Oremus for Saturday, March 18, 2023

Cyril of Jerusalem
Born in about the year 315, probably in Caesarea, Cyril became Bishop of Jerusalem when he was about thirty-four years old. There he nurtured both the resident Christian population and the many pilgrims, following the end of the era of persecution, who were beginning to make their way from all over Christendom to the places associated with Christ. Cyril taught the faith in line with the orthodoxy of the Council of Nicaea and the credal statement that became associated with it. Though he found difficulty with the word in that creed which described Jesus as being ‘of one substance with the Father’, nevertheless he took the side of the Nicene Party against the Arians, who denied the divinity of Christ. His teaching through his Catechetical Lectures, intended for those preparing for baptism, show him to be a man profoundly orthodox and sound, and his liturgical innovations to celebrate the observance of Holy Week and Easter are the foundation of Christian practices to this day. He died in the year 386. ^EH

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/yckjdem9

Holy Father, keep in your name those you have given me,
that they may be one as we are one, says the Lord. John 17

God of mercy,
you sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost.
We confess that we have strayed from you
and turned aside from your way.
We are misled by pride,
for we see ourselves pure when we are stained,
and great when we are small.
We have failed in love,
neglected justice,
and ignored your truth.
Have mercy, O God, and forgive our sin.
Return us to paths of righteousness
through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen. ^BCW

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: Henry Alford
Tune: St George Windsor https://tinyurl.com/5n6j72nc

1 Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God’s own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.

2 All the world is God’s own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

3 For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.

4 Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.

PSALMS

Psalm 90 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uzj6wj2)
1  Lord, thou hast been our refuge *
 from one generation to another.
2  Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever the earth and the world were made *
 thou art God from everlasting, and world without end.
3  Thou turnest man to destruction *
 again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men.
4  For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday *
 seeing that is past as a watch in the night.
5  As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep *
 and fade away suddenly like the grass.
6  In the morning it is green, and groweth up *
 but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.
7  For we consume away in thy displeasure *
 and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation.
8  Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee *
 and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9  For when thou art angry all our days are gone *
 we bring our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told.
10  The days of our age are threescore years and ten;
and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years *
 yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow;
so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.
11  But who regardeth the power of thy wrath *
 for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure.
12  So teach us to number our days *
 that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13  Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last *
 and be gracious unto thy servants.
14  O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon *
 so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15  Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us *
 and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity.
16  Shew thy servants thy work *
 and their children thy glory.
17  And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us *
 prosper thou the work of our hands upon us,
O prosper thou our handy-work.
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 91 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/w5pwhvg)
1  Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High *
 shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2  I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my strong hold *
 my God, in him will I trust.
3  For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter *
 and from the noisome pestilence.
4  He shall defend thee under his wings,
and thou shalt be safe under his feathers *
 his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5  Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night *
 nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6  For the pestilence that walketh in darkness *
 nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.
7  A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand *
 but it shall not come nigh thee.
8  Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold *
 and see the reward of the ungodly.
9  For thou, Lord, art my hope *
 thou hast set thine house of defence very high.
10  There shall no evil happen unto thee *
 neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11  For he shall give his angels charge over thee *
 to keep thee in all thy ways.
12  They shall bear thee in their hands *
 that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.
13  Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder *
 the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.
14  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him *
 I will set him up, because he hath known my Name.
15  He shall call upon me, and I will hear him *
 yea, I am with him in trouble;
I will deliver him, and bring him to honour.
16  With long life will I satisfy him *
 and shew him my salvation.
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 92 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/v6sub7d)
1  It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord *
 and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most Highest;
2  To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning *
 and of thy truth in the night-season;
3  Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the lute *
 upon a loud instrument, and upon the harp.
4  For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy works *
 and I will rejoice in giving praise for the operations of thy hands.
5  O Lord, how glorious are thy works *
 thy thoughts are very deep.
6  An unwise man doth not well consider this *
 and a fool doth not understand it.
7  When the ungodly are green as the grass,
and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish *
 then shall they be destroyed for ever;
but thou, Lord, art the most Highest for evermore.
8  For lo, thine enemies, O Lord, lo, thine enemies shall perish *
 and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed.
9  But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn *
 for I am anointed with fresh oil.
10  Mine eye also shall see his lust of mine enemies *
 and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that arise up against me.
11  The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree *
 and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.
12  Such as are planted in the house of the Lord *
 shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
13  They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age *
 and shall be fat and well-liking.
14  That they may shew how true the Lord my strength is *
 and that there is no unrighteousness in him.
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 90 (LSB Tone G: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-90-LSB.mp3)
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place*
 in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,*
 from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You return man to dust*
 and say, “Return, O children of man!”
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,*
 or as a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away as with a flood;*
 they are like a dream,
 like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;*
 in the evening it fades and withers.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;*
 by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,*
 our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;*
 we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;*
 yet their span is but toil and trouble;
 they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,*
 and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our days*
 that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD! How long?*
 Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,*
 that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,*
 and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,*
 and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;*
 yes, establish the work of our hands!
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 91 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-91.mp3)
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 He shall say to the LORD,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust.”
3 He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.
7 A thousand shall fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand, *
but it shall not come near you.
8 Your eyes have only to behold *
to see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the LORD your refuge, *
and the Most High your habitation,
10 There shall no evil happen to you, *
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, *
to keep you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you in their hands, *
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the adder; *
you shall trample the young lion and the serpent
 under your feet.
14 Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, *
and show him my salvation.

