflict on them the judgement decreed;*
this is glory for all his faithful people.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Isaiah 52:1-10]:
Awake, awake,
put on your strength, O Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city;
for the uncircumcised and the unclean
shall enter you no more.
Shake yourself from the dust, rise up,
O captive Jerusalem;
loose the bonds from your neck,
O captive daughter Zion!
For thus says the Lord: You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed
without money. For thus says the Lord God: Long ago, my people went down into
Egypt to reside there as aliens; the Assyrian, too, has oppressed them without cause.
Now therefore, what am I doing here, says the Lord, seeing that my people are taken
away without cause? Their rulers howl, says the Lord, and continually, all day long,
my name is despised. Therefore my people shall know my name; therefore on that day
they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I.
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing,
you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.
HYMN
Words: John Keble (1792-1866)
Tune: Oriel http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/mid/oriel.mid
Lord of life, Prophetic Spirit,
In sweet measure evermore
To the holy children dealing
Each his gift from Thy rich store;
Bless Thy Family, adoring
As in Israel's schools of yore.
Holy Jesus, Eye most loving
On each young disciple bent;
Voice that, seeming earthly, summon'd
Samuel to the awful tent;
Hand that cast Elijah's mantle;
Thine be all Thy Grace hath lent.
As to Thine own seventy scholars
Thou of old Thine Arm didst reach,
Under Thy majestic shadow
Guiding them to do and teach,
Till their hour of solemn unction;
So be with us all and each.
God and Father of all Spirits,
Whose dread call young Joshua knew,
Forty days in darkness waiting
With Thy servant good and true,
Thence to wage Thy war descending,
Own us, Lord, Thy champions too.
One Thy Light, the Temple filling,
Holy, Holy, Holy, Three:
Meanest men and brightest Angels
Wait alike the word from Thee;
Highest musings, lowliest worship,
Must their preparation be.
Now Thou speakest - hear we trembling -
>From the glory comes a Voice.
Who accepts th' Almighty's mission?
Who will make Christ's work his choice?
Who for Us proclaim to sinners,
Turn, believe, endure, rejoice?
Here are we, Redeemer, send us!
But because Thy work is fire,
And our lips, unclean and earthly,
Breathe no breath of high desire;
Send Thy Seraph from the Altar
Veil'd, but in his bright attire.
Cause him, Lord, to fly full swiftly
With the mystic coal in hand,
Sin-consuming, soul-transforming
(Faith and love will understand);
Touch our lips, Thou awful Mercy,
With Thine own keen healing brand.
Thou didst come that fire to kindle;
Fain would we Thy torches prove,
Far and wide Thy beacons lighting
With the undying spark of love:
Only feed our flame, we pray Thee,
With Thy breathings from above.
Now to God, the soul's Creator,
To His Word and Wisdom sure,
To His all-enlightening Spirit,
Patron of the frail and poor,
Three in One, be praise and glory
Here and while the heav'ns endure.
SECOND READING [Acts 6]:
Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists
complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the
daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the
disciples and said, 'It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to
wait at tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good
standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while
we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.' What they
said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the
Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus,
a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and
laid their hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in
Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then
some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called),
Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and
argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with
which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated some men to say, 'We have heard him
speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.' They stirred up the people as well
as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and
brought him before the council. They set up false witnesses who said, 'This man never
stops saying things against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that
this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses
handed on to us.' And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw
that his face was like the face of an angel.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
There is one body and one spirit,
one hope in God's call to us;
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism,
One God and Father of all.
Let us pray for the Church, responding "Lord, hear our prayer."
For your holy catholic Church,
in all times and in all places,
that it may continually be filled with the grace
of your Son our Savior, Jesus Christ,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the Anglican Communion,
that in breadth of spirit and depth of devotion
it may constantly rediscover its character as a church for all people,
and that it may reach out to all peoples everywhere
for the sake of truth and in obedience to the Gospel,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the forgiveness of our sins:
for failure to love you with our whole heart and our neighbors as ourselves,
that you will renew us as one body and one spirit in Christ,
that we may worthily serve the world in his name,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
In thanksgiving for your blessings:
for the challenges and opportunities you give us
to grow in understanding and cooperaton in your Chuch,
that as many members of one body
we may continually be transformed into the likeness of Christ Jesus,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
In hope for the future,
that you will raise up godly leaders,
grant us a clear vision,
and give us both abiding trust and steadfast hearts for the days to come,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Bountiful and loving God,
we give you thanks for your holy Catholic Church,
for the light of the faith shared by generations past
and for the love which you have shown for the earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri May 16 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 17 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080516170001.33CCC1E3453@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Saturday, May 17, 2008
Ember Saturday
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
by whose word the heavens were formed
and the earth was brought forth from the waters.
The reflection of your glory
shines in each created thing,
and, though earth's flowering fades,
you call life out of death
into the light that endures forever,
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 111
Alleluia!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,*
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the deeds of the Lord!*
they are studied by all who delight in them.
His work is full of majesty and splendour,*
and his righteousness endures for ever.
He makes his marvellous works to be remembered;*
the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
He gives food to those who fear him;*
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works*
in giving them the lands of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice;*
all his commandments are sure.
They stand fast for ever and ever,*
because they are done in truth and equity.
He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever;*
holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;*
those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
his praise endures for ever.
Psalm 113
Alleluia!
Give praise, you servants of the Lord;*
praise the name of the Lord.
Let the name of the Lord be blessed,*
from this time forth for evermore.
>From the rising of the sun to its going down*
let the name of the Lord be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,*
and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
who sits enthroned on high,*
but stoops to behold the heavens and the earth?
He takes up the weak out of the dust*
and lifts up the poor from the ashes.
He sets them with the princes,*
with the princes of his people.
He makes the woman of a childless house*
to be a joyful mother of children.
Bless the Lord (The Song of the Three 29-34)
Blessed are you, the God of our ancestors,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed is your holy and glorious name,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you, in your holy and glorious temple,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you who look into the depths,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you, enthroned on the cherubim,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the heights of heaven,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Psalm 150
Alleluia!
Praise God in his holy temple;*
praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts;*
praise him for his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn;*
praise him with lyre and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance;*
praise him with strings and pipe.
Praise him with resounding cymbals;*
praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath*
praise the Lord.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Numbers 6:22-end]:
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall
bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.
HYMN
Words: Theodore C Williams (1855-1915)
God be with thee! Gently o'er thee
May His wings of mercy spread;
Be His way made plain before thee,
And His glory round thee shed!
Safely onward
May thy pilgrim feet be led.
God be with thee! With thy spirit
His abiding presence be,
Till thy heart that peace inherit
God alone can give to thee!
His indwelling
Help and heal and set thee free.
SECOND READING [2 Corinthians 13:5-end]:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you
not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? unless, indeed, you fail to pass the test! I hope
you will find out that we have not failed. But we pray to God that you may not do
anything wrong not that we may appear to have passed the test, but that you may do
what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against
the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong.
This is what we pray for, that you may become perfect. So I write these things while I
am away from you, so that when I come, I may not have to be severe in using the
authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.
Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree
with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet
one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy
Spirit be with all of you.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
There is one body and one spirit,
one hope in God's call to us;
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism,
One God and Father of all.
Let us pray for the Church, responding "Lord, hear our prayer."
For Christ's one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church,
faithfully fulfilling its mission and exercising its ministry
in the changes and chances of this day and age,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For forgiveness of our failure to commend the faith that is in us
to those both far and near,
that you wll strengthen us to proclaim by word and example
the good news of God in Jesus Christ,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
In thanksgiving for the courage, compassion, and fearless witness
of lay and clergy leaders who have risen to the trials of our times,
and who have called the chuch to live out its enduring truth
in the midst of changing circumstances,
that our witness may be ever fatihful and ever new,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the coming of your kingdom,
that we may prayerfully continue to strive for justice and peace
as signs of your reign that is already at work among us,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Almighty God,
by your grace alone we are accepted
and called to your service:
Strengthen us by your Holy Spirit
and make us worthy of our calling;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat May 17 17:00:32 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Sat, 17 May 2008 17:00:32 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 18 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080517170032.6E9DB1E339F@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for , 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, eternal and triune God,
whom we worship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In Jesus Christ you spoke the word
that brought the world into being.
By the Holy Spirit,
you brought order out of chaos
and breathed life into your creatures.
In parental love,
you stood by us in spite of our disobedience,
correcting us with gracious reproof,
and welcoming us again into your loving embrace.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 98
Sing to the Lord a new song,*
for he has done marvellous things.
With his right hand and his holy arm*
has he won for himself the victory.
The Lord has made known his victory;*
his righteousness has he openly shown
in the sight of the nations.
He remembers his mercy and faithfulness
to the house of Israel,*
and all the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.
Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands;*
lift up your voice, rejoice and sing.
Sing to the Lord with the harp,*
with the harp and the voice of song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn*
shout with joy before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it,*
the lands and those who dwell therein.
Let the rivers clap their hands,*
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
when he comes to judge the earth.
In righteousness shall he judge the world,*
and the peoples with equity.
Psalm 100
Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;*
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
Know this: The Lord himself is God;*
he himself has made us and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise;*
give thanks to him and call upon his name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting;*
and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
Te Deum
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as the Lord;
all creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all praise,
the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
Psalm 117
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord, all you nations;*
laud him, all you peoples.
For his loving-kindness towards us is great,*
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Ecclesiasticus 43:1-12, 27-33]:
The pride of the higher realms is the clear vault of the sky,
as glorious to behold as the sight of the heavens.
The sun, when it appears, proclaims as it rises
what a marvellous instrument it is, the work of the Most High.
At noon it parches the land,
and who can withstand its burning heat?
A man tending a furnace works in burning heat,
but three times as hot is the sun scorching the mountains;
it breathes out fiery vapours,
and its bright rays blind the eyes.
Great is the Lord who made it;
at his orders it hurries on its course.
It is the moon that marks the changing seasons,
governing the times, their everlasting sign.
>From the moon comes the sign for festal days,
a light that wanes when it completes its course.
The new moon, as its name suggests, renews itself;
how marvellous it is in this change,
a beacon to the hosts on high,
shining in the vault of the heavens!
The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven,
a glittering array in the heights of the Lord.
On the orders of the Holy One they stand in their appointed places;
they never relax in their watches.
Look at the rainbow, and praise him who made it;
it is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness.
It encircles the sky with its glorious arc;
the hands of the Most High have stretched it out.
We could say more but could never say enough;
let the final word be: 'He is the all.'
Where can we find the strength to praise him?
For he is greater than all his works.
Awesome is the Lord and very great,
and marvellous is his power.
Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can,
for he surpasses even that.
When you exalt him, summon all your strength,
and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough.
Who has seen him and can describe him?
Or who can extol him as he is?
Many things greater than these lie hidden,
for I have seen but few of his works.
For the Lord has made all things,
and to the godly he has given wisdom.
HYMN
Words: Elizabeth Cosnett (born 1936) 2001 Stainer & Bell Ltd Used By Permission.
Eyes may not see,
Minds can't imagine,
Feet dare not trample the heavenly place;
Yet human souls
Catch in self-giving
Shadows of glory and echoes of grace.
Holy and wonderful, Giver and Gift,
This is your message, Alleluia.
Bethlehem bore,
Nazareth nurtured,
Galilee listened, entranced, to the Word,
Golgotha brought
Darkness and silence,
Yet in that silence God's voice is most heard.
Holy and wonderful, Jesus our Lord,
This is your triumph, Alleluia.
Faith means we trust,
Hope summons courage,
Love finds expression in service and praise;
Christ's church must learn,
Humbly Christ's language,
Raised up with Jesus, proclaiming his ways.
Holy and wonderful, Spirit of God,
This is your mission, Alleluia.
SECOND READING [Ephesians 4:1-6]:
I Paul, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to
which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with
one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your
calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all
and through all and in all.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
High and holy God,
robed in majesty,
Lord of heaven and earth,
we pray that you bring justice, faith
and salvation to all peoples.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
You chose us in Christ to be your people
and to be the temple of your Holy Spirit;
we pray that you will fill your Church with vision and hope.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Your Spirit enables us to cry, "Abba! Father!",
affirms that we are fellow-heirs with Christ
and pleads for us in our weakness;
we pray for all who are in need or distress.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
In the baptism and birth of Jesus,
you have opened heaven to us
and enabled us to share in your glory:
the joy of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
from before the world was made.
May your Church, living and departed,
come to a joyful resurrection in your city of light.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Almighty and everlasting God,
you have given to us your servants grace,
by the confession of a true faith,
to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity,
and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity:
Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship,
and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory,
O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit
live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
O God our mystery,
you bring to life,
call us to freedom,
and move between us in love.
May we so participate
in your dance of trinity
that our lives may resonate with you,
now and for ever. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is based on a eucharistic prayer in
_Book of Common Worship_, (c) 1993 Westminster / John
Knox Press.
