From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat Oct 3 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 4 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091003170000.5FD8B313C33@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org ******************************************************* OREMUS for Sunday, October 4, 2009 Francis of Assisi, Friar, Deacon, Founder of the Friars Minor, 1226 Let all the earth acclaim God, sing to the glory of God's name. Come and see what God has done, let the sound of praise be heard. Amen. Blessed are you, God of our salvation, we falter before the demands of your word and turn away from your call to life. Yet you pour out your mercy on us as you showed mercy to your people of old, that we may turn from our sinfulness and walk the path of self-emptying love made known in Jesus Christ. 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 144 Blessed be the Lord my rock!* who trains my hands to fight and my fingers to battle; My help and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer,* my shield in whom I trust, who subdues the peoples under me. O Lord, what are we that you should care for us?* mere mortals that you should think of us? We are like a puff of wind;* our days are like a passing shadow. Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down;* touch the mountains and they shall smoke. Hurl the lightning and scatter them;* shoot out your arrows and rout them. Stretch out your hand from on high;* rescue me and deliver me from the great waters, from the hand of foreign peoples, Whose mouths speak deceitfully* and whose right hand is raised in falsehood. O God, I will sing to you a new song;* I will play to you on a ten-stringed lyre. You give victory to kings* and have rescued David your servant. Rescue me from the hurtful sword* and deliver me from the hand of foreign peoples, Whose mouths speak deceitfully* and whose right hand is raised in falsehood. May our sons be like plants well nurtured from their youth,* and our daughters like sculptured corners of a palace. May our barns be filled to overflowing* with all manner of crops; May the flocks in our pastures increase by thousands and tens of thousands;* may our cattle be fat and sleek. May there be no breaching of the walls, no going into exile,* no wailing in the public squares. Happy are the people of whom this is so!* happy are the people whose God is the Lord! A Song of Pilgrimage (Ecclesiasticus 51.13a,13c-17,20,21a,22b) While I was still young, I sought Wisdom openly in my prayer. Before the temple I asked for her, and I will search for her until the end. >From the first blossom to the ripening grape, my heart delighted in her. My foot walked on the straight path, from my youth I followed her steps. I inclined my ear a little and received her, I found for myself much instruction. I made progress in Wisdom; to the One who sent her, I will give glory. I directed my soul to Wisdom, and in purity have I found her. With her, I gained understanding from the first, therefore will I never be forsaken. My heart was stirred to seek her, with my tongue will I sing God's praise. Psalm 117 Alleluia! Praise the Lord, all you nations;* laud him, all you peoples. For his lovingkindness towards us is great,* and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Alleluia! FIRST READING [Malachi 2:1-10]: And now, O?priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse on you and I will curse your blessings; indeed I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and I will put you out of my presence. Know, then, that I have sent this command to you, so that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction. Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors? HYMN Words: William H. Draper (1855-1933); paraphrase of "Canticle of the Sun" by Francis of Assisi. Tune: Lasst uns erfreuen http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/a/a100.html Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus. All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voices, let us sing: Alleluia, alleluia! Thou burning sun with golden beams, thou silver moon that gently gleams, Refrain: O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Thou rushing wind that art so strong, ye clouds that sail in heaven along, O praise him, Alleluia! Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice, ye lights of evening, find a voice, (R) Thou flowing water, pure and clear, make music for thy Lord to hear, Alleluia, alleluia! Thou fire so masterful and bright, that givest man both warmth and light, (R) Dear mother earth, who day by day unfoldest blessings on our way, O praise him, Alleluia! The flowers and fruits that in thee grow, let them his glory also show: (R) And all ye men of tender heart, forgiving others, take your part, O sing ye Alleluia! Ye who long pain and sorrow bear, praise God and on him cast your care: (R) And thou, most kind and gentle death, waiting to hush our latest breath, O praise him, Alleluia! Thou leadest home the child of God, and Christ our Lord the way hath trod: (R) Let all things their Creator bless, and worship him in humbleness, O praise him, Alleluia! Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, Three in One: (R) SECOND READING [Mark 10:35-45]: James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, 'Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.' And he said to them, 'What is it you want me to do for you?' And they said to him, 'Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.' But Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?' They replied, 'We are able.' Then Jesus said to them, 'The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.' When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, 'You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.' The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Francis' Paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer : Our Father Creator, Redeemer, Saviour and Comforter. In heaven In the angels and the saints. You give them light so that they may have knowledge, because you are light. You inflame them so that they may love, because you are love. You live continually in them so that they may be happy, because you are the supreme good, the eternal good, and it is from you all good comes and without you there is no good. Hallowed be your name May our knowledge of you become ever clearer, so that we may realise the breadth of your blessings, the extent of your promises, the height of your majesty and the depth of your judgements. Your kingdom come So that you may reign in us by your grace and bring us to your kingdom, where we shall see you clearly, love you perfectly, be happy in your company and enjoy you for ever. Your will be done, on earth as in heaven That we may love you with our whole heart by always thinking of you; with our whole mind by directing our whole intention towards you and seeking your glory in everything; and with all our strength by spending all our energies and affections of soul and body in the service of your love alone. And may we love our neighbour as ourselves, encouraging them all to love you as best we can, rejoicing at the good fortune of others, just as if it were our own, and sympathising with their misfortunes, while giving offence to no one. Give us today our daily bread Your own beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to remind us of the love he showed for us and to help us to understand and appreciate it and everything that he did or said or suffered. And forgive us our sins In your infinite mercy, and by the power of the passion of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, together with the merits and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints. As we forgive those who sin against us And if we do not forgive perfectly, make us forgive perfectly, so that we may truly love our enemies for love of you and pray fervently to you for them, returning no one evil for evil, anxious only to serve everybody in you. Lead us not into temptation Hidden or obvious, sudden or unforeseen. But deliver us from evil Present, past or future. Amen. O God, you ever delight to reveal yourself to the child-like and lowly of heart grant that, following the example of the blessed Francis, we may count the wisdom of this world as foolishness and know only Jesus Christ and him crucified, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. May the power of your love, Lord Christ, fiery and sweet as honey, so absorb our hearts as to withdraw them from all that is under heaven. Grant that we may be ready to die for love of your love, as you died for love of our love. 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 is adapted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. The collect is from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. The closing sentence and the intercession are by Francis of Assisi. Francis was born in 1182, the son of a wealthy cloth merchant. His early years were frivolous, but an experience of sickness and another of military service were instrumental in leading him to reflect on the purpose of life. One day, in the church of San Damiano, he seemed to hear Christ saying to him, "Francis, repair my falling house." He took the words literally, and sold a bale of silk from his father's warehouse to pay for repairs to the church of San Damiano. His father was outraged, and there was a public confrontation at which his father disinherited and disowned him, and he in turn renounced his father's wealth--one account says that he not only handed his father his purse, but also took off his expensive clothes, laid them at his father's feet, and walked away naked. He declared himself "wedded to Lady Poverty", renounced all material possessions, and devoted himself to serving the poor. In his day the most dreaded of all diseases was something known as leprosy. (It is probably not the same as either the modern or the Biblical disease of that name.) Lepers were kept at a distance and regarded with fear and disgust. Francis cared for them, fed them, bathed their sores, and kissed them. Since he could not pay for repairs to the Church of San Damiano, he undertook to repair it by his own labors. He moved in with the priest, and begged stones lying useless in fields, shaping them for use in repairing the church. He got his meals, not by asking for money so that he might live at the expense of others, but by scrounging crusts and discarded vegetable from trash-bins, and by working as a day laborer, insisting on being paid in bread, milk, eggs, or vegetables rather than in money. Soon a few companions joined him. Dante in his Paradiso has Aquinas say of him: Let me tell you of a youth whose aristocratic father disowned him because of his love for a beautiful lady. She had been married before, to Christ, and was so faithful a spouse to Him that, while Mary only stood at the foot of the Cross, she leaped up to be with Him on the Cross. These two of whom I speak are Francis and the Lady Poverty. As they walked along together, the sight of their mutual love drew men's hearts after them. Bernard saw them and ran after them, kicking off his shoes to run faster to so great a peace. Giles and Sylvester saw them, kicked off their shoes and ran to join them.... After three years, in 1210, the Pope authorized the forming of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly called the Franciscans. ("Friar" means "brother," as in "fraternity", and "minor" means "lesser" or "younger." I take the meaning to be that a Franciscan, meeting another Christian, is to think, "I am your brother in Christ, and your younger brother at that, bound to defer to you and to give you precedence over myself." Francis and his companions took literally the words of Christ when he sent his disciples out to preach (Matthew 10:7-10): Preach as you go, saying, "The kingdom of Heaven is at hand." ... You have received the Gospel without payment, give it to others as freely. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, no spare garment, nor sandals, nor staff. They would have no money, and no property, individually or collectively. Their task was to preach, "using words if necessary," but declaring by word and action the love of God in Christ. Francis was partial to a touch of the dramatic (see his parting from his father, for example), and it was probably he who set up the first Christmas manger scene, to bring home the Good News of God made man for our salvation, home to men's hearts and imaginations as well as to their intellects. In 1219, Francis went to the Holy Land to preach to the moslems. He was given a pass through the enemy lines, and spoke to the Sultan, Melek-al-Kamil. Francis proclaimed the Gospel to the Sultan, who replied that he had his own beliefs, and that moslems were as firmly convinced of the truth of Islam as Francis was of the truth of Christianity. Francis proposed that a fire be built, and that he and a moslem volunteer would walk side by side into the fire to show whose faith was stronger. The Sultan said he was not sure that a moslem volunteer could be found. Francis then offered to walk into the fire alone. The Sultan who was deeply impressed but remained unconverted. Francis proposed an armistice between the two warring sides, and drew up terms for one; the Sultan agreed, but, to Francis's deep disappointment, the Christian leaders would not. Francis returned to Italy, but a permanent result was that the Franciscans were given custody of the Christian shrines then in moslem hands. Back in Italy and neighboring countries, the Order was suffering from its own success. Then, as now, many persons were deeply attracted by Francis and his air of joy, abandonment, and freedom. What is overlooked is that these were made possible only by his willingness to accept total poverty, not picturesque poverty but real dirt, rags, cold, and hunger, and lepers with real pus oozing from their sores and a real danger of infection. Many idealistic young men were joining the Order in a burst of enthusiasm and then finding themselves not so sure that such extremes of poverty were really necessary. When there were only a few friars, they were all known to Francis personally, and the force of his personality kept the original ideals of the Order alive in them. Now that the Order was larger, this was no longer enough. In 1220 Francis resigned as minister-general of the Order, and in 1221 he agreed to a new and modified rule, which he did not approve, but could not resist. He died on 4 October 1226. The Franciscan split into the Conventual Franciscans, who held a limited amount of property in common, and the Spiritual Franciscans, who disavowed all property. They taught that Christ and the twelve apostles had held no property, singly or jointly. This view offended those who held property, and was declared to be heretical (proof text, John 18:10; Jesus said to Peter, "Put up thy sword...."). In 1318, several Spiritual Franciscans were burned at the stake in Marseilles. >From the first known letter from Francis to all Christians: "O how happy and blessed are those who love the Lord and do as the Lord himself said in the gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul, and your neighbor as yourself. Thereofore, let us love God and adore him with pure heart and mind. This is his particular desire when he says: True worshipers adore the Father in spirit and truth. For all who adore him must do so in the spirit of truth. Let us also direct to him our praises and prayers, saying: "Our Father, who are in heaven," since we must always pray and never grow slack. Furthermore, let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neightbors as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will recieve from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be sinple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive toe very human being for God's sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father's children who do his work. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ. [James Kiefer, abridged] From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun Oct 4 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 5 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091004170000.F4185313CA3@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Monday, October 5, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed is your glorious name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, worthy of praise from every mouth, of confession from every tongue, of worship from every creature. You created the world in your grace, and by your compassion you redeemed it. Heaven and earth are full of your praises: Glory be to you, O God most high! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 7 O Lord my God, I take refuge in you;* save and deliver me from all who pursue me; Lest like a lion they tear me in pieces* and snatch me away with none to deliver me. O Lord my God, if I have done these things:* if there is any wickedness in my hands, If I have repaid my friend with evil,* or plundered one who without cause is my enemy; Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me,* trample my life into the ground, and lay my honour in the dust. Stand up, O Lord, in your wrath;* rise up against the fury of my enemies. Awake, O my God, decree justice;* let the assembly of the peoples gather round you. Be seated on your lofty throne, O Most High;* O Lord, judge the nations. Give judgement for me according to my righteousness, O Lord,* and according to my innocence, O Most High. Let the malice of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous;* for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God. God is my shield and defence;* he is the saviour of the true in heart. God is a righteous judge;* God sits in judgement every day. If they will not repent, God will whet his sword;* he will bend his bow and make it ready. He has prepared his weapons of death;* he makes his arrows shafts of fire. Look at those who are in labour with wickedness,* who conceive evil and give birth to a lie. They dig a pit and make it deep* and fall into the hole that they have made. Their malice turns back upon their own head;* their violence falls on their own scalp. I will bear witness that the Lord is righteous;* I will praise the name of the Lord Most High. 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 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 [Job 3:1-10, 13-19]: After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. Job said: ?Let the day perish on which I was born, ???and the night that said, ????A man-child is conceived.? Let that day be darkness! ???May God above not seek it, ???or light shine on it. Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. ???Let clouds settle upon it; ???let the blackness of the day terrify it. That night?let thick darkness seize it! ???let it not rejoice among the days of the year; ???let it not come into the number of the months. Yes, let that night be barren; ???let no joyful cry be heard in it. Let those curse it who curse the Sea, ???those who are skilled to rouse up Leviathan. Let the stars of its dawn be dark; ???let it hope for light, but have none; ???may it not see the eyelids of the morning? because it did not shut the doors of my mother?s womb, ???and hide trouble from my eyes. Now I would be lying down and quiet; ???I would be asleep; then I would be at rest with kings and counsellors of the earth ???who rebuild ruins for themselves, or with princes who have gold, ???who fill their houses with silver. Or why was I not buried like a stillborn child, ???like an infant that never sees the light? There the wicked cease from troubling, ???and there the weary are at rest. There the prisoners are at ease together; ???they do not hear the voice of the taskmaster. The small and the great are there, ???and the slaves are free from their masters. HYMN Words: John Ellerton (1826-1893) Tune: Old 112th, St. Matthias, St Chrysostom God of the living, in whose eyes Unveiled Thy whole creation lies, All souls are Thine; we must not say That those are dead who pass away; >From this our world of flesh set free, We know them living unto Thee. Released from earthly toil and strife, With Thee is hidden still their life; Thine are their thoughts, their works, their powers, All Thine, and yet most truly ours; For well we know, where'er they be, Our dead are living unto Thee. Not spilt like water on the ground, Not wrapped in dreamless sleep profound, Not wandering in unknown despair, Beyond Thy voice, Thine arm, Thy care, Not left to lie like fallen tree; Not dead, but living unto Thee. Thy word is true, Thy will is just: To Thee we leave them, Lord, in trust; And bless Thee for the love which gave Thy Son to fill a human grave, That none might fear that world to see Where all are living unto Thee. O Giver unto man of breath, O Holder of the keys of death, O Quickener of the life within, Save us from death, the death of sin; That body, soul, and spirit be For ever living unto Thee! SECOND READING [1 Thessalonians 5:12-end]: But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labour among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. Beloved, pray for us. Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Aware of God(s gracious love for all creation, let us pray for Christ(s Church, the world and all who stand in need. For the Church throughout the world, that we may proclaim the Good News and bring reconciliation and healing to this planet. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For all Christians, that they may know the power of the living Christ and serve in faithful discipleship filled with grace and love and peace. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For our country, that its leaders may govern wisely and with compassion; that its people may act responsibly toward one another with fairness and for the common good. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For all nations, that all peoples shall know peace with justice, that together they may recognize their common interdependence in sharing the resources of earth. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For the ties that bind us together, that family members may respect one another with tender care, that children are reared with a trust in the goodness of life, that relations between friend and friend be open in loving honesty. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For those who are in trouble or in danger, that regardless of circumstance they may find hope and release and know that they are not alone, but abide in you. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For the spread of God(s good news to all the world, that people shall increasingly seek to know God and find their rest in him who came to save us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Righteous Judge of the nations, you know the secrets of our hearts; our sins are not hidden from you: Rise to our defense and strengthen us in the faith, that we may struggle against evil and bear witness to your justice, in the Name of 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 the God of peace make us holy through and through, and keep us sound in spirit, soul, and body, free of any fault when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 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 and the closing prayer are adapted from Common Order, (c) 1994 The Church of Scotland. From steve.benner at oremus.org Mon Oct 5 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 6 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091005170000.B1C53313C22@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Tuesday, October 6, 2009 William Tyndale, Translator of the Scriptures, Martyr, 1536 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed is your glorious name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, worthy of praise from every mouth, of confession from every tongue, of worship from every creature. You created the world in your grace, and by your compassion you redeemed it. Heaven and earth are full of your praises: Glory be to you, O God most high! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 11 In the Lord have I taken refuge;* how then can you say to me, 'Fly away like a bird to the hilltop; 'For see how the wicked bend the bow and fit their arrows to the string,* to shoot from ambush at the true of heart. 'When the foundations are being destroyed,* what can the righteous do?' The Lord is in his holy temple;* the Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes behold the inhabited world;* his piercing eye weighs our worth. The Lord weighs the righteous as well as the wicked,* but those who delight in violence he abhors. Upon the wicked he shall rain coals of fire and burning sulphur;* a scorching wind shall be their lot. For the Lord is righteous; he delights in righteous deeds;* and the just shall see his face. Psalm 12 Help me, Lord, for there is no godly one left;* the faithful have vanished from among us. Everyone speaks falsely with their neighbour;* with a smooth tongue they speak from a double heart. O that the Lord would cut off all smooth tongues,* and close the lips that utter proud boasts! Those who say, 'With our tongue will we prevail;* our lips are our own; who is lord over us?' 'Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery,* I will rise up', says the Lord, 'and give them the help they long for.' The words of the Lord are pure words,* like silver refined from ore and purified seven times in the fire. O Lord, watch over us* and save us from this generation for ever. The wicked prowl on every side,* and that which is worthless is highly prized by everyone. 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 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 [Job 4:12-end]: ?Now a word came stealing to me, ???my ear received the whisper of it. Amid thoughts from visions of the night, ???when deep sleep falls on mortals, dread came upon me, and trembling, ???which made all my bones shake. A spirit glided past my face; ???the hair of my flesh bristled. It stood still, ???but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; ???there was silence, then I heard a voice: ?Can mortals be righteous before God? ???Can human beings be pure before their Maker? Even in his servants he puts no trust, ???and his angels he charges with error; how much more those who live in houses of clay, ???whose foundation is in the dust, ???who are crushed like a moth. Between morning and evening they are destroyed; ???they perish for ever without any regarding it. Their tent-cord is plucked up within them, ???and they die devoid of wisdom.? HYMN Words: Fred Kaan (1929-2009) Meter: 86 86 D For all who have enriched our lives, whom we have loved and known, for saints alive among us still by whom our faith is honed, we thank you, God, who came and comes through women, children, men, to share the highs and lows of life: God-for-us, now as then. For all who with disarming love have led us to explore the risk of reasoning and doubt, new realms not known before, we thank you, God, who came and comes to free us from our past, from ghettos of a rigid mind, from truths unfit to last. For all whose laughter has unnerved tradition gone awry, who with incisive gentleness pursue each human 'why?', we thank you, God, who came and comes to those who probe and ask, who seek to know the mind of Christ and take the church to task. Now for each other and ourselves we pray that, healed of fear, we may re-live the love of Christ, prepared in hope to err. Then leave us, God, who comes and goes, in human-ness to grow, to care for people, tend the earth, - the only earth we know! SECOND READING [2 Thessalonians 1]: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgement of God, and is intended to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering. For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marvelled at on that day among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfil by his power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Lord Jesus, born in pain, struggling towards life, fighting for breath; born in shame, born to the threat of Herod(s sword; fleeing to another country, another home; wrapped in a young girl(s love, placed in a borrowed bed; We pray for those we know and love; for all who suffer pain of body or anguish of mind; for all who struggle to live, to live well, to live better; for all who burn with shame, for all who face threat and danger, We pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer. We pray for warravaged countries and refugees; for the starving poor; for battered wives and abused children; for the homeless, for the mentally ill; for those who struggle with disability. Strengthen us to work for peace on the earth and peace with the earth. We pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer. We pray for the Church, especially the Diocese of Keep us faithful that we may bear faithful witness in word and work to your presence among us. We pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer. We pray for all who are alone. May our love reach out to the lonely and brokenhearted, the bereaved, and all for whom life has become something to be endured. May we open our minds, hearts and homes to those around us. We pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer. And we pray for our own needs: seeking the grace of your presence, firming our resolve to behave as we believe; seeking your courage to reconcile, heal and make new; seeking a sure vision of your coming kingdom. We pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer. Father, help your people in this world to build something of your kingdom, and to do your will. Strengthen, Lord, for service, hand and heart and brain; Let the living presence of the servant-Christ heighten our devotion, and make our life a feast. Amen. Lord, give to your people grace to hear and keep your word that, after the example of your servant William Tyndale, we may not only profess your gospel but also be ready to suffer and die for it, to the honour of your name; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of 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 the God of peace make us holy through and through, and keep us sound in spirit, soul, and body, free of any fault when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 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 and the closing prayer are adapted from Common Order, (c) 1994 The Church of Scotland. The second collect is from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. William Tyndale was born about 1495 at Slymbridge near the Welsh border. He received his degrees from Magdalen College, Oxford, and also studied at Cambridge. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1521, and soon began to speak of his desire, which eventually became his life's obsession, to translate the Scriptures into English. It is reported that, in the course of a dispute with a promminent clergyman who disparaged this proposal, he said, "If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost." The remainder of his life was devoted to keeping that vow, or boast. Finding that the King, Henry VIII, was firmly set against any English version of the Scriptures, he fled to Germany (visiting Martin Luther in 1525), and there travelled from city to city, in exile, poverty, persecution, and constant danger. Tyndale understood the commonly received doctrine -- the popular theology -- of his time to imply that men earn their salvation by good behavior and by penance. He wrote eloquently in favor of the view that salvation is a gift of God, freely bestowed, and not a response to any good act on the part of the receiver. His views are expressed in numerous pamphlets, and in the introductions to and commentaries on various books of the Bible that accompanied his translations. He completed his translation of the New Testament in 1525, and it was printed at Worms and smuggled into England. Of 18,000 copies, only two survive. In 1534, he produced a revised version, and began work on the Old Testament. In the next two years he completed and published the Pentateuch and Jonah, and translated the books from Joshua through Second Chronicles, but then he was captured (betrayed by one he had befriended), tried for heresy, and put to death. He was burned at the stake, but, as was often done, the officer strangled him before lighting the fire. His last words were, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes." Miles Coverdale continued Tyndale's work by translating those portions of the Bible (including the Apocrypha) which Tyndale had not lived to translate himself, and publishing the complete work. In 1537, the "Matthew Bible" (essentially the Tyndale-Coverdale Bible under another man's name to spare the government embarrassment) was published in England with the Royal Permission. Six copies were set up for public reading in Old St. Paul's Church, and throughout the daylight hours the church was crowded with those who had come to hear it. One man would stand at the lectern and read until his voice gave out, and then he would stand down and another would take his place. All English translations of the Bible from that time to the present century are essentially revisions of the Tyndale-Coverdale work. [James Kiefer, abridged] From steve.benner at oremus.org Tue Oct 6 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 7 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091006170000.A0E78313C42@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed is your glorious name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, worthy of praise from every mouth, of confession from every tongue, of worship from every creature. You created the world in your grace, and by your compassion you redeemed it. Heaven and earth are full of your praises: Glory be to you, O God most high! An opening canticle may be sung. 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 sackcloth 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 Judith (Judith 16.1316) 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 147:13-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 [Job 5:8-18]: ?As for me, I would seek God, ???and to God I would commit my cause. 9He does great things and unsearchable, ???marvellous things without number. 10He gives rain on the earth ???and sends waters on the fields; 11he sets on high those who are lowly, ???and those who mourn are lifted to safety. 12He frustrates the devices of the crafty, ???so that their hands achieve no success. 13He takes the wise in their own craftiness; ???and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end. 14They meet with darkness in the daytime, ???and grope at noonday as in the night. 15But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth, ???from the hand of the mighty. 16So the poor have hope, ???and injustice shuts its mouth. 17?How happy is the one whom God reproves; ???therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.* 18For he wounds, but he binds up; ???he strikes, but his hands heal. HYMN Words: Scottish Paraphrases (1781) Meter: CMD Though trouble springs not from the dust, nor sorrow from the ground; Yet ills on ills, by Heav'n's decree, in man's estate are found. As sparks in close succession rise, so man, the child of woe, Is doom'd to endless cares and toils through all his life below. But with my God I leave my cause; from him I seek relief; To him, in confidence of pray'r, unbosom all my grief. Unnumber'd are his wondrous works, unseachable his ways; 'Tis his the mourning soul to cheer, the bowed down to raise. SECOND READING [2 Thessalonians 2:1-12]: As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false, so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Creator God, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, we commend all your people to your tender care and safekeeping. Lord of mercy, hear our prayer. Protect all who are work in mines, tend machinery, or travel by land, sea or air. Defend those in mortal danger because of evil surrounding them. Fill every hospital and nursing home with your spirit of healing and love. Lord of mercy, hear our prayer. Govern our nation and its leaders, that all that mars our social life and causes misery may be relieved, that each person may have access to work, homes, food and health care. Lord of mercy, hear our prayer. Break down the suspicions and fears that keep the nations apart. Rebuke those who foster prejudice. Teach us all to live together in the peace of Jesus Christ. Lord of mercy, hear our prayer. Grant to every member of your Church the faith that removes obstacles, the hope that makes all things new and the love that brings deliverance, that we more effectively serve you and bring others to the knowledge of your truth. Lord of mercy, hear our prayer. 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. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer May the God of peace make us holy through and through, and keep us sound in spirit, soul, and body, free of any fault when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 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 and the closing prayer are adapted from Common Order, (c) 1994 The Church of Scotland. From steve.benner at oremus.org Wed Oct 7 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 8 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091007170000.80734313C55@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Thursday, October 8, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed is your glorious name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, worthy of praise from every mouth, of confession from every tongue, of worship from every creature. You created the world in your grace, and by your compassion you redeemed it. Heaven and earth are full of your praises: Glory be to you, O God most high! An opening canticle may be sung. 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 lovingkindness 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 Baruch (Baruch 5.5,6c,79) Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height: look to the east and see your children, Gathered from the west and the east at the word of the Holy One. They rejoice that God has remembered them and has brought them back to you. For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low, And the valleys filled up to make level ground so that they may walk safely in the glory of God. The woods and every fragrant tree have shaded them at God(s command. For God will lead his people with joy in the light of his glory with the mercy and righteousness that comes from God. 