Oremus for Sunday, December 29, 2024

Antiphon¹

Ant. Unto us a child is born, *
unto us a son is given.
Dominion is on his shoulder
and his name shall be called the Angel of Great Counsel.
V. O sing a new song to the Lord, *
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm *
have brought salvation. Isaiah 9; Psalm 98

Almighty God,
you have poured upon us
the new light of your incarnate Word:
Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts,
may shine forth in our lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 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: Prudentius; trans. John Mason Neale and Henry Williams Baker
Tune: Divinum Mysterium https://tinyurl.com/4wrw9htr

1 Of the Father’s love begotten,
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the source, the ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore!

2 O that birth for ever blessed,
when the Virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bore the Savior of our race;
and the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore!

3 Let the heights of heaven adore him;
angel hosts, his praises sing;
powers, dominions, bow before him,
and extol our God and King;
let no tongue on earth be silent,
every voice in concert ring,
evermore and evermore!

4 Christ, to thee with God the Father,
and, O Holy Ghost, to thee,
hymn and chant and high thanksgiving,
and unwearied praises be;
honor, glory and dominion,
and eternal victory,
evermore and evermore!

PSALMS

Psalm 142 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ya9l4yc4)
1  I cried unto the Lord with my voice *
 yea, even unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
2  I poured out my complaints before him *
 and shewed him of my trouble.
3  When my spirit was in heaviness thou knewest my path *
 in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
4  I looked also upon my right hand *
 and saw there was no man that would know me.
5  I had no place to flee unto *
 and no man cared for my soul.
6  I cried unto thee, O Lord, and said *
 Thou art my hope, and my portion in the land of the living.
7  Consider my complaint *
 for I am brought very low.
8  O deliver me from my persecutors *
 for they are too strong for me.
9  Bring my soul out of prison,
that I may give thanks unto thy Name *
 which thing if thou wilt grant me,
then shall the righteous resort unto my company.
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 143 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y76nm8vs)
1  Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire *
 hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness’ sake.
2  And enter not into judgement with thy servant *
 for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3  For the enemy hath persecuted my soul;
he hath smitten my life down to the ground *
 he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead.
4  Therefore is my spirit vexed within me *
 and my heart within me is desolate.
5  Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works *
 yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands.
6  I stretch forth my hands unto thee *
 my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land.
7  Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint *
 hide not thy face from me,
lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8  O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning,
for in thee is my trust *
 shew thou me the way that I should walk in,
for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9  Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies *
 for I flee unto thee to hide me.
10  Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God *
 let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.
11  Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake *
 and for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12  And of thy goodness slay mine enemies *
 and destroy all them that vex my soul; for I am thy servant.
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 142 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-142-1.mp3)
1 I cry to the LORD with my voice; *
to the LORD I make loud supplication.
2 I pour out my complaint before him *
and tell him all my trouble.
3 When my spirit languishes within me, you know my path; *
in the way wherein I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
4 I look to my right hand and find no one who knows me; *
I have no place to flee to, and no one cares for me.
5 I cry out to you, O LORD; *
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Listen to my cry for help, for I have been brought very low; *
save me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your Name; *
when you have dealt bountifully with me,
the righteous will gather around me.

Psalm 143 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-143.mp3)
1 LORD, hear my prayer,
and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; *
answer me in your righteousness.
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, *
for in your sight shall no one living be justified.
3 For my enemy has sought my life;
he has crushed me to the ground; *
he has made me live in dark places like those who are long dead.
4 My spirit faints within me; *
my heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the time past; I muse upon all your deeds; *
I consider the works of your hands.
6 I spread out my hands to you; *
my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.
7 O LORD, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; *
do not hide your face from me
or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
8 Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
for I put my trust in you; *
show me the road that I must walk, for I lift up my soul to you.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD, *
for I flee to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; *
let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
11 Revive me, O LORD, for your Name’s sake; *
for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.
12 Of your goodness, destroy my enemies
and bring all my foes to naught, *
for truly I am your servant.

PRAYER

God our refuge,
when all friends have forsaken us
and enemies line all our paths,
come quickly to our aid.
Lead us out from captivity
into the light of your freedom,
secured for us in the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

CANTICLE Isaiah 60:1-19
(Jered McKenna https://tinyurl.com/y7ccoep2)

Arise shine for your light has come and the glory of God is on you
Arise see when the earth grows dark that the Lord will arise upon you
The Lord will arise upon you

Nations will come to your light lift up your eyes and see
We’ll gather together and come to you
And your love will be all that we know
Your love will be all that we know
The sun will not shine cause you’ll be all the light that we need
and violence will end all the wars that we wage will cease

We will glorify your name
We will glorify your name.

Arise come to the open gates for the Father is welcoming you
Fear not for the Lord brings peace and redemption to all who believe
Redemption to all who believe

Nations will come to your light lift up your eyes and see
We’ll gather together and come to you
And your love will be all that we know
Your love will be all that we know
The sun will not shine cause you’ll be all the light that we need
and violence will end all the wars that we wage will cease

We will glorify your name
We will glorify your name.

THE PRAYERS ^{Joe Milner}

For the Church: that we may recognize and honor the dignity which we have been given in being called children of God

For the grace to grow in wisdom: that the Spirit will give us insight into our experiences and help us to learn from them how to hear God’s invitation and fully respond to God

For all families: that family members may support one another and help each other grow in wisdom, age, and grace, and walk closer with God each day

For all couples: that they may grow in their love for each other and be signs of God’s unconditional love to each other

For all parents: that they may love their children and help them grow in understanding and living Christian values

For children who are missing or at risk: that God will protect them from harm, guide them to a place of safety, and help the parents to continue to show love for them

For parents of young adults: that they may guide them as they embark on life’s journey, encourage them toward responsibility, and support them through the challenges that they will encounter

For all children: that they may grow safely in body, mind, and spirit, and develop their gifts and talents to their fullest

For family members who are in conflict or who are estranged: that God’s love will heal their hearts and dissolve pride so that they may share the joy of fellowship and love again

For all engaged couples: that they may continue to discover God’s gift that they are to each other and support one another as they grow in faith and love together

For all who have no families or who are alienated from or rejected by their families: that they may experience love and acceptance through this Christian community

For couples and children awaiting adoption: that God will bring them together in love, guide them through the legal process and help them with all the adjustments of family life

For all who are grieving, particularly children who have lost parents and parents who have lost children: that they may know that God is with them and draw strength and hope from the Holy Family who experienced great loss and pain

For all who are ill: that God will bring an end to the pandemic, heal all who are sick or recovering from surgery, and give strength and protection to all healthcare workers

For all recovering from storms and other disasters: that God will ease their suffering, give them strength of mind and spirit, and speed the resources they need to rebuild their lives.

Setting by Eric Wyse:²

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.

All-powerful and unseen God,
the coming of your light into our world
has brightened weary hearts with peace.
Teach us to proclaim the birth of your Son Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen. ^BCW

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

---

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

² Eric Wyse, Lord’s Prayer, ©; audio from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_a40ME7aVk

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 are from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and are sung by Ryland Angel.

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.