Oremus for Thursday, October 29, 2020

Antiphon¹

Ant. When I cried out to the Lord, *
he heeded my call against my assailants;
he who is before the beginning of the world
and who endures forever has humbled them.
Cast your cares upon the Lord, and he will sustain you.
V. Give ear, O God, to my prayer; *
do not hide from my pleading.
Attend to me and reply; *
with my cares, I cannot rest. Psalm 55

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5

O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia!

HYMN: John L. Bell and Graham Maule ©
Tune: Ye Banks and Braes https://tinyurl.com/y6d2pqzm

We cannot measure how you heal
or answer every sufferer’s prayer,
yet we believe your grace responds
where faith and doubt unite to care.
Your hands, though bloodied on the cross
survive to hold and heal and warn,
to carry all through death to life
and cradle children yet unborn.

The pain that will not go away,
the guilt that clings from things long past,
the fear of what the future holds
are present as if meant to last.
But present too is love which tends
the hurt we never hoped to find,
the private agonies inside
the memories that haunt the mind.

So some have come who need your help,
and some have come to make amends,
as hands which shaped and saved the world
are present in the touch of friends.
Lord, let your Spirit meet us here
to mend the body, mind and soul,
to disentangle peace from pain
and make your broken people whole.

PSALMS
For psalms in contemporary language, https://tinyurl.com/y9tjh7rk

Psalm 142 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ya9l4yc4)

1  I cried unto the Lord with my voice *
 yea, even unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
2  I poured out my complaints before him *
 and shewed him of my trouble.
3  When my spirit was in heaviness thou knewest my path *
 in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
4  I looked also upon my right hand *
 and saw there was no man that would know me.
5  I had no place to flee unto *
 and no man cared for my soul.
6  I cried unto thee, O Lord, and said *
 Thou art my hope, and my portion in the land of the living.
7  Consider my complaint *
 for I am brought very low.
8  O deliver me from my persecutors *
 for they are too strong for me.
9  Bring my soul out of prison,
that I may give thanks unto thy Name *
 which thing if thou wilt grant me,
then shall the righteous resort unto my company.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

Psalm 143 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y76nm8vs)

1  Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire *
 hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness’ sake.
2  And enter not into judgement with thy servant *
 for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3  For the enemy hath persecuted my soul;
he hath smitten my life down to the ground *
 he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead.
4  Therefore is my spirit vexed within me *
 and my heart within me is desolate.
5  Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works *
 yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands.
6  I stretch forth my hands unto thee *
 my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land.
7  Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint *
 hide not thy face from me,
lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8  O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning,
for in thee is my trust *
 shew thou me the way that I should walk in,
for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9  Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies *
 for I flee unto thee to hide me.
10  Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God *
 let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.
11  Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake *
 and for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12  And of thy goodness slay mine enemies *
 and destroy all them that vex my soul; for I am thy servant.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

PRAYER

God our refuge,
when all friends have forsaken us
and enemies line all our paths,
come quickly to our aid.
Lead us out from captivity
into the light of your freedom,
secured for us in the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Joshua 5:2-15

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites a second time.’ So Joshua made flint knives, and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath-haaraloth. This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the warriors, had died during the journey through the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt. Although all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people born on the journey through the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. For the Israelites travelled for forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the warriors who came out of Egypt, perished, not having listened to the voice of the Lord. To them the Lord swore that he would not let them see the land that he had sworn to their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

When the circumcising of all the nation was done, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.’ And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.

While the Israelites were encamped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Once when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and said to him, ‘Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?’ He replied, ‘Neither; but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, and he said to him, ‘What do you command your servant, my lord?’ The commander of the army of the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.’ And Joshua did so.

HYMN: Matt Crocker ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/y2wkpz6y

CHORUS
This is holy
This is holy ground
You are holy
You are holy God
This is holy
This is holy ground
You are holy
You are with me now

VERSE
I wait upon You now
Lord I wait upon You now
Let Your presence fill me now
As I wait upon You now

TAG
My heart cries holy

Reading: Romans 12:1-8

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

HYMN: Marty Haugen
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/y3du8qpv

Refrain: We are many parts
We are all one body.
And the gifts we have,
We were given to share.
May the spirit of love, make us one indeed;
One, the Love that we share;
One, our hope and despair;
One, the cross that we bear.

God of all, we look to you,
We would be your servants true,
Let us be your love for all the world. Refrain

All you seekers great and small
Seek the greatest gift of all,
If you love, then you will know the Lord. Refrain

Reading: Mark 5:1-14

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’ And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

CANTICLE Deuteronomy 32:1-12
(Luke Brawner https://tinyurl.com/ybe98e62)

Give ear, O Heaven, and I will speak
Let the earth hear the words of my mouth
May my song fall soft like gentle rains
Upon the tender grass

Refrain:
(I will) proclaim the name of the Lord
(I will) ascribe greatness to our God
(I will) proclaim the name of the Lord
(I will) ascribe greatness to our God, greatness to our God

His work is perfect, his ways are just
without iniquity.
The Rock, a God of faithfulness
upright and just is he. Refrain
Rejoice with him, O heavens
Bow down to him, all gods
for he alone is worthy of your praise.
Rejoice with him, O heavens
Bow down to him, all gods
for he alone is worthy of your praise
for he alone is worthy of your praise.

Proclaim the name of the Lord.
O ascribe greatness to our God.
Proclaim the name of the Lord.
Ascribe greatness to our God, greatness to our God.

THE PRAYERS ^BCW

We give you our 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 . . .
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 . . .
people afflicted with disease . . .
those called to special ministries . . .
people neglected or abused . . .
Baptist, Disciples of Christ, and other free churches. . . .

Setting by Eric Wyse:²

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Most holy and eternal God,
you dwell in the heights of heaven,
yet you walk among those who refuse to see you.
Hold out your hand to those who rebel against you,
and free us from the chains that bind us,
that we may be healed by Christ
and proclaim his saving deeds to all the world. Amen. ^RCLP

Music: https://tinyurl.com/y9efvwm5
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. 2 Cor. 13:14

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^BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.

^EH Exciting Holiness, Ed. Brother Tristram SSF © European Province of the Society of Saint Francis, 1997

^RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.

¹ Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©
2 Eric Wyse, Lord’s Prayer, ©; audio from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_a40ME7aVk

The three main scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662).

Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.

Compilation © 2020 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.