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 seamonsters 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 [Job 10:1-9, 12-18]: ?I loathe my life; ???I will give free utterance to my complaint; ???I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say to God, Do not condemn me; ???let me know why you contend against me. Does it seem good to you to oppress, ???to despise the work of your hands ???and favour the schemes of the wicked? Do you have eyes of flesh? ???Do you see as humans see? Are your days like the days of mortals, ???or your years like human years, that you seek out my iniquity ???and search for my sin, although you know that I am not guilty, ???and there is no one to deliver out of your hand? Your hands fashioned and made me; ???and now you turn and destroy me. Remember that you fashioned me like clay; ???and will you turn me to dust again? You have granted me life and steadfast love, ???and your care has preserved my spirit. Yet these things you hid in your heart; ???I know that this was your purpose. If I sin, you watch me, ???and do not acquit me of my iniquity. If I am wicked, woe to me! ???If I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace ???and look upon my affliction. Bold as a lion you hunt me; ???you repeat your exploits against me. You renew your witnesses against me, ???and increase your vexation towards me; ???you bring fresh troops against me. ?Why did you bring me forth from the womb? ???Would that I had died before any eye had seen me,' HYMN Words: Ernest E Dugmore (1843-1925) Tune: Old 50th Almighty Father, Unoriginate, Whom no man hath seen ever, nor can see; Who reignest Bless'd and Only Potentate, Light unapproachable encircling Thee: Almighty Father, hallow'd be Thy Name, Who ever art, unchangeably the same. Thou lovest us, else had we never been: Before we were, in ages long ago, Thy love had us and all our wants foreseen, Creating us that we Thy love might know. Yea, Father, Thou, in Whom we live and move, Hast loved us with an everlasting love. Thou madest man immortal at the first, An image of Thine own eternity; And when he fell from life, through sin accurst, And lost his right to the life-giving tree, Thy love, unconquer'd, would to him restore His life ennobled and for evermore. Such was Thy love, Thou didst not even spare Thy Best-beloved, but gav'st Him for us all; To live that human life beyond compare, And dying, by His death retrieve our fall. In Him Thy love unbounded we behold, For, giving Him, Thou canst not aught withhold. Thou knowest what we are, how frail and blind, Thou still rememb'rest that we are but dust: Like as a father pitieth, Thou art kind, Thy justice kindness, and Thy kindness just. Then hear Thy children's prayer from heav'n Thy throne; Father, Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done. SECOND READING [2 Thessalonians 2:13- 3:5]: But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Lord of our lives, we have decided to follow Jesus and have chosen to be in your Kingdom. Give us courage, discernment and an unwavering faith. We pray for your Church throughout the world, Shed forth your spirit of discipleship upon us. When we are uncertain, reveal a vision. When we are passive, light a fire. When we are tempted, send your Spirit. Enfold us in your love, wrap us about with assurance and infuse us with determination, that we may be true disciples and all the world may see the love of Jesus Christ in us. 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. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer May the God of peace make us holy through and through, and keep us sound in spirit, soul, and body, free of any fault when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 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 and the closing prayer are adapted from Common Order, (c) 1994 The Church of Scotland. From steve.benner at oremus.org Thu Oct 8 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 9 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091008170000.98CBF313C4C@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Friday, October 9, 2009 Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln, Philosopher, Scientist, 1253 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed is your glorious name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, worthy of praise from every mouth, of confession from every tongue, of worship from every creature. You created the world in your grace, and by your compassion you redeemed it. Heaven and earth are full of your praises: Glory be to you, O God most high! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 22 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?* and are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer;* by night as well, but I find no rest. Yet you are the Holy One,* enthroned upon the praises of Israel. Our forebears put their trust in you;* they trusted and you delivered them. They cried out to you and were delivered;* they trusted in you and were not put to shame. But as for me, I am a worm and no man,* scorned by all and despised by the people. All who see me laugh me to scorn;* they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying, 'He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him;* let him rescue him, if he delights in him.' Yet you are he who took me out of the womb,* and kept me safe upon my mother's breast. I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born;* you were my God when I was still in my mother's womb. Be not far from me, for trouble is near,* and there is none to help. Many young bulls encircle me;* strong bulls of Bashan surround me. They open wide their jaws at me,* like a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint;* my heart within my breast is melting wax. My mouth is dried out like a potsherd; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;* and you have laid me in the dust of the grave. Packs of dogs close me in, and gangs of evildoers circle around me;* they pierce my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;* they divide my garments among them; they cast lots for my clothing. Be not far away, O Lord;* you are my strength; hasten to help me. Save me from the sword,* my life from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth,* my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls. I will declare your name to my people;* in the midst of the congregation I will praise you. Praise the Lord, you that fear him;* stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel; all you of Jacob's line, give glory. For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither does he hide his face from them;* but when they cry to him he hears them. My praise is of him in the great assembly;* I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall praise him:* 'May your heart live for ever!' All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,* and all the families of the nations shall bow before him. For kingship belongs to the Lord;* he rules over the nations. To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship;* all who go down to the dust fall before him. My soul shall live for him; my descendants shall serve him;* they shall be known as the Lord's for ever. They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn* the saving deeds that he has done. A Song of Repentance (1 John 1. 59) This is the message we have heard from Christ and proclaim to you: that God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with God while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true. But if we walk in the light as God is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. And the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, cleanses us from all our sins. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, the One who is faithful and just will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 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 twoedged 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 [Job 11:7-end]: ?Can you find out the deep things of God? ???Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven?what can you do? ???Deeper than Sheol?what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth, ???and broader than the sea. If he passes through, and imprisons, ???and assembles for judgement, who can hinder him? For he knows those who are worthless; ???when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it? But a stupid person will get understanding, ???when a wild ass is born human. ?If you direct your heart rightly, ???you will stretch out your hands towards him. If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, ???and do not let wickedness reside in your tents. Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; ???you will be secure, and will not fear. You will forget your misery; ???you will remember it as waters that have passed away. And your life will be brighter than the noonday; ???its darkness will be like the morning. And you will have confidence, because there is hope; ???you will be protected and take your rest in safety. You will lie down, and no one will make you afraid; ???many will entreat your favour. But the eyes of the wicked will fail; ???all way of escape will be lost to them, ???and their hope is to breathe their last.? HYMN Words: Edward Hayes Plumptre (1821-1891) Tune: Neumark, O Waly Waly 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 [2 Thessalonians 3:6-end]: Now we command you, beloved,* in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are* living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they* received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8and we did not eat anyone?s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labour we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13Brothers and sisters,* do not be weary in doing what is right. 14?Take note of those who do not obey what we say in this letter; have nothing to do with them, so that they may be ashamed. 15Do not regard them as enemies, but warn them as believers.* Final Greetings and Benediction 16?Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you. < ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Saturday, October 10, 2009 Paulinus, Bishop of York, Missionary, 644 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed is your glorious name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, worthy of praise from every mouth, of confession from every tongue, of worship from every creature. You created the world in your grace, and by your compassion you redeemed it. Heaven and earth are full of your praises: Glory be to you, O God most high! An opening canticle may be sung. 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 Righteous (Wisdom 3.1,2a,3b8) The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish, they seem to have died; but they are at peace. For though, in the sight of others, they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy. Like gold in the furnace, God tried them and, like a sacrificial burnt offering, accepted them. In the time of their visitation, they will shine forth and will run like sparks through the stubble. They will govern nations and rule over peoples and God will reign over them 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'shorn;* 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 loudclanging cymbals. Let everything that has breath* praise the Lord. Alleluia! FIRST READING [Job 12:1-10]: Then Job answered: '2No doubt you are the people, ???and wisdom will die with you. 3But I have understanding as well as you; ???I am not inferior to you. ???Who does not know such things as these? 4I am a laughing-stock to my friends; ???I, who called upon God and he answered me, ???a just and blameless man, I am a laughing-stock. 5Those at ease have contempt for misfortune,* ???but it is ready for those whose feet are unstable. 6The tents of robbers are at peace, ???and those who provoke God are secure, ???who bring their god in their hands.* 7'But ask the animals, and they will teach you; ???the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 8ask the plants of the earth,* and they will teach you; ???and the fish of the sea will declare to you. 9Who among all these does not know ???that the hand of the Lord has done this? 10In his hand is the life of every living thing ???and the breath of every human being.' HYMN Words: Christian L Scheidt (1709-1761) Tune: Justin, O Waly Waly, Neumark By grace I'm saved, grace free and boundless; My soul, believe and doubt it not. Why stagger at this word of promise? Hath scripture ever falsehood taught? No! then this word must true remain: By grace thou, too, shalt heaven obtain. By grace! None dare lay claim to merit; Our works and conduct have no worth. God in His love sent our Redeemer, Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth; His death did for our sins atone And we are saved by grace alone. By grace! O, mark this word of promise When thou art by thy sins oppressed, When Satan plagues thy troubled conscience And when thy heart is seeking rest. What reason cannot comprehend God by His grace to thee doth send. By grace! This ground of faith is certain; So long as God is true, it stands. What saints have penned by inspiration, What in His word our God commands, What our whole faith must rest upon, Is grace alone, grace in His Son. SECOND READING [James 1:1-11]: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up, and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: In every time of trouble, you, O God, are a very present help. You are with us, sustaining our world in freedom, restraining the powers of darkness, of death and of destruction; embracing us all with arms of love, to enfold and to hold. And so we bring to you our prayers for ourselves, for those we love, and for our world. We pray for ourselves and our own needs: Whatever you would have us to be; whatever we need to love our neighbor as ourselves, whatever we need to love one another: Bountiful Source of Love: hear our prayer. We pray for those we love: Our hopes and dreams for them; our anguish and anxiety on their behalf; our desire to make life easier for them. Bountiful Source of Love: hear our prayer. We pray for our world: Our pain at what we have done to creation; our wonder at the beauty of that which we have not yet spoiled; our calling to establish justice and peace. Bountiful Source of Love: hear our prayer. Lord God, King of the Universe, you show the bright glory of your reign in acts of mercy and enduring love: raise the spirits of the downcast and restore those who have fallen away, that your Church may continually sing of your saving help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. God our Saviour, who sent Paulinus to preach and to baptize, and so to build up your Church: grant that, inspired by his example, we may tell all the world of your truth, that with him we may receive the reward you prepare for all your faithful servants; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of 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 the God of peace make us holy through and through, and keep us sound in spirit, soul, and body, free of any fault when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 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 and the closing prayer are adapted from Common Order, (c) 1994 The Church of Scotland. In the middle 400's the pagan Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain, driving the Christian Britons north and west into Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. In 597 a band of monks headed by Augustine of Canterbury (feast 26 May--not to be confused with Augustine of Hippo) arrived in southeastern England, in the kingdom of Kent, and began to evangelize the people there, with considerable success. In 601 a second group of monks arrived, including Paulinus (born around 584). Sometime after 616, Edwin, the pagan king of Northumbria (the region north of the Humber river--roughly the northern quarter of England), asked for the hand in marriage of Ethelburga, the sister of the king of Kent. He was told that a Christian princess could not marry a pagan, but he promised that she would be free to practice her religion, and that he would listen to Christian preachers, and seriously consider becoming a Christian himself. At this Ethelburga agreed to marry him, and went north in 625, taking with her as chaplain the monk Paulinus, who was consecrated bishop for the purpose. Edwin heard the preaching of Paulinus for many months, and finally consulted his advisors. Coifi, the high priest of the pagan religion, advised adopting Christianity, since he said that the pagan religion had not proved satisfactory. Another nobleman agreed, saying: "Life is like a banquet hall. Inside is light and fire and warmth and feasting, but outside it is cold and dark. A sparrow flies in through a window at one end, flies the length of the hall, and out through a window at the other end. That is what life is like. At birth we emerge from the unknown, and for a brief while we are here on this earth, with a fair amount of comfort and happiness. But then we fly out the window at the other end, into the cold and dark and unknown future. If the new religion can lighten that darkness for us, then let us follow it." The other elders and counselors of the king gave similar advice, and so in 627 the king and many of his chief men were baptized. Other conversions followed, and the Church in Northumbria flourished. However, six years later, King Edwin was defeated and killed by Cadwallon of Wales and Penda of Mercia at the battle of Hatfield Chase. Paulinus left his deacon James in charge of what remained of the Church there, and took Queen Ethelburga and her children back to Kent by ship. There the elderly Paulinus was given the bishopric of Rochester, which he held till his death on 10 October 644. [James Kiefer] From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun Oct 11 20:30:45 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:30:45 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 12 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091011203045.5A70F313C62@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Monday, October 12, 2009 Wilfrid of Ripon, Bishop, Missionary, 709 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, Lord of the feast, you have prepared a table before all peoples and poured out life with such abundance that death cannot claim the triumph over your universe. You call us again to your banquet where we may may receive your holy food, and, strengthened by what is honorable, just, and pure, be transformed into a people of righteousness and peace. 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. 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 sickbed* 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. A Song of the Blessed (Matthew 5.310) Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness( sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Rejoice and be glad for you are the light of the world, and great is your reward in heaven. 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 [Job 12:13-22]: With God are wisdom and strength; ???he has counsel and understanding. If he tears down, no one can rebuild; ???if he shuts someone in, no one can open up. If he withholds the waters, they dry up; ???if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. With him are strength and wisdom; ???the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leads counsellors away stripped, ???and makes fools of judges. He looses the sash of kings, ???and binds a waistcloth on their loins. He leads priests away stripped, ???and overthrows the mighty. He deprives of speech those who are trusted, ???and takes away the discernment of the elders. He pours contempt on princes, ???and looses the belt of the strong. He uncovers the deeps out of darkness, ???and brings deep darkness to light. HYMN Words: William Bright (1824-1901) Tune: Unde et memores And now, O Father, mindful of the love that bought us, once for all, on Calvary's tree, and having with us him that pleads above, we here present, we here spread forth to thee that only offering perfect in thine eyes, the one true, pure, immortal sacrifice. Look, Father, look on his anointed face, and only look on us as found in him; look not on our misusings of thy grace, our prayer so languid, and our faith so dim: for lo, between our sins and their reward we set the Passion of thy Son our Lord. And then for those, our dearest and our best, by this prevailing presence we appeal: O fold them closer to thy mercy's breast, O do thine utmost for their souls' true weal; from tainting mischief keep them white and clear, and crown thy gifts with strength to persevere. And so we come: O draw us to thy feet, most patient Saviour, who canst love us still; and by this food, so aweful and so sweet, deliver us from every touch of ill: in thine own service make us glad and free, and grant us never more to part with thee. SECOND READING [James 1:12-21]: Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, ?I am being tempted by God?; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one?s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my beloved. Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfilment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God?s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Creator and Sustainer of life, God, who ever calls us back to his ways of justice and peace: we thank you for the gift of the land, for its beauty, and its resources, and the rich heritage we enjoy. Merciful, mighty God: hear our prayer. And so we pray: for those who make decisions about our land and its resources; for those who work on the land and sea, in our cities, and in commerce and industry; for artists, scientists, politicians, and visionaries. Merciful, mighty God: hear our prayer. We thank you for giving us life, and for giving us our life together. We pray for all who through their own or others( actions are deprived of fullness of life; for all who know sickness, disability, and an untimely death; for all who devote their lives to ministering to the needs of others. Merciful, mighty God: hear our prayer. Give us reverence for life in this, your created world. May we reflect the goodness of your creation in the society we create with and for one another. Merciful, mighty God: hear our prayer. Heavenly Father, whose Son suffered denial and betrayal of trust from those who shared his bread: raise us up, O Lord, and prevent us in the time of trial from falling away from you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Almighty God, who called our forebears to the light of the gospel by the preaching of your servant Wilfrid: help us, who keep his life and labour in remembrance, to glorify your name by following the example of his zeal and perseverance; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of 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 be mindful of God's call to holiness and be clothed in the practice of good works, that we may come to God's banquet prepared to feast with the whole world.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 and the closing prayer are reprinted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. The second collect is from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. Wilfred was born around 634 in Northumbria, and was educated for a while at the island monastery of Lindisfarne, after which he went south to London, where he became an enthusiastic supporter of Roman liturgical customs, as contrasted with the traditional Celtic customs that were prevalent in the North and in other areas that had been evangelised by Celtic rather than Roman missionaries. The two questions that were nominally in dispute were (1) the method of calculating the date of Easter, and (2) the method of tonsuring a monk (i.e. which areas of the head ought to be shaved). As often happens, these were probably stand-ins for other questions less easily articulated. In about 654, Wilfred left England for Rome (stopping for a year in Lyons, France) and then returned (stopping for three years in Lyons), arriving in England in about 660. He was made abbot of Ripon in Northumbria, and imposed the Roman rules there. In 664 a conference was held (the Synod of Whitby) to settle the usages controversy, and the Roman party triumphed, thanks in large part to the leadership of Wilfrid. He was appointed Bishop of York by Alcfrid, sub-king of Deira (a division of Northumbria), but was unwilling to be consecrated by bishops of the Celtic tradition, and so went over to France to be consecrated, and was gone for two years. On his return, he found that King Oswy of Northumbria had appointed Chad (see 2 March 672) as bishop of York. Wilfrid returned quietly to Ripon. But in 669 the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore (see 19 September 690), declared that Wilfrid was rightful bishop of York. Chad quietly withrew, and Wilfrid was installed at York. For the next few years, Wilfrid enjoyed peace and prosperity, stood high in the favor of King Efrith of Northumbria, and was undisputed bishop of a diocese that included the entire kingdom of Northumbria, with his cathedral at York. But there was trouble ahead. The queen wanted to leave her husband and become a nun, and Wilfrid encouraged her in this. After she had left (in 672), the king was not as cordial to Wilfrid as he had been, and in 678, Archbishop Theodore, acting in close concert with the king, divided the Diocese of York into four smaller dioceses, and appointed new bishops for three of them, leaving Wilfrid with the fourth, which did not include the city of York. Wilfrid decided to appeal to the pope. On his way to Rome, he spent a year preaching in Frisia, and so was the beginning of the movement by Christian Anglo-Saxons in Britain to convert their relatives on the Continent. The pope eventually sided with Wilfrid, but the ruling was not accepted in England, and Wilfrid was banished from Northumbria. He went to Sussex, the last center of Anglo-Saxon paganism in England, and preached there. When he arrived, there had been no rain for many months, the crops were ruined, and the people were starving. Wilfrid showed them how to construct fishnets for ocean fishing, and so saved the lives of many. They listened to his preaching with favorable presuppositions, and soon a large number of them were ready for baptism. On the day that he baptized them, it rained. He remained in Sussex for five years, preaching with great success. Eventually he was reconciled with Archbishop Theodore, and returned to Northumbria, where he was again given a bishopric. He served there a bishop for five peaceful years, but then a royal council found him unfit; he was deposed again, appealed to Rome again, and ended up bishop of the small diocese of Hexham, with jurisdiction over the various monasteries that he had founded. In his will, he bequeathed his money to four causes: (1) to various Roman congregations; (2) to the poor; (3) to the clergy who had followed him into exile; and (4) to the abbots of the various monasteries under his jurisdiction, "so that they could purchase the friendship of kings and bishops." He died 12 October 709. [James Kiefer] From steve.benner at oremus.org Mon Oct 12 18:08:22 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:08:22 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 13 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091012180822.933A7313D04@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Tuesday, October 13, 2009 Edward the Confessor, King of England, 1066 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, Lord of the feast, you have prepared a table before all peoples and poured out life with such abundance that death cannot claim the triumph over your universe. You call us again to your banquet where we may may receive your holy food, and, strengthened by what is honorable, just, and pure, be transformed into a people of righteousness and peace. 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. Psalm 42 As the deer longs for the waterbrooks,* so longs my soul for you, O God. My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God;* when shall I come to appear before the presence of God? My tears have been my food day and night,* while all day long they say to me, 'Where now is your God?' I pour out my soul when I think on these things:* how I went with the multitude and led them into the house of God, With the voice of praise and thanksgiving,* among those who keep holyday. 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. My soul is heavy within me;* therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan, and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon. One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts;* all your rapids and floods have gone over me. The Lord grants his lovingkindness in the daytime;* in the night season his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I will say to the God of my strength, 'Why have you forgotten me?* and why do I go so heavily while the enemy oppresses me?' While my bones are being broken,* my enemies mock me to my face; All day long they mock me* say to me, 'Where now is your 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 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. A Song of Peace (Isaiah 2.35) Come, let us go up to the mountain of God, to the house of the God of Jacob; That God may teach us his ways, and that we may walk in his paths. For the law shall go out from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. God shall judge between the nations, and shall mediate for many peoples. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O people of Jacob, come: let us walk in the light of the Lord. 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 [Job 14:1-14]: ?A mortal, born of woman, few of days and full of trouble, ???comes up like a flower and withers, ???flees like a shadow and does not last. Do you fix your eyes on such a one? ???Do you bring me into judgement with you? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? ???No one can. Since their days are determined, ???and the number of their months is known to you, ???and you have appointed the bounds that they cannot pass, look away from them, and desist, ???that they may enjoy, like labourers, their days. ?For there is hope for a tree, ???if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, ???and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grows old in the earth, ???and its stump dies in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud ???and put forth branches like a young plant. But mortals die, and are laid low; ???humans expire, and where are they? As waters fail from a lake, ???and a river wastes away and dries up, so mortals lie down and do not rise again; ???until the heavens are no more, they will not awake ???or be roused out of their sleep. O that you would hide me in Sheol, ???that you would conceal me until your wrath is past, ???that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If mortals die, will they live again? ???All the days of my service I would wait ???until my release should come. HYMN Words: John Fawcett (1740-1817) Meter: 88 88 88 Thy presence, gracious God, afford: Prepare us to receive Thy word; Now let Thy voice engage our ear, And faith be mixed with what we hear. Thus, Lord, Thy waiting servants bless. And crown Thy gospel with success. Distracting thoughts and cares remove, And fix our hearts and hopes above; With food divine may we be fed, And satisfied with living bread. Chorus To us the sacred word apply With sovereign power and energy; And may we, in Thy faith and fear, Reduce to practice what we hear. Chorus Father, in us Thy Son reveal, Teach us to know and do Thy will: Thy saving power and love display, And guide us to the realms of day. Chorus SECOND READING [James 1:22-end]: But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act?they will be blessed in their doing. If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: O God our Salvation, you are near to all who call: hear and answer our prayers. You are a refuge for the oppressed; be our stronghold in troubled times. You stand at the right hand of the needy; rescue all who are wrongfully condemned. You raise the poor from the dust; restore dignity to those who seek refuge. You give food to the hungry; uphold the cause of the destitute. You watch over those who wander and sustain the widow; provide protection in the face of danger. You heal the brokenhearted; bind up the wounds of all who suffer. You call us to be your Church, send us out to do your will in the world. You are a mighty God who loves justice; establish your equity for all people. Praise be to you, O Lord; you hear and answer our prayers. Creator God, whose life-giving Spirit wells up with streams of living water, sustain those whose spirits are heavy and whose wells have run dry, through Jesus Christ, the rock of our salvation. Amen. Sovereign God, who set your servant Edward upon the throne of an earthly kingdom and inspired him with zeal for the kingdom of heaven: grant that we may so confess the faith of Christ by word and deed, that we may, with all your saints, inherit your eternal glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of 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 be mindful of God's call to holiness and be clothed in the practice of good works, that we may come to God's banquet prepared to feast with the whole world.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 and the closing prayer are reprinted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. From steve.benner at oremus.org Tue Oct 13 17:00:01 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 14 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091013170001.095AB313C66@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Teresa of Avila, Teacher of the Faith, 1582 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, Lord of the feast, you have prepared a table before all peoples and poured out life with such abundance that death cannot claim the triumph over your universe. You call us again to your banquet where we may may receive your holy food, and, strengthened by what is honorable, just, and pure, be transformed into a people of righteousness and peace. 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. Psalm 44 We have heard with our ears, O God, our forebears have told us,* the deeds you did in their days, in the days of old. How with your hand you drove the peoples out and planted our forebears in the land;* how you destroyed nations and made your people flourish. For they did not take the land by their sword, nor did their arm win the victory for them;* but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your countenance, because you favoured them. You are my King and my God;* you command victories for Jacob. Through you we pushed back our adversaries;* through your name we trampled on those who rose up against us. For I do not rely on my bow,* and my sword does not give me the victory. Surely, you gave us victory over our adversaries* and put those who hate us to shame. Every day we gloried in God,* and we will praise your name for ever. Nevertheless, you have rejected and humbled us* and do not go forth with our armies. You have made us fall back before our adversary,* and our enemies have plundered us. You have made us like sheep to be eaten* and have scattered us among the nations. You are selling your people for a trifle* and are making no profit on the sale of them. You have made us the scorn of our neighbours,* a mockery and derision to those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations,* a laughingstock among the peoples. My humiliation is daily before me,* and shame has covered my face; Because of the taunts of the mockers and blasphemers,* because of the enemy and avenger. All this has come upon us;* yet we have not forgotten you, nor have we betrayed your covenant. Our heart never turned back,* nor did our footsteps stray from your path; Though you thrust us down into a place of misery,* and covered us over with deep darkness. If we have forgotten the name of our God,* or stretched out our hands to some strange god, Will not God find it out?* for he knows the secrets of the heart. Indeed, for your sake we are killed all the day long;* we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake, O Lord! why are you sleeping?* Arise! do not reject us for ever. Why have you hidden your face* and forgotten our affliction and oppression? We sink down into the dust;* our body cleaves to the ground. Rise up and help us,* and save us for the sake of your steadfast love. A Song of the New Jerusalem (Isaiah 60.13,11a,18,19,14b) Arise, shine out, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising upon you. Though night still covers the earth, and darkness the peoples; Above you the Holy One arises, and above you God(s glory appears. The nations will come to your light, and kings to your dawning brightness. Your gates will lie open continually, shut neither by day nor by night. The sound of violence shall be heard no longer in your land, or ruin and devastation within your borders. You will call your walls, Salvation, and your gates, Praise. No more will the sun give you daylight, nor moonlight shine upon you; But the Lord will be your everlasting light, your God will be your splendour. For you shall be called the city of God, the dwelling of the Holy One of Israel. 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 [Job 18:5-7, 14-21]: 'Surely the light of the wicked is put out, ???and the flame of their fire does not shine. The light is dark in their tent, ???and the lamp above them is put out. Their strong steps are shortened, ???and their own schemes throw them down. They are torn from the tent in which they trusted, ???and are brought to the king of terrors. In their tents nothing remains; ???sulphur is scattered upon their habitations. Their roots dry up beneath, ???and their branches wither above. Their memory perishes from the earth, ???and they have no name in the street. They are thrust from light into darkness, ???and driven out of the world. They have no offspring or descendant among their people, ???and no survivor where they used to live. They of the west are appalled at their fate, ???and horror seizes those of the east. Surely such are the dwellings of the ungodly, ???such is the place of those who do not know God.' HYMN Words: Teresa of Avila (1545-1582); translation by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Tune: Taize Nada te turbe, nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene nada le falta. Nada te turbe, nada te espante. Solo Dios basta. Let nothing disturb thee, Nothing affright thee; All things are passing, God never changeth! Patient endurance attaineth to all things; Who God possesseth in nothing is wanting; Alone God sufficeth. SECOND READING [James 2:1-13]: My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favouritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ?Have a seat here, please?, while to the one who is poor you say, ?Stand there?, or, ?Sit at my feet?, have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? You do well if you really fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, ?You shall love your neighbour as yourself.? But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, ?You shall not commit adultery?, also said, ?You shall not murder.? Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgement will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Let us pray for the grace to recognize the presence of God in our lives. Open our eyes to see your salvation; reveal yourself to a blind humanity. Make your face shine upon those who live with disease; give them your strength and your peace. Let all who are weighed down by want come to know your bounty; that they may put their trust in your goodness. To those who hold power and riches, grant a discerning spirit; that they may be set free by your freedom and love. In the darkness of unknowing, when your love seems absent and your favour far away, draw near to us, O God, through Jesus Christ, the forsaken one, the risen one, our Redeemer and our Lord. Amen. Merciful God, who by your Spirit raised up your servant Teresa of Avila to reveal to your Church the way of perfection: grant that her teaching may awaken in us a longing for holiness, until we attain to the perfect union of love in Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of 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 be mindful of God's call to holiness and be clothed in the practice of good works, that we may come to God's banquet prepared to feast with the whole world.