Oremus for Sunday, March 7, 2021

The Third Sunday in Lent

For another form of worship in the home based on today’s lessons in the Revised Common Lectionary, go to https://blogs.elca.org/worship/3460/

Antiphon¹

Ant. The ordinances of the Lord are right, *
bringing joy to all hearts,
sweeter than honey or the honeycomb.
Therefore your servant will observe them.
V. The heavens declare the glory of God, *
and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
Day unto day conveys the message, *
and night unto night imparts the knowledge. Psalm 19

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/ufxekitx

God, come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory 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.

HYMN: Exodus 20; para. Dewey Westra ©
Tune: Les commandemens de Dieu https://tinyurl.com/djpnhjz2

1 My soul, recall with reverent wonder
how God amid the fire and smoke
proclaimed his holy law with thunder
from Sinai’s mountain when he spoke:

2 “I am the LORD, your God and Sovereign,
who out of bondage set you free,
who saved you from the land of Egypt.
Then serve no other gods but me.

3 “You shall not bow to graven idols,
for I, a jealous God, your LORD,
shall punish sin in those who hate me,
but love all those who keep my Word.

4 “The LORD is God; his name is holy.
Do not his holiness profane.
God surely will not hold them guiltless
who take his holy name in vain.

5 “Remember, keep the Sabbath holy,
the day God sanctified and blessed.
Six days you shall do all your labor,
but on the seventh you shall rest.

6 “Honor your father and mother;
obey the LORD your God’s command,
that you may dwell secure and prosper
with length of days upon the land.

7 “You shall not hate or kill your neighbor.
Do not commit adultery.
You shall not steal from one another
nor testify untruthfully.

8 “You shall not covet the possessions
your neighbors value as their own;
home, wife or husband, all their treasures
you shall respect as theirs alone.”

9 Teach us, LORD God, to love your precepts,
the good commandments of your law.
Give us the grace to keep your statutes
with thankfulness and proper awe.

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

Psalm 35 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y8onefhr)

1  Plead thou my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me *
 and fight thou against them that fight against me.
2  Lay hand upon the shield and buckler *
 and stand up to help me.
3  Bring forth the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me *
 say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4  Let them be confounded, and put to shame, that seek after my soul *
 let them be turned back, and brought to confusion,
that imagine mischief for me.
5  Let them be as the dust before the wind *
 and the angel of the Lord scattering them.
6  Let their way be dark and slippery *
 and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.
7  For they have privily laid their net to destroy me without a cause *
 yea, even without a cause have they made a pit for my soul.
8  Let a sudden destruction come upon him unawares,
and his net, that he hath laid privily, catch himself *
 that he may fall into his own mischief.
9  And, my soul, be joyful in the Lord *
 it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10  All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee,
who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him *
 yea, the poor, and him that is in misery, from him that spoileth him?
11  False witnesses did rise up *
 they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12  They rewarded me evil for good *
 to the great discomfort of my soul.
13  Nevertheless, when they were sick, I put on sackcloth,
and humbled my soul with fasting *
 and my prayer shall turn into mine own bosom.
14  I behaved myself as though it had been my friend, or my brother *
 I went heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15  But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together *
 yea, the very abjects came together against me unawares,
making mouths at me, and ceased not.
16  With the flatterers were busy mockers *
 who gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17  Lord, how long wilt thou look upon this *
 O deliver my soul from the calamities which they bring on me,
and my darling from the lions.
18  So will I give thee thanks in the great congregation *
 I will praise thee among much people.
19  O let not them that are mine enemies triumph over me ungodly *
 neither let them wink with their eyes that hate me without a cause.
20  And why? their communing is not for peace *
 but they imagine deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
21  They gaped upon me with their mouths, and said *
 Fie on thee, fie on thee, we saw it with our eyes.
22  This thou hast seen, O Lord *
 hold not thy tongue then, go not far from me, O Lord.
23  Awake, and stand up to judge my quarrel *
 avenge thou my cause, my God, and my Lord.
24  Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness *
 and let them not triumph over me.
25  Let them not say in their hearts, There, there, so would we have it *
 neither let them say, We have devoured him.
26  Let them be put to confusion and shame together,
that rejoice at my trouble *
 let them be clothed with rebuke and dishonour,
that boast themselves against me.
27  Let them be glad and rejoice, that favour my righteous dealing *
 yea, let them say alway, Blessed be the Lord,
who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28  And as for my tongue, it shall be talking of thy righteousness *
 and of thy praise all the day long.
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 36 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y82f3wv5)

1  My heart sheweth me the wickedness of the ungodly *
 that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2  For he flattereth himself in his own sight *
 until his abominable sin be found out.
3  The words of his mouth are unrighteous, and full of deceit *
 he hath left off to behave himself wisely, and to do good.
4  He imagineth mischief upon his bed, and hath set himself in no good way *
 neither doth he abhor any thing that is evil.
5  Thy mercy, O Lord, reacheth unto the heavens *
 and thy faithfulness unto the clouds.
6  Thy righteousness standeth like the strong mountains *
 thy judgements are like the great deep.
7  Thou, Lord, shalt save both man and beast;
How excellent is thy mercy, O God *
 and the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8  They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house *
 and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures, as out of the river.
9  For with thee is the well of life *
 and in thy light shall we see light.
10  O continue forth thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee *
 and thy righteousness unto them that are true of heart.
11  O let not the foot of pride come against me *
 and let not the hand of the ungodly cast me down.
12  There are they fallen, all that work wickedness *
 they are cast down, and shall not be able to stand.
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

