Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/48bst233
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5
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: John L Bell & Graham Maule ©
Tune: Noel nouvelet https://tinyurl.com/yckujkuf
1 Jesus Christ is waiting, waiting in the streets;
no one is his neighbor, all alone he eats.
Listen, Lord Jesus, I am lonely too.
Make me, friend or stranger, fit to wait on you.
2 Jesus Christ is raging, raging in the streets,
where injustice spirals and real hope retreats.
Listen, Lord Jesus, I am angry too.
In the kingdom’s causes let me rage with you.
3 Jesus Christ is healing, healing in the streets;
curing those who suffer, touching those he greets.
Listen, Lord Jesus, I have pity too.
Let my care be active, healing just like you.
4 Jesus Christ is dancing, dancing in the streets,
where each sign of hatred he, with love, defeats.
Listen, Lord Jesus, I should triumph too.
Where good conquers evil let me dance with you.
5 Jesus Christ is calling, calling in the streets,
“Who will join my journey? I will guide their feet.”
Listen, Lord Jesus, let my fears be few.
Walk one step before me; I will follow you.
PSALMS
Psalm 27 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tlahhq6)
1 The Lord is my light, and my salvation; whom then shall I fear *
the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies, and my foes,
came upon me to eat up my flesh *
they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host of men were laid against me,
yet shall not my heart be afraid *
and though there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.
4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will require *
even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle *
yea, in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me,
and set me up upon a rock of stone.
6 And now shall he lift up mine head *
above mine enemies round about me.
7 Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladness *
I will sing, and speak praises unto the Lord.
8 Hearken unto my voice, O Lord, when I cry unto thee *
have mercy upon me, and hear me.
9 My heart hath talked of thee, Seek ye my face *
Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
10 O hide not thou thy face from me *
nor cast thy servant away in displeasure.
11 Thou hast been my succour *
leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
12 When my father and my mother forsake me *
the Lord taketh me up.
13 Teach me thy way, O Lord *
and lead me in the right way, because of mine enemies.
14 Deliver me not over into the will of mine adversaries *
for there are false witnesses risen up against me,
and such as speak wrong.
15 I should utterly have fainted *
but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
16 O tarry thou the Lord’s leisure *
be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart; and put thou thy trust in the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 28 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uxqzzoa)
1 Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my strength *
think no scorn of me; lest, if thou make as though thou hearest not,
I become like them that go down into the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my humble petitions, when I cry unto thee *
when I hold up my hands towards the mercy-seat of thy holy temple.
3 O pluck me not away, neither destroy me
with the ungodly and wicked doers *
which speak friendly to their neighbours,
but imagine mischief in their hearts.
4 Reward them according to their deeds *
and according to the wickedness of their own inventions.
5 Recompense them after the work of their hands *
pay them that they have deserved.
6 For they regard not in their mind the works of the Lord,
nor the operation of his hands *
therefore shall he break them down, and not build them up.
7 Praised be the Lord *
for he hath heard the voice of my humble petitions.
8 The Lord is my strength, and my shield;
my heart hath trusted in him, and I am helped *
therefore my heart danceth for joy, and in my song will I praise him.
9 The Lord is my strength *
and he is the wholesome defence of his Anointed.
10 O save thy people, and give thy blessing unto thine inheritance *
feed them, and set them up for ever.
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 29 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rxm2ar6)
1 Bring unto the Lord, O ye mighty,
bring young rams unto the Lord *
ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength.
2 Give the Lord the honour due unto his Name *
worship the Lord with holy worship.
3 It is the Lord, that commandeth the waters *
it is the glorious God, that maketh the thunder.
4 It is the Lord, that ruleth the sea;
the voice of the Lord is mighty in operation *
the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice.
5 The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedar-trees *
yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Libanus.
6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf *
Libanus also, and Sirion, like a young unicorn.
7 The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness *
yea, the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Cades.
8 The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to bring forth young,
and discovereth the thick bushes *
in his temple doth every man speak of his honour.
9 The Lord sitteth above the water-flood *
and the Lord remaineth a King for ever.
10 The Lord shall give strength unto his people *
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
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 27 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-27.mp3)
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? *
the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, *
it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army should encamp against me, *
yet my heart shall not be afraid;
4 And though war should rise up against me, *
yet will I put my trust in him.
