Oremus for Friday, March 1, 2024

Shrine of St David, St David’s Cathedral, Wales

David
David, or Dewi, was a monk and a bishop in the sixth century. He was reputed to be an exemplar of the ascetic, spiritual life but was also highly regarded for his kindness and compassion to others, particularly the poor and the sick. He is believed to have founded the monastery at Menevia, now St David’s, and also at least a dozen other monasteries. He is said to have based his Rule for his monasteries on that of the Egyptian desert monks, with a strong emphasis on hard work, abstinence from alcohol and a refraining from unnecessary speech. He died in about the year 601 and has been regarded as the patron saint of Wales since at least the twelfth century. ^EH

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/2p8j755c

O sing a new song to the Lord;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
In his presence are majesty and splendor,
strength and honor in his holy place. Psalm 96

Gracious God,
our sins are too heavy to carry,
too real to hide,
and too deep to undo.
Forgive what our lips tremble to name,
what our hearts can no longer bear,
and what has become for us
a consuming fire of judgment.
Set us free from a past that we cannot change;
open to us a future in which we can be changed;
and grant us grace
to grow more and more in your likeness and image;
through Jesus Christ, the light of the world. 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: William Rees; trans. William Edwards
Tune: Dim Ond Jesu https://tinyurl.com/mr7kwf65

1 Here is love, vast as the ocean,
loving-kindness as the flood,
when the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
throughout heav’n’s eternal days.

2 On the mount of crucifixion
fountains opened deep and wide;
through the floodgates of God’s mercy
flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
poured incessant from above,
and heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
kissed a guilty world in love.

3 In Thy truth Thou dost direct me
by Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
and Thy grace my need is meeting
as I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring
Thy great love and pow’r on me
without measure, full and boundless,
drawing out my heart to Thee.

PSALMS

Psalm 1 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yaev8zrk)
1  Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor stood in the way of sinners *
and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful.
2  But his delight is in the law of the Lord *
and in his law will he exercise himself day and night.
3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the water-side *
that will bring forth his fruit in due season.
4  His leaf also shall not wither *
and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper.
5  As for the ungodly, it is not so with them *
but they are like the chaff, which the wind
scattereth away from the face of the earth.
6  Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgement *
neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
7  But the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous *
and the way of the ungodly shall perish.
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 2 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ya85zg8v)
1  Why do the heathen so furiously rage together *
and why do the people imagine a vain thing?
2  The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together *
against the Lord, and against his Anointed.
3  Let us break their bonds asunder *
and cast away their cords from us.
4  He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn *
the Lord shall have them in derision.
5  Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath *
and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6  Yet have I set my King *
upon my holy hill of Sion.
7  I will preach the law, whereof the Lord hath said unto me *
Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
8  Desire of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance *
and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9  Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of iron *
and break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10  Be wise now therefore, O ye kings *
be learned, ye that are judges of the earth.
11  Serve the Lord in fear *
and rejoice unto him with reverence.
12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way *
if his wrath be kindled, (yea, but a little,)
blessed are all they that put their trust 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 3 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yabg6jbn)
1  Lord, how are they increased that trouble me *
many are they that rise against me.
2  Many one there be that say of my soul *
There is no help for him in his God.
3  But thou, O Lord, art my defender *
thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head.
4  I did call upon the Lord with my voice *
and he heard me out of his holy hill.
5  I laid me down and slept, and rose up again *
for the Lord sustained me.
6  I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people *
that have set themselves against me round about.
7  Up, Lord, and help me, O my God *
for thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone;
thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8  Salvation belongeth unto the Lord *
and thy blessing is upon thy people.
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 4 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y7jpb9m3)
1  Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness *
thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble;
have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer.
2  O ye sons of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine honour *
and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after leasing?
3  Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to himself
the man that is godly *
when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.
4  Stand in awe, and sin not *
commune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still.
5  Offer the sacrifice of righteousness *
and put your trust in the Lord.
6  There be many that say *
Who will shew us any good?
7  Lord, lift thou up *
the light of thy countenance upon us.
8  Thou hast put gladness in my heart *
since the time that their corn, and wine, and oil, increased.
9  I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest *
for it is thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.
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 5 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yd4gge8p)
1  Ponder my words, O Lord *
consider my meditation.
2  O hearken thou unto the voice of my calling, my King, and my God *
for unto thee will I make my prayer.
3  My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord *
early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
4  For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness *
neither shall any evil dwell with thee.
5  Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight *
for thou hatest all them that work vanity.
6  Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing *
the Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.
7  But as for me, I will come into thine house,
even upon the multitude of thy mercy *
and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
8  Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, because of mine enemies *
make thy way plain before my face.
9  For there is no faithfulness in his mouth *
their inward parts are very wickedness.
10  Their throat is an open sepulchre *
they flatter with their tongue.
11  Destroy thou them, O God;
let them perish through their own imaginations *
cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness;
for they have rebelled against thee.
12  And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice *
they shall ever be giving of thanks, because thou defendest them;
they that love thy Name shall be joyful in thee;
13  For thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous *
and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield.
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 1 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-1.mp3)
1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2 Their delight is in the law of the LORD, *
and they meditate on his law day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; *
everything they do shall prosper.
4 It is not so with the wicked; *
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when
judgment comes, *
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, *
but the way of the wicked is doomed.

