Oremus for Thursday, December 10, 2020

Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton was among the most influential Catholic writers of the twentieth century. His writings cover a broad range of subject matter: spirituality and the contemplative life, prayer, and religious biography. He was also deeply interested in issues of social justice and Christian responsibility. He did not shy away from controversy and addressed race relations, economic injustice, war, violence, and the nuclear arms race. ^HWHM

Antiphon¹

Ant. If I walk in the midst of tribulation *
you shall preserve my life, O Lord;
you shall stretch forth your hand
against the fury of my enemies;
your right hand has delivered me.
V. I thank you, Lord, with all my heart; *
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I praise you. *
I bow down toward your holy temple. Psalm 138

Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness,
and put on the armor of light,
now in the time of this mortal life
in which your Son Jesus Christ came
to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge both the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 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: Dean W. Nelson ©
Tune: Ebenezer https://tinyurl.com/ybx4jelr

1 Signs of endings all around us
darkness, death, and winter days
shroud our lives in fear and sadness,
numbing mouths that long to praise.
Come, O Christ, and dwell among us!
Hear our cries, come set us free.
Give us hope and faith and gladness.
Show us what there yet can be.

2 Can it be that from our endings,
new beginnings you create?
Life from death, and from our rendings,
realms of wholeness generate?
Take our fears, then, Lord and turn them
into hopes for life anew:
Fading light and dying season
sing their Glorias to you.

3 Speak, O God, your Word among us.
Barren lives your presence fill.
Swell our hearts with songs of gladness,
terrors calm forebodings still.
Let your promised realm of justice
blossom now throughout the earth;
your dominion bring now near us;
we await the saving birth.

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

Psalm 53 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y6wzcn8t)

1  The foolish body hath said in his heart *
 There is no God.
2  Corrupt are they, and become abominable in their wickedness *
 there is none that doeth good.
3  God looked down from heaven upon the children of men *
 to see if there were any, that would understand, and seek after God.
4  But they are all gone out of the way,
they are altogether become abominable *
  there is also none that doeth good, no not one.
5  Are not they without understanding that work wickedness *
 eating up my people as if they would eat bread?
they have not called upon God.
6  They were afraid where no fear was *
 for God hath broken the bones of him that besieged thee;
thou hast put them to confusion, because God hath despised them.
7  O that the salvation were given unto Israel out of Sion *
 O that the Lord would deliver his people out of captivity!
8  Then should Jacob rejoice *
 and Israel should be right glad.
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 54 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y73kppwg

1  Save me, O God, for thy Name’s sake *
 and avenge me in thy strength.
2  Hear my prayer, O God *
 and hearken unto the words of my mouth.
3  For strangers are risen up against me *
 and tyrants, which have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul.
4  Behold, God is my helper *
 the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
5  He shall reward evil unto mine enemies *
 destroy thou them in thy truth.
6  An offering of a free heart will I give thee, and praise thy Name, O Lord *
 because it is so comfortable.
7  For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble *
 and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.
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 55 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yb9gqlve)

1  Hear my prayer, O God *
 and hide not thyself from my petition.
2  Take heed unto me, and hear me *
 how I mourn in my prayer, and am vexed.
3  The enemy crieth so, and the ungodly cometh on so fast *
 for they are minded to do me some mischief; so maliciously are they set against me.
4  My heart is disquieted within me *
 and the fear of death is fallen upon me.
5  Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me *
 and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me.
6  And I said, O that I had wings like a dove *
 for then would I flee away, and be at rest.
7  Lo, then would I get me away far off *
 and remain in the wilderness.
8  I would make haste to escape *
 because of the stormy wind and tempest.
9  Destroy their tongues, O Lord, and divide them *
 for I have spied unrighteousness and strife in the city.
10  Day and night they go about within the walls thereof *
 mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.
11  Wickedness is therein *
 deceit and guile go not out of their streets.
12  For it is not an open enemy, that hath done me this dishonour *
 for then I could have borne it.
13  Neither was it mine adversary, that did magnify himself against me *
 for then peradventure I would have hid myself from him.
14  But it was even thou, my companion *
 my guide, and mine own familiar friend.
15  We took sweet counsel together *
 and walked in the house of God as friends.
16  Let death come hastily upon them, and let them go down quick into hell *
 for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
17  As for me, I will call upon God *
 and the Lord shall save me.
18  In the evening, and morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and that instantly *
 and he shall hear my voice.
19  It is he that hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me *
 for there were many with me.
20  Yea, even God, that endureth for ever, shall hear me, and bring them down *
 for they will not turn, nor fear God.
21  He laid his hands upon such as be at peace with him *
 and he brake his covenant.
22  The words of his mouth were softer than butter, having war in his heart *
 his words were smoother than oil, and yet be they very swords.
23  O cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall nourish thee *
 and shall not suffer the righteous to fall for ever.
24  And as for them *
 thou, O God, shalt bring them into the pit of destruction.
25  The blood-thirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days *
 nevertheless, my trust shall be in thee, O Lord.
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 helper, hear our prayer
and uphold your church in times of testing.
Deliver us from evil,
so that from the rising of the sun to its setting
we may offer you our sacrifice of praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Malachi 1:11-14

