Simone Weil
Simone Weil belonged to a species so rare, it had only one member. This peculiar French philosopher and mystic diagnosed the maladies and maledictions of her own age and place – Europe in the first war-torn half of the 20th century – and offered recommendations for how to forestall the repetition of its iniquities: totalitarianism, income inequality, restriction of free speech, political polarisation, the alienation of the modern subject, and more. Her combination of erudition, political and spiritual fervour, and commitment to her ideals adds weight to the distinctive diagnosis she offers of modernity.
Born to a secular Jewish family in Paris, she was gifted from the beginning with a thirst for knowledge of other cultures and her own. As a Christian convert who criticised the Catholic Church and as a communist sympathiser who denounced Stalinism and confronted Trotsky over hazardous party developments, Weil’s independence of mind and resistance to ideological conformity are central to her philosophy. Several mystical experiences, including Weil’s discovery of the poem ‘Love (III)’ by the 17th-century poet George Herbert led her to embrace Christianity, and many have called for her canonisation as a saint. Weil is a hinge between religious and philosophical thought, and her notebooks often do away with differences between them. All of her work constitutes an attempt to regenerate connective tissue between all disciplines, between culture and nature, science and art, and God and humans. She died in exile in London on August 24, 1943.1
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/8b3duhjp
God so loved the world
that he gave his Only Begotten Son,
so that all who believe in him may not perish,
but may have eternal life. John 3
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: Bob Dufford ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/437rnetx
1 You shall cross the barren desert,
but you shall not die of thirst.
You shall wander far in safety
though you do not know the way.
You shall speak your words in foreign lands
and all will understand.
You shall see the face of God and live.
Refrain:
Be not afraid. I go before you always.
Come, follow me, and I will give you rest.
2 If you pass through raging waters in the sea,
you shall not drown.
If you walk amid the burning flames,
you shall not be harmed.
If you stand before the pow’r of hell
and death is at your side,
know that I am with you through it all. [Refrain]
3 Blessed are your poor,
for the kingdom shall be theirs.
Blest are you that weep and mourn,
for one day you shall laugh.
And if wicked tongues insult and hate you
all because of me,
blessed, blessed are you! [Refrain]
PSALMS
Psalm 114 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tbxne5c)
1 When Israel came out of Egypt *
and the house of Jacob from among the strange people,
2 Judah was his sanctuary *
and Israel his dominion.
3 The sea saw that, and fled *
Jordan was driven back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams *
and the little hills like young sheep.
5 What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest *
and thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams *
and ye little hills, like young sheep?
7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord *
at the presence of the God of Jacob;
8 Who turned the hard rock into a standing water *
and the flint-stone into a springing well.
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 114 (LSB Tone G: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-114-LSB.mp3)
1 When Israel went out from Egypt,*
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became his sanctuary,*
Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled;*
Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams,*
the hills like lambs.
5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee?*
O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams?*
O hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,*
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turns the rock into a pool of water,*
the flint into a spring of water.
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.
Psalm 115 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yaw43w93)
1 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the praise *
for thy loving mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
2 Wherefore shall the heathen say *
Where is now their God?
3 As for our God, he is in heaven *
he hath done whatsoever pleased him.
4 Their idols are silver and gold *
even the work of men’s hands.
5 They have mouths, and speak not *
eyes have they, and see not.
6 They have ears, and hear not *
noses have they, and smell not.
7 They have hands, and handle not; feet have they, and walk not *
neither speak they through their throat.
8 They that make them are like unto them *
and so are all such as put their trust in them.
9 But thou, house of Israel, trust thou in the Lord *
he is their succour and defence.
10 Ye house of Aaron, put your trust in the Lord *
he is their helper and defender.
11 Ye that fear the Lord, put your trust in the Lord *
he is their helper and defender.
12 The Lord hath been mindful of us, and he shall bless us *
even he shall bless the house of Israel,
he shall bless the house of Aaron.
13 He shall bless them that fear the Lord *
both small and great.
14 The Lord shall increase you more and more *
you and your children.
15 Ye are the blessed of the Lord *
who made heaven and earth.
16 All the whole heavens are the Lord’s *
the earth hath he given to the children of men.
17 The dead praise not thee, O Lord *
neither all they that go down into silence.
18 But we will praise the Lord *
from this time forth for evermore. Praise the 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.
Psalm 115 (LSB Tone G: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-115-LSB.mp3)
1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,*
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
2 Why should the nations say,*
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;*
he does all that he pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold,*
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;*
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;*
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk;*
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them be-come like them;*
so do all who trust in them.
9 O Israel, trust in the LORD!*
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!*
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!*
He is their help and their shield.