Psalm 2 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-2.mp3)
1 Why are the nations in an uproar? *
Why do the peoples mutter empty threats?
2 Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt,
and the princes plot together, *
against the LORD and against his Anointed?
3 “Let us break their yoke,” they say; *
“let us cast off their bonds from us.”
4 He whose throne is in heaven is laughing; *
the Lord has them in derision.
5 Then he speaks to them in his wrath, *
and his rage fills them with terror.
6 “I myself have set my king *
upon my holy hill of Zion.”
7 Let me announce the decree of the LORD: *
he said to me, “You are my Son;
this day have I begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance *
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
9 You shall crush them with an iron rod *
and shatter them like a piece of pottery.”
10 And now, you kings, be wise; *
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Submit to the LORD with fear, *
and with trembling bow before him;
12 Lest he be angry and you perish; *
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
13 Happy are they all *
who take refuge in him!

Psalm 3 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-3.mp3)
1 LORD, how many adversaries I have! *
how many there are who rise up against me!
2 How many there are who say of me, *
“There is no help for him in his God.”
3 But you, O LORD, are a shield about me; *
you are my glory, the one who lifts up my head.
4 I call aloud upon the LORD, *
and he answers me from his holy hill;
5 I lie down and go to sleep; *
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
6 I do not fear the multitudes of people *
who set themselves against me all around.
7 Rise up, O LORD; set me free, O my God; *
surely, you will strike all my enemies across the face,
you will break the teeth of the wicked.
8 Deliverance belongs to the LORD. *
Your blessing be upon your people!

Psalm 4 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-4.mp3)
1 Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause; *
you set me free when I am hard-pressed;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 “You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory; *
how long will you worship dumb idols
and run after false gods?”
3 Know that the LORD does wonders for the faithful; *
when I call upon the LORD, he will hear me.
4 Tremble, then, and do not sin; *
speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.
5 Offer the appointed sacrifices *
and put your trust in the LORD.
6 Many are saying,
“Oh, that we might see better times!” *
Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O LORD.
7 You have put gladness in my heart, *
more than when grain and wine and oil increase.
8 I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; *
for only you, LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 5 (LSB Tone A: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-5-LSB.mp3)
1 Give ear to my words, O LORD;*
consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God,*
for to you do I pray.
3 O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;*
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;*
evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;*
you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;*
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.*
I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies;*
make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;*
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;*
because of the abundance of their transgressions
cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,*
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O LORD;*
you cover him with favor as with a shield.
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

God our strength, you are the only refuge of all who trust you.
Fortify us with your goodness to live in quietness of spirit,
that we may serve you all our days;
through Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen.^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

No healing,
    only grief;
        my heart is broken.
Listen to the weeping of my people
        all across the land:
    “Isn’t the Lord in Zion?
        Is her king no longer there?”
Why then did they anger me with their images,
    with pointless foreign gods?
“The harvest is past,
    the summer has ended,
        yet we aren’t saved.”
Because my people are crushed,
    I am crushed;
    darkness and despair overwhelm me.

Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Why then have my people
not been restored to health?

