Oremus for Sunday, January 28, 2024

Jesus Drives Out an Unclean Spirit, Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, 15th century.

Antiphon1

Ant. Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice; *
seek the Lord and be strengthened;
seek his face for evermore.
V. Give thanks to the Lord; proclaim his name. *
Make known his deeds among the peoples. Psalm 105

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: Thomas Troeger ©
Tune: Ebenezer http://tinyurl.com/yckj5b68
or Authority http://tinyurl.com/26d97zs2

 “Silence! Frenzied, unclean spirit,”
cried God’s healing, Holy One.
“Cease your ranting! Flesh can’t bear it.
Flee as night before the sun.”
At Christ’s voice the demon trembled,
from its victim madly rushed,
while the crowd that was assembled
stood in wonder, stunned, and hushed.

2 Lord, the demons still are thriving
in the gray cells of the mind:
tyrant voices, shrill and driving,
twisted thoughts that grip and bind,
doubts that stir the heart to panic,
fears distorting reason’s sight,
guilt that makes our loving frantic,
dreams that cloud the soul with fright.

3 Silence, Lord, the unclean spirit,
in our mind and in our heart.
Speak your word that when we hear it
all our demons shall depart.
Clear our thought and calm our feeling;
still the fractured, warring soul.
By the power of your healing
make us faithful, true, and whole.

PSALMS

Psalm 132 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tv4ygfu)
1  Lord, remember David *
 and all his trouble;
2  How he sware unto the Lord *
 and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob;
3  I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house *
 nor climb up into my bed;
4  I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eye-lids to slumber *
 neither the temples of my head to take any rest;
5  Until I find out a place for the temple of the Lord *
 an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
6  Lo, we heard of the same at Ephrata *
 and found it in the wood.
7  We will go into his tabernacle *
 and fall low on our knees before his footstool.
8  Arise, O Lord, into thy resting-place *
 thou, and the ark of thy strength.
9  Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness *
 and let thy saints sing with joyfulness.
10  For thy servant David’s sake *
 turn not away the presence of thine Anointed.
11  The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David *
 and he shall not shrink from it;
12  Of the fruit of thy body *
 shall I set upon thy seat.
13  If thy children will keep my covenant,
and my testimonies that I shall learn them *
 their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore.
14  For the Lord hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for himself *
 he hath longed for her.
15  This shall be my rest for ever *
 here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.
16  I will bless her victuals with increase *
 and will satisfy her poor with bread.
17  I will deck her priests with health *
 and her saints shall rejoice and sing.
18  There shall I make the horn of David to flourish *
 I have ordained a lantern for mine Anointed.
19  As for his enemies, I shall clothe them with shame *
 but upon himself shall his crown flourish.
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 133 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tlrm8lu)
1  Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is *
 brethren, to dwell together in unity !
2  It is like the precious ointment upon the head,
that ran down unto the beard *
 even unto Aaron’s beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
3  Like as the dew of Hermon *
 which fell upon the hill of Sion.
4  For there the Lord promised his blessing *
 and life for evermore.
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 134 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/v5kga57)
1  Behold now, praise the Lord *
 all ye servants of the Lord;
2  Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord *
 even in the courts of the house of our God.
3  Lift up your hands in the sanctuary *
 and praise the Lord.
4  The Lord that made heaven and earth *
 give thee blessing out of Sion.
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 135 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/w3blm5w)
1  O praise the Lord, laud ye the Name of the Lord *
 praise it, O ye servants of the Lord;
2  Ye that stand in the house of the Lord *
 in the courts of the house of our God.
3  O praise the Lord, for the Lord is gracious *
 O sing praises unto his Name, for it is lovely.
4  For why? the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself *
 and Israel for his own possession.
5  For I know that the Lord is great *
 and that our Lord is above all gods.
6  Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth *
 and in the sea, and in all deep places.
7  He bringeth forth the clouds from the ends of the world *
 and sendeth forth lightnings with the rain,
bringing the winds out of his treasures.
8  He smote the first-born of Egypt *
 both of man and beast.
9  He hath sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee,
O thou land of Egypt *
 upon Pharaoh, and all his servants.
10  He smote divers nations *
 and slew mighty kings;
11  Sehon king of the Amorites, and Og the king of Basan *
 and all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12  And gave their land to be an heritage *
 even an heritage unto Israel his people.
13  Thy Name, O Lord, endureth for ever *
 so doth thy memorial, O Lord, from one generation to another.
14  For the Lord will avenge his people *
 and be gracious unto his servants.
15  As for the images of the heathen, they are but silver and gold *
 the work of men’s hands.
16  They have mouths, and speak not *
 eyes have they, but they see not.
17  They have ears, and yet they hear not *
 neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18  They that make them are like unto them *
 and so are all they that put their trust in them.
19  Praise the Lord, ye house of Israel *
 praise the Lord, ye house of Aaron.
20  Praise the Lord, ye house of Levi *
 ye that fear the Lord, praise the Lord.
21  Praised be the Lord out of Sion *
 who dwelleth at Jerusalem.
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 132 (LSB Tone G: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-132-LSB.mp3)
1 Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor,*
 all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the LORD*
 and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house*
 or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes*
 or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the LORD,*
 a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;*
 we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;*
 let us worship at his footstool!”
8 Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place,*
 you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,*
 and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,*
 do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 The LORD swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:*
 “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them,*
 their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”
13 For the LORD has chosen Zion;*
 he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;*
 here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;*
 I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,*
 and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David;*
 I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,*
 but on him his crown will shine.”
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 133 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-133.mp3)
1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
when brethren live together in unity!
2 It is like fine oil upon the head *
that runs down upon the beard,
3 Upon the beard of Aaron, *
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.
4 It is like the dew of Hermon *
that falls upon the hills of Zion.
5 For there the LORD has ordained the blessing: *
life for evermore.

