Leo the Great
Leo the Great became pope in the year 440 and twice proved his bravery in saving the citizens of Rome from the invading barbarians. He was an eloquent and wise preacher, using simple gospel texts to proclaim the Christian faith. His administrative skills were unrivalled and he used the resources of the Church for the good of the people. Rather than further confuse Christians by entering into the controversy over the person of Christ, Leo spoke simply of the humility of Christ who was divine and human in his compassion, uniting biblical images in prayer rather than dividing in debate. Leo died on this day in the year 461. EH
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/4kabnhc7
You are merciful to all, O Lord,
and despise nothing that you have made.
You overlook people’s sins, to bring them to repentance,
and you spare them, for you are the Lord our God. Wisdom 11
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: The New Metrical Version of the Psalms, 1909
Tune: Solid Rock https://tinyurl.com/23sp3xse
1 With grateful heart my thanks I bring,
before the great your praise I sing;
I worship in your holy place
and praise you for your truth and grace;
for truth and grace together shine
in your most holy word divine,
in your most holy word divine.
2 I cried to you, and you did save;
your word of grace new courage gave;
the kings of earth shall thank you, Lord,
for they have heard your wondrous word;
yea, they shall come with songs of praise,
for great and glorious are your ways,
for great and glorious are your ways.
3 O Lord, enthroned in glory bright,
you reign above in heav’nly height;
the proud in vain your favor seek
but you have mercy for the meek;
through trouble though my pathway be,
you will revive and strengthen me,
you will revive and strengthen me.
4 You will stretch forth your mighty arm
to save me when my foes alarm;
the work you have for me begun
shall by your grace be fully done;
your mercy shall forever be;
O Lord, my Maker, think on me,
O Lord, my Maker think on me.
PSALMS
Psalm 50 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yaptmvbw)
1 The Lord, even the most mighty God, hath spoken *
and called the world, from the rising up of the sun,
unto the going down thereof.
2 Out of Sion hath God appeared *
in perfect beauty.
3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence *
there shall go before him a consuming fire,
and a mighty tempest shall be stirred up round about him.
4 He shall call the heaven from above *
and the earth, that he may judge his people.
5 Gather my saints together unto me *
those that have made a covenant with me with sacrifice.
6 And the heaven shall declare his righteousness *
for God is Judge himself.
7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak *
I myself will testify against thee, O Israel; for I am God, even thy God.
8 I will not reprove thee because of thy sacrifices,
or for thy burnt-offerings *
because they were not alway before me.
9 I will take no bullock out of thine house *
nor he-goat out of thy folds.
10 For all the beasts of the forest are mine *
and so are the cattle upon a thousand hills.
11 I know all the fowls upon the mountains *
and the wild beasts of the field are in my sight.
12 If I be hungry, I will not tell thee *
for the whole world is mine, and all that is therein.
13 Thinkest thou that I will eat bulls’ flesh *
and drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer unto God thanksgiving *
and pay thy vows unto the most Highest.
15 And call upon me in the time of trouble *
so will I hear thee, and thou shalt praise me.
16 But unto the ungodly said God *
Why dost thou preach my laws, and takest my covenant in thy mouth;
17 Whereas thou hatest to be reformed *
and hast cast my words behind thee?
18 When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst unto him *
and hast been partaker with the adulterers.
19 Thou hast let thy mouth speak wickedness *
and with thy tongue thou hast set forth deceit.
20 Thou satest, and spakest against thy brother *
yea, and hast slandered thine own mother’s son.
21 These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue,
and thou thoughtest wickedly, that I am even such a one as thyself *
but I will reprove thee, and set before thee
the things that thou hast done.
22 O consider this, ye that forget God *
lest I pluck you away, and there be none to deliver you.
23 Whoso offereth me thanks and praise, he honoureth me *
and to him that ordereth his conversation right
will I shew the salvation of 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.
Psalm 51 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yb6rfjqo)
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness *
according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.
2 Wash me throughly from my wickedness *
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my faults *
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight *
that thou mightest be justified in thy saying,
and clear when thou art judged.
5 Behold, I was shapen in wickedness *
and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
6 But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts *
and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.
7 Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean *
thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness *
that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Turn thy face from my sins *
and put out all my misdeeds.
10 Make me a clean heart, O God *
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence *
and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
12 O give me the comfort of thy help again *
and stablish me with thy free Spirit.
13 Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked *
and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God,
thou that art the God of my health *
and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness.
15 Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord *
and my mouth shall shew thy praise.
16 For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee *
but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
17 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit *
a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
18 O be favourable and gracious unto Sion *
build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness,
with the burnt-offerings and oblations *
then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.
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 52 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ycgabjj9)
1 Why boastest thou thyself, thou tyrant *
that thou canst do mischief;
2 Whereas the goodness of God *
endureth yet daily?