The intercession and the closing sentence are from _New Patterns for
Worship_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The collect is from The Book of Common Prayer According to the Use
of The Episcopal Church_.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun May 18 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Sun, 18 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 19 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080518170001.8CE941E3E71@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Monday, May 19, 2008
Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, Restorer of Monastic Life, 988
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, God of peace,
by your saving word you teach us
that we may know ourselves as a people
reborn to a living hope,
walking in one communion of love
and eagerly awaiting the coming of the Savior.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 4
Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause;*
you set me free when I am hard-pressed;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
'You mortals, how long will you dishonour my glory;*
how long will you worship dumb idols
and run after false gods?'
Know that the Lord does wonders for the faithful;*
when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.
Tremble, then, and do not sin;*
speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.
Offer the appointed sacrifices*
and put your trust in the Lord.
Many are saying,
'O that we might see better times!'*
Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord.
You have put gladness in my heart,*
more than when grain and wine and oil increase.
I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep;*
for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 8
O Lord our governor,*
how exalted is your name in all the world!
Out of the mouths of infants and children*
your majesty is praised above the heavens.
You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries,*
to quell the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,*
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
What are mortals, that you should be mindful of them?*
mere human beings, that you should seek them out?
You have made them little lower than the angels;*
you adorn them with glory and honour.
You give them mastery over the works of your hands;*
and put all things under their feet,
All sheep and oxen,*
even the wild beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,*
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
O Lord our governor,*
how exalted is your name in all the world!
A Song of the Justified (Romans 4.24,25; 5.1-5,8,9,11)
God reckons as righteous those who believe,
who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead;
For Christ was handed over to death for our sins,
and raised to life for our justification.
Since we are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Through Christ we have gained access
to the grace in which we stand,
and rejoice in our hope of the glory of God.
We even exult in our sufferings,
for suffering produces endurance,
And endurance brings hope,
and our hope is not in vain,
Because God's love has been poured into our hearts,
through the Holy Spirit, given to us.
God proves his love for us:
while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
Since we have been justified by his death,
how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath.
Therefore, we exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
in whom we have now received our reconciliation.
Psalm 146
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!*
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in rulers,
nor in any child of earth,*
for there is no help in them.
When they breathe their last, they return to earth,*
and in that day their thoughts perish.
Happy are they who have the God of Jacob
for their help!*
whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth, the seas,
and all that is in them;*
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,*
and food to those who hunger.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;*
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger;*
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
The Lord shall reign for ever,*
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Ezra 1:1-8]:
In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order that the word of the Lord by the
mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus
of Persia so that he sent a herald throughout all his kingdom, and also in a written
edict declared:
'Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the
kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in
Judah. Any of those among you who are of his people may their God be with
them! are now permitted to go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of the
Lord, the God of Israel he is the God who is in Jerusalem; and let all survivors, in
whatever place they reside, be assisted by the people of their place with silver and
gold, with goods and with animals, besides freewill-offerings for the house of God in
Jerusalem.'
The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the
Levites everyone whose spirit God had stirred got ready to go up and rebuild the
house of the Lord in Jerusalem. All their neighbours aided them with silver vessels,
with gold, with goods, with animals, and with valuable gifts, besides all that was freely
offered. King Cyrus himself brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that
Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods.
King Cyrus of Persia had them released into the charge of Mithredath the treasurer,
who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
HYMN
Words: William Dalyrimple Maclagan, 1875
Tune: Song 4
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/l/l
493.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
"Lord, when thy kingdom comes, remember me;"
thus spake the dying lips to dying ears:
O faith, which in that darkest hour could see
the promised glory of the far-off years!
No kingly sign declares that glory now,
no ray of hope lights up that awful hour;
a thorny crown surrounds the bleeding brow,
the hands are stretched in weakness, not in power.
Hark! through the gloom the dying Savior saith,
"Thou too shalt rest in paradise today;"
O words of love to answer words of faith!
O words of hope for those who live to pray!
Lord, when with dying lips my prayer is said,
grant that in faith thy kingdom I may see;
and, thinking on thy cross and bleeding head,
may breathe my parting words, "Remember me."
Remember me, but not my shame or sin;
thy cleansing blood hath washed them all away;
thy precious death for me did pardon win;
thy blood redeemed me in that awful day.
Remember me; and, ere I pass away,
speak thou the assuring word that sets us free,
and make thy promise to my heart, "Today
thou too shalt rest in paradise with me."
SECOND READING [Acts 7:1-16]:
Stephen replied to the high priest: 'Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of
glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived
in Haran, and said to him, "Leave your country and your relatives and go to the land
that I will show you." Then he left the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran.
After his father died, God had him move from there to this country in which you are
now living. He did not give him any of it as a heritage, not even a foot's length, but
promised to give it to him as his possession and to his descendants after him, even
though he had no child. And God spoke in these terms, that his descendants would be
resident aliens in a country belonging to others, who would enslave them and maltreat
them for four hundred years. "But I will judge the nation that they serve," said God,
"and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place." Then he gave him
the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac and
circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of
the twelve patriarchs.
'The patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him, and
rescued him from all his afflictions, and enabled him to win favour and to show
wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over
Egypt and over all his household. Now there came a famine throughout Egypt and
Canaan, and great suffering, and our ancestors could find no food. But when Jacob
heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there on their first visit. On
the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family
became known to Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his
relatives to come to him, seventy-five in all; so Jacob went down to Egypt. He himself
died there as well as our ancestors, and their bodies were brought back to Shechem
and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of
Hamor in Shechem.'
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
High and holy God,
robed in majesty,
Lord of heaven and earth,
we pray that you bring justice, faith
and salvation to all peoples.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
You chose us in Christ to be your people
and to be the temple of your Holy Spirit;
we pray that you will fill your Church with vision and hope.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Your Spirit enables us to cry, "Abba! Father!",
affirms that we are fellow-heirs with Christ
and pleads for us in our weakness;
we pray for all who are in need or distress.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
In the baptism and birth of Jesus,
you have opened heaven to us
and enabled us to share in your glory:
the joy of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
from before the world was made.
May your Church, living and departed,
come to a joyful resurrection in your city of light.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Give us the wisdom, Lord,
to know that which is worth knowing,
to love that which is worth loving,
to praise that which most pleases you,
and to esteem that which is precious to you,
that we may fulfill the good pleasure of your will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God,
you raised up your servant Dunstan
to renew the Church of the English
in the manifold beauty of holiness.
Teach us to follow his example
that we, finding our order and beauty in you,
may enrich the life of your people
in their loving worship of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Make us one in the bond of your charity, O Lord,
that all enmity and malice may be taken away
that we may embrace one another in mutual forgiveness. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence adapt phrases by Alan
Griffiths.
The second collect is from _For All the Saints_, (c) General
Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, 1994.
Dunstan was born near Glastonbury in the southwest of England about the
year 909, ten years after the death of King Alfred. During the Viking invasions
of the ninth century, monasteries had been favorite targets of the invaders, and
by Dunstan's time English monasticism had been wiped out. In its restoration in
the tenth century, Dunstan played the leading role. He was born of an
upper-class family, and sent to court, where he did not fit in. At the urging of
his uncle, the Bishop of Westminster, he became a monk and a priest, and
returned to Glastonbury, where he built a hut near the ruins of the old
monastery, and devoted himself to study, music, metal working (particularly
the art of casting church bells, an art which he is said to have advanced
considerably), and painting. A manuscript illuminated by him is in the British
Museum. He returned to court and was again asked to leave; but then King
Edmund had a narrow escape from death while hunting, and in gratitude
recalled Dunstan and in 943 commissioned him to re-establish monastic life at
Glastonbury. (Glastonbury is one of the oldest Christian sites in England, and is
associated in legend with King Arthur and his Court, with Joseph of
Arimathea, and with other worthies. It has been said that the Holy Grail, the
chalice of the Last Supper, is hidden somewhere near Glastonbury.) Under
Dunstan's direction, Glastonbury became an important center both of
monasticism and of learning. The next king, Edred, adopted Dunstan's ideas for
various reforms of the clergy (including the control of many cathedrals by
monastic chapters) and for relations with the Danish settlers. These policies
made Dunstan popular in the North of England, but unpopular in the
South.
Edred was succeeded by his sixteen-year-old nephew Edwy, whom Dunstan
openly rebuked for unchastity. The furious Edwy drove Dunstan into exile, but
the North rose in rebellion on his behalf. When the dust settled, Edwy was
dead, his brother Edgar was king, and Dunstan was Archbishop of Canterbury.
The coronation service which Dunstan compiled for Edgar is the earliest
English coronation service of which the full text survives, and is the basis for
all such services since, down to the present. With the active support of King
Edgar, Dunstan re-established monastic communities at Malmesbury,
Westminster, Bath, Exeter, and many other places. Around 970 he presided at
a conference of bishops, abbots, and abbesses, which drew up a national code
of monastic observance, the Regularis Concordia. It followed Benedictine
lines, but under it the monasteries were actively involved in the life of the
surrounding community. For centuries thereafter the Archbishop of Canterbury
was always a monk.
Dunstan took an active role in politics under Edgar and his successor Edward,
but under the next king, Ethelred, he retired from politics and concentrated on
running the Canterbury cathedral school for boys, where he was apparently
successful in raising the academic standards while reducing the incidence of
corporal punishment. On Ascension Day in 988, he told the congregation that
he was near to death, and died two days later.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Mon May 19 17:00:05 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 17:00:05 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 20 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080519170005.DA88A1E450C@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Alcuin of York, Deacon, Abbot of Tours, 820
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
by whose word the heavens were formed
and the earth was brought forth from the waters.
The reflection of your glory
shines in each created thing,
and, though earth's flowering fades,
you call life out of death
into the light that endures forever,
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 16
Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you;*
I have said to the Lord, 'You are my Lord,
my good above all other.'
All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land,*
upon those who are noble among the people.
But those who run after other gods*
shall have their troubles multiplied.
Their libations of blood I will not offer,*
nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
O Lord, you are my portion and my cup;*
it is you who uphold my lot.
My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;*
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel;*
my heart teaches me, night after night.
I have set the Lord always before me;*
because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.
My heart, therefore, is glad and my spirit rejoices;*
my body also shall rest in hope.
For you will not abandon me to the grave,*
nor let your holy one see the Pit.
You will show me the path of life;*
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 20
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble,*
the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
Send you help from his holy place*
and strengthen you out of Zion;
Remember all your offerings*
and accept your burnt sacrifice;
Grant you your heart's desire*
and prosper all your plans.
We will shout for joy at your victory
and triumph in the name of our God;*
may the Lord grant all your requests.
Now I know that the Lord gives victory
to his anointed;*
he will answer him out of his holy heaven,
with the victorious strength of his right hand.
Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses,*
but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God.
They collapse and fall down,*
but we will arise and stand upright.
O Lord, give victory to the king*
and answer us when we call.
A Song of Solomon (cf Song of Solomon 8.6,7)
Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm;
For love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave;
its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame.
Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can the floods drown it.
If all the wealth of our house were offered for love,
it would be utterly scorned.
Psalm 147:1-12
Alleluia!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!*
how pleasant it is to honour him with praise!
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;*
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted*
and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars*
and calls them all by their names.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;*
there is no limit to his wisdom.
The Lord lifts up the lowly,*
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;*
make music to our God upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds*
and prepares rain for the earth;
He makes grass to grow upon the mountains*
and green plants to serve us all.
He provides food for flocks and herds*
and for the young ravens when they cry.
He is not impressed by the might of a horse,*
he has no pleasure in human strength;
But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him,*
in those who await his gracious favour.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Ezra 4:7,11-24]:
In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their
associates wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia; the letter was written in Aramaic and
translated. this is a copy of the letter that they sent):
'To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the people of the province Beyond the River,
send greeting. And now may it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from
you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city;
they are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. Now may it be known to the
king that, if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom,
or toll, and the royal revenue will be reduced. Now because we share the salt of the
palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonour, therefore we send
and inform the king, so that a search may be made in the annals of your ancestors. You
will discover in the annals that this is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces,
and that sedition was stirred up in it from long ago. On that account this city was laid
waste. We make known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you
will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.'
The king sent an answer: 'To Rehum the royal deputy and Shimshai the scribe and the
rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the
River, greeting. And now the letter that you sent to us has been read in translation
before me. So I made a decree, and someone searched and discovered that this city has
risen against kings from long ago, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.
Jerusalem has had mighty kings who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River,
to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. Therefore issue an order that these
people be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until I make a decree.
Moreover, take care not to be slack in this matter; why should damage grow to the
hurt of the king?'
Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and the scribe
Shimshai and their associates, they hurried to the Jews in Jerusalem and by force and
power made them cease. At that time the work on the house of God in Jerusalem
stopped and was discontinued until the second year of the reign of King Darius of
Persia.
HYMN
Words: Josiah Conder (1789-1855), 1824
Tune: Church Triumphant
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t241.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
The Lord is King! lift up thy voice,
O earth; and all ye heavens, rejoice!