Psalm 134 (LSB Tone D: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-134-LSB.mp3)
1 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,*
 who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place*
 and bless the LORD!
3 May the LORD bless you from Zion,*
 he who made heaven and earth!
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 135 (Jason Silver: https://tinyurl.com/x69vtdh3)
Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
Give praise, O servants of the Lord,
You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In the courts of His temple.
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
Sing to his name, for he is gracious.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.

For I know that the Lord is great;
Our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the Lord pleases, so he does,
In heaven and on earth, in the ocean deep.
It is He who makes clouds to rise
Makes lightning, wind, and rain
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt…
Against Pharaoh and his servants.

Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
Give praise, O servants of the Lord,
You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In the courts of His temple.
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
Sing to his name, for he is gracious.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.

He struck down many nations and
Killed many kings and rulers
And gave their land as a heritage,
A heritage to God’s people, Israel.
Your name, Lord, endures for ever,
Your fame throughout all time.
The Lord will defend his people,
Have compassion on his servants.

The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
Have eyes, but do not see; have ears, but do not hear,
Those who make them, who trust them
Shall become like them!

O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
O you that fear the Lord, bless the Lord!

Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
He who resides in Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!

PRAYER

Creator of the universe,
from whom all things come,
to whom all things return,
give your people such unity of heart and mind,
that all the world may grow in the life of your eternal kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

The Lord your God will raise up a prophet like me from your community, from your fellow Israelites. He’s the one you must listen to. That’s exactly what you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb, on the day of the assembly, when you said, “I can’t listen to the Lord my God’s voice anymore or look at this great fire any longer. I don’t want to die!”

The Lord said to me: What they’ve said is right. I’ll raise up a prophet for them from among their fellow Israelites—one just like you. I’ll put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. I myself will hold accountable anyone who doesn’t listen to my words, which that prophet will speak in my name. However, any prophet who arrogantly speaks a word in my name that I haven’t commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet must die.

HYMN: Psalm 111; para. Book of Praise: Anglo-Genevan Psalter ©
Tune: Genevan 111th http://tinyurl.com/547axp68

1 O give the LORD wholehearted praise!
In thankful song my voice I raise
within the righteous congregation.
2 Great are the doings of the LORD,
and all to whom they joy afford
will study them with dedication.

3 In majesty and glory stand
the works of his almighty hand.
His righteousness endures forever.
4 He caused his wondrous acts to be
preserved in thought and memory;
his love and mercy will not waver.

5 The Lord gives food with open hand
to all who honor his command;
he keeps his covenant obligations.
6 His mighty deeds has he made known:
he gave his people, as their own,
the inheritance of the nations.

7 The wondrous works his hands have done
are just and faithful, every one;
his precepts all will stand unshaken.
8 They will endure eternally;
secure and firm is all that he
has in uprightness undertaken.

9 To Israel he redemption sent;
eternal is God’s covenant.
His holy name is all-surpassing.
10 The fear of God is wisdom’s source,
a light to all who walk its course.
His glorious praise is everlasting!

Now concerning meat that has been sacrificed to a false god: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds people up. If anyone thinks they know something, they don’t yet know as much as they should know. But if someone loves God, then they are known by God.

So concerning the actual food involved in these sacrifices to false gods, we know that a false god isn’t anything in this world, and that there is no God except for the one God. Granted, there are so-called “gods,” in heaven and on the earth, as there are many gods and many lords. However, for us believers,

There is one God the Father.
        All things come from him, and we belong to him.
And there is one Lord Jesus Christ.
        All things exist through him, and we live through him.

