Columba of Iona
Born in Ireland in about the year 521, Columba was trained as a monk by St Finnian and then founded several monasteries himself, including probably that of Kells, before leaving Ireland to settle on Iona, off the coast of Scotland. He was accompanied by twelve companions and the number grew as the monastic life became more established and well-known. Columba seems to have been an austere and, at times, harsh man who reputedly mellowed with age. He was concerned with building up both the monastery and its life and of enabling them to be instruments of mission in a heathen land. He converted kings and built churches, Iona becoming a starting point for the expansion of Christianity throughout Scotland. In the last four years of his life, when his health had failed, he spent the time transcribing books of the gospels for them to be taken out and used. He died on this day in the year 597. EH
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/ys3p86sx
I will recount all your wonders,
I will rejoice in you and be glad,
and sing psalms to your name, O Most High. Psalm 9
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: Rusty Edwards ©
Tune: Nettleton https://tinyurl.com/2kd3uubk
1 Praise the one who breaks the darkness
with a liberating light;
praise the one who frees the pris’ners,
turning blindness into sight.
Praise the one who preached the gospel,
healing ev’ry dread disease,
calming storms and feeding thousands
with the Father’s word of peace.
2 Praise the one who blessed the children
with a strong yet gentle word;
praise the one who drove out demons
with a piercing, two-edged sword.
Praise the one who brings cool water
to the desert’s burning sand;
from this well comes living water,
quenching thirst in ev’ry land.
3 Let us praise the Word incarnate,
Christ, who suffered in our place;
Jesus died and rose victorious
that we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness,
seeing what our God has done;
let us praise the true Redeemer,
praise the one who makes us one.
PSALMS
Psalm 47 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/sk7c3h7)
1 Clap your hands together, all ye people *
O sing unto God with the voice of melody.
2 For the Lord is high, and to be feared *
he is the great King upon all the earth.
3 He shall subdue the people under us *
and the nations under our feet.
4 He shall choose out an heritage for us *
even the worship of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God is gone up with a merry noise *
and the Lord with the sound of the trump.
6 O sing praises, sing praises unto our God *
O sing praises, sing praises unto our King.
7 For God is the King of all the earth *
sing ye praises with understanding.
8 God reigneth over the heathen *
God sitteth upon his holy seat.
9 The princes of the people are joined
unto the people of the God of Abraham *
for God, which is very high exalted,
doth defend the earth, as it were with a shield.
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 47 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-47.mp3)
1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; *
shout to God with a cry of joy.
2 For the LORD Most High is to be feared; *
he is the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdues the peoples under us, *
and the nations under our feet.
4 He chooses our inheritance for us, *
the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
5 God has gone up with a shout, *
the LORD with the sound of the ram’s-horn.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; *
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is King of all the earth; *
sing praises with all your skill.
8 God reigns over the nations; *
God sits upon his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the peoples have gathered together *
with the people of the God of Abraham.
10 The rulers of the earth belong to God, *
and he is highly exalted.
Psalm 48 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rhcanfm)
1 Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised *
in the city of our God, even upon his holy hill.
2 The hill of Sion is a fair place, and the joy of the whole earth *
upon the north-side lieth the city of the great King;
God is well known in her palaces as a sure refuge.
3 For lo, the kings of the earth *
are gathered, and gone by together.
4 They marvelled to see such things *
they were astonished, and suddenly cast down.
5 Fear came there upon them, and sorrow *
as upon a woman in her travail.
6 Thou shalt break the ships of the sea *
through the east-wind.
7 Like as we have heard, so have we seen
in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God *
God upholdeth the same for ever.
8 We wait for thy loving-kindness, O God *
in the midst of thy temple.
9 O God, according to thy Name, so is thy praise unto the world’s end *
thy right hand is full of righteousness.
10 Let the mount Sion rejoice, and the daughter of Judah be glad *
because of thy judgements.
11 Walk about Sion, and go round about her *
and tell the towers thereof.
12 Mark well her bulwarks, set up her houses *
that ye may tell them that come after.
13 For this God is our God for ever and ever *
he shall be our guide unto death.
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 48 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-48.mp3)
1 Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised; *
in the city of our God is his holy hill.
2 Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the hill of Zion, *
the very center of the world and the city of the great King.
3 God is in her citadels; *
he is known to be her sure refuge.
4 Behold, the kings of the earth assembled *
and marched forward together.
5 They looked and were astounded; *
they retreated and fled in terror.
6 Trembling seized them there; *
they writhed like a woman in childbirth,
like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.
7 As we have heard, so have we seen,
in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God; *
God has established her for ever.
8 We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God, *
in the midst of your temple.
