Oremus for Saturday, May 11, 2024

Modena – The fresco of Jesus on the Cross with st. John and Mary in side apse of Duomo.

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/24ze4zp5

The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth;
by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, alleluia. Psalm 33

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/mb6h9xfa

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
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.
Alleluia, alleluia!

HYMN: Samuel Francis Smith
Tune: Martyrdom (Avon) https://tinyurl.com/2p8ve6tc

1 Planted in Christ, the living vine,
This day, with one accord,
Ourselves, with humble faith and joy,
We yield to thee, O Lord.

2 Joined in one body may we be;
One inward life partake;
One be our heart; one heavenly hope
In every bosom wake.

3 In prayer, in effort, tears, and toils,
One wisdom be our guide;
Taught by one Spirit from above,
In thee may we abide.

4 Complete in us, whom grace hath called,
Thy glorious work begun,
O thou in whom the church on earth
And church in heaven are one.

5 Around this feeble, trusting band
Thy sheltering pinions spread,
Nor let the storms of trial beat
Too fiercely on our head.

6 Then, when, among the saints in light,
Our joyful spirits shine,
Shall anthems of immortal praise,
O Lamb of God, be thine.

PSALMS

Psalm 56 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y89cbz8u)
1  Be merciful unto me, O God, for man goeth about to devour me *
 he is daily fighting, and troubling me.
2  Mine enemies are daily in hand to swallow me up *
 for they be many that fight against me, O thou most Highest.
3  Nevertheless, though I am sometime afraid *
 yet put I my trust in thee.
4  I will praise God, because of his word *
 I have put my trust in God, and will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
5  They daily mistake my words *
 all that they imagine is to do me evil.
6  They hold all together, and keep themselves close *
 and mark my steps, when they lay wait for my soul.
7  Shall they escape for their wickedness *
 thou, O God, in thy displeasure shalt cast them down.
8  Thou tellest my flittings ; put my tears into thy bottle *
 are not these things noted in thy book?
9  Whensoever I call upon thee,
then shall mine enemies be put to flight *
 this I know; for God is on my side.
10  In God’s word will I rejoice *
 in the Lord’s word will I comfort me.
11  Yea, in God have I put my trust *
 I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12  Unto thee, O God, will I pay my vows *
 unto thee will I give thanks.
13  For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
and my feet from falling *
 that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
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 57 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yb9ln9xn)
1  Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me,
for my soul trusteth in thee *
 and under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge,
until this tyranny be over-past.
2  I will call unto the most high God *
 even unto the God that shall perform the cause which I have in hand.
3  He shall send from heaven *
 and save me from the reproof of him that would eat me up.
4  God shall send forth his mercy and truth *
 my soul is among lions.
5  And I lie even among the children of men, that are set on fire *
 whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
6  Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens *
 and thy glory above all the earth.
7  They have laid a net for my feet, and pressed down my soul *
 they have digged a pit before me,
and are fallen into the midst of it themselves.
8  My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed *
 I will sing, and give praise.
9  Awake up, my glory; awake, lute and harp *
 I myself will awake right early.
10  I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people *
 and I will sing unto thee among the nations.
11  For the greatness of thy mercy reacheth unto the heavens *
 and thy truth unto the clouds.
12  Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens *
 and thy glory above all the earth.
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 58 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y79vycco)
1  Are your minds set upon righteousness, O ye congregation *
 and do ye judge the thing that is right, O ye sons of men?
2  Yea, ye imagine mischief in your heart upon the earth *
 and your hands deal with wickedness.
3  The ungodly are froward, even from their mother’s womb *
 as soon as they are born, they go astray, and speak lies.
4  They are as venomous as the poison of a serpent *
 even like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ears;
5  Which refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer *
 charm he never so wisely.
6  Break their teeth, O God, in their mouths;
smite the jaw-bones of the lions, O Lord *
 let them fall away like water that runneth apace;
and when they shoot their arrows let them be rooted out.
7  Let them consume away like a snail,
and be like the untimely fruit of a woman *
 and let them not see the sun.
8  Or ever your pots be made hot with thorns *
 so let indignation vex him, even as a thing that is raw.
9  The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance *
 he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the ungodly.
10  So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous *
 doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth.
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 56 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm%2056.mp3)
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
for my enemies are hounding me; *
all day long they assault and oppress me.
2 They hound me all the day long; *
truly there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3 Whenever I am afraid, *
I will put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust and will not be afraid, *
for what can flesh do to me?
5 All day long they damage my cause; *
their only thought is to do me evil.
6 They band together; they lie in wait; *
they spy upon my footsteps;
because they seek my life.
7 Shall they escape despite their wickedness? *
O God, in your anger, cast down the peoples.
8 You have noted my lamentation;
put my tears into your bottle; *
are they not recorded in your book?
9 Whenever I call upon you, my enemies will be put to flight; *
this I know, for God is on my side.
10 In God the LORD, whose word I praise,
in God I trust and will not be afraid, *
for what can mortals do to me?
11 I am bound by the vow I made to you, O God; *
I will present to you thank-offerings;
12 For you have rescued my soul from death and my feet
from stumbling, *
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