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 and the closing prayer are reprinted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. The second collect is from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada (later known as Teresa de Jesus) was born in Avila, Spain, 28 March 1515, one of ten children whose mother died when she was fifteen. Her family was of partly Jewish ancestry. Teresa, having read the letters of Jerome, decided to become a nun, and when she was 20, she entered the Carmelite convent in Avila. There she fell seriously ill, was in a coma for a while, and partially paralyzed for three years. In her early years as a nun, she was, by her account, assiduous in prayer while sick but lax and lukewarm in her prayers and devotions when the sickness had passed. However, her prayer life eventually deepened, she began to have visions and a vivid sense of the presence of God, and was converted to a life of extreme devotion. In 1560 she resolved to reform the monastery that had, she thought, departed from the order's original intention and become insufficiently austere. Her proposed reforms included strict enclosure (the nuns were not to go to parties and social gatherings in town, or to have social visitors at the convent, but to stay in the convent and pray and study most of their waking hours) and discalcing (literally, taking off one's shoes, a symbol of poverty, humility, and the simple life, uncluttered by luxuries and other distractions). In 1562 she opened a new monastery in Avila, over much opposition in the town and from the older monastery. At length Teresa was given permission to proceed with her reforms, and she travelled throughout Spain establishing seventeen houses of Carmelites of the Strict (or Reformed) Observance (the others are called Carmelites of the Ancient Observance). The reformed houses were small, poor, disciplined, and strictly enclosed. Teresa died 4 October 1582. Teresa is reported to have been very attractive in person, witty, candid, and affectionate. She is remembered both for her practical achievements and organizing skill and for her life of contemplative prayer. Her books are read as aids to the spiritual life by many Christians of all denominations. Her Life is her autobiography to 1562; The Way of Perfection is a treatise on the Christian walk, written primarily for her sisters but of help to others as well; The Book of Foundations deals with establishing, organizing and overseeing the daily functioning of religious communities; The Interior Castle (or The Castle of The Soul) deals with the life of Christ in the heart of the believer. Most of these are available in paperback. 31 of her poems and 458 of her letters survive. Christ has no body now but yours No hands, no feet on earth but yours Yours are the eyes through which He looks compassion on this world Christ has no body now on earth but yours. From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri Oct 16 18:10:50 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:10:50 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 17 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091016181050.2B17C313C16@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Saturday, October 17, 2009 Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Martyr, c.107 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, Lord of the feast, you have prepared a table before all peoples and poured out life with such abundance that death cannot claim the triumph over your universe. You call us again to your banquet where we may may receive your holy food, and, strengthened by what is honorable, just, and pure, be transformed into a people of righteousness and peace. 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. Psalm 71 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;* let me never be ashamed. In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free;* incline your ear to me and save me. Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe;* you are my crag and my stronghold. Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,* from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor. For you are my hope, O Lord God,* my confidence since I was young. I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother's womb you have been my strength;* my praise shall be always of you. I have become a portent to many;* but you are my refuge and my strength. Let my mouth be full of your praise* and your glory all the day long. Do not cast me off in my old age;* forsake me not when my strength fails. For my enemies are talking against me,* and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together. They say, 'God has forsaken him; go after him and seize him;* because there is none who will save.' O God, be not far from me;* come quickly to help me, O my God. Let those who set themselves against me be put to shame and be disgraced;* let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn and reproach. But I shall always wait in patience,* and shall praise you more and more. My mouth shall recount your mighty acts and saving deeds all day long;* though I cannot know the number of them. I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord God;* I will recall your righteousness, yours alone. O God, you have taught me since I was young,* and to this day I tell of your wonderful works. And now that I am old and greyheaded, O God, do not forsake me,* till I make known your strength to this generation and your power to all who are to come. Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens;* you have done great things; who is like you, O God? You have showed me great troubles and adversities,* but you will restore my life and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth. You strengthen me more and more;* you enfold and comfort me, Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your faithfulness, O my God;* I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will sing with joy when I play to you,* and so will my soul, which you have redeemed. My tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long,* for they are ashamed and disgraced who sought to do me harm. A Song of Jerusalem our Mother (Isaiah 66.10,11a,12a,12c,13a,14a,b) Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her,( says the Lord. Rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her, That you may drink deeply with delight from her consoling breast.( For thus says our God, You shall be nursed and carried on her arm. As a mother comforts her children, so I will comfort you; You shall see and your heart shall rejoice; you shall flourish like the grass of the fields.( 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'shorn;* 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 loudclanging cymbals. Let everything that has breath* praise the Lord. Alleluia! FIRST READING [Job 25:2-6 & 26:6-14]: Dominion and fear are with God; ???he makes peace in his high heaven. Is there any number to his armies? ???Upon whom does his light not arise? How then can a mortal be righteous before God? ???How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon is not bright ???and the stars are not pure in his sight, how much less a mortal, who is a maggot, ???and a human being, who is a worm! Sheol is naked before God, ???and Abaddon has no covering. He stretches out Zaphon over the void, ???and hangs the earth upon nothing. He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, ???and the cloud is not torn open by them. He covers the face of the full moon, ???and spreads over it his cloud. He has described a circle on the face of the waters, ???at the boundary between light and darkness. The pillars of heaven tremble, ???and are astounded at his rebuke. By his power he stilled the Sea; ???by his understanding he struck down Rahab. By his wind the heavens were made fair; ???his hand pierced the fleeing serpent. These are indeed but the outskirts of his ways; ???and how small a whisper do we hear of him! ???But the thunder of his power who can understand? HYMN Words: Cecilia M Caddell (1813-1877) Tune: Flora http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/b/b069.html Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus. Behold the lilies of the field, they neither toil nor sow; yet God does all things needful yield that they may live and grow. Not Solomon in glory shone like one of these poor flowers, that look to God and God alone for sunshine and for showers. And does his mercy value less the offspring of his grace? And will a Father's love not bless the child that seeks his face? He is our Father, and he knows his earthly children's need: on all our daily wants and woes he looks with careful heed. O then away with fear and care for all that may betide; and turn to God in trustful prayer, and in his love confide. SECOND READING [James 4:1-12]: Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, ?God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us?? But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, ???but gives grace to the humble.' Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters. Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another, speaks evil against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. So who, then, are you to judge your neighbour? The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Loving God, in Jesus Christ you teach us to pray: Guide us by your Holy Spirit that our prayers for others may serve your will and show your steadfast love for all. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Gracious God, you have called together a people to be the Church of Jesus Christ, founded on the apostles. May your people be one in faith and discipleship, breaking bread together and telling good news. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. May the world come to believe that you are love, turn to your ways and live in the light of your truth. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. You made all things and called them good. May your planet earth be held in reverence by all people, that its resources may be used wisely and its fragile balance between life and death respected. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Hear our prayers for those who rule the nations, that they may learn wisdom and truth, establish justice and mercy and seek the ways of peace. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Faithful God, living Saviour, in youth and old age, in weakness and adversity, from the womb to the grave, may we know your protection and proclaim your great salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Almighty God, whose servant Ignatius zealously proclaimed the true humanity of Christ and witnessed to him, both in life and in death: keep the Church firm in its faith and grant us all the grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ, 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 May we be mindful of God's call to holiness and be clothed in the practice of good works, that we may come to God's banquet prepared to feast with the whole world.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 and the closing prayer are reprinted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. After the Apostles, Ignatius was the second bishop of Antioch in Syria. His predecessor, of whom little is known, was named Euodius. Whether he knew any of the Apostles directly is uncertain. Little is known of his life except for the very end of it. Early in the second century (perhaps around 107 AD, during the reign of the Emperor Trajan), he was arrested by the Imperial authorities, condemned to death, and transported to Rome to die in the arena. By thus dealing with a leader, the rulers hoped to terrify the rank and file. Instead, Ignatius took the opportunity to encourage them, speaking to groups of Christians at every town along the way. When the prison escort reached the west coast of Asia Minor, it halted before taking ship, and delegations from several Asian churches were able to visit Ignatius, to speak with him at length, to assist him with items for his journey, and to bid him an affectionate farewell and commend him to the grace of God. In response he wrote seven letters that have been preserved: five to congregations that had greeted him, en masse or by delegates (Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Philadelphians, and Smyrnaeans), one to the congregation that would greet him at his destination (Romans), and one to Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of the Apostle John. The themes with which he is chiefly concerned in his letters are (1) the importance of maintaining Christian unity in love and sound doctrine (with warnings against factionalism and against the heresy of Docetism -- the belief that Christ was not fully human and did not have a material body or really suffer and die), (2) the role of the clergy as a focus of Christian unity, (3) Christian martyrdom as a glorious privilege, eagerly to be grasped. He writes: I am God's wheat, ground fine by the lion's teeth to be made purest bread for Christ. No early pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire. The time for my birth is close at hand. Forgive me, my brothers. Do not stand in the way of my birth to real life; do not wish me stillborn. My desire is to belong to God. Do not, then, hand me back to the world. do not try to tempt me with material things. Let me attain pure light. Only on my arrival there can I be fully a human being. Give me the privilege of imitating the passion of my God. From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat Oct 17 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 18 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091017170000.50DD4313C1F@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org ******************************************************* OREMUS for Sunday, October 18, 2009 Saint Luke the Evangelist Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God, for making the mystery of Christ your Son known to us through the scriptures, the work of those enlightened by your Holy Spirit. Through these writings which have become a fertile seed for all generations the words and acts of the Savior bear rich fruit to your praise and glory. 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 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 117 Alleluia! Praise the Lord, all you nations;* laud him, all you peoples. For his lovingkindness towards us is great,* and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Alleluia! FIRST READING [Ecclesiasticus 38:1-14]: Honour physicians for their services, for the Lord created them; for their gift of healing comes from the Most High, and they are rewarded by the king. The skill of physicians makes them distinguished, and in the presence of the great they are admired. The Lord created medicines out of the earth, and the sensible will not despise them. Was not water made sweet with a tree in order that its power might be known? And he gave skill to human beings that he might be glorified in his marvellous works. By them the physician heals and takes away pain; the pharmacist makes a mixture from them. God's works will never be finished; and from him health spreads over all the earth. My child, when you are ill, do not delay, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you. Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly, and cleanse your heart from all sin. Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of choice flour, and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford. Then give the physician his place, for the Lord created him; do not let him leave you, for you need him. There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians, for they too pray to the Lord that he will grant them success in diagnosis and in healing, for the sake of preserving life. HYMN Words: Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley, 1906 Tune: Jesus ist das sch?nste Licht http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/s/s043.html Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus. Savior, who didst healing give, still in power go before us; thou through death didst men live, unto fuller life restore us; strength from thee the fainting found, deaf men heard, the blind went seeing; at thy touch was banished sickness, and the leper felt new being. Thou didst work thy deeds of old through the loving hands of others; still thy mercies manifold bless men by the hands of brothers; angels still before thy face go, sweet health to brothers bringing; still, hearts glow to tell his praises with whose name the Church is ringing. Loved physician! for his word lo, the Gospel page burns brighter, mission servant of the Lord, painter true and perfect writer; Savior of thy bounty send such as Luke of Gospel story, friends to all in body's prison till the sufferers see thy glory. SECOND READING [Colossians 4:2-end]: Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. Conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Tychicus will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow-servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts; he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here. Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions if he comes to you, welcome him. And Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, 'See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.' I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: God the Father, your will for all people is health and salvation; -We praise you and bless you, Lord. God the Son, you came that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly; -We praise you and bless you, Lord. God the Holy Spirit, you make our bodies the temple of your presence; -We praise you and bless you, Lord. Holy Trinity, one God, in you we live and move and have our being; -We praise you and bless you, Lord. Lord, grant your healing grace to all who are sick, injured, or disabled, that they may be made whole; -Hear us, Lord of life. Grant to all who seek your guidance, and to all who are lonely, anxious or despondent, a knowledge of your will and an awareness of your presence; Hear us, Lord of life. Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional distress to soundness of mind and serenity of spirit; -Hear us, Lord of life. Bless physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the suffering granting them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; -Hear us, Lord of life. Grant to the dying peace and a holy death, and uphold by the grace and consolation of your Holy Spirit those who are bereaved; -Hear us, Lord of life. Restore to wholeness whatever is broken by sin, in our lives, in our nation, and in the world; -Hear us, Lord of life. You are the Lord, who does wonders -You have declared your power among the peoples. With you, Lord, is the well of life -And in your light we see light. Hear us, Lord of life -Heal us, and make us whole. Almighty God, you called Luke the physician, whose praise is in the gospel, to be an evangelist and physician of the soul by the grace of the Spirit and through the wholesome medicine of the gospel, give your Church the same love and power to heal; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of 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 be mindful of God's call to holiness and be clothed in the practice of good works, that we may come to God's banquet prepared to feast with the whole world.