>From world to world the joy shall ring,
The Lord omnipotent is King.
The Lord is King! who then shall dare
resist his will, distrust his care,
or murmur at his wise decrees,
or doubt his royal promises?
The Lord is King! Child of the dust,
the Judge of the all the earth is just;
holy and true are all his ways;
let every creature speak his praise.
He reigns! ye saints, exalt your strains;
your God is King, your Father reigns;
and he is at the Father's side,
the Man of love, the Crucified.
Come, make your wants, your burdens known;
he will present them at the throne;
and angel bands are waiting there
his messages of love to bear.
The Lord is King! lift up thy voice,
O earth; and all ye heavens, rejoice!
>From world to world the joy shall ring,
The Lord omnipotent is King.
SECOND READING [Acts 7:17-34]:
Stephen continued, 'But as the time drew near for the fulfilment of the promise that
God had made to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased and multiplied until another
king who had not known Joseph ruled over Egypt. He dealt craftily with our race and
forced our ancestors to abandon their infants so that they would die. At this time
Moses was born, and he was beautiful before God. For three months he was brought
up in his father's house; and when he was abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him
and brought him up as her own son. So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds.
'When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his relatives, the Israelites.
When he saw one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and
avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his kinsfolk would
understand that God through him was rescuing them, but they did not understand. The
next day he came to some of them as they were quarrelling and tried to reconcile them,
saying, "Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong each other?" But the man who was
wronging his neighbour pushed Moses aside, saying, "Who made you a ruler and a
judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" When he
heard this, Moses fled and became a resident alien in the land of Midian. There he
became the father of two sons.
'Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of
Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the
sight; and as he approached to look, there came the voice of the Lord: "I am the God
of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Moses began to tremble
and did not dare to look. Then the Lord said to him, "Take off the sandals from your
feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have surely seen the
mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have
come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt."
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Let us pray for our own needs and for the needs of others,
following the pattern which Jesus gave
when he taught us to pray to God our Father.
Through our love of the countryside,
through our care for animals,
through our respect for property and tools,
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
On our farms and in our homes,
in our colleges and schools,
where machinery is made, and where policy is planned,
Father, your kingdom come.
By our seeking your guidance,
by our keeping your commandments,
by our living true to our consciences,
Father, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
For the millions who live in poverty and hunger,
for our own needs, and the requirements of our neighbours,
by co-operation, sympathy, and generosity,
Give us today our daily bread.
Because we have broken your commandments,
doing what we ought not to do,
and neglecting what we ought to do,
Forgive us our sins.
If any have injured us by injustice, double dealing or exploitation,
We forgive those who sin against us.
When prosperity lulls us to false security,
or adversity prompts us to despair,
when success makes us boastful,
or failure makes us bitter,
Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
In the assurance of faith,
in the confidence of hope,
in the will to serve,
help us to love Christ as Lord,
and our neighbour as ourselves.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Eternal light, shine in our hearts,
Eternal goodness, deliver us from evil,
Eternal power, be our support,
Eternal wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance,
Eternal pity, have mercy on us,
That with all our heart and mind and soul and strength,
we may seek thy face
And be brought by thine infinite mercy
to thy holy presence. Amen.
Almighty God,
in a rude and barbarous age
you raised up your deacon Alcuin
to rekindle the light of learning:
Illumine our minds, we pray,
that amid the uncertainties and confusions of our own time
we may show forth your eternal truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
The first collect is a prayer by Alcuin.
The second collect is from _The Proper for the Lesser Feasts and
Fasts_, 3rd edition, (c) 1980 The Church Pension Fund.
Alcuin was an Englishman from York, born into a noble family about 730, and
educated by a pupil of Bede. Having become a deacon, he was made head of
the cathedral school at York aroung 770. In 781 he was asked by the Emperor
Charlemagne to become his minister of education. He accepted, and
established schools at many cathedrals and monasteries, and promoted learning
in every way he could. In the preceding years of constant wars and invasions,
many ancient writings had been lost. Alcuin established scriptoria, dedicated to
the copying and preservation of ancient manuscripts, both pagan and Christian.
That we have as much as we do of the writings of classical Roman authors is
largely due to Alcuin and his scribes. (He is credited with the invention of
cursive script, in which the letters are connected for greater speed of writing.)
To Alcuin, backed by Charlemagne, belongs much of the credit for the revision
and organisation of the Latin liturgy, the preservation of many of the ancient
prayers, and the development of plainchant. He and his fellow theologians at
Charlemagne's capital of Aachen (or Aix-le-Chappelle) were important
advocates of the doctrine that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and
the Son jointly. Unfortunately, the East, which regarded the Emperor at
Byzantium as the sole Emperor, resented Charlemagne's assumption of the title
of Holy Roman Emperor, and this hardened their opposition to the aforesaid
doctrine, thus contributing to the rift between East and West. [James Kiefer]
From steve.benner at oremus.org Tue May 20 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 21 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080520170001.223E81E3DAB@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Wednesday, May 21, 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
by whose word the heavens were formed
and the earth was brought forth from the waters.
The reflection of your glory
shines in each created thing,
and, though earth's flowering fades,
you call life out of death
into the light that endures forever,
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 25
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you;*
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
Let none who look to you be put to shame;*
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
Show me your ways, O Lord,*
and teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,*
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.
Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love,*
for they are from everlasting.
Remember not the sins of my youth
and my transgressions;*
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.
Gracious and upright is the Lord;*
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
He guides the humble in doing right*
and teaches his way to the lowly.
All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness*
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
For your name's sake, O Lord,*
forgive my sin, for it is great.
Who are they who fear the Lord?*
he will teach them the way that they should choose.
They shall dwell in prosperity,*
and their offspring shall inherit the land.
The Lord is a friend to those who fear him*
and will show them his covenant.
My eyes are ever looking to the Lord,*
for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn to me and have pity on me,*
for I am left alone and in misery.
The sorrows of my heart have increased;*
bring me out of my troubles.
Look upon my adversity and misery*
and forgive me all my sin.
Look upon my enemies, for they are many,*
and they bear a violent hatred against me.
Protect my life and deliver me;*
let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,*
for my hope has been in you.
Deliver Israel, O God,*
out of all his troubles.
Bless the Lord (The Song of the Three 29-34)
Blessed are you, the God of our ancestors,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed is your holy and glorious name,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you, in your holy and glorious temple,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you who look into the depths,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you, enthroned on the cherubim,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the heights of heaven,
worthy to be praised and exalted for ever.
Psalm 147:13-end
Alleluia!
Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem;*
praise your God, O Zion;
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;*
he has blessed your children within you.
He has established peace on your borders;*
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth,*
and his word runs very swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;*
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
He scatters his hail like bread crumbs;*
who can stand against his cold?
He sends forth his word and melts them;*
he blows with his wind and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,*
his statutes and his judgements to Israel.
He has not done so to any other nation;*
to them he has not revealed his judgements.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Haggai 1:1-8,12-15]:
In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month,
the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,
governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: Thus says the
Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord's house.
Then the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Is it a time for you
yourselves to live in your panelled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now
therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. You have sown
much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you
never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and you that earn
wages earn wages to put them into a bag with holes.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. Go up to the hills and
bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honoured,
says the Lord.
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with
all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words
of the prophet Haggai, as the Lord their God had sent him; and the people feared the
Lord. Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord's
message, saying, I am with you, says the Lord. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of
Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of
Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they
came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth
day of the month, in the sixth month.
HYMN
Words: J.H.B. Masterman (1867-1933)
Tune: Ellers
Grant us your peace, for you alone can bend
our faltering purpose to a nobler end;
you Lord alone can teach our hearts to know
the fellowship that through your love can grow.
Grant us your peace, for we have filled the years
with greed and envy and with foolish fears,
with squandered treasures and ignoble gain,
and fruitless harvests that we reap in vain.
Grant us your peace, till all our strife shall seem
the hateful memory of some evil dream;
till that new song ring out that shall not cease,
'In heaven your glory and on earth your peace!'
SECOND READING [Acts 7:35-53]:
Stephen continued, 'It was this Moses whom they rejected when they said, "Who made
you a ruler and a judge?" and whom God now sent as both ruler and liberator through
the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having performed wonders
and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the
Moses who said to the Israelites, "God will raise up a prophet for you from your own
people as he raised me up." He is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness
with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he
received living oracles to give to us. Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead,
they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron,
"Make gods for us who will lead the way for us; as for this Moses who led us out from
the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him." At that time they made a
calf, offered a sacrifice to the idol, and revelled in the works of their hands. But God
turned away from them and handed them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is
written in the book of the prophets:
"Did you offer to me slain victims and sacrifices
for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
No; you took along the tent of Moloch,
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
so I will remove you beyond Babylon."
'Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as God directed when he
spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. Our
ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God
drove out before our ancestors. And it was there until the time of David, who found
favour with God and asked that he might find a dwelling-place for the house of Jacob.
But it was Solomon who built a house for him. Yet the Most High does not dwell in
houses made by human hands; as the prophet says,
"Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
Did not my hand make all these things?"
'You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are for ever opposing the
Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors
not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and
now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You are the ones that received the
law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.'
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
We bring before the Lord, this day, the stricken people of China. May those who have
died in the earthquake be received into the eternal kingdom. And may those who are
bereaved be comforted by the love of those around them. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Let us pray also for the people of Burma. We bring before the Lord those who have lost
everything in the cyclone disaster. In particular we pray for those who have been
bereaved and are feeling totally abandoned. Lord, in your mercy, hear our
prayer..
We ask that God will bless all those who work in the many aid agencies which are trying
to help the people of both China and Burma in their disasters. May they persevere in
their efforts and not be discouraged. Lord, in your goodness, hear our
prayer.
We bring before the Lord those who are ministering to the needs of refugees and
displaced persons throughout the world. May they be continue to be just and fair even as
they are faced by many and massive problems. May they be ministers of God's love
wherever they are. Lord hear us, graciously hear us.
We pray for all the peoples of the Palestine and Israel, of whatever faith and allegiance.
Especially we bring before the Lord the needs of all who have to carry the greatest
burdens of violence and unrest. May those who can bring peace be encouraged and
supported in their efforts. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As we come to the end of Christian Aid Week we give thanks for the work done by so
many to bring help where it is most needed. May they continue to be a support and
inspiration to others helping vulnerable people around the world. Lord, hear us,
graciously hear us.
Set our hearts on fire
with love for you, O Christ our God,
that in that flame we may love you
with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul,
and with all our strength, and our neighbors as ourselves;
that following your way of righteousness,
we may glorify you, the Giver of all good gifts. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
The bidding prayer is by Redemptorist Publications and the collect is from the Eastern
Orthodox tradition.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Wed May 21 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 22 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080521170001.DA6E81E35FD@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Thursday, May 22, 2008
Corpus Christi
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Most merciful Lord,
your love compels us to come in.
Our hands were unclean,
our hearts were unprepared;
we were not fit even to eat the crumbs from under your table.
But you, Lord, are the God of our salvation,
and share your bread with sinners,
cleansing and feeding us
with the precious Body and Blood of your Son,
that he may live in us and we in him;
and that we, with the whole company of Christ,
may sit and eat in your kingdom.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 110:1-5
The Lord said to my lord, 'Sit at my right hand,*
until I make your enemies your footstool.'
The Lord will send the sceptre of your power
out of Zion,*
saying, 'Rule over your enemies round about you.
'Princely state has been yours
from the day of your birth,*
in the beauty of holiness have I begotten you,
like dew from the womb of the morning.'
The Lord has sworn and he will not recant:*
'You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.'
Psalm 111
Alleluia!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,*
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the deeds of the Lord!*
they are studied by all who delight in them.
His work is full of majesty and splendour,*
and his righteousness endures for ever.
He makes his marvellous works to be remembered;*
the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
He gives food to those who fear him;*
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works*
in giving them the lands of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice;*
all his commandments are sure.
They stand fast for ever and ever,*
because they are done in truth and equity.
He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever;*
holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;*
those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
his praise endures for ever.
Psalm 116:10-end
How shall I repay the Lord*
for all the good things he has done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord*
is the death of his servants.
O Lord, I am your servant;*
I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me from my bonds.
I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
In the courts of the Lord's house,*
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Alleluia!
A Song of David (1 Chronicles 29:10b-13,14b)
Blessed are you, God of Israel, for ever and ever,
for yours is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendour and the majesty.
Everything in heaven and on earth is yours;
yours is the kingdom, O Lord
and you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honour come from you
and you rule over all.
In your hand are power and might;
yours it is to give power and strength to all.
And now we give you thanks, our God,
and praise your glorious name.
For all things come from you,
and of your own have we given you.
Psalm 148
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;*
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you angels of his;*
praise him, all his host.
Praise him, sun and moon;*
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, heaven of heavens,*
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord;*
for he commanded and they were created.