9 Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to the world’s end; *
your right hand is full of justice.
10 Let Mount Zion be glad and the cities of Judah rejoice, *
because of your judgments.
11 Make the circuit of Zion; walk round about her; *
count the number of her towers.
12 Consider well her bulwarks; examine her strongholds; *
that you may tell those who come after.
13 This God is our God for ever and ever; *
he shall be our guide for evermore.
Psalm 49 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/v8qpz99)
1 O hear ye this, all ye people *
ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world;
2 High and low, rich and poor *
one with another.
3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom *
and my heart shall muse of understanding.
4 I will incline mine ear to the parable *
and shew my dark speech upon the harp.
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of wickedness *
and when the wickedness of my heels compasseth me round about?
6 There be some that put their trust in their goods *
and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches.
7 But no man may deliver his brother *
nor make agreement unto God for him;
8 For it cost more to redeem their souls *
so that he must let that alone for ever;
9 Yea, though he live long *
and see not the grave.
10 For he seeth that wise men also die, and perish together *
as well as the ignorant and foolish, and leave their riches for other.
11 And yet they think that their houses shall continue for ever *
and that their dwelling-places shall endure
from one generation to another;
and call the lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless, man will not abide in honour *
seeing he may be compared unto the beasts that perish;
this is the way of them.
13 This is their foolishness *
and their posterity praise their saying.
14 They lie in the hell like sheep, death gnaweth upon them,
and the righteous shall have domination over them in the morning *
their beauty shall consume in the sepulchre out of their dwelling.
15 But God hath delivered my soul from the place of hell *
for he shall receive me.
16 Be not thou afraid, though one be made rich *
or if the glory of his house be increased ;
17 For he shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth *
neither shall his pomp follow him.
18 For while he lived, he counted himself an happy man *
and so long as thou doest well unto thyself,
men will speak good of thee.
19 He shall follow the generation of his fathers *
and shall never see light.
20 Man being in honour hath no understanding *
but is compared unto the beasts that perish.
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 49 (Setting by Karl Kohlhase https://tinyurl.com/6zxc3suh)
Hear this, all people, give ear, all who dwell on the earth;
Both the high and the low, both the rich and the poor
My mouth shall sound forth with wisdom,
the thoughts of my heart with understanding
I’ll incline my ear to a proverb,
and solve my riddle to the music of a harp
Why should I fear in times of trouble,
with all the sins of my foes all around me?
Men who trust in their wealth,
who boast in the surplus of their riches
No man can ransom his brother,
or give God the price of His life
For the ransom of his life is too costly,
that he should always live and never see the Pit
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol
For since even wise men will die,
so the fool and the ignorant perish
Leaving their wealth all to others,
though they thought that their homes were forever
Their dwelling for all generations;
they called earthly lands by their names
But no man abides in his boasting;
like the beasts of the earth he shall die
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol
This is the fate of the foolish,
and of all who approve of their words
As sheep that are led to Sheol,
with Death leading them as their shepherd
The upright shall reign in the morning,
while their form is consumed by Sheol
So they shall be left with no dwelling,
But God will ransom my soul
Yes God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol
Fret not for those who get rich,
though the wealth of his house is increasing
For he’ll carry nothing when he dies,
and his wealth will not go down with him
Though while he lived he blessed himself,
and was praised for all his success
He shall go to the place of his fathers,
who will never again see the light
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol
Yes, God will ransom my soul and receive me
PRAYER
Giver of all wisdom,
deliver us from the folly of betraying our eternal birthright
for temporal gain.
Teach us to hold firmly to you
so that we may not treasure things,
but show the imperishable riches of your love
in Jesus Christ. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: 1 Kings 18:1-19
After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year of the drought, saying, ‘Go, present yourself to Ahab; I will send rain on the earth.’ So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria. Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah revered the Lord greatly; when Jezebel was killing off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets, hid them fifty to a cave, and provided them with bread and water.) Then Ahab said to Obadiah, ‘Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the wadis; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.’ So they divided the land between them to pass through it; Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.
As Obadiah was on the way, Elijah met him; Obadiah recognized him, fell on his face, and said, ‘Is it you, my lord Elijah?’ He answered him, ‘It is I. Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here.’ And he said, ‘How have I sinned, that you would hand your servant over to Ahab, to kill me? As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom to which my lord has not sent to seek you; and when they would say, “He is not here”, he would require an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. But now you say, “Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here.” As soon as I have gone from you, the spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where; so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have revered the Lord from my youth. Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets fifty to a cave, and provided them with bread and water? Yet now you say, “Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here”; he will surely kill me.’ Elijah said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.’ So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, ‘Is it you, you troubler of Israel?’ He answered, ‘I have not troubled Israel; but you have, and your father’s house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. Now therefore have all Israel assemble for me at Mount Carmel, with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’
HYMN: The Rend Collective ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/2aut37ew
1 In my wrestling, and in my doubts,
in my failures, you won’t walk out.
