Oremus for Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Antiphon¹

Ant. Father, if this cup cannot pass away
unless I drink it, thy will be done.
V. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? †
Why are you far from saving me, *
so far from my words of anguish?
O my God, I call by day and you do not answer; *
I call by night and I find no reprieve. Matthew 26; Psalm 22

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: Graham Kendrick ©
Tune: The Servant King https://tinyurl.com/zdabvw2a

1 From heaven you came, helpless babe,
entered our world, your glory veiled;
not to be served but to serve,
and give your life that we might live.

Refrain:
This is our God, the Servant King,
he calls us now to follow him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

2 There in the garden of tears,
my heavy load he chose to bear;
his heart with sorrow was torn,
‘Yet not my will but yours,’ he said. [Refrain]

3 Come, see his hands and his feet,
the scars that speak of sacrifice,
hands that flung stars into space
to cruel nails surrendered. [Refrain]

4 So let us learn how to serve,
and in our lives enthrone him;
each other’s needs to prefer,
for it is Christ we’re serving. [Refrain]

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

Psalm 144 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tb977vw)

1  Blessed be the Lord my strength *
 who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight;
2  My hope and my fortress, my castle and deliverer,
my defender in whom I trust *
 who subdueth my people that is under me.
3  Lord, what is man, that thou hast such respect unto him *
 or the son of man, that thou so regardest him?
4  Man is like a thing of nought *
 his time passeth away like a shadow.
5  Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down *
 touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6  Cast forth thy lightning, and tear them *
 shoot out thine arrows, and consume them.
7  Send down thine hand from above *
 deliver me, and take me out of the great waters,
from the hand of strange children;
8  Whose mouth talketh of vanity *
 and their right hand is a right hand of wickedness.
9  I will sing a new song unto thee, O God *
 and sing praises unto thee upon a ten-stringed lute.
10  Thou hast given victory unto kings *
 and hast delivered David thy servant from the peril of the sword.
11  Save me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children *
 whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.
12  That our sons may grow up as the young plants *
 and that our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple.
13  That our garners may be full and plenteous with all manner of store *
 that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets.
14  That our oxen may be strong to labour, that there be no decay *
 no leading into captivity, and no complaining in our streets.
15  Happy are the people that are in such a case *
 yea, blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,*
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 145 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ub6xy86)

1  I will magnify thee, O God, my King *
 and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.
2  Every day will I give thanks unto thee *
 and praise thy Name for ever and ever.
3  Great is the Lord, and marvellous worthy to be praised *
 there is no end of his greatness.
4  One generation shall praise thy works unto another *
 and declare thy power.
5  As for me, I will be talking of thy worship *
 thy glory, thy praise, and wondrous works;
6  So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts *
 and I will also tell of thy greatness.
7  The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed *
 and men shall sing of thy righteousness.
8  The Lord is gracious, and merciful *
 long-suffering, and of great goodness.
9  The Lord is loving unto every man *
 and his mercy is over all his works.
10  All thy works praise thee, O Lord *
 and thy saints give thanks unto thee.
11  They shew the glory of thy kingdom *
 and talk of thy power;
12  That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom *
 might be known unto men.
13  Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom *
 and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
14  The Lord upholdeth all such as fall *
 and lifteth up all those that are down.
15  The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord *
 and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16  Thou openest thine hand *
 and fillest all things living with plenteousness.
17  The Lord is righteous in all his ways *
 and holy in all his works.
18  The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him *
 yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.
19  He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him *
 he also will hear their cry, and will help them.
20  The Lord preserveth all them that love him *
 but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.
21  My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord *
 and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever.
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 146 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rwxra4q)

1  Praise the Lord, O my soul; while I live will I praise the Lord *
 yea, as long as I have any being, I will sing praises unto my God.
2  O put not your trust in princes, nor in any child of man *
 for there is no help in them.
3  For when the breath of man goeth forth he shall turn again to his earth *
 and then all his thoughts perish.
4  Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help *
 and whose hope is in the Lord his God;
5  Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein is *
 who keepeth his promise for ever.
6  Who helpeth them to right that suffer wrong *
 who feedeth the hungry.
7  The Lord looseth men out of prison *
 the Lord giveth sight to the blind.
8  The Lord helpeth them that are fallen *
 the Lord careth for the righteous.
9  The Lord careth for the strangers; he defendeth the fatherless and widow *
 as for the way of the ungodly, he turneth it upside down.
10  The Lord thy God, O Sion, shall be King for evermore *
 and throughout all generations.
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

Blessed are those who put their trust in you, O God,
our sure rock and refuge.
Guard us from giving to any other
the allegiance which belongs only to you.
Shine upon us with the brightness of your light,
that we may love you with a pure heart
and praise you forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Isaiah 53:1-3

Who has believed what we have heard?
   And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
   and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
   nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by others;
   a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
and as one from whom others hide their faces
   he was despised, and we held him of no account.

HYMN: Johann Herrmann; trans. Robert Bridges
Tune: Herzliebster Jesu https://tinyurl.com/verchjdw

1. Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,
that man to judge thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

2. Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
‘Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee:
I crucified thee.

3. Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered;
for our atonement, while we nothing heeded,
God interceded.

4. For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,
thy mortal sorrow, and thy life’s oblation;
thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
for my salvation.

5. Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
not my deserving.

Reading: Galatians 6:11-18

See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

HYMN: James Montgomery
Music: Martyrdom https://tinyurl.com/n6y8ytnu

1 According to thy gracious word,
in meek humility,
this will I do, my dying Lord,
I will remember thee.

2 Thy body, broken for my sake,
my bread from heav’n shall be;
thy testamental cup I take,
and thus remember thee.

3 Gethsemane can I forget?
Or there thy conflict see,
thine agony and bloody sweat,
and not remember thee?

4 When to the cross I turn mine eyes,
and rest on Calvary,
O Lamb of God, my sacrifice,
I must remember thee.

5 Remember thee, and all thy pains,
and all thy love to me:
when thou shalt in thy kingdom come,
Jesus, remember me.

Reading: Matthew 26:17-46

On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’ He answered, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’ Judas, who betrayed him, said, ‘Surely not I, Rabbi?’ He replied, ‘You have said so.’

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’

When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, ‘You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.’ Peter said to him, ‘Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ Peter said to him, ‘Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And so said all the disciples.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.’ And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.’ Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Again he went away for the second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.’ Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.’

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 ^BCW

Our Redeemer suffered death,
was buried and rose again for our sake.
With love let us adore him, aware of our needs.

Christ our teacher,
for us you were obedient, even to death:
Teach us to obey God’s will in all things.

Christ our life,
by dying on the cross
you destroyed the power of evil and death:
Enable us to die with you, and to rise with you in glory.

Christ our strength,
you were despised,
and humiliated as a condemned criminal:
Teach us the humility by which you saved the world.

Christ our salvation,
you gave your life out of love for us:
Help us to love one another.

Christ our Savior,
on the cross you embraced all time
with your outstretched arms:
Gather all the scattered children of God into your realm.

(Karin Simmons: https://tinyurl.com/y7vwp7dd)

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.
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.

Eternal God,
as we are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ,
so give us the grace of repentance
that we may pass through the grave with him
and be born again to eternal life.
For he is the One
who was crucified, dead, and buried,
and rose again for us,
Jesus our Savior. Amen. ^BCW

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 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.