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 uses phrases from a prayer in _Opening Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language_. Canterbury Press, Norwich, 1999. The intercession and the collect are from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. Almost all that we know about Luke comes from the New Testament. He was a physician (Col 4:14), a companion of Paul on some of his missionary journeys (Acts 16:10ff; 20:5ff; 27-28). In Luke's account of the Gospel, we find an emphasis on the human love of Christ, on His compassion for sinners and for suffering and unhappy persons, for outcasts such as the Samaritans, tax collectors, lepers, shepherds (not a respected profession), and for the poor. The role of women in Christ's ministry is more emphasized in Luke than in the other Gospel writings. In the book of Acts, we find the early Christian community poised from the start to carry out its commission, confident and aware of Divine guidance. We see how the early Christians at first preached only to Jews, then to Samaritans (a borderline case), then to outright Gentiles like Cornelius, and finally explicitly recognized that Gentiles and Jews are called on equal terms to the service and fellowship of Christ. [James Kiefer, abridged] From steve.benner at oremus.org Wed Oct 21 19:14:12 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:14:12 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 22 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091021191412.73361313C18@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Thursday, October 22, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, Lord of the feast, you have prepared a table before all peoples and poured out life with such abundance that death cannot claim the triumph over your universe. You call us again to your banquet where we may may receive your holy food, and, strengthened by what is honorable, just, and pure, be transformed into a people of righteousness and peace. 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. 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 Faith (1 Peter 1.35,18,19,21) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, Who are being protected by the power of God through faith, for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. You were ransomed from the futile ways of your ancestors not with perishable things like silver or gold But with the precious blood of Christ like that of a lamb without spot or stain. Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. 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 seamonsters 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 [Job 38:31-38]: Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, ???or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, ???or can you guide the Bear with its children? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? ???Can you establish their rule on the earth? Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, ???so that a flood of waters may cover you? Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go ???and say to you, ?Here we are?? Who has put wisdom in the inward parts, ???or given understanding to the mind? Who has the wisdom to number the clouds? ???Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens, when the dust runs into a mass ???and the clods cling together? HYMN Words: Paulus Gerhardt (1607-1676) Robert Bridges (1844-1930) Tune: Innsbruck The duteous day now closeth, Each flower and tree reposeth, Shade creeps o'er wild and wood: Let us, as night is falling, On God our maker calling Give thanks to him, the giver good. Now all the heavenly splendour Breaks forth in starlight tender >From myriad worlds unknown; And man, the marvel seeing, Forgets his selfish being, For joy of beauty not his own. His care he drowneth yonder, Lost in the abyss of wonder; To heaven his soul doth steal: This life he disesteemeth, The day it is that dreameth, That does from truth his vision seal Awhile his mortal blindness May miss God's loving-kindness, And grope in faithless strife: But when life's day is over Shall death's fair night discover The fields of everlasting life. SECOND READING [1 Tim. 1:12-end]: am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners?of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. I am giving you these instructions, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, having faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have suffered shipwreck in the faith; among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have turned over to Satan, so that they may learn not to blaspheme. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: We pray for the family of the church, for loving relationships, and for the life of families around us, saying Jesus, Lord of love: in your mercy, hear us. Jesus, born in poverty and soon a refugee, be with families today who are poor and live in hunger and want. . . Jesus, Lord of love: in your mercy, hear us. Jesus, who grew in wisdom and in favor with God and the people in the family of Joseph the carpenter, bring wisdom and the presence of God into the work and growth of families today. . . Jesus, Lord of love: in your mercy, hear us. Jesus, who blessed marriage in the wedding at Cana, be with those preparing for marriage and with those who come to the end of their resources. . . Jesus, Lord of love: in your mercy, hear us. Jesus, who healed Peter's mother in law, bring healing to hurt relationships and families today. . . Jesus, Lord of love: in your mercy, hear us. Jesus, who on the cross said, 'Mother, behold your son', provide today for those who lose their families, the bereaved and childless, orphans and widows. . . Jesus, Lord of love: in your mercy, hear us. Jesus, who on the seashore provided food for the disciples, bring the whole Church on earth and in heaven into your risen presence to eat at the eternal banquet. Jesus, Lord of love: in your mercy, hear us. 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. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer May we be mindful of God's call to holiness and be clothed in the practice of good works, that we may come to God's banquet prepared to feast with the whole world.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 and the closing prayer are reprinted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. From steve.benner at oremus.org Thu Oct 22 19:51:17 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:51:17 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 23 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091022195117.703E6313C30@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org ******************************************************* OREMUS for Thursday, October 23, 2008 James of Jerusalem, Brother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and Martyr, c. 62 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God, you know each of us by name, and in your sight we have found favor, yet our minds cannot comprehend the vision of your glory or the vastness of your love. We praise you for forming us in your image and calling us to be your people. 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 119:145-168 I call with my whole heart;* answer me, O Lord, that I may keep your statutes. I call to you; O that you would save me!* I will keep your decrees. Early in the morning I cry out to you,* for in your word is my trust. My eyes are open in the night watches,* that I may meditate upon your promise. Hear my voice, O Lord, according to your loving-kindness;* according to your judgements, give me life. They draw near who in malice persecute me;* they are very far from your law. You, O Lord, are near at hand,* and all your commandments are true. Long have I known from your decrees* that you have established them for ever. Behold my affliction and deliver me,* for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me;* according to your promise, give me life. Deliverance is far from the wicked,* for they do not study your statutes. Great is your compassion, O Lord;* preserve my life, according to your judgements. There are many who persecute and oppress me,* yet I have not swerved from your decrees. I look with loathing at the faithless,* for they have not kept your word. See how I love your commandments!* O Lord, in your mercy, preserve me. The heart of your word is truth;* all your righteous judgements endure for evermore. Rulers have persecuted me without a cause,* but my heart stands in awe of your word. I am as glad because of your promise* as one who finds great spoils. As for lies, I hate and abhor them,* but your law is my love. Seven times a day do I praise you,* because of your righteous judgements. Great peace have they who love your law;* for them there is no stumbling block. I have hoped for your salvation, O Lord,* and I have fulfilled your commandments. I have kept your decrees* and I have loved them deeply. I have kept your commandments and decrees,* for all my ways are before you. A Song of the Word of the Lord (Isaiah 55:6-11) Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; Let the wicked abandon their ways, and the unrighteous their thoughts; Return to the Lord, who will have mercy; to our God, who will richly pardon. 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways', says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 'As the rain and the snow come down from above, and return not again but water the earth, 'Bringing forth life and giving growth, seed for sowing and bread to eat, 'So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not return to me fruitless, 'But it will accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the task I gave it.' 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 twoedged 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 [Jeremiah 11:18-23]: It was the Lord who made it known to me, and I knew; then you showed me their evil deeds. But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. And I did not know it was against me that they devised schemes, saying, 'Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will no longer be remembered!' But you, O Lord of hosts, who judge righteously, who try the heart and the mind, let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the people of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, 'You shall not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand' therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: I am going to punish them; the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; and not even a remnant shall be left of them. For I will bring disaster upon the people of Anathoth, the year of their punishment. HYMN Words: John Oxenham, 1908 Tune: McKee http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/i/i236.html Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus. In Christ there is no East or West, in him no South or North, but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth. In him shall true hearts everywhere their high communion find, his service is the golden cord close-binding all mankind. Join hands, disciples of the faith, whate'er your race may be! Who serves my Father as a son is surely kin to me. In Christ now meet both East and West, in him meet South and North, all Christly souls are one in him, throughout the whole wide earth. SECOND READING [Acts 15:12-22a]: The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, 'My brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first looked favourably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, "After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it,and I will set it up, so that all other peoples may seek the Lord even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called.Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago." Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues.' Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: In your glory, Lord, protect us by the power of your name, that we may be one as you are one. We are in the world but not of it. Protect us from the evil one. Give us your word and the full measure of your joy. Sanctify us by your truth. May your Spirit unite us in the love and glory of Father and Son. May we be one that the world may believe. As you sent your Son into the world so send us, to make your glory known. Lord God of peace: Grant that, after the example of your servant Saint James the brother of our Lord, your Church may give itself continually to prayer and to the reconciliation of all who are caught up in hatred or enmity; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer May the God whose likeness we bear focus our hearts and wills on the Gospel, that we may render worthy worship and loving service in Jesus' 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 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 closing prayer is adapted from a prayer by Alan Griffiths. James of Jerusalem is referred to in the New Testament as the brother of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He was for many years the leader of the Christian congregation in Jerusalem, and is generally supposed to be the author of the Epistle of James, although the Epistle itself does not state this explicitly. James is mentioned briefly in connection with Jesus' visit to Nazareth. We are told that Jesus' brothers did not believe in him, and from this, and from references in early Christian writers, it is inferred that James was not a disciple of the Lord until after the Resurrection. Paul, listing appearances of the Risen Lord (1 Cor 15:3-8), includes an appearance to James. Peter, about to leave Jerusalem after escaping from Herod, leaves a message for James and the Apostles. When a council meets at Jerusalem to consider what rules Gentile Christians should be required to keep, James formulates the final consensus. Paul speaks of going to Jerusalem three years after his conversion and conferring there with Peter and James, and speaks again of a later visit (perhaps the one described in Acts 15) on which Peter, James, and John, "the pillars," placed their stamp of approval on the mission to the Gentiles . A few verses later (G 2:11-14), he says that messengers from James coming to Antioch discouraged Jewish Christians there from eating with Gentile Christians. (If this is refers to the same event as A 15:1-2, then Paul takes a step back chronologically in his narration at G 2:11, which is not improbable, since he is dictating and mentioning arguments and events that count as evidence for his side as they occur to him.) On his last recorded visit to Jerusalem, Paul visits James (others are present, but no other names are given) and speaks of his ministry to the Gentiles (A 21:18). Outside the New Testament, James is mentioned by the Jewish historian Josephus, who calls him "the brother of Jesus the so-called Christ," and reports that he was much respected even by the Pharisees for his piety and strict observance of the Law, but that his enemies took advantage of an interval between Roman governors in 62 AD to have him put to death. His death is also reported by the second-century Christian writer Hegesippus. Numerous references in early Christian documents show the esteem in which he was held in the early Church. [James Kiefer] From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri Oct 23 19:35:13 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:35:13 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 24 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091023193513.EC9B0313C1F@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Saturday, October 24, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. The Lord's unfailing love and mercy never cease fresh as the morning and sure as the sunrise. Psalm 119:1-8 Happy are they whose way is blameless,* who walk in the law of the Lord! Happy are they who observe his decrees* and seek him with all their hearts! Who never do any wrong,* but always walk in his ways. You laid down your commandments,* that we should fully keep them. O that my ways were made so direct* that I might keep your statutes! Then I should not be put to shame,* when I regard all your commandments. I will thank you with an unfeigned heart,* when I have learned your righteous judgements. I will keep your statutes;* do not utterly forsake me. How shall the young cleanse their way?* By keeping to your words. With my whole heart I seek you;* let me not stray from your commandments. I treasure your promise in my heart,* that I may not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord;* instruct me in your statutes. With my lips will I recite* all the judgements of your mouth. I have taken greater delight in the way of your decrees* than in all manner of riches. I will meditate on your commandments* and give attention to your ways. My delight is in your statutes;* I will not forget your word. Deal bountifully with your servant,* that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may see* the wonders of your law. I am a stranger here on earth;* do not hide your commandments from me. My soul is consumed at all times* with longing for your judgements. You have rebuked the insolent;* cursed are they who stray from your commandments! Turn from me shame and rebuke,* for I have kept your decrees. Even though rulers sit and plot against me,* I will meditate on your statutes. For your decrees are my delight,* and they are my counsellors. My soul cleaves to the dust;* give me life according to your word. I have confessed my ways and you answered me;* instruct me in your statutes. Make me understand the way of your commandments,* that I may meditate on your marvellous works. My soul melts away for sorrow;* strengthen me according to your word. Take from me the way of lying;* let me find grace through your law. I have chosen the way of faithfulness;* I have set your judgements before me. I hold fast to your decrees;* O Lord, let me not be put to shame. I will run the way of your commandments,* for you have set my heart at liberty. READING [Matthew 9:27-34]: As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, ?Have mercy on us, Son of David!? When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, ?Do you believe that I am able to do this?? They said to him, ?Yes, Lord.? Then he touched their eyes and said, ?According to your faith let it be done to you.? And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, ?See that no one knows of this.? But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district. After they had gone away, a demoniac who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed and said, ?Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.? But the Pharisees said, ?By the ruler of the demons he casts out the demons.? A Song of Judith (Judith 16.1316) 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. Prayer: We rejoice in your generous goodness, O God, and celebrate your lavish gifts to us this day, for you have shown your love in giving Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world. Especially we give thanks for the labors of those who have served us today... (We thank you, Lord) friends with whom we have shared... those whom we love and have loved us... opportunities for our work to help others... all beauty that delights us... Gracious God, we know you are close to all in need, and by our prayers for others we come closer to you. We are bold to claim for others your promises of new life in Jesus Christ, as we claim them for ourselves. Especially we pray for those in dangerous occupations... (Lord, hear our prayer.) physicians and nurses... those who are ill or confined to nursing homes... for those whom we love and for those who love us... those who mourn... the Roman Catholic Church... Eternal God, our beginning and our end, be our starting point and our haven, and accompany us in this life's journey. Use our hands to do the work of your creation, and use our lives to bring others the new life you give this world in Jesus Christ, Redeemer of all. