Athanasius
Athanasius was born in about the year 296 of Christian parents and educated at the Catechetical school in Alexandria. He was present at the Council of Nicaea as a deacon, accompanying his bishop Alexander, whom he succeeded as Patriarch in the year 328. Athanasius held firmly to the doctrines of the Church as defined by that Council, and became the leader of those opposed to the teachings of Arian, which denied the divinity of Christ. He was deposed from — and restored to — his See several times because of his uncompromising faith. In or out of exile, Athanasius continued his writings, ever the proponent of orthodoxy over heterodoxy and the essential need for the Church to teach the true doctrines of the faith rather than watered-down versions of it. He was a strong believer in asceticism as a means of restoring the divine image in humanity and thus a supporter of monasticism, which was in its nascent state at that time. He was a friend of Pachomius and wrote the Life of Antony of Egypt, which showed the cenobitic life as holding a balance between things earthly and heavenly. He died on this day in the year 373. EH
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/7xjb8krr
Ant. I am the true vine, and you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in them, bears fruit in plenty. John 15
O God,
light of the minds that know you,
life of the souls that love you,
strength of the thoughts that seek you:
Help us so to know you
that we may truly love you,
so to love you
that we may fully serve you,
whose service is perfect freedom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Gelasian Liturgy, 8th c.
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: William Walsham How
Tune: Munich https://tinyurl.com/335238dw
1 O Christ the Word incarnate,
O wisdom from on high,
O truth unchanged, unchanging,
O light of our dark sky,
we praise thee for the radiance
that from the hallowed page,
a lantern to our footsteps
shines on from age to age.
2 The Church from her dear Master
received the gift divine,
and still that light she lifteth
o’er all the earth to shine;
it is the precious treasury
where gems of truth are stored;
it is the heaven-drawn picture
of Christ, the living Word.
3 O make thy Church, dear Saviour,
a lamp of burnished gold,
to bear before the nations
thy true light, as of old;
O teach thy wandering pilgrims
by this their path to trace,
till, clouds and darkness ended,
they see thee face to face.
PSALMS
Psalm 9 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yczh7vnk)
1 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart *
I will speak of all thy marvellous works.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee *
yea, my songs will I make of thy Name, O thou most Highest.
3 While mine enemies are driven back *
they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause *
thou art set in the throne that judgest right.
5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, and destroyed the ungodly *
thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.
6 O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end *
even as the cities which thou hast destroyed;
their memorial is perished with them.
7 But the Lord shall endure for ever *
he hath also prepared his seat for judgement.
8 For he shall judge the world in righteousness *
and minister true judgement unto the people.
9 The Lord also will be a defence for the oppressed *
even a refuge in due time of trouble.
10 And they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee *
for thou, Lord, hast never failed them that seek thee.
11 O praise the Lord which dwelleth in Sion *
shew the people of his doings.
12 For, when he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them *
and forgetteth not the complaint of the poor.
13 Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider the trouble
which I suffer of them that hate me *
thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.
14 That I may shew all thy praises
within the ports of the daughter of Sion *
I will rejoice in thy salvation.
15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made *
in the same net which they hid privily, is their foot taken.
16 The Lord is known to execute judgement *
the ungodly is trapped in the work of his own hands.
17 The wicked shall be turned into hell *
and all the people that forget God.
18 For the poor shall not alway be forgotten *
the patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever.
19 Up, Lord, and let not man have the upper hand *
let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord *
that the heathen may know themselves to be but men.
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 10 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yakosuxg)
1 Why standest thou so far off, O Lord *
and hidest thy face in the needful time of trouble?
2 The ungodly for his own lust doth persecute the poor *
let them be taken in the crafty wiliness that they have imagined.
3 For the ungodly hath made boast of his own heart’s desire *
and speaketh good of the covetous, whom God abhorreth.
4 The ungodly is so proud, that he careth not for God *
neither is God in all his thoughts.
5 His ways are alway grievous *
thy judgements are far above out of his sight,
and therefore defieth he all his enemies.
6 For he hath said in his heart, Tush, I shall never be cast down *
there shall no harm happen unto me.
7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and fraud *
under his tongue is ungodliness and vanity.
