Oremus for Friday, January 13, 2023

Hilary
Hilary was born at Poitiers to a non-Christian family in about the year 315. They gave him an excellent education and he was proficient in Latin and Greek. After extensive personal study, he tells us that he was baptised at the age of thirty. He was elected bishop of the city in the year 350 and immediately became caught up in the Arian controversy, himself asserting that mortals of this world were created to practise moral virtues thus reflecting the one in whose image they are made, the eternal and creative first cause, God, and that Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, is of one substance with the Father. His learning and oratory led to his title of “Athanasius of the West”. He was known as a gentle, kind friend to all, even though his writings seemed severe at times. He died in the year 367. ^EH

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/fuads5xa

I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord.
Should they cry to me in any distress,
I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever.

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: Psalm 84; para. Arlo D. Duba ©
Tune: Es flog ein kleins Waldvöglein https://tinyurl.com/22mykpy5

1 How lovely, Lord, how lovely
is your abiding place;
my soul is longing, fainting,
to feast upon your grace.
The sparrow finds a shelter,
a place to build her nest;
and so your temple calls us
within its walls to rest.

2 In your blest courts to worship,
O God, a single day
is better than a thousand
if I from you should stray.
I’d rather keep the entrance
and claim you as my Lord
than revel in the riches
the ways of sin afford.

3 A sun and shield forever
are you, O Lord Most High;
you shower us with blessings;
no good will you deny.
The saints, your grace receiving,
from strength to strength shall go,
and from their life shall rivers
of blessing overflow.

PSALMS

Psalm 68 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ybgjjxjc)
1  Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered *
 let them also that hate him flee before him.
2  Like as the smoke vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away *
 and like as wax melteth at the fire,
so let the ungodly perish at the presence of God.
3  But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God *
 let them also be merry and joyful.
4  O sing unto God, and sing praises unto his Name *
 magnify him that rideth upon the heavens, as it were upon an horse;
praise him in his Name JAH, and rejoice before him.
5  He is a Father of the fatherless,
and defendeth the cause of the widows *
 even God in his holy habitation.
6  He is the God that maketh men to be of one mind in an house,
and bringeth the prisoners out of captivity *
 but letteth the runagates continue in scarceness.
7  O God, when thou wentest forth before the people *
 when thou wentest through the wilderness,
8  The earth shook, and the heavens dropped at the presence of God *
 even as Sinai also was moved at the presence of God,
who is the God of Israel.
9  Thou, O God, sentest a gracious rain upon thine inheritance *
 and refreshedst it when it was weary.
10  Thy congregation shall dwell therein *
 for thou, O God, hast of thy goodness prepared for the poor.
11  The Lord gave the word *
 great was the company of the preachers.
12  Kings with their armies did flee, and were discomfited *
 and they of the household divided the spoil.
13  Though ye have lien among the pots,
yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove *
 that is covered with silver wings, and her feathers like gold.
14  When the Almighty scattered kings for their sake *
 then were they as white as snow in Salmon.
15  As the hill of Basan, so is God’s hill *
 even an high hill, as the hill of Basan.
16  Why hop ye so, ye high hills? this is God’s hill,
in the which it pleaseth him to dwell *
 yea, the Lord will abide in it for ever.
17  The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels *
 and the Lord is among them, as in the holy place of Sinai.
18  Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive,
and received gifts for men *
 yea, even for thine enemies,
that the Lord God might dwell among them.
19  Praised be the Lord daily *
 even the God who helpeth us, and poureth his benefits upon us.
20  He is our God, even the God of whom cometh salvation *
 God is the Lord, by whom we escape death.
21  God shall wound the head of his enemies *
 and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness.
22  The Lord hath said,
I will bring my people again, as I did from Basan *
 mine own will I bring again, as I did sometime from the deep of the sea.
23  That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies *
 and that the tongue of thy dogs may be red through the same.
24  It is well seen, O God, how thou goest *
 how thou, my God and King, goest in the sanctuary.
25  The singers go before, the minstrels follow after *
 in the midst are the damsels playing with the timbrels.
26  Give thanks, O Israel, unto God the Lord in the congregations *
 from the ground of the heart.
27  There is little Benjamin their ruler,
and the princes of Judah their counsel *
 the princes of Zabulon, and the princes of Nephthali.
28  Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee *
 stablish the thing, O God, that thou hast wrought in us,
29  For thy temple’s sake at Jerusalem *
 so shall kings bring presents unto thee.
30  When the company of the spear-men,
and multitude of the mighty are scattered abroad
among the beasts of the people,
so that they humbly bring pieces of silver *
 and when he hath scattered the people that delight in war;
31  Then shall the princes come out of Egypt *
 the Morians’ land shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.
32  Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms of the earth *
 O sing praises unto the Lord;
33  Who sitteth in the heavens over all from the beginning *
 lo, he doth send out his voice, yea, and that a mighty voice.
34  Ascribe ye the power to God over Israel *
 his worship, and strength is in the clouds.
35  O God, wonderful art thou in thy holy places *
 even the God of Israel;
he will give strength and power unto his people;
blessed be 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 68 (LSB Tone K: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-68-LSB.mp3)
1 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;*
 and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;*
 as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God;*
 they shall be jubilant with joy!
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;*
 lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
 his name is the LORD; exult before him!
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows*
 is God in his holy habitation.
6 God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,*
 but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
7 O God, when you went out before your people,*
 when you marched through the wilderness,
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,*
 before God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;*
 you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;*
 in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
11 The Lord gives the word;*
 the women who announce the news are a great host:
12 “The kings of the armies— they flee, they flee!”*
 The women at home divide the spoil—
13 though you men lie among the sheepfolds—*
 the wings of a dove covered with silver,
 its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there,*
 let snow fall on Zalmon.
15 O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;*
 O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,*
 at the mount that God desired for his abode,
 yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?
17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands;*
 the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18 You ascended on high,
leading a host of captives in your train
and receiving gifts among men,*
 even among the rebellious,
 that the LORD God may dwell there.
19 Blessèd be the Lord, who daily bears us up;*
 God is our salvation.
20 Our God is a God of salvation,*
 and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21 But God will strike the heads of his enemies,*
 the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan,*
 I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may strike your feet in their blood,*
 that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”
24 Your procession is seen, O God,*
 the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,*
 between them virgins playing tambourines:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,*
 the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in their throng,*
 the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28 Summon your power, O God,*
 the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem*
 kings shall bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.*
 Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
 scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 Nobles shall come from Egypt;*
 Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;*
 sing praises to the Lord,
33 to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;*
 behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God,*
 whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary;*
 the God of Israel—
 he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
 Blessèd be 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.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,
you came to us in our bondage,
and led us to freedom by the cross and resurrection.
May our lives praise you,
and our lips proclaim your mighty power to all people
that they may find their hope in you,
and live to your honor and glory,
now and forever. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Ezra 3:1-13