But not everybody knows this. Some are eating this food as though it really is food sacrificed to a real idol, because they were used to idol worship until now. Their conscience is weak because it has been damaged. Food won’t bring us close to God. We’re not missing out if we don’t eat, and we don’t have any advantage if we do eat. But watch out or else this freedom of yours might be a problem for those who are weak. Suppose someone sees you (the person who has knowledge) eating in an idol’s temple. Won’t the person with a weak conscience be encouraged to eat the meat sacrificed to false gods? The weak brother or sister for whom Christ died is destroyed by your knowledge. You sin against Christ if you sin against your brothers and sisters and hurt their weak consciences this way. This is why, if food causes the downfall of my brother or sister, I won’t eat meat ever again, or else I may cause my brother or sister to fall.

HYMN: George Bradford Caird ©
Tune: Annue Christe http://tinyurl.com/mrywcv5d

1 Almighty Father, who for us thy Son didst give,
that all the nations through his precious death might live,
in mercy guard us, lest by sloth and selfish pride
we cause to stumble those for whom the Saviour died.

2 We are thy stewards; thine our talents, wisdom, skill;
our only glory that we may thy trust fulfil;
that we thy pleasure in our neighbours’ good pursue,
if thou but workest in us both to will and do.

3 On just and unjust thou thy care dost freely shower;
make us, thy children, free from greed and lust for power,
lest human justice, yoked with our unequal laws,
oppress the needy and neglect the humble cause.

4 Let not our worship blind us to the claims of love,
but let thy manna lead us to the feast above,
to seek the country which by faith we now possess,
where Christ, our treasure, reigns in peace and righteousness.

Jesus and his followers went into Capernaum. Immediately on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and started teaching. The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts. Suddenly, there in the synagogue, a person with an evil spirit screamed, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God.”

“Silence!” Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. “Come out of him!” The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out.

Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, “What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirits and they obey him!” Right away the news about him spread throughout the entire region of Galilee.

CANTICLE Isaiah 26:9-20
(Katie Tracy and Mark Ribera: https://tinyurl.com/y76wq85c)

In our distress we sought the Lord;
Poured out a whispered prayer
Cried out, seeking deliverance;
His mercy met us there
Empty idols have ruled over us;
These hardened hearts of stone
The Lord has brought salvation, sweet;
We rest in him alone
Refrain:
Trust in the Lord forevermore
He is our fortress strong
Souls, cling to this everlasting rock
to our salvation sure

May the wicked learn your power;
May they believe your truth
For your righteousness and justice;
Bring peace upon the earth Refrain

To you who dwell in dust, awake! Rise up and sing for joy!
The Lord will redeem you at last; And life shall be restored

PRAYERS Joe Milner

For the Church: that the authoritative teachings of Jesus will guide and challenge us as we seek to be more authentic disciples

For the grace to be grounded in God: that each of us may seek God first in our lives and love others with the love with which God first loves us

For all who are prophets: that they may understand the mind and heart of God, share God’s Word faithfully and clearly, and awaken new insights for the renewal of the Church and the advancement of the Reign of God

For all who exercise authority: that they may use their authority as Jesus did, to free people, to heal the sick, and to build up the community.

For all who are bound by evil: that the Spirit of Christ may release them from addictions, greed, anger, and vengeance so that they may live in the freedom of God’s children

For all who have mental and emotional illness: that God’s love will strengthen, heal, and sustain them and help us to accompany them along life’s journey

For members of Congress and legislatures: that they will hear and comprehend the needs of the powerless and marginalized as legislation and priorities are developed

For all who are grieving: that they may experience God’s comforting presence and the loving support of others

For all who are held unjustly, for those caught in human trafficking, and for prisoners of conscience: that God will free them and give them strength.

For renewal of the air that we breathe: that God will inspire scientists in finding ways to cleanse the atmosphere and enhance the quality of the air that we all share

For all who are suffering: that God will protect those who are in the cold, guide the unemployed to new job opportunities, and help families find sufficient food

For healing and strength: that God will heal the sick, curb the transmission of the coronavirus, sustain all who care for the sick, and guide those who are working to administer the vaccine

For Peace:  that God will impel leaders to a deeper dialogue that will promote safety and development for all people

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.

Holy and awesome God,
your Son’s authority is found in integrity and living truth,
not the assertion of power over others.
Open our imaginations to new dimensions of your love,
and heal us of all that severs us from you and one another,
that we may grow into the vision you unfold before us. 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.

RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.

1 Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©

The intercession is by Joe Milner http://liturgy.slu.edu

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 versions of Psalms 132 and 134 are in the version used in Lutheran Service Book: Pew Edition Concordia Publishing House, and are from the Next to the Word of God YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkVRYL-MRebncw584Ql2xfg. Psalm 133 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 135 is by Jason Silver https://jasonsilver.com/.

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 © 2024 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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