He made them stand fast for ever and ever;*
he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,*
you sea-monsters and all deeps;
Fire and hail, snow and fog,*
tempestuous wind, doing his will;
Mountains and all hills,*
fruit trees and all cedars;
Wild beasts and all cattle,*
creeping things and winged birds;
Kings of the earth and all peoples,*
princes and all rulers of the world;
Young men and maidens,*
old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,*
for his name only is exalted,
his splendour is over earth and heaven.
He has raised up strength for his people
and praise for all his loyal servants,*
the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Deuteronomy 8:2-16]:
Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you
these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble
you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether
or not you would keep his commandments. He humbled you by
letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with
which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in
order to make you understand that one does not live by
bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth
of the Lord. The clothes on your back did not wear out
and your feet did not swell these forty years. Know then
in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child so the
Lord your God disciplines you. Therefore keep the
commandments of the Lord your God, by walking in his ways
and by fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you
into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with
springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and
hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees
and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land
where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will
lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose
hills you may mine copper. You shall eat your fill and
bless the Lord your God for the good land that he has
given you.
Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by
failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his
statutes, which I am commanding you today. When you have
eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in
them, and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and
your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have
is multiplied, then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the
Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of slavery, who led you through the
great and terrible wilderness, an arid waste-land with
poisonous snakes and scorpions. He made water flow for
you from flint rock, and fed you in the wilderness with
manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and
to test you, and in the end to do you good.
HYMN
Words: Carl P. Daw, Jr. (c)
Tune: St. Thomas (Wade), Pange lingua
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/w/w544.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
With the body that was broken,
to the body who proclaim,
by the blood that is life's token,
for the life found in his name:
so the Word-made-flesh has spoken,
and his presence here we claim.
In the cross of Christ confiding,
by the cross we bear as sign,
through the Spirit's gifts and guiding,
with these gifts of bread and wine:
so the church in faith abiding
keeps the feast Christ made divine.
Fed by breaking and outpouring,
joined in breaking-forth of praise,
given the peace of God's restoring,
sent in peace to live always:
so we show forth our adoring
as God's servants all our days.
SECOND READING [Luke 9:11-17]:
Jesus welcomed the crowds, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed
those who needed to be cured.
The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, 'Send the
crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to
lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.' But he said to them,
'You give them something to eat.' They said, 'We have no more than five loaves and
two fish unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.' For there were about
five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, 'Make them sit down in groups of
about fifty each.' They did so and made them all sit down. And taking the five loaves
and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them
to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled. What was left over
was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Let us remember with thanksgiving
the gracious gifts of our God,
who feeds us and sustains us in all our days.
You feed your Church
through the continual grace of the sacraments.
Keep us faithful to our calling
to continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship,
in the breaking of bread,
and in the prayers.
Generous God of mercy,
hear our prayer.
You sustain your Church throughout the world
with the sacrament of your Body and Blood.
Send us out into the world to proclaim
by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.
Generous God of mercy,
hear our prayer.
Your living Word calls us to hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Help us to overcome divisions and prejudice,
that we may strive for justice and peace among all people,
and respect the dignity of every human being.
Generous God of mercy,
hear our prayer.
Faithful God,
you have made a covenant with your people
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who offered his Body and Blood for us:
Grant that we who receive Christ in these holy mysteries
may also reverence him in the needy of the world
and by lives dedicated to the service of that kingdom,
where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
May the Father, who fed his children
with bread and honey in the wilderness,
strengthen us in our pilgrimage to the Promised Land. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from
prayers in _New Patterns for Worship_, copyright (c) The
Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The intercession is by Stephen Benner.
The collect is by Stephen Benner and uses phrases from two prayers in
_Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language_. (c)
International Commission on English in the Liturgy, 1997.
Hymn (c) 1989 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
For permission to reproduce this hymn, contact: Hope Publishing Company,
www.hopepublishing.com
From steve.benner at oremus.org Thu May 22 17:00:00 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 23 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080522170000.E10CB1E43E5@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Friday, May 23, 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
by whose word the heavens were formed
and the earth was brought forth from the waters.
The reflection of your glory
shines in each created thing,
and, though earth's flowering fades,
you call life out of death
into the light that endures forever,
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 6
Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger;*
do not punish me in your wrath.
Have pity on me, Lord, for I am weak;*
heal me, Lord, for my bones are racked.
My spirit shakes with terror;*
how long, O Lord, how long?
Turn, O Lord, and deliver me;*
save me for your mercy's sake.
For in death no one remembers you;*
and who will give you thanks in the grave?
I grow weary because of my groaning;*
every night I drench my bed
and flood my couch with tears.
My eyes are wasted with grief*
and worn away because of all my enemies.
Depart from me, all evildoers,*
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication;*
the Lord accepts my prayer.
All my enemies shall be confounded and quake with fear;*
they shall turn back and suddenly be put to shame.
Psalm 26
Give judgement for me, O Lord,
for I have lived with integrity;*
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
Test me, O Lord, and try me;*
examine my heart and my mind.
For your love is before my eyes;*
I have walked faithfully with you.
I have not sat with the worthless,*
nor do I consort with the deceitful.
I have hated the company of evildoers;*
I will not sit down with the wicked.
I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord,*
that I may go in procession round your altar,
Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving*
and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
Lord, I love the house in which you dwell*
and the place where your glory abides.
Do not sweep me away with sinners,*
nor my life with those who thirst for blood,
Whose hands are full of evil plots,*
and their right hand full of bribes.
As for me, I will live with integrity;*
redeem me, O Lord, and have pity on me.
My foot stands on level ground;*
in the full assembly I will bless the Lord.
A Song of the Heavenly City (Revelation 21.22-26; 22.1,2b,d,3b,4)
I saw no temple in the city,
for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty
and the Lamb.
And the city has no need of sun or moon
to shine upon it, .
for the glory of God is its light,
and its lamp is the Lamb.
By its light the nations shall walk, .
and the rulers of the earth
shall bring their glory into it.
Its gates shall never be shut by day,
nor shall there be any night; .
they shall bring into it
the glory and honour of the nations.
I saw the river of the water of life,
bright as crystal, .
flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
And either side of the river stood the tree of life,
yielding its fruit each month, .
and the leaves of the tree
were for the healing of the nations.
The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be there,
and his servants shall worship him; .
and they shall see his face
and his name shall be on their foreheads.
Psalm 149
Alleluia!
Sing to the Lord a new song;*
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in his maker;*
let the children of Zion be joyful in their king.
Let them praise his name in the dance;*
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people*
and adorns the poor with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice in triumph;*
let them be joyful on their beds.
Let the praises of God be in their throat*
and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To wreak vengeance on the nations*
and punishment on the peoples;
To bind their kings in chains*
and their nobles with links of iron;
To inflict on them the judgement decreed;*
this is glory for all his faithful people.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Zechariah 1:7-17]:
On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second
year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah
son of Iddo; and Zechariah said, In the night I saw a man riding on a red horse! He
was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen; and behind him were red, sorrel, and
white horses. Then I said, 'What are these, my lord?' The angel who talked with me
said to me, 'I will show you what they are.' So the man who was standing among the
myrtle trees answered, 'They are those whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.'
Then they spoke to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees,
'We have patrolled the earth, and lo, the whole earth remains at peace.' Then the angel
of the Lord said, 'O Lord of hosts, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem
and the cities of Judah, with which you have been angry these seventy years?' Then the
Lord replied with gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. So
the angel who talked with me said to me, Proclaim this message: Thus says the Lord
of hosts; I am very jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. And I am extremely angry with
the nations that are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they made the disaster
worse. Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion;
my house shall be built in it, says the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be
stretched out over Jerusalem. Proclaim further: Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities
shall again overflow with prosperity; the Lord will again comfort Zion and again
choose Jerusalem.
HYMN
Words: Edward Henry Plumptre (1821-1891)
Tune: Neumark
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/o/o411.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
O Lord of hosts, all heaven possessing,
behold us from thy sapphire throne,
in doubt and darkness dimly guessing,
we might thy glory half have known;
but thou in Christ hast made us thine,
and on us all thy beauties shine.
Illumine all, disciples, teachers,
thy law's deep wonders to unfold;
with reverent hand let wisdom's preachers
bring forth their treasures, new and old;
let oldest, youngest, find in thee
of truth and love the boundless sea.
Let faith still light the lamp of science,
and knowledge pass from truth to truth,
and wisdom, in its full reliance,
renew the primal awe of youth;
so holier, wiser, may we grow,
as time's swift currents onward flow.
Bind thou our life in fullest union
with all thy saints from sin set free;
uphold us in that blest communion
of all thy saints on earth with thee;
keep thou our souls, or there or here,
in mightiest love, that casts out fear.
SECOND READING [Acts 8:5-25]:
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The
crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing
the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many
who were possessed; and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured. So
there was great joy in that city.
Now a certain man named Simon had previously practised magic in the city and
amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. All of them, from
the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, 'This man is the power of God
that is called Great.' And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had
amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the
good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he
stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great
miracles that took place.
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of
God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that
they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of
them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John
laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that
the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them
money, saying, 'Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may
receive the Holy Spirit.' But Peter said to him, 'May your silver perish with you,
because you thought you could obtain God's gift with money! You have no part or
share in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this
wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart
may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of
wickedness.' Simon answered, 'Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you
have said may happen to me.'
Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned
to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Blessed are you, eternal God,
to be praised and glorified for ever.
Hear us as we pray for your holy catholic Church,
make us all one, that the world may believe.
Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you:
that the life of Christ may be revealed in us.
Strengthen all who minister in Christ's name:
give them courage to proclaim your Gospel.
Inspire and lead those who hold authority in the nations of the world:
guide them in the ways of justice and peace.
Make us alive to the needs of our community:
help us to share each other's joys and burdens.
Look with kindness on our homes and families:
grant that your love may grow in our hearts.
Deepen our compassion for all who suffer from sickness, grief or trouble:
in your presence may they find their strength.
We remember those who have died:
Father, into your hands we commend them.
We praise you for all your saints who have entered your eternal glory:
bring us all to share in your heavenly kingdom.
God of mercy and tenderness,
giver of life and conqueror of death,
look upon our weakness and grief,
and restore us to health,
that we may sing a new song to your praise;
through Jesus Christ our risen Lord. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
The intercession is from _New Patterns for Worship_, copyright (c) The
Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The first collect is from _Daily Prayer_, copyright (c) The Scottish
Episcopal Church, 1998. Used with permission.
http://www.scottishepiscopal.com
From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri May 23 18:06:30 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 18:06:30 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 24 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080523180630.5633D1E44A6@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Saturday, May 24, 2008
Jackson Kemper, First Missionary Bishop in the United States, 1870
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
by whose word the heavens were formed
and the earth was brought forth from the waters.
The reflection of your glory
shines in each created thing,
and, though earth's flowering fades,
you call life out of death
into the light that endures forever,
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 29
Ascribe to the Lord, you gods,*
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name;*
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders;*
the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice;*
the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendour.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees;*
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,*
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;*
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe*
and strips the forests bare.
And in the temple of the Lord*
all are crying, 'Glory!'
The Lord sits enthroned above the flood;*
the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore.
The Lord shall give strength to his people;*
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
Psalm 30
I will exalt you, O Lord,
because you have lifted me up*
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to you,*
and you restored me to health.
You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead;*
you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
Sing to the Lord, you servants of his;*
give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.
For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye,*
his favour for a lifetime.
Weeping may spend the night,*
but joy comes in the morning.
While I felt secure, I said,
'I shall never be disturbed.*
You, Lord, with your favour,
made me as strong as the mountains.'
Then you hid your face,*
and I was filled with fear.
I cried to you, O Lord;*
I pleaded with the Lord, saying,
'What profit is there in my blood,
if I go down to the Pit?*
will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?
'Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me;*
O Lord, be my helper.'
You have turned my wailing into dancing;*
you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy;
Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing;*
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever.
A Song of the Bride (Isaiah 61.10,11; 62.1-3)
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my soul shall exult in my God;
Who has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
and has covered me with the cloak of integrity,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth puts forth her blossom,
and as seeds in the garden spring up,
So shall God make righteousness and praise
blossom before all the nations.
For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,
Until her deliverance shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation as a burning torch.
The nations shall see your deliverance,
and all rulers shall see your glory;
Then you shall be called by a new name
which the mouth of God will give.
You shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
Psalm 150
Alleluia!
Praise God in his holy temple;*
praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts;*
praise him for his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn;*
praise him with lyre and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance;*
praise him with strings and pipe.
Praise him with resounding cymbals;*
praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath*
praise the Lord.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Zechariah 2]:
I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then I asked, 'Where are
you going?' He answered me, 'To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and
what is its length.' Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and another
angel came forward to meet him, and said to him, 'Run, say to that young man:
Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of
people and animals in it. For I will be a wall of fire all round it, says the Lord, and I
will be the glory within it.'
Up, up! Flee from the land of the north, says the Lord; for I have spread you abroad
like the four winds of heaven, says the Lord. Up! Escape to Zion, you that live with
daughter Babylon. For thus said the Lord of hosts (after his glory sent me) regarding
the nations that plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my
eye. See now, I am going to raise my hand against them, and they shall become
plunder for their own slaves. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me.