3 Thy tongue imagineth wickedness *
and with lies thou cuttest like a sharp razor.
4 Thou hast loved unrighteousness more than goodness *
and to talk of lies more than righteousness.
5 Thou hast loved to speak all words that may do hurt *
O thou false tongue.
6 Therefore shall God destroy thee for ever *
he shall take thee, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling,
and root thee out of the land of the living.
7 The righteous also shall see this, and fear *
and shall laugh him to scorn;
8 Lo, this is the man that took not God for his strength *
but trusted unto the multitude of his riches,
and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
9 As for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God *
my trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever.
10 I will always give thanks unto thee for that thou hast done *
and I will hope in thy Name, for thy saints like it 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 50: LSB Tone I http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-50-LSB.mp3)
1 The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth*
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,*
God shines forth.
3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence;*
before him is a devouring fire,
around him a mighty tempest.
4 He calls to the heavens above*
and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,*
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness,*
for God himself is judge!
7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
O Israel, I will testify against you.*
I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;*
your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will not accept a bull from your house*
or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine,*
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the hills,*
and all that moves in the field is mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,*
for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls*
or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,*
and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;*
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
16 But to the wicked God says:*
“What right have you to recite my statutes
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,*
and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,*
and you keep company with adulterers.
19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,*
and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;*
you slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one like yourself.*
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God,*
lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;*
to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”
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 51 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-51.mp3)
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your loving-kindness; *
in your great compassion blot out my offenses.
2 Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, *
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you only have I sinned *
and done what is evil in your sight.
5 And so you are justified when you speak *
and upright in your judgment.
6 Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
a sinner from my mother’s womb.
7 For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
and will make me understand wisdom secretly
8 Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
9 Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
that the body you have broken may rejoice.
10 Hide your face from my sins *
and blot out all my iniquities.
11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
and renew a right spirit within me.
12 Cast me not away from your presence *
and take not your holy Spirit from me.
13 Give me the joy of your saving help again *
and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
14 I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *
and sinners shall return to you.
15 Deliver me from death, O God, *
and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,
O God of my salvation.
16 Open my lips, O Lord, *
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
17 Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice, *
but you take no delight in burnt-offerings.
18 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
19 Be favorable and gracious to Zion, *
and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
20 Then you will be pleased with the appointed sacrifices,
with burnt-offerings and oblations; *
then shall they offer young bullocks upon your altar.
Psalm 52 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-52-MH.mp3)
3 Why do you boast of your wickedness,
you champion of evil,
4 planning ruin all day long,
(your tongue like a sharpened razor),
you master of deceit?
5 You love evil more than good,
lies more than truth.
6 You love the destructive word,
you tongue of deceit.
7 For this God will destroy you
and remove you for ever.
He will snatch you from your tent and uproot you
from the land of the living.
8 The just shall see and fear.
They shall laugh and say:
9 “So this is the man who refused
to take God as a stronghold,
but trusted in the greatness of his wealth
and grew powerful by his crimes.”
10 But I am like a growing olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the goodness of God
for ever and ever.
11 I will thank you for evermore;
for this is your doing.
I will proclaim that your name is good,
in the presence of your friends.
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
Sovereign God,
you cut down trees that bear no fruit,
and prune fruitful trees that they may bear more.
Make us grow like rich olive trees in your kingdom,
firmly rooted in the power and mercy
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: Isaiah 58:1-12
Shout loudly; don’t hold back;
raise your voice like a trumpet!
Announce to my people their crime,
to the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me day after day,
desiring knowledge of my ways
like a nation that acted righteously,
that didn’t abandon their God.
They ask me for righteous judgments,
wanting to be close to God.
“Why do we fast and you don’t see;
why afflict ourselves and you don’t notice?”
Yet on your fast day you do whatever you want,
and oppress all your workers.
You quarrel and brawl, and then you fast;
you hit each other violently with your fists.
You shouldn’t fast as you are doing today
if you want to make your voice heard on high.
Is this the kind of fast I choose,
a day of self-affliction,
of bending one’s head like a reed
and of lying down in mourning clothing and ashes?
Is this what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
Isn’t this the fast I choose:
releasing wicked restraints, untying the ropes of a yoke,
setting free the mistreated,
and breaking every yoke?
Isn’t it sharing your bread with the hungry
and bringing the homeless poor into your house,
covering the naked when you see them,
and not hiding from your own family?
Then your light will break out like the dawn,
and you will be healed quickly.
Your own righteousness will walk before you,
and the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and God will say, “I’m here.”
If you remove the yoke from among you,
the finger-pointing, the wicked speech;
if you open your heart to the hungry,
and provide abundantly for those who are afflicted,
your light will shine in the darkness,
and your gloom will be like the noon.
