Oremus for Monday, June 23, 2025

Jesus Healing Two Blind Men, Duccio di Buonisegna, 1308-11

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/h733je

The love of God has been poured into our hearts
through the Spirit of God dwelling within us, alleluia. Romans 5

God of compassion,
you have given us Jesus Christ, the great physician,
who made the broken whole
and healed the sick.
Touch our wounds, relieve our hurts,
and restore us to wholeness of life,
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW2018

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: Charles Wesley
Tune: Azmon https://tinyurl.com/34ndccmc

1 O for a thousand tongues, to sing
my dear Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!

2 Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life and health and peace.

3 He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
he sets the prisoner free:
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.

4 He speaks; and, listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive,
the mournful broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.

5 Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
your loosened tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your Saviour come;
and leap, ye lame, for joy!

6 My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim
and spread through all the earth abroad
the honours of thy name.

PSALMS

Psalm 114 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tbxne5c)
1  When Israel came out of Egypt *
 and the house of Jacob from among the strange people,
2  Judah was his sanctuary *
 and Israel his dominion.
3  The sea saw that, and fled *
 Jordan was driven back.
4  The mountains skipped like rams *
 and the little hills like young sheep.
5  What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest *
 and thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
6  Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams *
 and ye little hills, like young sheep?
7  Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord *
 at the presence of the God of Jacob;
8  Who turned the hard rock into a standing water *
 and the flint-stone into a springing well.
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 115 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yaw43w93)
1  Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the praise *
 for thy loving mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
2  Wherefore shall the heathen say *
 Where is now their God?
3  As for our God, he is in heaven *
 he hath done whatsoever pleased him.
4  Their idols are silver and gold *
 even the work of men’s hands.
5  They have mouths, and speak not *
 eyes have they, and see not.
6  They have ears, and hear not *
 noses have they, and smell not.
7  They have hands, and handle not; feet have they, and walk not *
 neither speak they through their throat.
8  They that make them are like unto them *
 and so are all such as put their trust in them.
9  But thou, house of Israel, trust thou in the Lord *
 he is their succour and defence.
10  Ye house of Aaron, put your trust in the Lord *
 he is their helper and defender.
11  Ye that fear the Lord, put your trust in the Lord *
 he is their helper and defender.
12  The Lord hath been mindful of us, and he shall bless us *
 even he shall bless the house of Israel,
he shall bless the house of Aaron.
13  He shall bless them that fear the Lord *
 both small and great.
14  The Lord shall increase you more and more *
 you and your children.
15  Ye are the blessed of the Lord *
 who made heaven and earth.
16  All the whole heavens are the Lord’s *
 the earth hath he given to the children of men.
17  The dead praise not thee, O Lord *
 neither all they that go down into silence.
18  But we will praise the Lord *
 from this time forth for evermore. Praise the Lord.
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 114 (LSB Tone G: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-114-LSB.mp3)
1 When Israel went out from Egypt,*
 the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became his sanctuary,*
 Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled;*
 Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams,*
 the hills like lambs.
5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee?*
 O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams?*
 O hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,*
 at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turns the rock into a pool of water,*
 the flint into a spring of water.
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 115 (LSB Tone G: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-115-LSB.mp3)
1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,*
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
2 Why should the nations say,*
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;*
he does all that he pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold,*
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;*
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;*
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk;*
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them be-come like them;*
so do all who trust in them.
9 O Israel, trust in the LORD!*
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!*
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!*
He is their help and their shield.
12 The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us;*
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the LORD,*
both the small and the great.
14 May the LORD give you increase,*
you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the LORD,*
who made heaven and earth!
16 The heavens are the LORD’s heavens,*
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD,*
nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the LORD*
from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the 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.

PRAYER

Sovereign God,
you subdue the arrogant
and raise the humble;
you feed the hungry
and reveal the poverty of wealth.
Help us to praise your name in all times and places,
that we may be faithful servants
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

These are the names of the Israelites who came to Egypt with Jacob along with their households: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. The total number in Jacob’s family was seventy. Joseph was already in Egypt. Eventually, Joseph, his brothers, and everyone in his generation died. But the Israelites were fertile and became populous. They multiplied and grew dramatically, filling the whole land.

Now a new king came to power in Egypt who didn’t know Joseph. He said to his people, “The Israelite people are now larger in number and stronger than we are. Come on, let’s be smart and deal with them. Otherwise, they will only grow in number. And if war breaks out, they will join our enemies, fight against us, and then escape from the land.” As a result, the Egyptians put foremen of forced work gangs over the Israelites to harass them with hard work. They had to build storage cities named Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they grew and spread, so much so that the Egyptians started to look at the Israelites with disgust and dread.

HYMN: Psalm 80; vv. 1-2 Sing Psalms ©; vv. 3-19 Bert Polman ©
Tune: Todos los colores https://tinyurl.com/ycw9wdma

1 Hear us, O Israel’s Shepherd, Joseph’s guide,
the one enthroned between the cherubim.
2 Show forth your splendor to the threatened tribes,
Manasseh, Benjamin and Ephraïm.
3 Restore us, LORD, your saving power release;
make your face shine on us and give us peace.