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says
the Lord. Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day, and shall be my
people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has
sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will
again choose Jerusalem.
Be silent, all people, before the Lord; for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.
HYMN
Words: John Ryland (1753-1825)
Tune: Saint Frances (CM)
In all my Lord's appointed ways,
My journey I'll pursue;
Hinder me not, ye much-loved saints,
For I must go with you.
Through floods and flames, if Jesus lead,
I'll follow where He goes;
Hinder me not, shall be my cry,
Though earth and hell oppose.
Through duty, and through trials too,
I'll go at His command;
Hinder me not, for I am bound
To my Immanuel's land.
And when my Saviour calls me home,
Still this my cry shall be,
Hinder me not, come, welcome death,
I'll gladly go with thee.
SECOND READING [Acts 8:26-end]:
An angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Get up and go towards the south to the road that
goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went.
Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the
Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and
was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the
Spirit said to Philip, 'Go over to this chariot and join it.' So Philip ran up to it and heard
him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, 'Do you understand what you are reading?'
He replied, 'How can I, unless someone guides me?' And he invited Philip to get in and
sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
'Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.'
The eunuch asked Philip, 'About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about
himself or about someone else?' Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this
scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along
the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water! What is
to prevent me from being baptized?' He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of
them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When
they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch
saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus,
and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns
until he came to Caesarea.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Make your ways known upon earth, Lord God,
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your Church in holiness,
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace
and let your glory be over all the earth.
God of mystery and power,
open our eyes to the flame of your love,
and open our ears to the thunder of your justice,
that we may receive your gifts of blessing and peace,
to the glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord God,
we give you thank for your servant Jackson Kemper,
who spread the Gospel throughout the western United States:
Grant that the Church may always be faithful to its mission,
and have the vision, courage, and perseverance
to make known to all people the Good News of Jesus Christ;
who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Savior,
send us to earth's ends with water and words
and startle us with the grace, love, and communion
of your unity in diversity,
that we may live to the praise of your majestic Name. Amen.
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The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from a prayer by Philip Newell and the
closing sentence is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_,
copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts.
The intercession is from _New Patterns for Worship_, copyright (c) The
Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The first collect is from _Daily Prayer_, copyright (c) The Scottish
Episcopal Church, 1998. Used with permission.
http://www.scottishepiscopal.com
Jackson Kemper was born 24 December 1789 in Pleasant Valley, New York, attended
Columbia College, and was ordained a priest in 1814. In 1835, the Episcopal Church
undertook to consecrate missionary bishops to preach the Gospel west of the settled areas,
and Kemper was the first to be chosen. He promptly headed west. Having found that
clergy who had lived all their lives in the settled East were slow to respond to his call to
join him on the frontier, he determined to recruit priests from among men who were
already in the West, and established a college in St. Louis, Missouri, for that purpose. He
went on to found Nashotah House and Racine College in Wisconsin. He constantly urged
a more extensive outreach to the Indian peoples, and translations of the Scriptures and the
services of the Church into Indian languages. From 1859 till his death in 1870, he was
bishop of Wisconsin, but the effect of his labors covered a far wider area.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat May 24 17:00:00 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 25 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080524170000.D42B41E41AE@justus2c.anglican.org>
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OREMUS for Sunday, May 25, 2008
The Second Sunday after Pentecost
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
you are the origin of all that exists,
yours is the life in everything that breathes.
You clothe the heavens with glory
and fill the earth with your praise.
You formed us, men and women,
to embody your likeness.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 49
Hear this, all you peoples;
hearken, all you who dwell in the world,*
you of high degree and low, rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak of wisdom,*
and my heart shall meditate on understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb*
and set forth my riddle upon the harp.
Why should I be afraid in evil days,*
when the wickedness of those at my heels surrounds me,
The wickedness of those
who put their trust in their goods,*
and boast of their great riches?
We can never ransom ourselves,*
or deliver to God the price of our life;
For the ransom of our life is so great,*
that we should never have enough to pay it,
In order to live for ever and ever,*
and never see the grave.
For we see that the wise die also;
like the dull and stupid they perish*
and leave their wealth to those who come after them.
Their graves shall be their homes for ever,
their dwelling places from generation to generation,*
though they call the lands after their own names.
Even though honoured, they cannot live for ever;*
they are like the beasts that perish.
Such is the way of those
who foolishly trust in themselves,*
and the end of those who delight in their own words.
Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die;
Death is their shepherd;*
they go down straightway to the grave.
Their form shall waste away,*
and the land of the dead shall be their home.
But God will ransom my life;*
he will snatch me from the grasp of death.
Do not be envious when some become rich,*
or when the grandeur of their house increases;
For they will carry nothing away at their death,*
nor will their grandeur follow them.
Though they thought highly of themselves
while they lived,*
and were praised for their success,
They shall join the company of their forebears,*
who will never see the light again.
Those who are honoured, but have no understanding,*
are like the beasts that perish.
A Song of Praise (Revelation 4.11; 5.9b,10)
You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honour and power.
For you have created all things,
and by your will they have their being.
You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain,
and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests
serving our God,
and they will reign with you on earth.
Psalm 117
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord, all you nations;*
laud him, all you peoples.
For his loving-kindness towards us is great,*
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Deuteronomy 30:11-end]:
Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you,
nor is it too far away. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up to
heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?' Neither is it
beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us,
and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?' No, the word is very near to
you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.
See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey
the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving
the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees,
and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will
bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and
you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I
declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you
are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against
you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life
so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him,
and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may
live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac,
and to Jacob.
HYMN
Words: John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), 1867
Tune: Bishopthorpe
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/i/i226.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
Immortal love, forever full,
forever flowing free,
forever shared, forever whole,
a never ebbing sea!
Our outward lips confess the name
all other names above;
love only knoweth whence it came,
and comprehendeth love.
We may not climb the heavenly steeps
to bring the Lord Christ down;
In vain we search the lowest deeps,
for him no depths can drown.
But warm, sweet, tender, even yet,
a present help is he;
and faith still has its Olivet,
and love its Galilee.
The healing of his seamless dress
is by our beds of pain;
we touch him in life's throng and press,
and we are whole again.
Through him the first fond prayers are said
our lips of childhood frame,
the last low whispers of our dead
are burdened with his Name.
O Lord and Master of us all,
whate'er our name or sign,
we own thy sway, we hear thy call,
we test our lives by thine.
SECOND READING [John 13:1-17,34-35]:
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart
from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he
loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of
Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had
given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,
got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then
he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them
with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' Jesus answered, 'You do not know now what
I am doing, but later you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You will never wash my
feet.' Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.' Simon Peter
said to him, 'Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!' Jesus said to
him, 'One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely
clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.' For he knew who was to betray him;
for this reason he said, 'Not all of you are clean.'
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he
said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and
Lord and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have set you an
example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants
are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent
them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. I give you a new
commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should
love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have
love for one another.'
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
We pray for all who are preparing for the Olympic Games whether building, organising
or competing. May it be for everyone an occasion to recognise the wonder of God's
creation. May it teach us that all God's children are precious and members of one
human family. Lord, in your goodness, hear our prayer.
We pray for all the people of China but especially we bring before the Lord those who
have suffered tragic loss through the earthquake. May the bereaved find comfort in
those whom they love. And may those who can offer help do so with generous hearts.
Lord in your goodness, hear our prayer.
May the Lord grant comfort to refugees and persons who are displaced around the
world. We ask the Lord to give encouragement to those who work to relieve the
burdens of people far from home. Lord, hear us, hear our
prayer.
Let us pray for the people of Burma. We bring before the Lord those who have lost
everything in the cyclone disaster. In particular we pray for those who have been
bereaved and are feeling totally abandoned. May they find peace and consolation.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Let us pray for those adults who are particularly vulnerable in our society. May we
keep in mind that we all have a special duty of care to those who are in special need.
May our community always be alert to the needs of those around us and be prepared
to help where we can. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for mothers and fathers who are anxious for the safety of their children. May
we be supportive of those who work to build a safe environment. Lord, in your
goodness, hear our prayer.
We pray for all the peoples who live in the Holy Land of whatever faith and allegiance.
Especially we bring before the Lord the needs of all who have to carry the greatest
burdens of violence and unrest. May God bless those who work for peace. Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.
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OREMUS for Monday, May 26, 2008
Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury, 605
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
you are the origin of all that exists,
yours is the life in everything that breathes.
You clothe the heavens with glory
and fill the earth with your praise.
You formed us, men and women,
to embody your likeness.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 31
In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;*
deliver me in your righteousness.
Incline your ear to me;*
make haste to deliver me.
Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold;*
for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.
Take me out of the net
that they have secretly set for me,*
for you are my tower of strength.
Into your hands I commend my spirit,*
for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.
I hate those who cling to worthless idols,*
and I put my trust in the Lord.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy;*
for you have seen my affliction;
you know my distress.
You have not shut me up in the power of the enemy;*
you have set my feet in an open place.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;*
my eye is consumed with sorrow,
and also my throat and my belly.
For my life is wasted with grief,
and my years with sighing;*
my strength fails me because of affliction,
and my bones are consumed.
I have become a reproach to all my enemies
and even to my neighbours,
a dismay to those of my acquaintance;*
when they see me in the street they avoid me.
I am forgotten like the dead, out of mind;*
I am as useless as a broken pot.
For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;
fear is all around;*
they put their heads together against me;
they plot to take my life.
But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord.*
I have said, 'You are my God.
'My times are in your hand;*
rescue me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.
'Make your face to shine upon your servant,*
and in your loving-kindness save me.'
Lord, let me not be ashamed
for having called upon you;*
rather, let the wicked be put to shame;
let them be silent in the grave.
Let the lying lips be silenced
which speak against the righteous,*
haughtily, disdainfully and with contempt.
How great is your goodness, O Lord,
which you have laid up for those who fear you;*
which you have done in the sight of all
for those who put their trust in you.
You hide them in the covert of your presence
from those who slander them;*
you keep them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.
Blessed be the Lord!*
for he has shown me the wonders of his love
in a besieged city.
Yet I said in my alarm,
'I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes.'*
Nevertheless, you heard the sound of my entreaty
when I cried out to you.
Love the Lord, all you who worship him;*
the Lord protects the faithful,
but repays to the full those who act haughtily.
Be strong and let your heart take courage,*
all you who wait for the Lord.
A Song of God's Chosen One (Isaiah 11.1,2,3b-4a,6,9)
There shall come forth a shoot from the stock of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear,
But with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.
The calf, the lion and the fatling together,
with a little child to lead them.
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
Psalm 146
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!*
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in rulers,
nor in any child of earth,*
for there is no help in them.
When they breathe their last, they return to earth,*
and in that day their thoughts perish.
Happy are they who have the God of Jacob
for their help!*
whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth, the seas,
and all that is in them;*
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,*
and food to those who hunger.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;*
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger;*
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
The Lord shall reign for ever,*
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Ezra 5:1-2,6-17]:
Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who
were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak set out to rebuild the
house of God in Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping
them.
The copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and
Shethar-bozenai and his associates the envoys who were in the province Beyond the
River sent to King Darius; they sent him a report, in which was written as follows: 'To
Darius the king, all peace! May it be known to the king that we went to the province
of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built of hewn stone, and timber is
laid in the walls; this work is being done diligently and prospers in their hands. Then
we spoke to those elders and asked them, "Who gave you a decree to build this house
and to finish this structure?" We also asked them their names, for your information, so
that we might write down the names of the men at their head. This was their reply to
us: "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the
house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.
But because our ancestors had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand
of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and
carried away the people to Babylonia. However, King Cyrus of Babylon, in the first
year of his reign, made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. Moreover,
the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out
of the temple in Jerusalem and had brought into the temple of Babylon, these King
Cyrus took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to a man named
Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. He said to him, 'Take these vessels; go
and put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its
site.' Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in
Jerusalem; and from that time until now it has been under construction, and it is not
yet finished." And now, if it seems good to the king, have a search made in the royal
archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by King Cyrus for the
rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. Let the king send us his pleasure in this
matter.'
HYMN
Words: Scottish Paraphrases, 1781
Tune: Bishopthorpe
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t698.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
Behold! the mountain of the Lord
in latter days shall rise
on mountain tops above the hills,
and draw the wondering eyes.
To this the joyful nations round,
all tribes and tongues, shall flow;
up to the hill of God, they'll say,
and to his house we'll go.
The beam that shines from Zion hill
shall lighten every land;
the King who reigns in Salem's towers
shall all the world command.
Among the nations he shall judge;
his judgments truth shall guide;
his scepter shall protect the just,
and quell the sinner's pride.
No strife shall vex Messiah's reign
or mar the peaceful years;
to plowshares men shall beat their swords,
to pruning-hooks their spears.
No longer hosts, encountering hosts,
shall crowds of slain deplore;
they hang the trumpet in the hall,
and study war no more.