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and the food for it may be despised. ‘What a weariness this is’, you say, and you sniff at me, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in the flock and vows to give it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished; for I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name is reverenced among the nations.

HYMN: Wendell Kimbrough ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/y2429slm

Wake up, O daughter of Zion!
Leave here your clothing of shame.
No more the orphan or harlot,
See, I give you a new name!

Chorus:
Take up these garments of splendor;
Beautiful daughter, rise up!
Feel my great mercy surround you;
Dress in the gown of my love.

Glorious there in her chamber,
Wearing the robe of the king.
See him delight in her beauty;
With joy and gladness he sings: Chorus

“Beautiful bride,” He has called you.
“Sought after, married, redeemed.”
“You’ll be the crown of my glory;
You, my most highly esteemed.” Chorus

Reading: Philippians 4:1-7

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

HYMN: Edward H Plumptre
Tune: Marion https://tinyurl.com/yaxln75u

1 Rejoice, O pure in heart, 
rejoice, give thanks, and sing; 
your festal banner wave on high, 
the cross of Christ your King. 

Refrain:
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks, and sing! 

2 Bright youth and snow-crowned age, 
both men and women, raise 
on high your free, exulting song, 
declare God’s wondrous praise. [Refrain] 

3 Still lift your standard high, 
still chanting as you go, 
from youth to age, by night and day, 
in gladness and in woe. [Refrain] 

4 At last the march shall end; 
the wearied ones shall rest, 
the pilgrims reach their home at last, 
Jerusalem the blest. [Refrain] 

Reading: Mark 13:1-4

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’

CANTICLE Rory Cooney; based on Luke 1:46-55
(Performed by The Gentle Wolves https://tinyurl.com/ybox4ctg)

1. My soul cries out with a joyful shout
that the God of my heart is great,
And my spirit sings of the wondrous things
that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight,
and my weakness you did not spurn,
So from east to west shall my name be blest.
Could the world be about to turn?

2. Though I am small, my God, my all,
you work great things in me,
And your mercy will last from the depths of the past
to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame,
and to those who would for you yearn,
You will show your might, put the strong to flight,
for the world is about to turn.

3. From the halls of power to the fortress tower,
not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears
ev’ry tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more,
for the food they can never earn;
There are tables spread, ev’ry mouth be fed,
for the world is about to turn.

4. Though the nations rage from age to age,
we remember who holds us fast:
God’s mercy must deliver us
from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard
is the promise which holds us bound,
‘Til the spear and rod can be crushed by God,
who is turning the world around.

THE PRAYERS ^NPfW

In joyful expectation of his coming we pray to Jesus, saying,
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to your Church as Lord and Judge. We pray for …
Help us to live in the light of your coming and give us a longing for your kingdom.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to your world as King of the nations. We pray for …
Before you rulers will stand in silence.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to your people with a message of victory and peace. We pray for …
Give us the victory over death, temptation and evil.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us as Saviour and Comforter. We pray for …
Break into our lives, where we struggle with sickness and distress,
and set us free to serve you for ever.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us from heaven, Lord Jesus,
with power and great glory.
Lift us up to meet you,
with [N and] all your saints and angels,
to live with you for ever.
Come, Lord Jesus.

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.

Gracious God,
you called your monk Thomas Merton
to proclaim your justice out of silence,
and moved him in his contemplative writings
to perceive and value Christ at work
in the faiths of others:
Keep us, like him, steadfast
in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ;
who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ^HWHM

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

---

^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.

^NPfW New Patterns for Worship, material from which is included here, is copyright © 2002 The Archbishops’ Council and published by Church House Publishing.

^HWHM Holy Women, Holy Men © Church Publishing, Inc.

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.