When the seventh month came and the Israelites were in their towns, the people gathered together as one in Jerusalem. Then Jeshua, Jozadak’s son along with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel, Shealtiel’s son along with his kin, started to rebuild the altar of Israel’s God so that they might offer entirely burned offerings upon it as prescribed in the Instruction from Moses the man of God. They set up the altar on its foundations, because they were afraid of the neighboring peoples, and they offered entirely burned offerings upon it to the Lord, both the morning and the evening offerings.

They celebrated the Festival of Booths, as prescribed. Every day they presented the number of entirely burned offerings required by ordinance for that day. After this, they presented the continual burned offerings, the offerings at the new moons, and at all the sacred feasts of the Lord, and the offerings of everyone who brought a spontaneous gift to the Lord. From the first day of the seventh month, they began to present entirely burned offerings to the Lord.

However, the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid. So they gave money to the masons and carpenters; and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedarwood by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, according to the authorization given them by Persia’s King Cyrus.

In the second month of the second year after their arrival at God’s house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel’s son, and Jeshua, Jozadak’s son, and the rest of their kin—the priests and the Levites and all who had come from the captivity to Jerusalem—made a beginning. They appointed Levites 20 years old and above to oversee the work on the Lord’s house. Then Jeshua with his sons and his kin, Kadmiel and his sons, Binnui and his sons, the sons of Judah, along with the sons of Henadad, the Levites, and their sons and kin, collaborated to supervise the workers in God’s house.

When the builders laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple, the priests clothed in their vests and carrying their trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, arose to praise the Lord according to the directions of Israel’s King David. They praised and gave thanks to the Lord, singing responsively, “He is good, his graciousness for Israel lasts forever.”

All of the people shouted with praise to the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s house had been laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and heads of families, who had seen the first house, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this house, although many others shouted loudly with joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, because the people rejoiced very loudly. The sound was heard at a great distance.

HYMN: John Milton
Tune: Monkland https://tinyurl.com/bddfnkwh

1 Let us, with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, for he is kind:

Refrain:
For his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.