Psalm 57 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-57-MH.mp3)
2 Have mercy on me, God, have mercy
for in you my soul has taken refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge
till the storms of destruction pass by.
3 I call to you God the Most High,
to you who have always been my help.
4 May you send from heaven and save me
and shame those who assail me.
O God, send your truth and your love.
5 My soul lies down among lions,
who would devour the sons of men.
Their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongue a sharpened sword.
6 O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!
7 They laid a snare for my steps; my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my path
but fell in it themselves.
8 My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.
I will sing, I will sing your praise.
9 Awake, my soul; awake, lyre and harp,
I will awake the dawn.
10 I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples,
among the nations I will praise you
11 for your love reaches to the heavens
and your truth to the skies.
12 O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

Psalm 58 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-58-KH.mp3)
Refrain:
Do you decree what is right, O you gods?
Do you judge uprightly, sons of men?
No! In your hearts you work evil,
and your hands weigh out violence on the earth.
1 The wicked go astray from the womb;
they err from their birth, speaking lies
They have venom like a poisonous serpent,
like an adder that is deaf to all charmers [Refrain]
2 O God, break the teeth in their mouths;
O LORD, remove the fangs of these lions
Let them vanish like water that runs off;
when they aim let their arrows have no tips [Refrain]
3 Like a snail that dissolves into slime;
like a still birth that never sees the sun
Before our pots can feel the heat of thorns,
both the burning and the green are swept away [Refrain]
4 The righteous shall rejoice to see the vengeance,
In the blood of the wicked bathe his feet
Men will say, “There is reward for the just,
There is a God who judges on the earth.

PRAYER

O God,
when our path is hard and dangerous,
give us the grace of quiet confidence.
Remind us that we belong to you in baptism,
for you have claimed us in Jesus Christ,
the way, the truth, and the life. Amen. BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Celebrate with Jerusalem; be happy with her,
    all you who love her!
Rejoice with her in joy,
    all you who mourn over her,
    so that you may nurse and be satisfied
    from her comforting breasts,
    that you may drink and be refreshed
    from her full breasts.
The Lord says:
    Look, I’m extending prosperity to her like a river,
    and the wealth of nations like an overflowing stream.
You will nurse and be carried on the hip
    and bounced upon the knee.

As a mother comforts her child,
    so I will comfort you;
    in Jerusalem you will be comforted.
When you see this, your heart will rejoice;
    your entire being will flourish like grass.
The Lord’s power will be known among his servants,
    but his fury among his enemies.
The Lord will come with fire,
    God’s chariots like a windstorm,
    to repay in hot anger,
    to rebuke with fiery flames.
With fire and with sword the Lord will judge all humanity;
    many will be slain by the Lord.

Those who became holy and purify themselves, following their leader into the gardens, who eat pork, detestable animals, and mice, will meet their end together, says the Lord.

Because of their actions and thoughts, I’m coming to gather all nations and cultures. They will come to see my glory. I will put a sign on them, by sending out some of the survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Libya, and Lydia, and to the archers of Cilicia and Greece—distant coastlands that haven’t heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will declare my glory among the nations. They will bring your family members from all nations as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels—to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, like Israelites bringing an offering in purified containers to the Lord’s house. I will select some of them as priests and Levites, says the Lord.

As the new heavens and the new earth that I’m making
will endure before me, says the Lord,

    so your descendants and your name will endure.
From month to month and from Sabbath to Sabbath,
    all humanity will come to worship me, says the Lord.

HYMN: Johann Olearius; trans. Catherine Winkworth
Tune: Genevan 42 https://tinyurl.com/yh5w2rzv

1 Comfort, comfort ye my people,
speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
comfort those who sit in darkness
mourning ‘neath their sorrow’s load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem
of the peace that waits for them!
Tell her that her sins I cover,
and her warfare now is over.