Come then, O come, from every land
to worship at his shrine;
and, walking in the light of God,
with holy beauties shine.
SECOND READING [Acts 9:1-19]:
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so
that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them
bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly
a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying
to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' He asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' The
reply came, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and
you will be told what you are to do.' The men who were travelling with him stood
speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground,
and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and
brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor
drank.
Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a
vision, 'Ananias.' He answered, 'Here I am, Lord.' The Lord said to him, 'Get up and
go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus
named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named
Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.' But
Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he
has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to
bind all who invoke your name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is an instrument
whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the
people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my
name.' So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said,
'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' And immediately
something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and
was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. For several days he
was with the disciples in Damascus.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Almighty God,
maker of all good things and Father of all;
you have shown us in Christ the purpose of your creation
and call us to be responsible in the world.
We pray for the world
all the nations....
our own country....
those in authority....
the peace of the world....
racial harmony....
those who maintain order....
We pray for the Church, especially
Almighty God, we give you thanks
for the order of created things
the resources of the earth
and the gift of human life....
for the continuing work of creation,
man's share in it,
and for creative vision and inventive skill....
for your faithfulness to man in patience and in love,
and for every human response of obedience
and humble achievement....
May we delight in your purpose
and work to bring all things to their true end;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Helper of the helpless,
Comfort of the afflicted,
may your servants who stand in the midst of evil
find strength in the knowledge of your presence,
and praise you for the wonders of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
Everliving God,
you strengthened your servant Augustine,
though he was fearful and laden with doubt,
to lay the foundations of your Church
among the English people.
Grant us always to show forth the reason
for all your gifts so freely bestowed upon us,
by sharing with all peoples and races
your infinite gift of salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
May we work with you, Lord, as builders of your world
in the power of your Spirit,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from a preface
by Alan Griffiths.
The first collect is from _Daily Prayer_, copyright (c) The Scottish
Episcopal Church, 1998. Used with permission.
http://www.scottishepiscopal.com
The Christian Church was established in the British Isles well before 300. Some scholars
believe that it was introduced by missionaries from the Eastern or Greek-speaking half of
the Mediterranean world. Celtic Christianity had its own distinctive culture, and Greek
scholarship flourished in Ireland for several centuries after it had died elsewhere in
Western Europe.
However, in the fifth century Britain was invaded by non-Christian Germanic tribes: the
Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. They conquered the native Celtic Christians (despite resistance
by, among others, a leader whose story has come down to us, doubtless with some
exaggeration, as that of King Arthur), or drove them north and west into Cornwall, Wales,
Scotland, and Ireland. From these regions Celtic Christian missionaries returned to
England to preach the Gospel to the heathen invaders. Meanwhile, the Bishop of Rome,
Gregory the Great, decided to send missionaries from Rome, a group of monks led by
their prior, Augustine (not to be confused with the more famous Augustine of Hippo).
They arrived in Kent (the southeast corner of England) in 597, and the king, whose wife
was a Christian, allowed them to settle and preach. Their preaching was outstandingly
successful, the people were hungry for the Good News of salvation, and they made
thousands of converts in a short time. In 601 the king himself was converted and baptised.
Augustine was consecrated bishop and established his headquarters at Canterbury. From
his day to the present, there has been an unbroken succession of archbishops of
Canterbury.
In 603, he held a conference with the leaders of the already existing Christian
congregations in Britain, but failed to reach an accomodation with them, largely due to his
own tactlessness, and his insistence (contrary, it may be noted, to Gregory's explicit
advice) on imposing Roman customs on a church long accustomed to its own traditions of
worship. It is said that the English bishops, before going to meet Augustine, consulted a
hermit with a reputation for wisdom and holiness, asking him, "Shall we accept this man as
our leader, or not?" The hermit replied, "If, at your meeting, he rises to greet you, then
accept him, but if he remains seated, then he is arrogant and unfit to lead, and you ought
to reject him." Augustine, alas, remained seated. It took another sixty years before the
breach was healed. [James Kiefer]
From steve.benner at oremus.org Mon May 26 17:00:33 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 17:00:33 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 27 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080526170033.713E61E3049@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Tuesday, May 27, 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
you are the origin of all that exists,
yours is the life in everything that breathes.
You clothe the heavens with glory
and fill the earth with your praise.
You formed us, men and women,
to embody your likeness.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 33
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous;*
it is good for the just to sing praises.
Praise the Lord with the harp;*
play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
Sing for him a new song;*
sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.
For the word of the Lord is right,*
and all his works are sure.
He loves righteousness and justice;*
the loving-kindness of the Lord fills the whole earth.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,*
by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
He gathers up the waters of the ocean
as in a water-skin*
and stores up the depths of the sea.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;*
let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
For he spoke and it came to pass;*
he commanded and it stood fast.
The Lord brings the will of the nations to naught;*
he thwarts the designs of the peoples.
But the Lord's will stands fast for ever,*
and the designs of his heart from age to age.
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord!*
happy the people he has chosen to be his own!
The Lord looks down from heaven,*
and beholds all the people in the world.
>From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze*
on all who dwell on the earth.
He fashions all the hearts of them*
and understands all their works.
There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army;*
the strong are not delivered by great strength.nbsp;
The horse is a vain hope for deliverance;*
for all its strength it cannot save.
Behold, the eye of the Lord
is upon those who fear him,*
on those who wait upon his love,
To pluck their lives from death,*
and to feed them in time of famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;*
he is our help and our shield.
Indeed, our heart rejoices in him,*
for in his holy name we put our trust.
Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,*
as we have put our trust in you.
A Song of the Redeemed (Revelation 7.9,10,14b-17)
Behold, a great multitude
which no one could number,
>From every nation,
from all tribes and peoples and tongues,
standing before the throne and the Lamb.
They were clothed in white robes
and had palms in their hands,
and they cried with a loud voice, saying,
'Salvation belongs to our God
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.'
These are they
who have come out of the great tribulation,
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb;
Therefore they stand before the throne of God,
whom they serve day and night within the temple.
And the One who sits upon the throne .
will shelter them with his presence.
They shall never again feel hunger or thirst, .
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the heart of the throne
will be their Shepherd,
He will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Psalm 147:1-12
Alleluia!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!*
how pleasant it is to honour him with praise!
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;*
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted*
and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars*
and calls them all by their names.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;*
there is no limit to his wisdom.
The Lord lifts up the lowly,*
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;*
make music to our God upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds*
and prepares rain for the earth;
He makes grass to grow upon the mountains*
and green plants to serve us all.
He provides food for flocks and herds*
and for the young ravens when they cry.
He is not impressed by the might of a horse,*
he has no pleasure in human strength;
But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him,*
in those who await his gracious favour.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Ezra 6:1-12]:
King Darius made a decree, and they searched the archives where the documents were
stored in Babylon. But it was in Ecbatana, the capital in the province of Media, that a
scroll was found on which this was written: 'A record. In the first year of his reign,
King Cyrus issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house
be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices are offered and burnt-offerings are brought; its
height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, with three courses of hewn stones
and one course of timber; let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. Moreover, let
the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the
temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the
temple in Jerusalem, each to its place; you shall put them in the house of God.'
'Now you, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and
you, their associates, the envoys in the province Beyond the River, keep away; let the
work on this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the
Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. Moreover, I make a decree regarding what
you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God: the
cost is to be paid to these people, in full and without delay, from the royal revenue, the
tribute of the province Beyond the River. Whatever is needed young bulls, rams, or
sheep for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests
in Jerusalem require let that be given to them day by day without fail, so that they
may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and
his children. Furthermore, I decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be
pulled out of the house of the perpetrator, who then shall be impaled on it. The house
shall be made a dunghill. May the God who has established his name there overthrow
any king or people that shall put forth a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of
God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.'
HYMN
Words: Sarum Primer, 1558
God be in my head
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/g/g114.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.
SECOND READING [Acts 9:20-31]:
Immediately Saul began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, 'He is the Son of
God.' All who heard him were amazed and said, 'Is not this the man who made havoc
in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the
purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?' Saul became increasingly
more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus
was the Messiah.
After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known
to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but
his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall,
lowering him in a basket.
When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all
afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him,
brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the
Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name
of Jesus. So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name
of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill
him. When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him
off to Tarsus.
Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built
up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in
numbers.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may
follow.
Prayer:
God our Father,
you gave your Son, Jesus Christ
to share our life on earth,
to grow in wisdom,
to toil with his hands,
and to make known the ways of your kingdom.
We pray for the community
those who work....
the unemployed....
those in education....
those in research....
those in communications....
those who maintain the life of the community....
God our Father, we give you thanks
for Christ's revelation of yourself,
his care for people,
and his joy in obedience....
for the value he gave to human labour,
the strength he promised us for service,
the call to follow in his way....
for all opportunities of work and of leisure,
all truth that we have learned,
and all discoveries that we have made....
Give us growing reverence for the truth,
and such wisdom in the use of knowledge
that your kingdom may be advanced
and your name glorified;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Feed your people, O Lord,
with your holy Word
and free us from the temptations
which lead us away from you
that, being filled with your mercy,
we may be admitted to your holy presence;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
May we work with you, Lord, as builders of your world
in the power of your Spirit,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms and the collect are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_
(Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from a preface
by Alan Griffiths.
From steve.benner at oremus.org Tue May 27 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 28 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080527170001.1B21F1E439B@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Wednesday, May 28, 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
you are the origin of all that exists,
yours is the life in everything that breathes.
You clothe the heavens with glory
and fill the earth with your praise.
You formed us, men and women,
to embody your likeness.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 34
I will bless the Lord at all times;*
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
I will glory in the Lord;*
let the humble hear and rejoice.
Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord;*
let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord and he answered me*
and delivered me out of all my terror.
Look upon him and be radiant,*
and let not your faces be ashamed.
I called in my affliction and the Lord heard me*
and saved me from all my troubles.
The angel of the Lord
encompasses those who fear him,*
and he will deliver them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good;*
happy are they who trust in him!
Fear the Lord, you that are his saints,*
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger,*
but those who seek the Lord
lack nothing that is good.
Come, children, and listen to me;*
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who among you loves life*
and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?
Keep your tongue from evil-speaking*
and your lips from lying words.
Turn from evil and do good;*
seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,*
and his ears are open to their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,*
to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry and the Lord hears them*
and delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted*
and will save those whose spirits are crushed.
Many are the troubles of the righteous,*
but the Lord will deliver him out of them all.
He will keep safe all his bones;*
not one of them shall be broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked,*
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
The Lord ransoms the life of his servants,*
and none will be punished who trust in him.
A Song of the Covenant (Isaiah 42.5-8a)
Thus says God, who created the heavens,
who fashioned the earth and all that dwells in it;
Who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it,
'I am the Lord and I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
'I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind,
'To bring out the captives from the dungeon,
from the prison, those who sit in darkness.
'I am the Lord, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other.'
Psalm 147:13-end
Alleluia!
Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem;*
praise your God, O Zion;
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;*
he has blessed your children within you.
He has established peace on your borders;*
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth,*
and his word runs very swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;*
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
He scatters his hail like bread crumbs;*
who can stand against his cold?
He sends forth his word and melts them;*
he blows with his wind and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,*
his statutes and his judgements to Israel.
He has not done so to any other nation;*
to them he has not revealed his judgements.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Ezra 6:13-18]:
Then, according to the word sent by King Darius, Tattenai, the governor of the
province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates did with all diligence
what King Darius had ordered. So the elders of the Jews built and prospered, through
the prophesying of the prophet Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished their
building by command of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus, Darius, and King
Artaxerxes of Persia; and this house was finished on the third day of the month of
Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
The people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles,
celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. They offered at the dedication
of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as
a sin-offering for all Israel twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of
Israel. Then they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses for
the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
HYMN
Words: John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)
Tune: Herr Jesu Christ, Llandaf, Llangollen (LM)
All things are thine; no gift have we,
Lord of all gifts, to offer thee;
And hence with grateful hearts to-day
Thine own before thy feet we lay.
Thy will was in the builders' thought;
Thy hand unseen amidst us wrought;
Through mortal motive, scheme and plan,
Thy wise eternal purpose ran.
In weakness and in want we call
On thee for whom the heavens are small;
Thy glory is thy children's good;
Thy joy, thy tender fatherhood.
O Father, deign these walls to bless;
Fill with thy love their emptiness;
And let their door a gateway be
To lead us from ourselves to thee.
SECOND READING [Acts 9:32-end]:
Now as Peter went here and there among all the believers, he came down also to the
saints living in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for
eight years, for he was paralysed. Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get
up and make your bed!' And immediately he got up. And all the residents of Lydda and
Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas.
She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and
died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near
Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the
request, 'Please come to us without delay.' So Peter got up and went with them; and
when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him,
weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was
with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned
to the body and said, 'Tabitha, get up.' Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she
sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he
showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the
Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Holy Father,
you have reconciled us to yourself in Christ;
by your Spirit
you enable us to live as your children.
