Oremus for Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Scholastica
According to the Dialogues of Gregory the Great, Scholastica was born c. 480 in Nursia, Umbria, of wealthy parents (Anicius Eupropius and his wife Claudia Abondantia Reguardati). While Gregory states that Scholastica was Benedict’s sister, a later tradition says she was his twin (whether this is meant biologically or spiritually, or both is unclear). Gregory also says she was dedicated to God from a young age. She and her brother Benedict were brought up together until the time he left to pursue studies in Rome. Benedictine tradition holds that Scholastica established a hermitage about five miles from Monte Cassino and that this was the first convent of Benedictine nuns. However, it is possible that Scholastica lived in a hermitage with one or two other consecrated virgins in a cluster of houses at the base of Mount Cassino where there is an ancient church under her patronage Monastero di Santa Scolastica. ^WIKIPEDIA

Antiphon¹

Ant. I will bless the Lord who has given me understanding.
I have set the Lord always in my sight;
since he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
V. Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. †
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord. *
M y happiness lies in you alone.” Psalm 16

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 ©
Tune: Kelvingrove https://tinyurl.com/1jvc4fl2

1 Will you come and follow me
if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know
and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown
in you and you in me?

2 Will you leave yourself behind
if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer
in you and you in me?

3 Will you let the blinded see
if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free
and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean,
and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean
in you and you in me?

4 Will you love the “you” you hide
if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound
in you and you in me?

5 Christ, your summons echoes true
when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you
and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go
where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow
in you and you in me.

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: Judges 19:16-30

Then at evening there was an old man coming from his work in the field. The man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was residing in Gibeah. (The people of the place were Benjaminites.) When the old man looked up and saw the wayfarer in the open square of the city, he said, ‘Where are you going and where do you come from?’ He answered him, ‘We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, from which I come. I went to Bethlehem in Judah; and I am going to my home. Nobody has offered to take me in. We your servants have straw and fodder for our donkeys, with bread and wine for me and the woman and the young man along with us. We need nothing more.’ The old man said, ‘Peace be to you. I will care for all your wants; only do not spend the night in the square.’ So he brought him into his house, and fed the donkeys; they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the city, a depraved lot, surrounded the house, and started pounding on the door. They said to the old man, the master of the house, ‘Bring out the man who came into your house, so that we may have intercourse with him.’ And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, ‘No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Since this man is my guest, do not do this vile thing. Here are my virgin daughter and his concubine; let me bring them out now. Ravish them and do whatever you want to them; but against this man do not do such a vile thing.’ But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine, and put her out to them. They wantonly raped her, and abused her all through the night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go. As morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, until it was light.

In the morning her master got up, opened the doors of the house, and when he went out to go on his way, there was his concubine lying at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold. ‘Get up,’ he said to her, ‘we are going.’ But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey; and the man set out for his home. When he had entered his house, he took a knife, and grasping his concubine he cut her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. Then he commanded the men whom he sent, saying, ‘Thus shall you say to all the Israelites, “Has such a thing ever happened since the day that the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until this day? Consider it, take counsel, and speak out.” ’

HYMN: Psalm 139; para. Ian Pitt-Wattson ©
Tune: Sursum corda https://tinyurl.com/yaw7hyw7

1 You are before me, Lord; you are behind,
and over me you have spread out your hand.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too high to grasp, too great to understand.

2 Then from your Spirit where, Lord, shall I go,
and from your presence where, Lord, shall I fly?
If I ascend to heaven you are there,
and still are with me if in hell I lie.

3 If I should take my flight into the dawn,
if I should dwell on ocean’s farthest shore,
your mighty hand will rest upon me still,
and your right hand will guard me evermore.

4 If I should say, “Let darkness cover me,
and I shall hide within the veil of night,”
surely the darkness is not dark to you:
the night is as the day, the darkness, light.

5 Search me, O God, search me and know my heart:
try me, O God, my mind and spirit try;
keep me from any path that gives you pain,
and lead me in the everlasting way.

Reading: Romans 14:14 – 15:6

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. If your brother or sister is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual edification. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for you to make others fall by what you eat; it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve. But those who have doubts are condemned if they eat, because they do not act from faith; for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Each of us must please our neighbour for the good purpose of building up the neighbour. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

HYMN: Paul Gerhardt; trans. Johann Christian Jacobi and Augustus Toplady
Tune: Genevan 42^nd https://tinyurl.com/nrrp040l

1 Holy Ghost, dispel our sadness,
pierce the clouds of sinful night;
come, O source of sweetest gladness,
breathe your life and spread your light.
Loving Spirit, God of peace,
great distributor of grace,
rest upon this congregation;
hear, O hear our supplication.

2 From that height which knows no measure,
as a gracious show’r descend;
bringing down the richest treasure
man can wish or God can send.
Heav’nly Glory, shining down
from the Father and the Son,
grant us your illumination;
rest upon this congregation.

3 Come, O best of all donations
God can give or we implore;
having your sweet consolations
we need wish for nothing more.
Come with unction and with pow’r,
on our souls your graces show’r;
author of the new creation,
make our hearts your habitation.

Reading: Matthew 10:1-7

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.”

CANTICLE Isaiah 55:6-11
(Setting by Gregory Wilbur: https://tinyurl.com/yawmg8fp)

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,
Call ye upon him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts:

And let him return unto the Lord,
and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
My ways and thoughts are higher than yours.

And let him return unto the Lord,
and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

For as the rain cometh down, and snow from heaven,
And maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to sow,
that it may give bread to eat.

So shall my world be that goeth forth out of my mouth:
It shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper
in the thing whereunto I sent it.

THE PRAYERS ^BCW

God of all mercies, we praise you that you have brought us to this new day, brightening
our lives with the dawn of promise and hope in Jesus Christ.
Especially we thank you for
the warmth of sunlight, the wetness of rain and snow, and all that nourishes the earth…
the presence and power of your Spirit . . .
the support and encouragement we receive from others . . .
those who provide for public safety and well-being . . .
the mission of the church around the world. . . .

Merciful God, strengthen us in prayer that we may lift up the brokenness of this
world for your healing, and share in the saving love of Jesus Christ.
Especially we pray for
those in positions of authority over others . . .
the lonely and forgotten . . .
children without families or homes . . .
agents of caring and relief . . .
the church in Asia and the Middle East. . . .

(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)^DL

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.

Merciful God,
who gave such grace to your servant Scholastica
that she served you with singleness of heart
and loved you above all things:
help us to forsake all that holds us back from following Christ
and to grow into his likeness from glory to glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^{EH, alt.}

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.

¹ Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©

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.