8 He sitteth lurking in the thievish corners of the streets *
and privily in his lurking dens doth he murder the innocent;
his eyes are set against the poor.
9 For he lieth waiting secretly, even as a lion lurketh he in his den *
that he may ravish the poor.
10 He doth ravish the poor *
when he getteth him into his net.
11 He falleth down, and humbleth himself *
that the congregation of the poor may fall into the hands of his captains.
12 He hath said in his heart, Tush, God hath forgotten *
he hideth away his face, and he will never see it.
13 Arise, O Lord God, and lift up thine hand *
forget not the poor.
14 Wherefore should the wicked blaspheme God *
while he doth say in his heart, Tush, thou God carest not for it.
15 Surely thou hast seen it *
for thou beholdest ungodliness and wrong.
16 That thou mayest take the matter into thine hand *
the poor committeth himself unto thee;
for thou art the helper of the friendless.
17 Break thou the power of the ungodly and malicious *
take away his ungodliness, and thou shalt find none.
18 The Lord is King for ever and ever *
and the heathen are perished out of the land.
19 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poor *
thou preparest their heart, and thine ear hearkeneth thereto;
20 To help the fatherless and poor unto their right *
that the man of the earth be no more exalted against them.
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 11 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yboxkznx)
1 In the Lord put I my trust *
how say ye then to my soul,
that she should flee as a bird unto the hill?
2 For lo, the ungodly bend their bow,
and make ready their arrows within the quiver *
that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart.
3 For the foundations will be cast down *
and what hath the righteous done?
4 The Lord is in his holy temple *
the Lord’s seat is in heaven.
5 His eyes consider the poor *
and his eye-lids try the children of men.
6 The Lord alloweth the righteous *
but the ungodly, and him that delighteth in wickedness
doth his soul abhor.
7 Upon the ungodly he shall rain snares,
fire and brimstone, storm and tempest *
this shall be their portion to drink.
8 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness *
his countenance will behold the thing that is just.
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.
Psalms 9&10 (sung as one)
(Mode I Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-9-10-MH.mp3)
2 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will recount all your wonders.
3 I will rejoice in you and be glad,
and sing psalms to your name, O Most High.
4 See how my enemies turn back,
how they stumble and perish before you.
5 You upheld the justice of my cause;
you sat enthroned, judging with justice.
6 You have checked the nations, destroyed the wicked;
you have wiped out their name for ever and ever.
7 The foe is destroyed, eternally ruined.
You uprooted their cities; their memory has perished.
8 But the Lord sits enthroned for ever.
He has set up his throne for judgment;
9 he will judge the world with justice,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
10 For the oppressed let the Lord be a stronghold,
a stronghold in times of distress.
11 Those who know your name will trust you;
you will never forsake those who seek you.
12 Sing psalms to the Lord who dwells in Zion.
Proclaim his mighty works among the peoples,
13 for the Avenger of blood has remembered them,
has not forgotten the cry of the poor.
14 Have pity on me, Lord, see my sufferings,
you who save me from the gates of death;
15 that I may recount all your praise
at the gates of the city of Zion
and rejoice in your saving help.
16 The nations have fallen in the pit which they made,
their feet caught in the snare they laid.
17 The Lord has revealed himself, and given judgment.
The wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.
18 Let the wicked go down among the dead,
all the nations forgetful of God;
19 for the needy shall not always be forgotten
nor the hopes of the poor be in vain.
20 Arise, Lord, let men not prevail!
Let the nations be judged before you.
21 Lord, strike them with terror,
let the nations know they are but men.
Psalm 10 (continued)
1 Lord, why do you stand afar off
and hide yourself in times of distress?
2 The poor man is devoured by the pride of the wicked:
he is caught in the schemes that others have made.
3 For the wicked man boasts of his heart’s desires;
the covetous blasphemes and spurns the Lord.
4 In his pride the wicked says: “He will not punish.
There is no God.” Such are his thoughts.
5 His path is ever untroubled;
your judgment is far from his mind.
His enemies he regards with contempt.
6 He thinks: “Never shall I falter:
misfortune shall never be my lot.”
7 His mouth is full of cursing, guile, oppression;
mischief and deceit are under his tongue.