If only my head were a spring of water,
    and my eyes a fountain of tears,
I would weep day and night
    for the wounds of my people.
If only I could flee for shelter in the desert,
    to leave my people
        and forget them—
    for they are all adulterers,
        a bunch of crooks.
They bend their tongues like bows
        to spew out lies;
    they are renowned in the land,
        but not for truth.
They go from bad to worse.
    They don’t know me!
        declares the Lord.
Be wary of your friends!
    Don’t trust your sibling!
    Every sibling is a cheater,
        and every friend traffics in slander.
One cheats the other;
    no one tells the truth;
        they train themselves to lie;
        they wear themselves out by doing wrong.
You live in a world of deceit,
    and in their deceit
    they refuse to know me,
        declares the Lord.

HYMN: Benjamin Beddome
Tune: Boylston http://tinyurl.com/2p9fw7j4

1 Did Christ o’er sinners weep,
And shall our cheeks be dry?
Let floods of penitential grief
Burst forth from every eye.

2 The Son of God in tears
The wondering angels see;
Be thou astonished, O my soul;
He shed those tears for thee.

3 He wept that we might weep;
Each sin demands a tear;
In heaven alone no sin is found,
And there’s no weeping there.

Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We have this kind of high priest. He sat down at the right side of the throne of the majesty in the heavens. He’s serving as a priest in the holy place, which is the true meeting tent that God, not any human being, set up. Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. So it’s necessary for this high priest also to have something to offer. If he was located on earth, he wouldn’t be a priest because there are already others who offer gifts based on the Law. They serve in a place that is a copy and shadow of the heavenly meeting tent. This is indicated when Moses was warned by God when he was about to set up the meeting tent: See that you follow the pattern that I showed you on the mountain in every detail. But now, Jesus has received a superior priestly service just as he arranged a better covenant that is enacted with better promises.

If the first covenant had been without fault, it wouldn’t have made sense to expect a second. But God did find fault with them, since he says,

Look, the days are coming, says the Lord,
        when I will make a covenant with the house of Israel,
        and I will make a new covenant with the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors
    on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt,
        because they did not continue to keep my covenant,
        and I lost interest in them, says the Lord.
This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
        after those days, says the Lord.
I will place my laws in their minds,
        and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
    And each person won’t ever teach a neighbor
    or their brother or sister, saying, “Know the Lord,”
        because they will all know me,
            from the least important of them to the most important;
        because I will be lenient toward their unjust actions,
            and I won’t remember their sins anymore.

When it says new, it makes the first obsolete. And if something is old and outdated, it’s close to disappearing.

HYMN: Frederick William Faber
Tune: Wellesley http://tinyurl.com/5fyfby4p

1 There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,
like the wideness of the sea.
There’s a kindness in God’s justice,
which is more than liberty.

2 There is welcome for the sinner,
and more graces for the good.
There is mercy with the Savior,
there is healing in his blood.

3 But we make God’s love too narrow
by false limits of our own,
and we magnify its strictness
with a zeal God will not own.

4 For the love of God is broader
than the measures of the mind,
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.

5 If our love were but more simple,
we should rest upon God’s word,
and our lives would be illumined
by the presence of our Lord.

When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus gave two disciples a task. He said to them, “Go into the village over there. As soon as you enter, you will find a donkey tied up and a colt with it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that their master needs them.” He sent them off right away. Now this happened to fulfill what the prophet said, Say to Daughter Zion, “Look, your king is coming to you, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a colt the donkey’s offspring.” The disciples went and did just as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their clothes on them. Then he sat on them.

Now a large crowd spread their clothes on the road. Others cut palm branches off the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds in front of him and behind him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!Hosanna in the highest!” And when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. “Who is this?” they asked. The crowds answered, “It’s the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

CANTICLE Isaiah 12:2-6
(Uptown Worship Band: https://tinyurl.com/y8q877og)

Refrain:
Surely, it is God who saves;
I will and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my sure defense,
and he will be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water
and rejoice from the salvation spring.
On that day you shall say,
give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name. Refrain

Make his deeds known among the people;
they remember his Name on high.
Sing praise to the Lord, for he has done great things,
and this is known in all the world. Refrain

Cry aloud, O Zion, ring out your joy,
for the great one in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

LITANY OF CONFESSION ^CW:TS

We pray to the Lord for courage to give up other things
and to give ourselves to him this Lent.

Give your Church the courage
to give up her preoccupation with herself
and to give more time to your mission in the world.