We pray for personal relationships
the home, and family life....
children deprived of home....
friends, relations and neighbours....
relationships in daily life and work....
those who are estranged....
ministries of care and healing...
Holy Father, we give you thanks
for the obedience of Christ fulfilled in the cross,
his bearing of the sin of the world,
his mercy for the world, which never fails....
for the joy of human love and friendship,
the lives to which our own are bound,
the gift of peace with you and each other....
for the communities in whose life we share
and all relationships
in which reconciliation may be known....
Help us to share in Christ's ministry
and to love and serve one another in peace;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who in the unity of the Spirit
is one with you for ever. Amen.
Hear us, Lord, when we cry to you.
Calm our bodies and minds with the peace
which passes understanding,
and make us radiant with the knowledge of your goodness;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
May we work with you, Lord, as builders of your world
in the power of your Spirit,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from a preface
by Alan Griffiths.
The first collect is from _Daily Prayer_, copyright (c) The Scottish
Episcopal Church, 1998. Used with permission.
http://www.scottishepiscopal.com
From steve.benner at oremus.org Wed May 28 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 29 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080528170001.362E31E3E3E@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Thursday, May 29, 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
you are the origin of all that exists,
yours is the life in everything that breathes.
You clothe the heavens with glory
and fill the earth with your praise.
You formed us, men and women,
to embody your likeness.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 39
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.'
So I held my tongue and said nothing;*
I refrained from rash words;
but my pain became unbearable.
My heart was hot within me;
while I pondered, the fire burst into flame;*
I spoke out with my tongue:
Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days,*
so that I may know how short my life is.
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.
We walk about like a shadow
and in vain we are in turmoil;*
we heap up riches and cannot tell who will gather them.
And now, what is my hope?*
O Lord, my hope is in you.
Deliver me from all my transgressions*
and do not make me the taunt of the fool.
I fell silent and did not open my mouth,*
for surely it was you that did it.
Take your affliction from me;*
I am worn down by the blows of your hand.
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.
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 forebears were.
Turn your gaze from me, that I may be glad again,*
before I go my way and am no more.
A Song of God's Love (1 John 4.7-11,12b)
Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God;
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Whoever does not love does not know God,
for God is love.
In this the love of God was revealed among us,
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through him.
In this is love,
not that we loved God but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.
Beloved, since God loved us so much,
we ought also to love one another.
For if we love one another, God abides in us,
and God's love will be perfected in us.
Psalm 148
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;*
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you angels of his;*
praise him, all his host.
Praise him, sun and moon;*
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, heaven of heavens,*
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord;*
for he commanded and they were created.
He made them stand fast for ever and ever;*
he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,*
you sea-monsters and all deeps;
Fire and hail, snow and fog,*
tempestuous wind, doing his will;
Mountains and all hills,*
fruit trees and all cedars;
Wild beasts and all cattle,*
creeping things and winged birds;
Kings of the earth and all peoples,*
princes and all rulers of the world;
Young men and maidens,*
old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,*
for his name only is exalted,
his splendour is over earth and heaven.
He has raised up strength for his people
and praise for all his loyal servants,*
the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Zechariah 7:8-end]:
The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render
true judgements, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow,
the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one
another. But they refused to listen, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their
ears in order not to hear. They made their hearts adamant in order not to hear the law
and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his spirit through the former
prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. Just as, when I called,
they would not hear, so, when they called, I would not hear, says the Lord of hosts,
and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known.
Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and a pleasant
land was made desolate.
HYMN
Words: Timothy Dudley-Smith (c) 1962, Renewed. 1990 by Hope Publishing Co.,
Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Tune: Woodlands
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t036.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age to same;
his holy Name--the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children's children and for evermore!
SECOND READING [Acts 10:1-23]:
In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it
was called. He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms
generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. One afternoon at about three
o'clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying
to him, 'Cornelius.' He stared at him in terror and said, 'What is it, Lord?' He
answered, 'Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with
Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.' When the angel who spoke to him
had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who
served him, and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa.
About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter
went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and
while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the heaven opened and
something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four
corners. In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air.
Then he heard a voice saying, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' But Peter said, 'By no
means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.' The voice
said to him again, a second time, 'What God has made clean, you must not call
profane.' This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to
heaven.
Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had
seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon's
house and were standing by the gate. They called out to ask whether Simon, who was
called Peter, was staying there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the
Spirit said to him, 'Look, three men are searching for you. Now get up, go down, and
go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them.' So Peter went down to the
men and said, 'I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?'
They answered, 'Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well
spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to
come to his house and to hear what you have to say.' So Peter invited them in and
gave them lodging.
The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa
accompanied him.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Eternal God,
you have raised Jesus Christ from the dead
and exalted him to your right hand in glory,
and through him called your Church into being,
that your people might know you,
and that they might make your name known.
We pray for the church
the Church universal, and local, especially....
the unity of the Church....
the ministries of the Church....
the mission of the Church....
the renewal of the Church....
all Christians in this place....
Eternal God, we give you thanks
for the apostolic gospel committed to your Church,
the continuing presence and power of your Spirit,
the ministry of Word, Sacrament and Prayer....
for the divine mission in which we are called to share,
the will to unity and its fruit in common action,
the faithful witness of those who are true to Christ....
for all works of compassion
and every service that proclaims your love.
In peace and unity
may your people offer the unfailing sacrifice of praise,
and make your glory known;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God our hope,
when we are troubled by fear and uncertainty,
teach us to commit our lives to your care
and to go forward on our pilgrimage,
trusting in the knowledge of your love and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
May we work with you, Lord, as builders of your world
in the power of your Spirit,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from a preface
by Alan Griffiths.
The first collect is from _Daily Prayer_, copyright (c) The Scottish
Episcopal Church, 1998. Used with permission.
http://www.scottishepiscopal.com
From steve.benner at oremus.org Thu May 29 17:00:01 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 30 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080529170001.8BB601E40FA@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Friday, May 30, 2008
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O God,
you are the origin of all that exists,
yours is the life in everything that breathes.
You clothe the heavens with glory
and fill the earth with your praise.
You formed us, men and women,
to embody your likeness.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 41
Happy are they who consider the poor and needy!*
the Lord will deliver them in the time of trouble.
The Lord preserves them and keeps them alive,
so that they may be happy in the land;*
he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.
The Lord sustains them on their sick-bed*
and ministers to them in their illness.
I said, 'Lord, be merciful to me;*
heal me, for I have sinned against you.'
My enemies are saying wicked things about me:*
'When will he die and his name perish?'
Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words;*
their heart collects false rumours;
they go outside and spread them.
All my enemies whisper together about me*
and devise evil against me.
'A deadly thing', they say, 'has fastened on him;*
he has taken to his bed and will never get up again.'Even my
best friend, whom I trusted,
who broke bread with me,*
has lifted up his heel and turned against me.
But you, O Lord, be merciful to me and raise me up,*
and I shall repay them.
By this I know you are pleased with me,*
that my enemy does not triumph over me.
In my integrity you hold me fast,*
and shall set me before your face for ever.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,*
from age to age. Amen. Amen.
Psalm 54
Save me, O God, by your name;*
in your might, defend my cause.
Hear my prayer, O God;*
give ear to the words of my mouth.
For the arrogant have risen up against me,
and the ruthless have sought my life,*
those who have no regard for God.
Behold, God is my helper;*
it is the Lord who sustains my life.
Render evil to those who spy on me;*
in your faithfulness, destroy them.
I will offer you a freewill sacrifice*
and praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.
For you have rescued me from every trouble,*
and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.
A Song of Lamentation (Lamentations 1.12,16a,b; 3.19,21-26,31-33)
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,
Which was brought upon me,
which the Lord inflicted
on the day of his fierce anger.
For these things I weep;
my eyes flow with tears;
for a comforter is far from me,
one to revive my courage.
Remember my affliction and my bitterness,
the wormwood and the gall!
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul,
'therefore I will hope in him.'
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.
It is good that we should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
For the Lord will not reject for ever;
though he causes grief, he will have compassion,
According to the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.
Psalm 149
Alleluia!
Sing to the Lord a new song;*
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in his maker;*
let the children of Zion be joyful in their king.
Let them praise his name in the dance;*
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people*
and adorns the poor with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice in triumph;*
let them be joyful on their beds.
Let the praises of God be in their throat*
and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To wreak vengeance on the nations*
and punishment on the peoples;
To bind their kings in chains*
and their nobles with links of iron;
To inflict on them the judgement decreed;*
this is glory for all his faithful people.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Zechariah 8:1-13]:
The word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am
jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. Thus
says the Lord: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; Jerusalem
shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts shall be called
the holy mountain. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again
sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And
the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the
Lord of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these
days, should it also seem impossible to me, says the Lord of hosts? Thus says the Lord
of hosts: I will save my people from the east country and from the west country; and I
will bring them to live in Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God, in
faithfulness and in righteousness.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strong you that have recently been
hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were present when the
foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the Lord of hosts.
For before those days there were no wages for people or for animals, nor was there
any safety from the foe for those who went out or came in, and I set them all against
one another. But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former
days, says the Lord of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield
its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew; and I will
cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. Just as you have been a
cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you
and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.
HYMN
Words: J.H.B. Masterman (1867-1933)
Tune: Old 124th
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t698.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
Grant us your peace, for you alone can bend
our faltering purpose to a nobler end;
you Lord alone can teach our hearts to know
the fellowship that through your love can grow.
Grant us your peace, for we have filled the years
with greed and envy and with foolish fears,
with squandered treasures and ignoble gain,
and fruitless harvests that we reap in vain.
Grant us your peace, till all our strife shall seem
the hateful memory of some evil dream;
till that new song ring out that shall not cease,
'In heaven your glory and on earth your peace!'
SECOND READING [Acts 10:24-33]:
The following day Peter and those who followed him came to Caesarea. Cornelius was
expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. On Peter's
arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshipped him. But Peter made him
get up, saying, 'Stand up; I am only a mortal.' And as he talked with him, he went in
and found that many had assembled; and he said to them, 'You yourselves know that it
is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that
I should not call anyone profane or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without
objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?'
Cornelius replied, 'Four days ago at this very hour, at three o'clock, I was praying in
my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. He said,
"Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before
God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in
the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea." Therefore I sent for you immediately, and
you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God
to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.'
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Gracious God and Father,
you have given your Son for us all,
that his death might be our life
and his affliction our peace.
We pray for the suffering...
the hungry....
the refugees....
the prisoners....
the persecuted....
all who bring sin and suffering to others....
ministries of care and relief....
the Church in all its work, especially
Gracious God and Father, we give you thanks
for the cross of Christ at the heart of creation,
the presence of Christ in our weakness and strength,
the power of Christ to transform our suffering....
for all ministries of healing,
all agencies of relief,
all that sets men free from pain, fear and distress....
for the assurance that your mercy knows no limit,
and for the privilege of sharing
your work of renewal through prayer.
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us to trust your love, to serve your purpose
and to praise your name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God of mercy,
hear our prayer and come to our aid,
that from the rising of the sun to its setting
we may offer you a pure sacrifice of praise,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
May we work with you, Lord, as builders of your world
in the power of your Spirit,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from a preface
by Alan Griffiths.
The first collect is from _Daily Prayer_, copyright (c) The Scottish
Episcopal Church, 1998. Used with permission.
http://www.scottishepiscopal.com
From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri May 30 17:00:02 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 17:00:02 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 31 May 2008
Message-ID: <20080530170002.8D8D41E4529@justus2c.anglican.org>
*******************************************************
Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org
*******************************************************
OREMUS for Saturday, May 31, 2008
The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, almighty God,
through Jesus Christ, your only Son, our Lord.
Through the prophetic words of Elizabeth,
you revealed to us the greatness
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord,
who had believed the promise of salvation.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 122
I was glad when they said to me,*
'Let us go to the house of the Lord.'
Now our feet are standing*
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city*
that is at unity with itself.
To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord,*
the assembly of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.
For there are the thrones of judgement,*
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:*
'May they prosper who love you.
'Peace be within your walls*
and quietness within your towers.
'For my family and companions' sake,*
I pray for your prosperity.
'Because of the house of the Lord our God,*
I will seek to do you good.'
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds the house,*
their labour is in vain who build it.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,*
in vain the guard keeps vigil.
It is in vain that you rise so early
and go to bed so late;*
vain, too, to eat the bread of toil,
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Children are a heritage from the Lord,*
and the fruit of the womb is a gift.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior*
are the children of one's youth.
Happy are they who have their quiver full of them!*
they shall not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
Psalm 128
Happy are they all who fear the Lord,*
and who follow in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of your labour;*
happiness and prosperity shall be yours.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
within your house,*
your children like olive shoots round about your table.
Whoever fears the Lord*
shall thus indeed be blessed.
The Lord bless you from Zion,*
and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
May you live to see your children's children;*
may peace be upon Israel.