4 How long, O LORD, will you disdain our prayer?
5 For you have fed us with the bread of tears.
Your holy anger brings us to despair;
6 the nations mock us with their scornful jeers.
7 Restore us, LORD, your saving power release;
make your face shine on us and give us peace.

8 You brought a vine from Egypt with your hand;
9 you drove the nations out to give it room.
It took deep root and spread throughout the land;
10 the hills were covered with its shade and bloom.
11 Under its branches mighty cedars hide;
it sent out shoots to sea and riverside.

12 Why have you broken down the vineyard wall
so that its grapes are eaten off the vine?
13 Boars from the forest root around it all;
its fruit is ravaged by the hungry swine.
14 Return to us, O LORD, with power divine;
look down from heaven on your chosen vine.

15 This vine, once planted with your own right hand,
16 now burns with fire; your people cry and moan.
17 Let your hand rest on those you cause to stand;
18 then we will call on your great name alone.
19 Restore us, LORD, your saving power release;
make your face shine on us and give us peace.

READING: Acts 11:1-18

The apostles and the brothers and sisters throughout Judea heard that even the Gentiles had welcomed God’s word. When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him. They accused him, “You went into the home of the uncircumcised and ate with them!”

Step-by-step, Peter explained what had happened. “I was in the city of Joppa praying when I had a visionary experience. In my vision, I saw something like a large linen sheet being lowered from heaven by its four corners. It came all the way down to me. As I stared at it, wondering what it was, I saw four-legged animals—including wild beasts—as well as reptiles and wild birds. I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!’ I responded, ‘Absolutely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ The voice from heaven spoke a second time, ‘Never consider unclean what God has made pure.’ This happened three times, then everything was pulled back into heaven. At that moment three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. The Spirit told me to go with them even though they were Gentiles. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered that man’s house. He reported to us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is known as Peter. He will tell you how you and your entire household can be saved.’ When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as the Spirit fell on us in the beginning. I remembered the Lord’s words: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, then who am I? Could I stand in God’s way?”

Once the apostles and other believers heard this, they calmed down. They praised God and concluded, “So then God has enabled Gentiles to change their hearts and lives so that they might have new life.”

HYMN: George Herbert
Tune: Sandys https://tinyurl.com/6br474t6

1 Teach me, my God and King,
in all things Thee to see,
and what I do in anything,
to do it as for Thee.

2 To scorn the senses’ sway,
while still to Thee I tend;
in all I do be Thou the Way,
in all be Thou the End.

3 All may of Thee partake;
nothing so small can be,
but draws, when acted for Thy sake,
greatness and worth from Thee.

4 If done t’obey Thy laws,
e’en servile labors shine;
hallowed is toil, if this the cause,
the meanest work divine.

As Jesus departed, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Show us mercy, Son of David.” When he came into the house, the blind men approached him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied.

Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “It will happen for you just as you have believed.” Their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly warned them, “Make sure nobody knows about this.” But they went out and spread the word about him throughout that whole region.

As they were leaving, people brought to him a man who was demon-possessed and unable to speak. When Jesus had thrown out the demon, the man who couldn’t speak began to talk. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He throws out demons with the authority of the ruler of demons.”

Jesus traveled among all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, announcing the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The size of the harvest is bigger than you can imagine, but there are few workers. Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers for his harvest.”

CANTICLE (Revelation 4:11; 5:9-10, 13, 14) St Bernard Breviary

Splendor and honor and kingly power *
  are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
  and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
  for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
  a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
  and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
  for ever and for evermore. Amen.

PRAYERS AAPB

Almighty God,
maker of all things and Father of us all,
you have shown us in Christ the purpose of your creation
and called us to responsible service in the world:

We give thanks
for the order of created things
for the resources of the earth
for the gift of human life . . .
for your continuing work of creation
for man’s share in your creative purpose
for your gifts of creative vision and inventive skill
for your faithfulness to man in patience and love
for every human response of obedience and humble achievement . . .

We pray for your world
all nations . . .
our own country . . .
those in authority . . .
the peace of the world . . .
racial harmony . . .
and the reconciliation of all who are at enmity . . .

May we delight in your purpose,
and work to bring all things to their true end;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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.

God of steadfast love,
light of the blind and liberator of the oppressed,
we see your holy purpose in the tender compassion of Jesus,
who calls us into new and living friendship with you.
May we, who take shelter in the shadow of your wings,
be filled with the grace of his tender caring;
may we, who stumble in selfish darkness,
see your glory in the light of his self-giving.
We ask this through him whose suffering is victorious,
Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. 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


Donation to Support This Ministry

Since 1993, Oremus has been done on a volunteer basis. If you are able, please consider supporting this work at the PayPal link below. For software reasons, I’ve set the value at $10.00, but feel free to change it. Thank you.

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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.

AAPB An Australian Prayer Book, © 1978 Anglican Church of Australia

BCW2018 Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 2018

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 114 and 115 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.

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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