5 One thing have I asked of the LORD; one thing I seek; *
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life;
6 To behold the fair beauty of the LORD *
and to seek him in his temple.
7 For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter; *
he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling
and set me high upon a rock.
8 Even now he lifts up my head *
above my enemies round about me.
9 Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation
with sounds of great gladness; *
I will sing and make music to the LORD.
10 Hearken to my voice, O LORD, when I call; *
have mercy on me and answer me.
11 You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.” *
Your face, LORD, will I seek.
12 Hide not your face from me, *
nor turn away your servant in displeasure.
13 You have been my helper; cast me not away; *
do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.
14 Though my father and my mother forsake me, *
the LORD will sustain me.
15 Show me your way, O LORD; *
lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.
16 Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, *
for false witnesses have risen up against me,
and also those who speak malice.
17 What if I had not believed
that I should see the goodness of the LORD *
in the land of the living!
18 O tarry and await the LORD’S pleasure;
be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; *
wait patiently for the LORD.
Psalm 28 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-28.mp3)
1 O LORD, I call to you;
my Rock, do not be deaf to my cry; *
lest, if you do not hear me,
I become like those who go down to the Pit.
2 Hear the voice of my prayer when I cry out to you, *
when I lift up my hands to your holy of holies.
3 Do not snatch me away with the wicked or with the evildoers, *
who speak peaceably with their neighbors,
while strife is in their hearts.
4 Repay them according to their deeds, *
and according to the wickedness of their actions.
5 According to the work of their hands repay them, *
and give them their just deserts.
6 They have no understanding of the LORD’S doings,
nor of the works of his hands; *
therefore he will break them down and not build them up.
7 Blessed is the LORD! *
for he has heard the voice of my prayer.
8 The LORD is my strength and my shield; *
my heart trusts in him, and I have been helped;
9 Therefore my heart dances for joy, *
and in my song will I praise him.
10 The LORD is the strength of his people, *
a safe refuge for his anointed.
11 Save your people and bless your inheritance; *
shepherd them and carry them for ever.
Psalm 29 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-29.mp3)
1 Ascribe to the LORD, you gods, *
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his Name; *
worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders; *
the LORD is upon the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; *
the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedar trees; *
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; *
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
8 The voice of the LORD makes the oak trees writhe *
and strips the forests bare.
9 And in the temple of the LORD *
all are crying, “Glory!”
10 The LORD sits enthroned above the flood; *
the LORD sits enthroned as King for evermore.
11 The LORD shall give strength to his people; *
the LORD shall give his people the blessing of peace.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, our good shepherd,
in the waters of Baptism you give us birth,
and at your table you nourish us with heavenly food.
In your goodness and mercy,
lead us along safe paths,
beyond the terrors of evil and death,
to the house of the Lord
where we may rest securely in you forever. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Isaiah 1:21-31
She was full of justice;
righteousness lived in her—
but now murderers.
Your silver has become impure;
your beer is diluted with water.
Your princes are rebels,
companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe and pursues gifts.
They don’t defend the orphan,
and the widow’s cause never reaches them.
Therefore, says the Lord God of heavenly forces,
the mighty one of Israel:
Doom! I will vent my anger against my foes;
I will take it out on my enemies,
and I will turn my hand against you.
I will refine your impurities as with lye,
and remove all your cinders.
Then I will restore your judges as in earlier times,
and your counselors as at the beginning.
After this you will be called Righteous City, Faithful Town.
Zion will be redeemed by justice,
and those who change their lives by righteousness.
But God will shatter rebels and sinners alike;
those who abandon the Lord will be finished.
You will be ashamed of the oaks you once desired,
and embarrassed by the gardens you once chose.
You will be like an oak with withering leaves,
like a garden without water.
The strong will be like dry twigs,
their deeds like sparks;
the two will burn together,
with no one to extinguish them.
HYMN: R.B.Y. Scott ©
Tune: St Michael https://tinyurl.com/3vb5u6ub
1 O day of God, draw nigh
In beauty and in pow’r,
Come with Thy timeless judgment now
To match our present hour.
2 Bring to our troubled minds,
Uncertain and afraid,
The quiet of a steadfast faith,
Calm of a call obeyed.
3 Bring justice to our land,
That all may dwell secure,
And finely build for days to come
Foundations that endure.
4 Bring to our world of strife
Thy sov’reign word of peace,
That war may haunt the earth no more,
And desolation cease.