Your great love will lead me through:
you are the peace in my troubled sea, whoa, oh,
you are the peace in my troubled sea.
2 In the silence, you won’t let go.
In the questions, your truth will hold.
Your great love will lead me through:
you are the peace in my troubled sea, whoa, oh,
you are the peace in my troubled sea.
Refrain:
My Lighthouse, my Lighthouse
shining in the darkness,
I will follow you!
Oh, my Lighthouse, my Lighthouse,
I will trust the promise:
you will carry me safe to shore,
safe to shore, safe to shore, safe to shore.
3 I won’t fear what tomorrow brings.
With each morning, I’ll rise and sing.
My God’s love will lead me through:
you are the peace in my troubled sea, whoa, oh,
you are the peace in my troubled sea. [Refrain]
Bridge:
Fire before us, you’re the brightest.
You will lead us through the storms. [Refrain]
Reading: Acts 22:6-21
Paul said, ‘While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” I answered, “Who are you, Lord?” Then he said to me, “I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.” Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. I asked, “What am I to do, Lord?” The Lord said to me, “Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been assigned to you to do.” Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.
‘A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there, came to me; and standing beside me, he said, “Brother Saul, regain your sight!” In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear his own voice; for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.”
‘After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw Jesus saying to me, “Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.” And I said, “Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.” Then he said to me, “Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.” ’
HYMN: Stephen P. Starke ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/ybfwf4xs
1 Cling tightly to the Word of God
and Christ’s disciple be,
for then, beloved, you will know
the truth that sets you free,
the truth that sets you free.
2 Recall in faith the precious gift
of your baptismal day,
when you were joined to Jesus’ death
that washed your sins away,
that washed your sins away.
3 For just as God raised up his Son
from death by his great might,
so too, in Christ, we now may live
as children of the light,
as children of the light.
4 Be strong! Stand firm! Come, walk the path
that saints before you trod,
with ready feet to bring good news
of Christ, the peace of God,
of Christ, the peace of God.
5 Know that his body and his blood
will feed your hungry soul
like manna in life’s wilderness,
until you reach your goal,
until you reach your goal.
6 Now fix your eyes on Jesus Christ;
“Come, follow me,” says he.
“Deny yourself, take up your cross;
come, lose your life for me,
come, lose your life for me.”
Reading: John 7:31-36
Yet many in the crowd believed in Jesus and were saying, ‘When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?’ The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. Jesus then said, ‘I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.’ The Jews said to one another, ‘Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, “You will search for me and you will not find me” and, “Where I am, you cannot come”?’
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 PWC
Liberator of the peoples, fill all who confess the name of Christ
with the power your Holy Spirit.
Holy One, accomplish your purposes in us.
Be the joy and the strength of all
whose lives are bound in mutual love
and for those who live in celibacy.
Holy One, accomplish your purposes in us.
Grant your salvation to all who are far from home,
prisoners, exiles and victims of oppression.
Holy One, accomplish your purposes in us.
Show your kindness and mercy to all who are facing trials and difficulties,
to those who are sick and to those who are dying.
Holy One, accomplish your purposes in us.
Forgive our sins and set us free from all hardship,
distress, want, war and injustice.
Holy One, accomplish your purposes in us.
Guide us into new and just ways of sharing the goods of the earth,
so that we may live by the abundance of your mercies.
Holy One, accomplish your purposes in us.
Strengthen us in our struggle
against exploitation, greed and lack of concern,
so that we may find joy together.
Holy One, accomplish your purposes in us.
Unite us in love and service,
so that we may live in communion with all Christ’s saints.
Holy One, accomplish your purposes in us.
Setting by Eric Wyse:2
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.
Almighty God,
who filled the heart of Columba
with the joy of the Holy Spirit
and with deep love for those in his care:
may your pilgrim people follow him,
strong in faith, sustained by hope,
and one in the love that binds us to you;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen. EH
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
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
PWC PRAY WITHOUT CEASING: Morning and Evening Prayer for the Seasons of the Church Year Prepared by The Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett on behalf of The Liturgy Task Force of the Anglican Church of Canada, May 2016.
EH Exciting Holiness, Ed. Brother Tristram SSF © European Province of the Society of Saint Francis, 1997
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 traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalms 47 and 48 is from the The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 49 is the version sung by Karl Kohlhase, http://www.k4communications.com/karl/index.html
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 © 2022 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.
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