2 Let us blaze his name abroad,
for of gods he is the God: [Refrain]

3 He with all-commanding might
filled the new-made world with light: [Refrain]

4 He his chosen race did bless
in the wasteful wilderness: [Refrain]

5 All things living he doth feed,
his full hand supplies their need: [Refrain]

6 Let us then with gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, for he is kind: [Refrain]

Reading: Hebrews 2:1-18

This is why it’s necessary for us to pay more attention to what we have heard, or else we may drift away from it. If the message that was spoken by angels was reliable, and every offense and act of disobedience received an appropriate consequence, how will we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? It was first announced through the Lord, and then it was confirmed by those who heard him. God also vouched for their message with signs, amazing things, various miracles, and gifts from the Holy Spirit, which were handed out the way he wanted.

God didn’t put the world that is coming (the world we are talking about) under the angels’ control. Instead, someone declared somewhere,

When he puts everything under their control, he doesn’t leave anything out of control. But right now, we don’t see everything under their control yet. However, we do see the one who was made lower in order than the angels for a little while—it’s Jesus! He’s the one who is now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of his death. He suffered death so that he could taste death for everyone through God’s grace.

It was appropriate for God, for whom and through whom everything exists, to use experiences of suffering to make perfect the pioneer of salvation. This salvation belongs to many sons and daughters whom he’s leading to glory. This is because the one who makes people holy and the people who are being made holy all come from one source. That is why Jesus isn’t ashamed to call them brothers and sisters when he says,

He also says,

And also,

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he also shared the same things in the same way. He did this to destroy the one who holds the power over death—the devil—by dying. He set free those who were held in slavery their entire lives by their fear of death. Of course, he isn’t trying to help angels, but rather he’s helping Abraham’s descendants. Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way. This was so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, in order to wipe away the sins of the people. He’s able to help those who are being tempted, since he himself experienced suffering when he was tempted.

HYMN: Michael Saward ©
Tune: Guiting Power https://tinyurl.com/2pdapc2u

1 Christ triumphant, ever reigning,
Saviour, Master, King!
Lord of heaven, our lives sustaining,
hear us as we sing:

Refrain:
Yours the glory and the crown,
the high renown, the eternal name.

2 Word incarnate, truth revealing,
Son of Man on earth!
power and majesty concealing
by your humble birth: [Refrain]

3 Suffering servant, scorned, ill-treated,
victim crucified!
death is through the cross defeated,
sinners justified: [Refrain]

4 Priestly king, enthroned for ever
high in heaven above!
sin and death and hell shall never
stifle hymns of love: [Refrain]

5 So, our hearts and voices raising
through the ages long,
ceaselessly upon you gazing,
this shall be our song: [Refrain]

Reading: John 2:13-25

It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple those who were selling cattle, sheep, and doves, as well as those involved in exchanging currency sitting there. He made a whip from ropes and chased them all out of the temple, including the cattle and the sheep. He scattered the coins and overturned the tables of those who exchanged currency. He said to the dove sellers, “Get these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a place of business.” His disciples remembered that it is written, Passion for your house consumes me.

Then the Jewish leaders asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things? What miraculous sign will you show us?”

Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple and in three days I’ll raise it up.”

The Jewish leaders replied, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and you will raise it up in three days?” But the temple Jesus was talking about was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered what he had said, and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

While Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, many believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs that he did. But Jesus didn’t trust himself to them because he knew all people. He didn’t need anyone to tell him about human nature, for he knew what human nature was.

CANTICLE Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55)
(Setting in Lutheran Service Book: https://tinyurl.com/ybb7ajjj)

Refrain:
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior;
my soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior.

1. For he has regarded
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from this day
all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One has done great things to me,
and holy is his name;
And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation. Refrain

2. He has shown strength with his arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.
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. Refrain

THE PRAYERS ^BCW

Loving God, as the rising sun chases away the night, so you have scattered the
power of death in the rising of Jesus Christ, and you bring us all blessings in him.
Especially we thank you for
the community of faith in our church . . .
those with whom we work or share common concerns . . .
the diversity of your children . . .
indications of your love at work in the world . . .
those who work for reconciliation. . . .

Mighty God, with the dawn of your love you reveal your victory over all that would
destroy or harm, and you brighten the lives of all who need you.
Especially we pray for
families suffering separation . . .
people different from ourselves . . .
those isolated by sickness or sorrow . . .
the victims of violence or warfare . . .
the church in the Pacific region. . . .

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.

Everlasting God,
whose servant Hilary
steadfastly confessed your Son Jesus Christ
   to be both human and divine:
grant us his gentle courtesy
to bring to all the message of redemption
   in the incarnate Christ,
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

---

^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

² Eric Wyse, Lord’s Prayer, ©; audio from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_a40ME7aVk

The three main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.

The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 68 is in the version used in Lutheran Service Book: Pew Edition Concordia Publishing House, and is 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 © 2023 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.