The Lord will guide you continually
and provide for you, even in parched places.
He will rescue your bones.
You will be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water that won’t run dry.
They will rebuild ancient ruins on your account;
the foundations of generations past you will restore.
You will be called Mender of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Livable Streets.
HYMN: Patrick Prescod
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/4m9dktvy
1 The right hand of God is writing in our land,
Writing with power and with love.
Our conflicts and our fears,
our triumphs and our tears
Are recorded by the right hand of God.
2 The right hand of God is pointing in our land,
Pointing the way we must go.
So clouded is the way,
so easily we stray,
But we’re guided by the right hand of God.
3 The right hand of God is striking in our land,
Striking out at envy, hate and greed.
Our selfishness and lust,
our pride and deeds unjust
Are destroyed by the right hand of God.
4 The right hand of God is lifting in our land,
Lifting the fallen one by one.
Each one is known by name,
and rescued now from shame
By the lifting of the right hand of God.
5 The right hand of God is healing in our land,
Healing broken bodies, minds and souls.
So wond’rous is its touch
with love that means so much,
When we’re healed by the right hand of God.
Reading: James 2:1-9
My brothers and sisters, when you show favoritism you deny the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been resurrected in glory. Imagine two people coming into your meeting. One has a gold ring and fine clothes, while the other is poor, dressed in filthy rags. Then suppose that you were to take special notice of the one wearing fine clothes, saying, “Here’s an excellent place. Sit here.” But to the poor person you say, “Stand over there”; or, “Here, sit at my feet.” Wouldn’t you have shown favoritism among yourselves and become evil-minded judges?
My dear brothers and sisters, listen! Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor by worldly standards to be rich in terms of faith? Hasn’t God chosen the poor as heirs of the kingdom he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the wealthy make life difficult for you? Aren’t they the ones who drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who insult the good name spoken over you at your baptism?
You do well when you really fulfill the royal law found in scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself. But when you show favoritism, you are committing a sin, and by that same law you are exposed as a lawbreaker.
HYMN: John Oxenham
Tune: St Peter https://tinyurl.com/4hmj9t4s
1 In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north,
but one great fellowship of love
throughout the whole wide earth.
2 In Christ shall true hearts ev’rywhere
their high communion find.
His service is the golden cord
close binding humankind.
3 Join hands, then, people of the faith,
whate’er your race may be.
All children of the living God
are surely kin to me.
4 In Christ now meet both east and west,
in him meet south and north.
All Christly souls are joined as one
throughout the whole wide earth.
Reading: Matthew 19:1-12
When Jesus finished saying these things, he left Galilee and came to the area of Judea on the east side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them. Some Pharisees came to him. In order to test him, they said, “Does the Law allow a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
Jesus answered, “Haven’t you read that at the beginning the creator made them male and female? And God said, ‘Because of this a man should leave his father and mother and be joined together with his wife, and the two will be one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, humans must not pull apart what God has put together.”
The Pharisees said to him, “Then why did Moses command us to give a divorce certificate and divorce her?” Jesus replied, “Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because your hearts are unyielding. But it wasn’t that way from the beginning. I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him, “If that’s the way things are between a man and his wife, then it’s better not to marry.” He replied, “Not everybody can accept this teaching, but only those who have received the ability to accept it. For there are eunuchs who have been eunuchs from birth. And there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by other people. And there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs because of the kingdom of heaven. Those who can accept it should accept it.”
CANTICLE: Luke 1:68-79
(Consiglio: https://tinyurl.com/ya8y3kqs)
Ant. Blest be the Lord God of Israel; *
who has come to his people and set them free.
God has raiséd up a Savior strong and proud,
born of his servant David.
And through holy prophets God has promised from of old,
to save us from all our foes, from the hands of all who hate us. Ant.
God promised to show mercy to our ancestors
to remember the covenant.
This was the oath sworn to father Abraham,
to set us free from our enemies’ hands,
free to worship God without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. Ant.
You, little child, are the prophet of the Lord,
you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
To give the people knowledge of salvation
by forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high breaks upon us,
to shine on us who dwell in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet on the way of peace. Ant.
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.
(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)DL
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.
Gracious and eternal God,
you called your servant Leo
to strengthen your church
and to proclaim with power
that Jesus Christ is truly divine and truly human,
one with us in our humanity
and one with you in your divine being;
help us to be strong in this faith
and to hold fast the mystery of our redemption;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. FATS
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.
DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.
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
FATS For All the Saints, © The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, 2014
The main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
The traditional-language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern versions of Psalm 50 is the version in Lutheran Service Book and from the Next to the Word of God YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkVRYL-MRebncw584Ql2xfg. Psalm 51 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 52 is from The Grail Psalter and is from the Manual Hopper YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/manualhopper/featured.
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.
Oremus 