8 He lies in wait among the reeds;
the innocent he murders in secret.
His eyes are on the watch for the helpless man.
9 He lurks in hiding like a lion in his lair;
he lurks in hiding to seize the poor;
he seizes the poor man and drags him away.
10 He crouches, preparing to spring,
and the helpless fall beneath such strength.
11 He thinks in his heart: “God forgets,
he hides his face, he does not see.”
12 Arise then, Lord, lift up your hand!
O God, do not forget the poor!
13 Why should the wicked spurn the Lord
and think in his heart: “God will not punish”?
14 But you have seen the trouble and sorrow,
you note it, you take it in hand.
The helpless trusts himself to you;
for you are the helper of the orphan.
15 Break the power of the wicked and the sinner!
Punish their wickedness till nothing remains!
16 The Lord is king for ever and ever.
The heathen shall perish from the land he rules.
17 Lord, you hear the prayer of the poor;
you strengthen their hearts; you turn your ear
18 to protect the rights of the orphan and oppressed:
so that mortal man may strike terror no more.
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 11 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-11.mp3)
1 In the LORD have I taken refuge; *
how then can you say to me,
“Fly away like a bird to the hilltop;
2 For see how the wicked bend the bow
and fit their arrows to the string, *
to shoot from ambush at the true of heart.
3 When the foundations are being destroyed, *
what can the righteous do?”
4 The LORD is in his holy temple; *
the LORD’S throne is in heaven.
5 His eyes behold the inhabited world; *
his piercing eye weighs our worth.
6 The LORD weighs the righteous as well as the wicked, *
but those who delight in violence he abhors.
7 Upon the wicked he shall rain coals of fire and
burning sulphur; *
a scorching wind shall be their lot.
8 For the LORD is righteous;
he delights in righteous deeds; *
and the just shall see his face.
PRAYER
God Most High,
in Jesus Christ you rule the world with righteousness
and judge the nations with equity.
Cast down the haughty and lift up the lowly.
Make us compassionate to the needy
that we may be close to Jesus Christ,
our servant Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
But now, says the Lord—
the one who created you, Jacob,
the one who formed you, Israel:
Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
when through the rivers, they won’t sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you won’t be scorched
and flame won’t burn you.
I am the Lord your God,
the holy one of Israel, your savior.
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your place.
Because you are precious in my eyes,
you are honored, and I love you.
I give people in your place,
and nations in exchange for your life.
Don’t fear,
I am with you.
From the east I’ll bring your children;
from the west I’ll gather you.
I’ll say to the north, “Give them back!”
and to the south, “Don’t detain them.”
Bring my sons from far away,
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
everyone who is called by my name
and whom I created for my glory,
whom I have formed and made.
HYMN: James Montgomery
Tune: Aberdeen https://tinyurl.com/bdnx3tmv
1 Daughter of Zion! from the dust
Exalt thy fallen head;
Again in thy Redeemer trust,
He calls thee from the dead.
2 Awake! awake! put on thy strength,
Thy beautiful array;
The day of freedom dawns at length,
The Lord’s appointed day.
3 Rebuild thy walls, thy bounds enlarge,
And send thy heralds forth;
Say to the South, Give up thy charge,
And keep not back, O North.
4 They come, they come! thine exiled bands,
Where’er they rest or roam,
Have heard thy voice in distant lands,
And hasten to their home.
Finally, all of you be of one mind, sympathetic, lovers of your fellow believers, compassionate, and modest in your opinion of yourselves. Don’t pay back evil for evil or insult for insult. Instead, give blessing in return. You were called to do this so that you might inherit a blessing. For
those who want to love life
and see good days
should keep their tongue from evil speaking
and their lips from speaking lies.
They should shun evil and do good;
seek peace and chase after it.
The Lord’s eyes are on the righteous
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord cannot tolerate those who do evil.
HYMN: Ian Fraser ©
Tune: Lawes’ Psalm 47 https://tinyurl.com/2mp4dd7h
1 Lord, bring the day to pass
when forest, rock and hill,
the beasts, the birds, the grass,
will know your finished will:
when we attain our destiny
and nature lives in harmony.