Psalm 92 (LSB Tone D: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-92-LSB.mp3)
1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD,*
 to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,*
 and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,*
 to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work;*
 at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5 How great are your works, O LORD!*
 Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:*
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
 they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O LORD,*
 are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O LORD,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;*
 all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn
like that of the wild ox;*
 you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;*
 my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree*
 and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the LORD;*
 they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;*
 they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the LORD is upright;*
 he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
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

Holy God,
you are just in all your ways
and your commandments are the greatest of treasures.
Give us understanding of your law
and direct us according to your will
that we may be faithful in serving you
for the sake of Jesus our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Job 25:1-6; 27:1-6

Bildad from Shuah replied:

1 You are beautiful beyond description,
Too marvelous for words;
Too wonderful for comprehension,
Like nothing ever seen or heard.
Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom?
Who can fathom the depth of Your love?
You are beautiful beyond description,
Majesty enthroned above.

Refrain:
And I stand, I stand in awe of You,
I stand, I stand in awe of You;
Holy God, to whom all praise is due,
I stand in awe of You.

2 You are Jesus, You’re the God who saves us,
the Bright and Morning star,
Emmanuel–our God is with us,
no longer worshipped from afar.
Oh, the myst’ry of Your great presence!
Oh, the majesty of Your great love!
You are Jesus–You’re the God who saves us,
Son of God, enthroned above. [Refrain]

Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Brothers and sisters, I want you to be sure of the fact that our ancestors were all under the cloud and they all went through the sea. All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. However, God was unhappy with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness. These things were examples for us, so we won’t crave evil things like they did. Don’t worship false gods like some of them did, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and they got up to play. Let’s not practice sexual immorality, like some of them did, and twenty-three thousand died in one day. Let’s not test Christ, like some of them did, and were killed by the snakes. Let’s not grumble, like some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. These things happened to them as an example and were written as a warning for us to whom the end of time has come. So those who think they are standing need to watch out or else they may fall. No temptation has seized you that isn’t common for people. But God is faithful. He won’t allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it.

HYMN: Charlotte Elliott
Tune: Almsgiving https://tinyurl.com/2swr7xv2

1 My God, my Father, while I stray
Far from my home in life’s rough way,
O teach me from my heart to say,
“Thy will be done!”

2 Though dark my path, and sad my lot,
Let me be still and murmur not,
Or breathe the prayer divinely taught,
“Thy will be done!”

3 If Thou shouldst call me to resign
What most I prize, it ne’er was mine;
I only yield Thee what was Thine;
“Thy will be done!”

4 Let but my fainting heart be blest
With Thy sweet Spirit for its guest,
My God, to Thee I leave the rest;
“Thy will be done!”

5 Renew my will from day to day,
Blend it with Thine, and take away
All that now makes it hard to say,
“Thy will be done!”

Reading: John 12:12-19

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him. They shouted,

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

His disciples didn’t understand these things at first. After he was glorified, they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

The crowd who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were testifying about him. That’s why the crowd came to meet him, because they had heard about this miraculous sign that he had done. Therefore, the Pharisees said to each other, “See! You’ve accomplished nothing! Look! The whole world is following him!”

CANTICLE Philippians 2:6-11
(Chant by John Michael Talbot: https://tinyurl.com/y8ljx8y7)

Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.
Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.
He was known to be of human estate
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!
Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,  
So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:  
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
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 ^WS2

Giver of life, we wait with you to offer the hope
that comes from the cross to earth’s darkest places.
Where pain is deep and affection is denied:
let love break through.
Where justice is destroyed,
let sensitivity to right spring up.
Where hope is crucified,
let faith persist.
Where peace has no chance,
let passion live on.
Where truth is trampled underfoot,
let the struggle continue.
Where fear paralyzes,
let forgiveness break through.
Eternal God, reach into the silent darkness of our souls
with the radiance of the cross.
O you who are the bearer of all pain,
have mercy on us.
Giver of life,
have mercy on us.
Merciful God,
have mercy on us. Amen.

Setting: Sanford Dole https://tinyurl.com/y7ldq7h5

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.

O God,
you called your holy bishop Cyril
to preside at the altars of the earthly Jerusalem
that he might guide your people
towards the banquet of your heavenly city.
Grant us so to confess your Son
that we may abound with his life
and share in the fulness of his paschal victory;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen. ^FAS

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.

^EH Exciting Holiness, Ed. Brother Tristram SSF © European Province of the Society of Saint Francis, 1997

^FAS For All the Saints, Revised Ed. © Anglican Church of Canada

^WS2 The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources

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 91 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalms 90 and 92 are from Lutheran Service Book, 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 © 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.