12 The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us;*
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the LORD,*
both the small and the great.
14 May the LORD give you increase,*
you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the LORD,*
who made heaven and earth!
16 The heavens are the LORD’s heavens,*
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD,*
nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the LORD*
from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the 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.
PRAYER
Sovereign God,
you subdue the arrogant
and raise the humble;
you feed the hungry
and reveal the poverty of wealth.
Help us to praise your name in all times and places,
that we may be faithful servants
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: 1 Kings 4:20-28
Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea; they ate and drank and were happy. Solomon was sovereign over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, even to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors of choice flour, and sixty cors of meal, ten fat oxen, and twenty pasture-fed cattle, one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl. For he had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates; and he had peace on all sides. During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all of them under their vines and fig trees. Solomon also had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. Those officials supplied provisions for King Solomon and for all who came to King Solomon’s table, each one in his month; they let nothing be lacking. They also brought to the required place barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds, each according to his charge.
HYMN: Horatio Gates Spafford
Tune: Ville de Havre https://tinyurl.com/s4vpcvjm
1 When peace like a river attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well, it is well with my soul.”
Refrain (may be sung after final stanza only):
It is well with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.
2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control:
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and has shed his own blood for my soul. Refrain
3 My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! Refrain
4 O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;
even so, it is well with my soul. Refrain
Reading: Ephesians 6:21-24
So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus will tell you everything. He is a dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are, and to encourage your hearts.
Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
HYMN: Charles Wesley
Tune: O du Liebe meiner Liebe https://tinyurl.com/36d8k3vy
1 Peace be to this congregation,
peace to ev’ry soul therein,
peace, which flows from Christ’s salvation,
peace, the seal of cancelled sin,
peace that speaks its heavenly Giver,
peace, to earthly minds unknown,
peace divine that lasts forever
here erect its glorious throne.
3 Jesus, Prince of peace, be near us;
fix in all our hearts your home;
with your gracious presence cheer us;
let your sacred kingdom come;
raise to heav’n our expectation,
give our favored souls to prove
glorious and complete salvation,
in the realms of bliss above.
Reading: Luke 6:20-26
Then Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:
‘Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
‘But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
‘Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.’
CANTICLE 1 Samuel 2
(Jason Silver: https://tinyurl.com/y3zdb8z9)
My heart exults in the Lord;
and my strength is exalted in God.
I loudly denounce my enemies,
for I am so glad you rescued me.
There is no Holy One like the Lord,
There is no Rock like our God.
Boast no more so very proud,
no arrogance come out of your mouth;
the Lord is our God who knows,
and by him our actions they are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
the feeble ones strengthened anew.
The well-fed hire themselves for bread,
but those who are hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven babes,
but she who has many is forlorn.
The Lord kills and the Lord brings to life;
brings down to the grave, raises up.
The Lord makes poor and he makes rich;
he brings us low, also exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit down with princes
and to inherit an honorable seat.
The pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he set the world.
He watches over his holy ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in the dark.
For not by might does one prevail;
the Lord’s adversaries shall be shattered.
The Most High will thunder in heaven.
the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to his king,
and exalt the power of his anointed ones.
THE PRAYERS BCW
We praise you, God our creator, for your handiwork in shaping and sustaining
your wondrous creation. Especially we thank you for
the miracle of life and the wonder of living . . .
particular blessings coming to us in this day . . .
the resources of the earth . . .
gifts of creative vision and skillful craft . . .
the treasure stored in every human life. . . .
We dare to pray for others, God our Savior, claiming your love in Jesus Christ for
the whole world, committing ourselves to care for those around us in his name.
Especially we pray for
those who work for the benefit of others . . .
those who cannot work today . . .
those who teach and those who learn . . .
people who are poor . . .
the church in Europe. . . .
Setting by Eric Wyse
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.
God of blessing and woe,
disturbing the deadly order of the world:
give us faith tested in poverty,
hunger for what really satisfies,
eyes softened by tears
and hearts ready to laugh
at all that is false and pompous
that we, like Simone Weil, might be witnesses
to the dignity of life;
through Jesus Christ, who turns the world upside down. Amen. PIC
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.
PIC Prayers for An Inclusive Church. Steven Shakespeare © 2008 Canterbury Press.
1 adapted from Christy Wampole https://tinyurl.com/yay7zbse
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 reading from John is from the Common English Bible © 2011 Common English Bible.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language versions of Psalms 114 and 115 are in the version used in Lutheran Service Book: Pew Edition Concordia Publishing House, and are from the Next to the Word of God YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkVRYL-MRebncw584Ql2xfg.
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 © 2021 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.
Oremus 