Oremus for Monday, March 8, 2021

Antiphon¹

Ant. At the name of the Lord let every knee bend, *
in heaven, on earth and under the earth;
for the Lord became obedient unto death, even death on the Cross;
that is why Jesus Christ is the Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer, *
and let my cry come to you.
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress. Philippians 2; Psalm 102

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: Shirley Erena Murray ©
Tune: Twenty-Fourth https://tinyurl.com/dx6az2xw

1 Teach us, O loving heart of Christ
what only love can say:
‘Father, forgive’ and still forgive
the blindness of our way.

2 Torn is the world you came to save,
it bleeds from hands and side:
slow is your Church to bear the scars
of suffering love that died.

3 We have not found your way of peace,
though lack of peace is death:
we have not fed with word or bread
the hungry of the earth.

4 Christ in whose hands were thrust the nails,
who yet for us could pray:
forgive the things we have not done,
the words we do not say.

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

Psalm 38 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y8u2a6mz)

1  Put me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger *
 neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure.
2  For thine arrows stick fast in me *
 and thy hand presseth me sore.
3  There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure *
 neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin.
4  For my wickednesses are gone over my head *
 and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear.
5  My wounds stink, and are corrupt *
 through my foolishness.
6  I am brought into so great trouble and misery *
 that I go mourning all the day long.
7  For my loins are filled with a sore disease *
 and there is no whole part in my body.
8  I am feeble, and sore smitten *
 I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart.
9  Lord, thou knowest all my desire *
 and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10  My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me *
 and the sight of mine eyes is gone from me.
11  My lovers and my neighbours did stand looking upon my trouble *
 and my kinsmen stood afar off.
12  They also that sought after my life laid snares for me *
 and they that went about to do me evil talked of wickedness,
and imagined deceit all the day long.
13  As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not *
 and as one that is dumb, who doth not open his mouth.
14  I became even as a man that heareth not *
 and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15  For in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust *
 thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God.
16  I have required that they, even mine enemies, should not triumph over me *
 for when my foot slipped, they rejoiced greatly against me.
17  And I, truly, am set in the plague *
 and my heaviness is ever in my sight.
18  For I will confess my wickedness *
 and be sorry for my sin.
19  But mine enemies live, and are mighty *
 and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number.
20  They also that reward evil for good are against me *
 because I follow the thing that good is.
21  Forsake me not, O Lord my God *
 be not thou far from me.
22  Haste thee to help me *
 O Lord God of my salvation.
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 39 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9dmgm3b)

1  I said, I will take heed to my ways *
 that I offend not in my tongue.
2  I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle *
 while the ungodly is in my sight.
3  I held my tongue, and spake nothing *
 I kept silence, yea, even from good words;
but it was pain and grief to me.
4  My heart was hot within me,
and while I was thus musing the fire kindled *
 and at the last I spake with my tongue;
5  Lord, let me know mine end, and the number of my days *
 that I may be certified how long I have to live.
6  Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long *
 and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee;
and verily every man living is altogether vanity.
7  For man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain *
 he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
8  And now, Lord, what is my hope *
 truly my hope is even in thee.
9  Deliver me from all mine offences *
 and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish.
10  I became dumb, and opened not my mouth *
 for it was thy doing.
11  Take thy plague away from me *
 I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand.
12  When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin,
thou makest his beauty to consume away,
like as it were a moth fretting a garment *
 every man therefore is but vanity.
13  Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling *
 hold not thy peace at my tears.
14  For I am a stranger with thee *
 and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
15  O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength *
 before I go hence, and be no more seen.
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 40 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ybregq8q)