Eternal God,
you satisfy our hunger
by feeding us with the bread of life,
and you quench our thirst for righteousness
by your mighty acts.
Nourish us always by your Spirit,
that we may grow into the stature of Jesus Christ. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Exodus 20:1-17

Then God spoke all these words:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

HYMN: Psalm 19; para. Helen Otte ©
Tune: Genevan 19^th

1 The spacious heavens tell
the glory of the LORD;
the skies his work proclaim.
Each day and night is heard
their voice in all the earth;
they glorify God’s name.
Each day the mighty sun
rejoices in its run,
arising in the morning
a bridegroom coming forth,
a runner on the course
bright shining in its glory.

2 God’s perfect law is good,
for it revives the soul
and makes the simple wise.
The precepts of the LORD
give joy unto the heart
and light unto the eyes.
All God’s commands are sure
the fear of God is pure,
forevermore enduring
more precious than pure gold
or honey from the comb;
to keep them is rewarding.

3 Who can discern their wrongs?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep me from willful sins.
May they not rule my life;
then I will blameless be,
not guilty of great sin.
All of these words and thoughts,
reflections of my heart,
in praise to you I offer.
May this, my sacrifice,
be pleasing in your sight,
my Rock and my Redeemer.

Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

HYMN: John Bowring
Tune: Rathbun https://tinyurl.com/mhbkewu8

1 In the cross of Christ I glory,
towering o’er the wrecks of time:
all the light of sacred story
gathers round its head sublime.

2 When the woes of life o’ertake me,
hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
never shall the cross forsake me;
lo! it glows with peace and joy.

3 When the sun of bliss is beaming
light and love upon my way,
from the cross the radiance streaming
adds more lustre to the day.

4 Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
by the cross are sanctified;
peace is there that knows no measure,
joys that through all time abide.

5 In the cross of Christ I glory,
towering o’er the wrecks of time:
all the light of sacred story
gathers round its head sublime.

Reading: John 2:13-22

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

CANTICLE Ephesians 1:3-10
(John Michael Talbot https://tinyurl.com/ya8y3kqs)

Ant. God chose us in his Son to be his beloved children.
Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
who bestowed on us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God chose us in him before the world began, *
to be holy and blameless in his sight.
He predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ, *
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.

In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed, *
and our sins forgiven, so immeasurably generous is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom to understand fully the mystery, *
the plan he was pleased to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out in Christ, in the fullness of time, *
to bring all things into one in him, in the heavens and on the earth
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

THE PRAYERS ^{Joe Milner}

For the Church: that we may grow in our awareness of our dignity as temples of the Holy Spirit

For all who teach and preach: that they may faithfully proclaim Christ crucified and lead others into the mystery of God’s love

For the grace of renewal: that God’s covenant with us will move our hearts to a deeper relationship with God and greater service to our neighbors

For a deeper appreciation of the commandments: that we may allow the wisdom and vision of the commandments given to Moses to form our conscience and guide our decisions

For a spirit of integrity: that we recognize ourselves as servants of God, honoring God’s name by our words and deeds, and never attempting to use God for our benefit

For a cleansing of the temple of our hearts: that God will free us from all that enslaves us and help us to offer our self-sacrificing service to God and others

For an end to injustice: that God will rouse our hearts to identify racial injustice in our lives, give us the strength to make changes, and guide us in cleansing the practices and systems that sustain it

For all bookkeepers and church business managers: that God will help them to be faithful and honest stewards of all the community’s resources

For all the elect: that God will cleanse their hearts, lead them into fuller faith, and deepen their desire for baptism

For an end to violence: that God will heal the brokenness in our society that devalues human life and inspire leaders to work toward protecting the innocent and vulnerable from harm

For all who are recovering from natural disasters: that God will give them strength, help them navigate the process for securing the assistance that they need, and give them hope

For members of legislatures: that God will guide their deliberations and help them address the issues that burden the poor and marginalized of society

For students as they go on service trips or spring break: that God will keep them safe in their travels, help them learn from their experiences, and guide them in the choices that they make

For all who are ill: that God will relieve their pain, restore their health, and protect the human family from the further spread of the Covid virus.

For successful distribution of the Covid vaccine: that God will guide the delivery of vaccines to where it is needed and give strength to all who are administering it

(Traditional chant: https://tinyurl.com/ydzx5jdp)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
[For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.]

Holy One, creator of the stars and seas,
your steadfast love is shown to every living thing:
your word calls forth countless worlds and souls;
your law revives and refreshes.
Forgive our misuse of your gifts,
that we may be transformed by your wisdom
to manifest for others
the mercy of our crucified and risen Lord. 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

---

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

^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 intercessions are by Joe Milner, http://liturgy.slu.edu

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.