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer The grace of God be with us all, 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 and the closing prayer are reprinted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat Oct 24 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 25 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091024170000.EC5B6313C40@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Sunday, October 25, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 119:73-104 Your hands have made me and fashioned me;* give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments. Those who fear you will be glad when they see me,* because I trust in your word. I know, O Lord, that your judgements are right* and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Let your lovingkindness be my comfort* as you have promised to your servant. Let your compassion come to me, that I may live,* for your law is my delight. Let the arrogant be put to shame, for they wrong me with lies;* but I will meditate on your commandments. Let those who fear you turn to me,* and also those who know your decrees. Let my heart be sound in your statutes,* that I may not be put to shame. My soul has longed for your salvation;* I have put my hope in your word. My eyes have failed from watching for your promise,* and I say, 'When will you comfort me?' I have become like a leather flask in the smoke,* but I have not forgotten your statutes. How much longer must I wait?* when will you give judgement against those who persecute me? The proud have dug pits for me;* they do not keep your law. All your commandments are true;* help me, for they persecute me with lies. They had almost made an end of me on earth,* but I have not forsaken your commandments. In your lovingkindness, revive me,* that I may keep the decrees of your mouth. O Lord, your word is everlasting;* it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness remains from one generation to another;* you established the earth and it abides. By your decree these continue to this day,* for all things are your servants. If my delight had not been in your law,* I should have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your commandments,* because by them you give me life. I am yours; O that you would save me!* for I study your commandments. Though the wicked lie in wait for me to destroy me,* I will apply my mind to your decrees. I see that all things come to an end,* but your commandment has no bounds. O how I love your law!* all the day long it is in my mind. Your commandment has made me wiser than my enemies,* and it is always with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers,* for your decrees are my study. I am wiser than the elders,* because I observe your commandments. I restrain my feet from every evil way,* that I may keep your word. I do not shrink from your judgements,* because you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste!* they are sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through your commandments I gain understanding;* therefore I hate every lying way. READING [Matthew 9:35-38]: ?Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, ?The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; 38therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.? The Easter Anthems (from 1 Corinthians 5, Romans 6, 1 Corinthians 15) Christ our passover has been sacrificed for us: . so let us celebrate the feast, not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness: . but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Christ once raised from the dead dies no more: . death has no more dominion over him. In dying he died to sin once for all: . in living he lives to God. See yourselves therefore as dead to sin: . and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6.911 Christ has been raised from the dead: . the first fruits of those who sleep. For as by man came death: . by man has come also the resurrection of the dead; for as in Adam all die: . even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Prayer: Generous God, we thank you for being with us today, and for every sign of your truth and love in Jesus Christ. Especially we thank you for the gift of peace in Christ... (We thank you, Lord.) reconciliation in our relationships... each new insight into your love... energy and courage to share your love... the ministries of the church... Gracious God, we remember in our own hearts the needs of others, that we may reach up to claim your love for them, and reach out to give your love in the name of Christ. Especially we pray for racial harmony and justice... (Lord, hear our prayer.) those imprisoned... strangers we have met today... friends who are bereaved... Orthodox and Coptic churches... Great God, you are one God, and you bring together what is scattered and mend what is broken. Unite us with the scattered peoples of the earth that we may be one family of your children. Bind up all our wounds, and heal us in spirit, that we may be renewed as disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master and Savior. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer The grace of God be with us all, 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 and the closing prayer are reprinted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun Oct 25 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 26 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091025170000.61B5B313C51@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Monday, October 26, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. You created the day and the night, O God, you set the sun and the moon in their places; you set the limits of the earth; you made summer and winter. Psalm 119:145-176 I call with my whole heart;* answer me, O Lord, that I may keep your statutes. I call to you; O that you would save me!* I will keep your decrees. Early in the morning I cry out to you,* for in your word is my trust. My eyes are open in the night watches,* that I may meditate upon your promise. Hear my voice, O Lord, according to your lovingkindness;* according to your judgements, give me life. They draw near who in malice persecute me;* they are very far from your law. You, O Lord, are near at hand,* and all your commandments are true. Long have I known from your decrees* that you have established them for ever. Behold my affliction and deliver me,* for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me;* according to your promise, give me life. Deliverance is far from the wicked,* for they do not study your statutes. Great is your compassion, O Lord;* preserve my life, according to your judgements. There are many who persecute and oppress me,* yet I have not swerved from your decrees. I look with loathing at the faithless,* for they have not kept your word. See how I love your commandments!* O Lord, in your mercy, preserve me. The heart of your word is truth;* all your righteous judgements endure for evermore. Rulers have persecuted me without a cause,* but my heart stands in awe of your word. I am as glad because of your promise* as one who finds great spoils. As for lies, I hate and abhor them,* but your law is my love. Seven times a day do I praise you,* because of your righteous judgements. Great peace have they who love your law;* for them there is no stumbling block. I have hoped for your salvation, O Lord,* and I have fulfilled your commandments. I have kept your decrees* and I have loved them deeply. I have kept your commandments and decrees,* for all my ways are before you. Let my cry come before you, O Lord;* give me understanding, according to your word. Let my supplication come before you;* deliver me, according to your promise. My lips shall pour forth your praise,* when you teach me your statutes. My tongue shall sing of your promise,* for all your commandments are righteous. Let your hand be ready to help me,* for I have chosen your commandments. I long for your salvation, O Lord,* and your law is my delight. Let me live and I will praise you,* and let your judgements help me. I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost;* search for your servant, for I do not forget your commandments. READING [Matthew 10:1-15]: Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. ?These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ?Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ?The kingdom of heaven has come near.? Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town. A Song of the Righteous (Wisdom 3.1,2a,3b8) The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish, they seem to have died; but they are at peace. For though, in the sight of others, they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy. Like gold in the furnace, God tried them and, like a sacrificial burnt offering, accepted them. In the time of their visitation, they will shine forth and will run like sparks through the stubble. They will govern nations and rule over peoples and God will reign over them for ever. Prayer: Give us your peace, O God, that we may rejoice in your goodness to us and to all your children, and be thankful for your love revealed in Jesus Christ. Especially we thank you for people who reveal your truth and righteousness... (We thank you, Lord.) courage to be bold disciples... those who show hospitality... surprises that have blessed us... the unity of the church of Jesus Christ... Give us your peace, O God, that we may be confident of your care for us and all your children, as we remember the needs of others. Especially we pray for friends and relatives who are far away... (Lord, hear our prayer.) neighbors in special need... those who suffer hunger and thirst... those who work at night while others sleep... Episcopal and Methodist churches... As you cause the sun to rise, O God, bring the light of Christ to dawn in our souls and dispel all darkness. Give us grace to reflect Christ's glory; and let his love show in our deeds, his peace shine in our words, and his healing in our touch, that all may give him praise, now and forever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer The grace of God be with us all, 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 and the closing prayer are reprinted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. From steve.benner at oremus.org Mon Oct 26 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 27 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091026170000.8025B313C27@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Tuesday, October 27, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. O God, come to our assistance. O Lord, hasten to help us. Psalm 126 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,* then were we like those who dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter,* and our tongue with shouts of joy. Then they said among the nations,* 'The Lord has done great things for them.' The Lord has done great things for us,* and we are glad indeed. Restore our fortunes, O Lord,* like the watercourses of the Negev. Those who sowed with tears* will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed,* will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves. 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. Psalm 129 'Greatly have they oppressed me since my youth',* let Israel now say; 'Greatly have they oppressed me since my youth,* but they have not prevailed against me.' Those who plow ploughed upon my back* and made their furrows long. The Lord, the Righteous One,* has cut the cords of the wicked. Let them be put to shame and thrown back,* all those who are enemies of Zion. Let them be like grass upon the housetops,* which withers before it can be plucked; Which does not fill the hand of the reaper,* nor the bosom of him who binds the sheaves; So that those who go by say not so much as, 'The Lord prosper you.* We wish you well in the name of the Lord.' Psalm 130 Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice;* let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication. If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss,* O Lord, who could stand? For there is forgiveness with you;* therefore you shall be feared. I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him;* in his word is my hope. My soul waits for the Lord, more than the nightwatch for the morning,* more than the nightwatch for the morning. O Israel, wait for the Lord,* for with the Lord there is mercy; With him there is plenteous redemption,* and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins. READING [Matthew 10:16-23]: Jesus said,??See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Gloria in Excelsis Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Prayer: We give you praise and thanks, O God, for all gifts of love we have received from you, and for your persistent mercy in Jesus Christ. Especially we thank you for work we have accomplished pleasing to you... (We thank you, Lord.) the faithful witness of Christian people... the example of righteousness we see in parents and teachers... the innocence and openness we see in children... all works of Christian compassion... We give you our cares and concerns, O God, because we know you are kind and care for your children in every circumstance. Especially we pray for those who struggle with doubt and despair... (Lord, hear our prayer.) people afflicted with disease... those called to special ministries... people neglected or abused... Baptist, Disciples of Christ, and other free churches... God of all who fear you, make us one with all your saints and with any who are in need. Teach us to befriend the weak, and welcome the outcast, that we may serve the Lord Jesus Christ and live to offer him glory. In his holy name we pray. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer May the Lord, who is our peace, give us peace at all times and in every way.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 and the closing prayer are reprinted from _Revised Common Lectionary Prayers_, copyright (c) 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. From steve.benner at oremus.org Wed Oct 28 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 29 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091028170000.BF717313C33@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Thursday, October 29, 2009 James Hannington, Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa, Martyr in Uganda, 1885 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God. We praise you for creating this world in all beauty, for redeeming the world through Christ, our Lord, and for sending us the gift of your Spirit to encourage, instruct, and sustain us. We long for your Spirit to work among us now, to inspire our praise, to challenge us with your truth, and to equip us for service in your 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. Psalm 141 O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;* hear my voice when I cry to you. Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense,* the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips;* let not my heart incline to any evil thing. Let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers,* nor eat of their choice foods. Let the righteous smite me in friendly rebuke; let not the oil of the unrighteous anoint my head;* for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds. Let their rulers be overthrown in stony places,* that they may know my words are true. As when a plough turns over the earth in furrows,* let their bones be scattered at the mouth of the grave. But my eyes are turned to you, Lord God;* in you I take refuge; do not strip me of my life. Protect me from the snare which they have laid for me* and from the traps of the evildoers. Let the wicked fall into their own nets,* while I myself escape. Psalm 142 I cry to the Lord with my voice;* to the Lord I make loud supplication. I pour out my complaint before him* and tell him all my trouble. When my spirit languishes within me, you know my path;* in the way wherein I walk they have hidden a trap for me. I look to my right hand and find no one who knows me;* I have no place to flee to and no one cares for me. I cry out to you, O Lord;* I say, 'You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.' Listen to my cry for help, for I have been brought very low;* save me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name;* when you have dealt bountifully with me, the righteous will gather around me. Psalm 143 Lord, hear my prayer, and in your faithfulness heed my supplications;* answer me in your righteousness. Enter not into judgement with your servant,* for in your sight shall no one living be justified. For my enemy has sought my life and has crushed me to the ground;* making me live in dark places like those who are long dead. My spirit faints within me;* my heart within me is desolate. I remember the time past; I muse upon all your deeds;* I consider the works of your hands. I spread out my hands to you;* my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land. O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me;* do not hide your face from me or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. Let me hear of your lovingkindness in the morning, for I put my trust in you;* show me the road that I must walk, for I lift up my soul to you. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord,* for I flee to you for refuge. Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God;* let your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Revive me, O Lord, for your name's sake;* for your righteousness' sake, bring me out of trouble. FIRST READING [Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 9-15]: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to?die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God?s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. I know that whatever God does endures for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already is; and God seeks out what has gone by. HYMN Words: Elizabeth Cosnett (born 1936) ? 