2 Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
blotting out each dark misdeed;
all that well deserved His anger
He will no more see nor heed.
She hath suffered many a day,
now her griefs have passed away;
God will change her pining sadness
into ever-springing gladness.

3 For Elijah’s voice is crying
in the desert far and near,
bidding all men to repentance,
since the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey,
now prepare for God a way;
let the valleys rise to meet Him,
and the hills bow down to greet Him.

4 Make ye straight what long was crooked,
make the rougher places plain,
let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits His holy reign;
for the glory of the LORD
now o’er earth is shed abroad,
and all flesh shall see the token
that His Word is never broken.

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and his powerful strength. Put on God’s armor so that you can make a stand against the tricks of the devil. We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand. So stand with the belt of truth around your waist, justice as your breastplate, and put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to spread the good news of peace. Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.

Offer prayers and petitions in the Spirit all the time. Stay alert by hanging in there and praying for all believers. As for me, pray that when I open my mouth, I’ll get a message that confidently makes this secret plan of the gospel known. I’m an ambassador in chains for the sake of the gospel. Pray so that the Lord will give me the confidence to say what I have to say.

Tychicus, my loved brother and faithful servant of the Lord, can inform you about my situation and what I’m doing. I’ve sent him for this reason—so that you will know about us. He can reassure you.

May there be peace with the brothers and sisters as well as love with the faith that comes from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ forever.

HYMN: Charlotte Elliott
Tune: Vigilate https://tinyurl.com/ypzv28j2

1 ‘Christian! seek not yet repose,’
hear thy guardian angel say;
thou art in the midst of foes;
‘watch and pray.’

2 Principalities and powers,
mustering their unseen array,
wait for thy unguarded hours;
‘watch and pray.’

3 Gird thy heavenly armour on,
wear it ever night and day;
ambushed lies the evil one;
‘watch and pray.’

4 Hear the victors who o’ercame;
still they mark each warrior’s way;
all with one sweet voice exclaim,
‘watch and pray.’

5 Hear, above all, hear thy Lord,
him thou lovest to obey;
hide within thy heart his word,
‘watch and pray.’

6 Watch, as if on that alone
hung the issue of the day;
pray, that help may be sent down;
‘watch and pray.’

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already trimmed because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. A branch can’t produce fruit by itself, but must remain in the vine. Likewise, you can’t produce fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything. If you don’t remain in me, you will be like a branch that is thrown out and dries up. Those branches are gathered up, thrown into a fire, and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified when you produce much fruit and in this way prove that you are my disciples.

“As the Father loved me, I too have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy will be in you and your joy will be complete.”

CANTICLE Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a
(Chant by John Michael Talbot: https://tinyurl.com/ycrn2d4f)

Ant. The Father has given Christ all power, honor, and kingship,
All people will obey him.
We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,
who is and who was.
You have assumed your great power,
you have begun your reign.
the nations have raged in anger,
but then came your day of wrath
and the moment to judge the dead:
the time to reward your servants the prophets
and the holy ones who revere you,
the great and the small alike.
Now have salvation and power come,
the reign of our god and the authority
of his anointed one,
for the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who night and day accused them before God.
They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death.
So rejoice, you heavens,
and you that dwell therein!
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

God of life,
we rejoice in the resurrection of your Son,
his defeat over death, and his gift of new life.
We praise you for the reflections of that new life
in creation . . .
in nations and governments around the world . . .
in the ministry of the church universal . . .
in our community as it . . .
in the sacrifice of those who serve . . .
in our new life in Christ . . .

To you as the giver of new life and renewed hope
we bring our prayers
for creation and its care . . .
for the nations of the world . . .
for our nation and its leaders . . .
for this community and those who are in authority . . .
for the church universal as it works on your behalf . . .
for this local church in its ministry . . .
for persons with particular needs . . .
We pray all this in your name, the Lord and giver of life. Amen.

(Karin Simmons: https://tinyurl.com/y7vwp7dd)

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.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord God,
you so tend the vine you planted
that now it extends its branches throughout the world.
Keep us in Christ as branches on the vine,
that grafted firmly in your love,
we may show the whole world your great power
and bear the fruit of righteousness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW

https://tinyurl.com/rkxkpmc
Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia!

Glory to God whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine:
Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church,
and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.    Ephesians 3:20,21


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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.

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

The 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 Psalm 56 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 57 is from The Grail Psalter and is from the Manual Hopper YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/manualhopper/featured. Psalm 58 is in the version sung by Karl Kohlhase http://www.k4communications.com/karl/index.html.

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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