5 O Day of God, draw nigh
As at creation’s birth;
Let there be light again, and set
Thy judgments in the earth.
Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the things that have happened to me have actually advanced the gospel. The whole Praetorian Guard and everyone else knows that I’m in prison for Christ. Most of the brothers and sisters have had more confidence through the Lord to speak the word boldly and bravely because of my jail time. Some certainly preach Christ with jealous and competitive motives, but others preach with good motives. They are motivated by love, because they know that I’m put here to give a defense of the gospel; the others preach Christ because of their selfish ambition. They are insincere, hoping to cause me more pain while I’m in prison.
What do I think about this? Just this: since Christ is proclaimed in every possible way, whether from dishonest or true motives, I’m glad and I’ll continue to be glad. I’m glad because I know that this will result in my release through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. It is my expectation and hope that I won’t be put to shame in anything. Rather, I hope with daring courage that Christ’s greatness will be seen in my body, now as always, whether I live or die.
HYMN: Spiritual
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/yb7zy634
Refrain:
Steal away, steal away,
steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain’t got long to stay here.
1 My Lord, He calls me,
He calls me by the thunder;
The trumpet sounds within my soul;
I ain’t got long to stay here. [Refrain]
2 Green trees are bending,
Poor sinners stand a trembling;
The trumpet sounds within my soul;
I ain’t got long to stay here. [Refrain]
3 My Lord, He calls me,
He calls me by the lightning;
The trumpet sounds within my soul;
I ain’t got long to stay here. [Refrain]
The next day, after leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. From far away, he noticed a fig tree in leaf, so he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing except leaves, since it wasn’t the season for figs. So he said to it, “No one will ever again eat your fruit!” His disciples heard this.
They came into Jerusalem. After entering the temple, he threw out those who were selling and buying there. He pushed over the tables used for currency exchange and the chairs of those who sold doves. He didn’t allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He taught them, “Hasn’t it been written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you’ve turned it into a hideout for crooks.” The chief priests and legal experts heard this and tried to find a way to destroy him. They regarded him as dangerous because the whole crowd was enthralled at his teaching. When it was evening, Jesus and his disciples went outside the city.
CANTICLE 1 Samuel 2
(Jason Silver: https://tinyurl.com/y3zdb8z9)
My heart exults in the Lord;
and my strength is exalted in God.
I loudly denounce my enemies,
for I am so glad you rescued me.
There is no Holy One like the Lord,
There is no Rock like our God.
Boast no more so very proud,
no arrogance come out of your mouth;
the Lord is our God who knows,
and by him our actions they are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
the feeble ones strengthened anew.
The well-fed hire themselves for bread,
but those who are hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven babes,
but she who has many is forlorn.
The Lord kills and the Lord brings to life;
brings down to the grave, raises up.
The Lord makes poor and he makes rich;
he brings us low, also exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit down with princes
and to inherit an honorable seat.
The pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he set the world.
He watches over his holy ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in the dark.
For not by might does one prevail;
the Lord’s adversaries shall be shattered.
The Most High will thunder in heaven.
the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to his king,
and exalt the power of his anointed ones.
THE PRAYERS CGP
God of Love,
in this time of waiting for your Spirit,
we pray for those who have trouble catching the vision;
for those who find this family season difficult
because they are without loved ones;
for those who are left out of the celebrations
because they are without food or shelter;
for those who need to be reminded of the wideness
of your love and mercy. . ..
Spirit of Hope,
in a time of busyness
that threatens to overpower the sound of your voice,
and blind us to the needs of those around us,
we pray for ourselves:
that we might not become so preoccupied
with our own schedules,
that we forget we live within your time,
that we might not be anxious about tomorrow
that we may trust you to bring about your love and peace,
that we might work together
to share Good News with those around and beyond us.
Creator of Joy,
we wait with excitement and impatience.
Surround us with your stillness,
quiet us with your Spirit,
that we might be ready to receive the light of the world. 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 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.
Welcoming God,
you receive and bless all
who come to you in humility.
Show us our false pride,
that we may repent of all conceit and arrogance
and, caring for one another,
may honor Jesus
to the glory of your name. Amen. RCLP
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.
CGP Celebrating God’s Presence, United Church of Canada
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
The three main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
The traditional version of the psalms is from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern version of the psalms is from The Grail Psalter and the recordings are linked to 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 © 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.
Oremus 