1  I waited patiently for the Lord *
 and he inclined unto me, and heard my calling.
2  He brought me also out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay *
 and set my feet upon the rock, and ordered my goings.
3  And he hath put a new song in my mouth *
 even a thanksgiving unto our God.
4  Many shall see it, and fear *
 and shall put their trust in the Lord.
5  Blessed is the man that hath set his hope in the Lord *
 and turned not unto the proud, and to such as go about with lies.
6  O Lord my God, great are the wondrous works which thou hast done,
like as be also thy thoughts which are to us-ward *
 and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto thee.
7  If I should declare them, and speak of them *
 they should be more than I am able to express.
8  Sacrifice, and meat-offering, thou wouldest not *
 but mine ears hast thou opened.
9  Burnt-offerings, and sacrifice for sin, hast thou not required *
 then said I, Lo, I come,
10  In the volume of the book it is written of me, that I should fulfil thy will, O my God *
 I am content to do it; yea, thy law is within my heart.
11  I have declared thy righteousness in the great congregation *
 lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, and that thou knowest.
12  I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart *
 my talk hath been of thy truth, and of thy salvation.
13  I have not kept back thy loving mercy and truth *
 from the great congregation.
14  Withdraw not thou thy mercy from me, O Lord *
 let thy loving-kindness and thy truth alway preserve me.
15  For innumerable troubles are come about me;
my sins have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up *
 yea, they are more in number than the hairs of my head,
and my heart hath failed me.
16  O Lord, let it be thy pleasure to deliver me *
 make haste, O Lord, to help me.
17  Let them be ashamed, and confounded together,
that seek after my soul to destroy it *
 let them be driven backward, and put to rebuke, that wish me evil.
18  Let them be desolate, and rewarded with shame *
 that say unto me, Fie upon thee, fie upon thee.
19  Let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee *
 and let such as love thy salvation say alway, The Lord be praised.
20  As for me, I am poor and needy *
 but the Lord careth for me.
21  Thou art my helper and redeemer *
 make no long tarrying, O my God.
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

O God,
none can compare with you,
for your wondrous deeds for our salvation are without number.
Make us bold witnesses to your faithfulness
that all the earth may rejoice in your love toward us
in Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Hosea 1:1-9

The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the days of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and in the days of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel.

When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.’ So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

And the Lord said to him, ‘Name him Jezreel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.’

She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.’

When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said, ‘Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God.’

HYMN: Gregory Norbert
Tune: Hosea https://tinyurl.com/2r9uueyu

1 Come back to me with all your heart.
Don’t let fear keep us apart.
Trees do bend, though straight and tall;
So must we to others’ call.

Refrain:
Long have I waited for your coming home to me
And living deeply our new life.

2 The wilderness will lead you 
To your heart where I will speak.
Integrity and justice
With tenderness you shall know. [Refrain]

3 You shall sleep secure with peace;
Faithfulness will be your joy. [Refrain]

Reading: Hebrews 9:15-28

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant. Where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Hence not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been told to all the people by Moses in accordance with the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.’ And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Thus it was necessary for the sketches of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgement, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

HYMN: John Newton
Tune: St Austin https://tinyurl.com/4ruk2xmv

1 Day of judgment! Day of wonders!
Hark! the trumpet’s awful sound,
louder than a thousand thunders,
shakes the vast creation round.
How the summons
will the sinner’s heart confound!

2 See the Judge, our nature wearing,
clothed in majesty divine;
you who long for his appearing
then shall say, “This God is mine!”
Gracious Savior,
own me in that day as thine.

3 At his call the dead awaken,
rise to life from earth and sea;
all the pow’rs of nature, shaken
by his looks, prepare to flee.
Careless sinner,
what will then become of thee?

4 But to those who have confessed,
loved and served the Lord below,
he will say, “Come near, ye blessed,
see the kingdom I bestow;
you forever
shall my love and glory know.”

Reading: Matthew 21:23-32

When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

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

In penitence and faith let us make our prayer to the Father
and ask for his mercy and grace.

For your holy people,
that they may triumph over evil and grow in grace:
We pray to you, O Lord.

For candidates for baptism and confirmation,
that they may live by every word that proceeds from your mouth:
We pray to you, O Lord.

For the leaders of the nations,
that you will guide them in the ways of mercy and truth:
We pray to you, O Lord.

For the needy,
that they may not be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away:
We pray to you, O Lord.

For the sick in body, mind and spirit,
that they may know your power to heal:
We pray to you, O Lord.

For the poor in spirit,
that they may inherit the kingdom of heaven
and see you face to face: :
We pray to you, O Lord.

Let us commend the world, for which Christ suffered,
to the mercy and protection of God. Amen.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the bread of life;
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.

God of our salvation,
we falter before the demands of your word
and turn away from your call to life.
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. 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.

^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.

^DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.

^CW:DP Common Worship: Daily Prayer, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2005 and published by Church House Publishing.

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

The 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.