2 Forgive our careless use
of water, ore and soil —
the plenty we abuse
supplied by others’ toil:
save us from making self our creed,
turn us towards each other’s need.
3 Give us, when we release
creation’s secret powers,
to harness them for peace —
our children’s peace and ours:
teach us the art of mastering
in servant form, which draws death’s sting.
4 Creation groans, travails,
futile its present plight,
bound — till the hour it hails
God’s children born of light
who enter on their true estate.
Come, Lord: new heavens and earth create.
Jesus said to her, “Go, get your husband, and come back here.” The woman replied, “I don’t have a husband.” “You are right to say, ‘I don’t have a husband,’” Jesus answered. “You’ve had five husbands, and the man you are with now isn’t your husband. You’ve spoken the truth.”
The woman said, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you and your people say that it is necessary to worship in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you and your people will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You and your people worship what you don’t know; we worship what we know because salvation is from the Jews. But the time is coming—and is here!—when true worshippers will worship in spirit and truth. The Father looks for those who worship him this way. God is spirit, and it is necessary to worship God in spirit and truth.”
The woman said, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one who is called the Christ. When he comes, he will teach everything to us.” Jesus said to her, “I Am—the one who speaks with you.”
Just then, Jesus’ disciples arrived and were shocked that he was talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman put down her water jar and went into the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who has told me everything I’ve done! Could this man be the Christ?” They left the city and were on their way to see Jesus.
CANTICLE Song of the Three Young Men 35-65
(New Camaldoli chant: https://tinyurl.com/yawzzmsx)
All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord!
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord!
Heavens and waters above the heavens, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Powers of the Lord, God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Sun and moon, bless the Lord!
All you stars of heaven, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
All rain and dew, bless the Lord!
And let every wind, bless the Lord!
Fire and heat, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Cold and warmth, bless the Lord!
Dew and snowstorm, bless the Lord!
Frost and cold, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Ice and snow, bless the Lord!
Nights and days, bless the Lord!
Light and darkness, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Lightning and clouds, bless the Lord!
Let the whole earth bless the Lord!
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Every plant that grows, bless the Lord!
Springs of water, bless the Lord!
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Everything that moves in the waters, bless the Lord!
And let every kind of bird bless the Lord!
All you beasts wild and tame, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Let the whole human race, bless the Lord!
O Israel, bless the Lord!
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
All you the Lord’s servants, bless the Lord!
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord!
Humble-hearted people, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
God has freed us from the underworld,
saved us from the hand of death
and drawn us from the heart of the flame:
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Give thanks to the Lord who is so good!
Bless the God of gods, all you who fear him.
Praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
God be praised and exalted above all forever!
THE PRAYERS PWC
Fill us with the joy of Christ’s holy and life-giving resurrection.
Giver of life, hear our prayer.
Strengthen isolated and persecuted churches in the Easter gospel.
Giver of life, hear our prayer.
Grant us humility to be subject to one another in Christian love.
Giver of life, hear our prayer.
Provide for those who lack food, work or shelter.
Giver of life, hear our prayer.
Bring wars and famines throughout the earth to an end.
Giver of life, hear our prayer.
Reveal the light of your presence to the sick, the weak and the dying.
Giver of life, hear our prayer.
Send the fire of your Holy Spirit upon your people.
Giver of life, hear our prayer.
(Traditional chant: http://oremus.org/chant/LP-1940.mp3)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And 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.
Everliving God,
whose servant Athanasius testified
to the mystery of the Word made flesh for our salvation:
help us, with all your saints,
to contend for the truth
and to grow into the likeness of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen. EH
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.
The Lord’s Prayer is the traditional chant as set in The Hymnal 1940 and sung by Kathryn Mannyng https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsJ2TB9pLbU
EH Exciting Holiness, Ed. Brother Tristram SSF © European Province of the Society of Saint Francis, 1997
PWC PRAY WITHOUT CEASING: Morning and Evening Prayer for the Seasons of the Church Year Prepared by The Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett on behalf of The Liturgy Task Force of the Anglican Church of Canada, May 2016.
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 version of Psalm 9-10 is from The Grail Psalter and is from the Manual Hopper YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA7dFvm3xGcnay-IeuplWww. Psalm 11 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is 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 © 2025 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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