A Song of the Holy City (Revelation 21:1-5a)
I saw a new heaven and a new earth,
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away
and the sea was no more.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice from the throne saying,
'Behold, my dwelling is with my people.
'I will dwell with them and they shall be mine,
and I myself will be with them.
'I will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
and death shall be no more.
'Neither shall there be mourning,
nor crying, nor pain any more,
for the former things have passed away.'
And the One who sat upon the throne said,
'Behold, I make all things new.'
Psalm 150
Alleluia!
Praise God in his holy temple;*
praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts;*
praise him for his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn;*
praise him with lyre and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance;*
praise him with strings and pipe.
Praise him with resounding cymbals;*
praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath*
praise the Lord.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [Zephaniah 3:14-18]:
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgements against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
HYMN
Words: (c) Marnie Barrell
Tune: Love Unknown
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/barrell/mb14.html
Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus.
Hail Mary, full of grace! All generations, bless
our highly-favoured sister in her holiness!
Rejoice with her, who first received
God's Word made human, and believed.
Heaven and earth stand still while Mary, wrapped in thought,
accepts the words of joy and dread the angel brought
to bear the Christ, and hold him dear
in costly love, in pain and fear.
Courage and strength were hers when, virgin and alone,
she freely chose the will of God and made it her own.
She laughed, and sang a woman's song:
God lifts the weak, puts down the strong.
Now may we seek the path that Mary's feet once trod,
sufficient in herself to bear the fullness of God -
for Christ will come where faith and love
receive him still, and make him room.
SECOND READING [Luke 1:39-56]:
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a
Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the
house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth
heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed
with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and
blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this
happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the
child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who
believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was
spoken to her by the Lord.'
And Mary said,
'My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.'
And Mary remained with her for about three months and
then returned to her home.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
Following the example of Mary's patient love,
we pray for grace to follow God's will.
We pray for the Church.
May it follow Mary's example of patience, humility and trust.
God of love,
hear our prayer.
We pray for women
who serve as bishops, priests, deacons and ministers in your Church.
Open our ears to their witness and teaching.
God of love,
hear our prayer.
We pray for the world.
Teach us to honor the wholeness of God's creation
in both male and female.
God of love,
hear our prayer.
We pray for mothers.
May the knowledge of your love
ease the burden of those who are live with poverty or anxiety.
God of love,
hear our prayer.
We pray for women
suffering from cruelty and indifference.
Give us strength to give them comfort and relief.
God of love,
hear our prayer.
We join with the Blessed Virgin Mary
in intercession for the departed.
In the hour of death, save us by the love of Christ
which has raised them to eternal life.
God of love,
hear our prayer.
O God our deliverer,
you cast down the mighty,
and lift up those of no account:
As Elizabeth and Mary embraced with songs of liberation,
so may we also be pregnant with your Spirit,
and affirm one another in hope for the world;
through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
Receiving the Holy Spirit,
bearing the child of God,
pondering the mystery of Christ,
witnessing and following in the Way,
so Mary witnessed to your saving grace.
May we, O God, be as faithful and strong. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The
Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving is adapted from _Common
WorshipServices and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from
which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council,
2000.
The hymn is (c) Marnie Barrell, revised in 2001. This hymn is reproduced
here with the kind permission of the author; if you wish to reproduce it further,
please apply for permission by sending her an email.
The intercession is by Stephen T. Benner and is based on a prayer from
_Leading Intercessions_, (c) 2000, Canterbury Press.
The collect is from _A Prayer Book for Australia_. (c) 1995,
The Anglican Church of Australia Trust Corporation.
The closing sentence is adapted from prayers reprinted from _THE
DAILY OFFICE: A Book of Hours of Daily Prayer after the Use of the Order
of Saint Luke_, (c) 1997 by The Order of Saint Luke. Used by
permission.
After the angel Gabriel had announced to Mary that she was to become the
mother of Our Lord, Mary went from Galilee to Judea to visit her kinswoman
Elizabeth, soon to be the mother of John the Baptist. This visit is recorded in
Luke 1:39-56. Elizabeth greeted Mary with the words, "Blessed are you
among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." Mary burst forth with
the song of praise which we call the Magnificat, beginning, "My soul proclaims
the greatness of the Lord." We are told that even John the Baptist, still unborn,
leaped for joy in his mother's womb. Thus we are shown, side by side, the two
women, one seemingly too old to have a child, but destined to bear the last
prophet of the Old Covenant, of the age that was passing away; and the other
woman, seemingly not ready to have a child, but destined to bear the One Who
was Himself the beginning of the New Covenant, the age that would not pass
away. It is this meeting that we celebrate today. [James Kiefer]
From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat May 31 17:00:49 2008
From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner)
Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 17:00:49 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: OREMUS: 1 June 2008
Message-ID: <20080531170050.18A991E3C00@justus2c.anglican.org>
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*******************************************************
OREMUS for Sunday, June 1, 2008
The Third Sunday after Pentecost
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord,
your love reaches to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like teh strong mountains,
your justice like the great deep;
you save your entire creation, O Lord,
in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
For these and all your mercies, we praise you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!
An opening canticle may be sung.
http://www.oremus.org/ocan.html
Psalm 112
Alleluia!
Happy are they who fear the Lord*
and have great delight in his commandments!
Their descendants will be mighty in the land;*
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches will be in their house,*
and their righteousness will last for ever.
Light shines in the darkness for the upright;*
the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
It is good for them to be generous in lending*
and to manage their affairs with justice.
For they will never be shaken;*
the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.
They will not be afraid of any evil rumours;*
their heart is right;
they put their trust in the Lord.
Their heart is established and will not shrink,*
until they see their desire upon their enemies.
They have given freely to the poor,*
and their righteousness stands fast for ever;
they will hold up their head with honour.
The wicked will see it and be angry;
they will gnash their teeth and pine away;*
the desires of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 113
Alleluia!
Give praise, you servants of the Lord;*
praise the name of the Lord.
Let the name of the Lord be blessed,*
from this time forth for evermore.
>From the rising of the sun to its going down*
let the name of the Lord be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,*
and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
who sits enthroned on high,*
but stoops to behold the heavens and the earth?
He takes up the weak out of the dust*
and lifts up the poor from the ashes.
He sets them with the princes,*
with the princes of his people.
He makes the woman of a childless house*
to be a joyful mother of children.
A Song of God's Herald (Isaiah 40. 9-11)
Go up to a high mountain,
herald of good tidings to Zion;
lift up your voice with strength,
herald of good tidings to Jerusalem.
Lift up your voice, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah, 'Behold your God!'
See, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him.
Behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
God will feed his flock like a shepherd,
and gather the lambs in his arms;
He will carry them in his breast,
and gently lead those that are with young.
Psalm 150
Alleluia!
Praise God in his holy temple;*
praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts;*
praise him for his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn;*
praise him with lyre and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance;*
praise him with strings and pipe.
Praise him with resounding cymbals;*
praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath*
praise the Lord.
Alleluia!
FIRST READING [1 Samuel 20:1-7,12-42]:
David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came before Jonathan and said, 'What have I
done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin against your father that he is trying to
take my life?' He said to him, 'Perish the thought! You shall not die. My father does
nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me; and why should my father
hide this from me? Never!' But David also swore, 'Your father knows well that you
like me; and he thinks, "Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved." But
truly, as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and
death.' Then Jonathan said to David, 'Whatever you say, I will do for you.' David said
to Jonathan, 'Tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at
the meal; but let me go, so that I may hide in the field until the third evening. If your
father misses me at all, then say, "David earnestly asked leave of me to run to
Bethlehem his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family." If he says,
"Good!" it will be well with your servant; but if he is angry, then know that evil has
been determined by him.
Jonathan said to David, 'By the Lord, the God of Israel! When I have sounded out my
father, about this time tomorrow, or on the third day, if he is well disposed towards
David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? But if my father intends to do you
harm, the Lord do so to Jonathan, and more also, if I do not disclose it to you, and
send you away, so that you may go in safety. May the Lord be with you, as he has
been with my father. If I am still alive, show me the faithful love of the Lord; but if I
die, never cut off your faithful love from my house, even if the Lord were to cut off
every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.' Thus Jonathan made a
covenant with the house of David, saying, 'May the Lord seek out the enemies of
David.' Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him; for he loved him as he
loved his own life.
Jonathan said to him, 'Tomorrow is the new moon; you will be missed, because your
place will be empty. On the day after tomorrow, you shall go a long way down; go to
the place where you hid yourself earlier, and remain beside the stone there. I will shoot
three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. Then I will send the boy,
saying, "Go, find the arrows." If I say to the boy, "Look, the arrows are on this side of
you, collect them", then you are to come, for, as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and
there is no danger. But if I say to the young man, "Look, the arrows are beyond you",
then go; for the Lord has sent you away. As for the matter about which you and I have
spoken, the Lord is witness between you and me for ever.'
So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat at the feast
to eat. The king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall.
Jonathan stood, while Abner sat by Saul's side; but David's place was empty.
Saul did not say anything that day; for he thought, 'Something has befallen him; he is
not clean, surely he is not clean.' But on the second day, the day after the new moon,
David's place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, 'Why has the son of
Jesse not come to the feast, either yesterday or today?' Jonathan answered Saul,
'David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem; he said, "Let me go; for our
family is holding a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there.
So now, if I have found favour in your sight, let me get away, and see my brothers."
For this reason he has not come to the king's table.'
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan. He said to him, 'You son of a
perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to
your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son
of Jesse lives upon the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Now
send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.' Then Jonathan answered his father
Saul, 'Why should he be put to death? What has he done?' But Saul threw his spear at
him to strike him; so Jonathan knew that it was the decision of his father to put David
to death. Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food on the second
day of the month, for he was grieved for David, and because his father had disgraced
him.
In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and
with him was a little boy. He said to the boy, 'Run and find the arrows that I shoot.'
As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. When the boy came to the place where
Jonathan's arrow had fallen, Jonathan called after the boy and said, 'Is the arrow not
beyond you?' Jonathan called after the boy, 'Hurry, be quick, do not linger.' So
Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. But the boy knew
nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement. Jonathan gave his weapons
to the boy and said to him, 'Go and carry them to the city.' As soon as the boy had
gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and prostrated himself with his face to
the ground. He bowed three times, and they kissed each other, and wept with each
other; David wept the more. Then Jonathan said to David, 'Go in peace, since both of
us have sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, "The Lord shall be between me and
you, and between my descendants and your descendants, for ever." ' He got up and
left; and Jonathan went into the city.
HYMN
Words: John Fawcett (1740-1817)
Tune: Franconia, Newland, Potsdam (SM)
Blest be the tie that binds
our hearts in Jesu's love;
the fellowship of Christian minds
is like to that above.
Before our Father's throne
we pour our fervent prayers:
our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
our comforts and our cares.
We share our mutual woes,
our mutual burdens bear,
and often for each other flows
the sympathizing tear.
When for a while we part,
one thought shall not be vain,
that we shall still be joined in heart,
until we meet again.
One glorious hope revives
our courage by the way:
that each in expectation lives
of that tremendous day-
When from all toil and pain
and sin we shall be free,
and perfect love and friendship reign
through all eternity.
SECOND READING [1 Peter 1:17-end]:
If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their
deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were
ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things
like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without
defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed
at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who
raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on
God.
Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have
genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew,
not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
For
'All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures for ever.'
That word is the good news that was announced to you.
The Benedictus (Morning),
the Magnificat (Evening), or
Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow.
Prayer:
For people on low incomes. In these difficult economic times, let us pray for those who
are struggling to make ends meet; may they have faith in God and seek first his kingdom
and his righteousness. May they know that God will provide them with everything they
need. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the people of New York after the collapse of a construction crane during rush hour
on Friday; let us pray for healing where there is injury, consolation where there is death
and counselling where there is distress. Lord, in your mercy, hear our
prayer.
For those families in Somerset who have suffered during the recent floods; that
disruption to their lives will be minimal, and that order will be restored as soon as
possible. Let us pray for the communities there, that they will pull together and minister
to one another after this frightening experience. Lord, in your mercy Lord, in your
mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who work to tackle global poverty, challenge conflict and unite the world's
religions may quickly bring real change and lasting benefit to our changing world. Lord,
in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For all those who are currently experiencing real suffering because of rising oil prices,
particularly those working in the fishing industry around the world; that their protests
will bring to light the devastating effects that political and economic greed can have on
human life, and that through the work of the trade unions positive agreements can be
reached through peaceful means. Lord, in your mercy, hear our
prayer.
Lord our God,
you have given us the light of Christ to banish darkness
and to lead us in the way of your commandments:
make it ever our delight to fulfil your will,
and truly to love one another;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
- The Lord's Prayer
May we feast at your abundant table, O Lord,
and drink from the river of your delights. Amen.
*******************************************************
The psalms and the collect are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_
(Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission.
The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary
Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002.
The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized
Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from Psalm 36.
The petitions are gathered by Redemptorist Publications and are published each Friday on
their website: http://www.rpbooks.co.uk/page.php?page=prayers