1980 Stainer & Bell Ltd Tune: Epworth Can man by searching find out God Or formulate his ways? Can numbers measure what he is Or words contain his praise? Although his being is too bright For human eyes to scan, His meaning lights our shadowed world Through Christ, the Son of Man. Our boastfulness is turned to shame, Our profit counts as loss, When earthly values stand beside The manger and the cross. We there may recognise his light, May kindle in its rays, Find there the source of penitence, The starting-point for praise. There God breaks in upon our search, Makes birth and death his own: He speaks to us in human terms To make his glory known. SECOND READING [1 Timothy 5:17-end]: Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching; for the scripture says, ?You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain?, and, ?The labourer deserves to be paid.? Never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you to keep these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality. Do not ordain anyone hastily, and do not participate in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. No longer drink only water, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. The sins of some people are conspicuous and precede them to judgement, while the sins of others follow them there. So also good works are conspicuous; and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: We give you praise and thanks, O God, for all gifts of love we have received from you, and for your persistent mercy in Jesus Christ. Especially we thank you for work we have accomplished pleasing to you... (We thank you, Lord.) the faithful witness of Christian people... the example of righteousness we see in parents and teachers... the innocence and openness we see in children... all works of Christian compassion... We give you our cares and concerns, O God, because we know you are kind and care for your children in every circumstance. Especially we pray for those who struggle with doubt and despair... (Lord, hear our prayer.) people afflicted with disease... those called to special ministries... people neglected or abused... Baptist, Disciples of Christ, and other free churches... Lord God, our protector and guide, who made us knowing both good and evil: receive our prayer and, by your wisdom, help us to discern and desire all that is good, that the offering of our lives may be acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ, who suffered the darkness of torment and trial and now is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen. Grant, O God, that we who this day commemorate your servant James Hannington and his fellow-martyrs of Uganda, may, by their courage and devotion, be stirred up to a deeper love of our Savior and to perseverance in the Christian calling; 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 To Jesus Christ, who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and 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 is adapted from a prayer in _The Worship Sourcebook_, (c) 2004, CRC Publications. Used with permission. The closing prayer is Revelation 1:5-6, NRSV Among the new nations of Africa, Uganda is the most predominantly Christian. Mission work began there in the 1870's with the favor of King Mutesa, who died in 1884. However, his son and successor, King Mwanga, opposed all foreign presence, including the missions. James Hannington, born 1847, was sent out from England in 1884 by the Anglican Church as missionary Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa. As he was travelling toward Uganda, he was apprehended by emissaries of King Mwanga. He and his companions were brutally treated and, a week later, 29 October 1885, most of them were put to death. Hannington's last words were: "Go tell your master that I have purchased the road to Uganda with my blood." The first native martyr was the Roman Catholic Joseph Mkasa Balikuddembe, who was beheaded after having rebuked the king for his debauchery and for the murder of Bishop Hannington. On 3 June 1886, a group of 32 men and boys, 22 Roman Catholic and 10 Anglican, were burned at the stake. Most of them were young pages in Mwanga's household, from their head-man, Charles Lwanga, to the thirteen-year-old Kizito, who went to his death "laughing and chattering." These and many other Ugandan Christians suffered for their faith then and in the next few years. [James Kiefer, abridged] From steve.benner at oremus.org Thu Oct 29 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 30 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091029170000.3FF8C313C45@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Friday, October 30, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God. We praise you for creating this world in all beauty, for redeeming the world through Christ, our Lord, and for sending us the gift of your Spirit to encourage, instruct, and sustain us. We long for your Spirit to work among us now, to inspire our praise, to challenge us with your truth, and to equip us for service in your 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. Psalm 144 Blessed be the Lord my rock!* who trains my hands to fight and my fingers to battle; My help and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer,* my shield in whom I trust, who subdues the peoples under me. O Lord, what are we that you should care for us?* mere mortals that you should think of us? We are like a puff of wind;* our days are like a passing shadow. Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down;* touch the mountains and they shall smoke. Hurl the lightning and scatter them;* shoot out your arrows and rout them. Stretch out your hand from on high;* rescue me and deliver me from the great waters, from the hand of foreign peoples, Whose mouths speak deceitfully* and whose right hand is raised in falsehood. O God, I will sing to you a new song;* I will play to you on a tenstringed lyre. You give victory to kings* and have rescued David your servant. Rescue me from the hurtful sword* and deliver me from the hand of foreign peoples, Whose mouths speak deceitfully* and whose right hand is raised in falsehood. May our sons be like plants well nurtured from their youth,* and our daughters like sculptured corners of a palace. May our barns be filled to overflowing* with all manner of crops; May the flocks in our pastures increase by thousands and tens of thousands;* may our cattle be fat and sleek. May there be no breaching of the walls, no going into exile,* no wailing in the public squares. Happy are the people of whom this is so!* happy are the people whose God is the Lord! 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. 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 [Ecclesiastes 3:16-end]: Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work. I said in my heart with regard to human beings that God is testing them to show that they are but animals. For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity. All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knows whether the human spirit goes upwards and the spirit of animals goes downwards to the earth? So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them? HYMN Words: William Cowper (1731-1800) Tune: Dundee, Irish, London New, St David, Wiltshire God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain. SECOND READING [1 Timothy 6:1-11]: Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honour, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them on the ground that they are members of the church; rather they must serve them all the more, since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties. Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Merciful God, we praise you that you give strength for every weakness, forgiveness for our failures, and new beginnings in Jesus Christ. Especially we thank you for the guidance of your Spirit through this day... (We thank you, Lord.) signs of new life and hope... people who have helped us... those who struggle for justice... expressions of love unexpected or undeserved... Almighty God, you know all needs before we speak our prayers, yet you welcome our concerns for others in Jesus Christ. Especially we pray for those who keep watch over the sick and dying... (Lord, hear our prayer.) those who weep with the grieving... those who are without faith and cannot accept your love... those who grow old... Reformed, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches... Lord God, King of the Universe, you show the bright glory of your reign in acts of mercy and enduring love: raise the spirits of the downcast and restore those who have fallen away, that your Church may continually sing of your saving help; 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 To Jesus Christ, who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and 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 is adapted from a prayer in _The Worship Sourcebook_, (c) 2004, CRC Publications. Used with permission. The closing prayer is Revelation 1:5-6, NRSV From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri Oct 30 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 31 October 2009 Message-ID: <20091030170000.E368B313C5C@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Saturday, October 31, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God. We praise you for creating this world in all beauty, for redeeming the world through Christ, our Lord, and for sending us the gift of your Spirit to encourage, instruct, and sustain us. We long for your Spirit to work among us now, to inspire our praise, to challenge us with your truth, and to equip us for service in your 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. Psalm 147 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. 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! 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 seamonsters 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! 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 twoedged 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! 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'shorn;* 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 loudclanging cymbals. Let everything that has breath* praise the Lord. Alleluia! FIRST READING [Ecclesiastes 5:1-7]: Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools; for they do not know how to keep from doing evil. Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few. For dreams come with many cares, and a fool?s voice with many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Fulfil what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfil it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake; why should God be angry at your words, and destroy the work of your hands? With many dreams come vanities and a multitude of words; but fear God. HYMN Words: Cecil Arthur Spring-Rice (1859-1918) Tune: Thaxted I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love: the love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, that lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; the love that never falters, the love that pays the price, the love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice. And there's another country, I've heard of long ago, most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know; we may not count her armies, we may not see her King; her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering; and soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase, and her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace. SECOND READING [1Timothy 6:12-end]: Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time?he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen. As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life. Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge; by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith. Grace be with you. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: God of glory, we praise you for your presence in our lives, and for all goodness that you shower upon your children in Jesus Christ. Especially we thank you for promises kept and hope for tomorrow... (We thank you, Lord.) the enjoyment of friends... the wonders of your creation... love from our parents, our sisters and brothers, our spouses, lovers, and children... pleasures of living... God of grace, we are one with all your children, for we are sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ, and we offer our prayers for all whom we love. Especially we pray for those we too often forget... (Lord, hear our prayer.) people who have lost hope... victims of tragedy and disaster... those who suffer mental anguish... ecumenical councils and church agencies... King of the Universe, whose wisdom gives order and fruitfulness to the earth: help us to respond trustfully to your call, that being drawn into the unity of your kingdom we may continually praise you for your providential care; 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 To Jesus Christ, who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and 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 is adapted from a prayer in _The Worship Sourcebook_, (c) 2004, CRC Publications. Used with permission. The closing prayer is Revelation 1:5-6, NRSV From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat Oct 31 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 1 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091031170000.EE3ED313C41@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org ******************************************************* OREMUS for Sunday, November 1, 2009 All Saints' Day Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, God our Father, for surrounding with so great a cloud of witnesses: For all the saints who went before us, who have spoken to our hearts and touched us with your fire: For all the saints who live beside us, whose weaknesses and strengths are woven with our own: For all the saints, who live beyond us, who challenge us to change the world with them: 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 1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked,* nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful! Their delight is in the law of the Lord,* and they meditate on his law day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither;* everything they do shall prosper. It is not so with the wicked:* they are like chaff which the wind blows away; Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgement comes,* nor the sinner in the council of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,* but the way of the wicked is doomed. Psalm 2 Why are the nations in an uproar?* Why do the peoples mutter empty threats? Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt and the princes plot together,* against the Lord and against his anointed? 'Let us break their yoke', they say;* 'let us cast off their bonds from us.' He whose throne is in heaven is laughing;* the Lord has them in derision. Then he speaks to them in his wrath* and his rage fills them with terror. 'I myself have set my king* upon my holy hill of Zion.' Let me announce the decree of the Lord:* he said to me, 'You are my Son; this day have I begotten you. 'Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance* and the ends of the earth for your possession. 'You shall crush them with an iron rod* and shatter them like a piece of pottery.' And now, you kings, be wise;* be warned, you rulers of the earth. Submit to the Lord with fear,* and with trembling bow before him; Lest he be angry and you perish;* for his wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are they all* who take refuge in him! Psalm 3 Lord, how many adversaries I have!* how many there are who rise up against me! How many there are who say of me,* 'There is no help for him in his God.' But you, O Lord, are a shield about me;* you are my glory, the one who lifts up my head. I call aloud upon the Lord* and he answers me from his holy hill; I lie down and go to sleep;* I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I do not fear the multitudes of people* who set themselves against me all around. Rise up, O Lord; set me free, O my God;* surely, you will strike all my enemies across the face, you will break the teeth of the wicked. Deliverance belongs to the Lord.* Your blessing be upon your people! Psalm 4 Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause;* you set me free when I am hardpressed; 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 5 Give ear to my words, O Lord;* consider my meditation. Hearken to my cry for help, my King and my God,* for I make my prayer to you. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;* early in the morning I make my appeal and watch for you. For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness* and evil cannot dwell with you. Braggarts cannot stand in your sight;* you hate all those who work wickedness. You destroy those who speak lies;* the bloodthirsty and deceitful, O Lord, you abhor. But as for me, through the greatness of your mercy, I will go into your house;* I will bow down towards your holy temple in awe of you. Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness, because of those who lie in wait for me;* make your way straight before me. For there is no truth in their mouth;* there is destruction in their heart; Their throat is an open grave;* they flatter with their tongue. Declare them guilty, O God;* let them fall, because of their schemes. Because of their many transgressions cast them out,* for they have rebelled against you. But all who take refuge in you will be glad;* they will sing out their joy for ever. You will shelter them,* so that those who love your name may exult in you. For you, O Lord, will bless the righteous;* you will defend them with your favour as with a shield. FIRST READING [Wisdom 5:1-5, 14-16]: The righteous will stand with great confidence in the presence of those who have oppressed them and those who make light of their labours. When the unrighteous see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear, and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous. They will speak to one another in repentance, and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say, 'These are persons whom we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach fools that we were! We thought that their lives were madness and that their end was without honour. Why have they been numbered among the children of God? And why is their lot among the saints? Because the hope of the ungodly is like thistledown carried by the wind, and like a light frost driven away by a storm; it is dispersed like smoke before the wind, and it passes like the remembrance of a guest who stays but a day. But the righteous live for ever, and their reward is with the Lord; the Most High takes care of them. Therefore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord, because with his right hand he will cover them, and with his arm he will shield them. HYMN Words: Rowland Hill, 1783 Tune: Sandys Psalm 8 http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/l/l194.html Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus. Lo! round the throne, a glorious band, the saints in countless myriads stand, of every tongue redeemed to God, arrayed in garments washed in blood. Through tribulation great they came; they bore the cross, despised the shame; from all their labors now they rest, in God's eternal glory blest. They see their Savior face to face, and sing the triumphs of his grace; him day and night they ceaseless praise, to him the loud thanksgiving raise: "Worthy the Lamb, for sinners slain, through endless years to live and reign; thou hast redeemed us by thy blood, and made us kings and priests to God." O may we tread the sacred road that saints and holy martyrs trod; wage to the end the glorious strife, and win, like them, a crown of life. SECOND READING [Revelation 21:1-4, 22-22:5]: Then 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, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.' 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 on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practises abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: God of the ages, we praise you for all your servants, who have done justice, loved mercy, and walked humbly with their God. For apostles and martyrs and saints of every time and place, who in life and death have witnessed to your truth, - we praise you, O God. For all your servants who have faithfully served you, witnessed bravely, and died in faith, who are still shining lights in the world, - we praise you, O God. For those no longer remembered, who earnestly sought after you in darkness, who held fast their faith in trial, and served others, - we praise you, O God. For those who have known and loved, who by their faithful obedience and steadfast hope, have shown the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, - we praise you, O God. Keep us grateful for their witness, and, like them, eager to follow in the way of Christ. Then at the last, bring us with them to share in the inheritance of the saints in light; through Jesus Christ the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 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 Then is sung the Te Deum or Holy God, we praise thy Name 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. ******************************************************* 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 includes a prayer by Janet Morley in _Bread of Tomorrow_, (c) 1992, Christian Aid/SPCK. The intercession is from _Book of Common Worship_, (c) 1993 Westminster / John Knox Press. The collect is from The Book of Common Prayer According to the use of The Episcopal Church_.