Simone Weil
Simone Weil belonged to a species so rare, it had only one member. This peculiar French philosopher and mystic diagnosed the maladies and maledictions of her own age and place – Europe in the first war-torn half of the 20th century – and offered recommendations for how to forestall the repetition of its iniquities: totalitarianism, income inequality, restriction of free speech, political polarisation, the alienation of the modern subject, and more. Her combination of erudition, political and spiritual fervour, and commitment to her ideals adds weight to the distinctive diagnosis she offers of modernity.
Born to a secular Jewish family in Paris, she was gifted from the beginning with a thirst for knowledge of other cultures and her own. As a Christian convert who criticised the Catholic Church and as a communist sympathiser who denounced Stalinism and confronted Trotsky over hazardous party developments, Weil’s independence of mind and resistance to ideological conformity are central to her philosophy. Several mystical experiences, including Weil’s discovery of the poem ‘Love (III)’ by the 17th-century poet George Herbert led her to embrace Christianity, and many have called for her canonisation as a saint. Weil is a hinge between religious and philosophical thought, and her notebooks often do away with differences between them. All of her work constitutes an attempt to regenerate connective tissue between all disciplines, between culture and nature, science and art, and God and humans. She died in exile in London on August 24, 1943.1
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/8b3duhjp
God so loved the world
that he gave his Only Begotten Son,
so that all who believe in him may not perish,
but may have eternal life. John 3
Our soul makes constant noise,
but it has a silent place we never hear.
When the silence of God enters us,
pierces our soul, and joins its silent sacred place,
then God is our treasure and our heart.
And space opens before us
like a fruit that breaks in two.
Then we see the universe
from a point beyond space. Amen. Simone Weil
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: Carl P Daw ©
Tune: Lux prima https://tinyurl.com/2aa43vsz
1 Faith begins by letting go,
giving up what had seemed sure,
taking risks and pressing on,
though the way feels less secure:
pilgrimage both right and odd,
trusting all our life to God.
2 Faith endures by holding on,
keeping mem’ry’s roots alive
so that hope may bear its fruit;
promise-fed, our souls will thrive,
not through merit we possess
but by God’s great faithfulness.
3 Faith matures by reaching out,
stretching minds, enlarging hearts,
sharing struggles, living prayer,
binding up the broken parts;
till we find the commonplace
ripe with witness to God’s grace.
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
Then Moses hiked up from the Moabite plains to Mount Nebo, the peak of the Pisgah slope, which faces Jericho. The Lord showed him the whole land: the Gilead region as far as Dan’s territory; all the parts belonging to Naphtali along with the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, as well as the entirety of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea; also the arid southern plain, and the plain—including the Jericho Valley, Palm City—as far as Zoar.
Then the Lord said to Moses: “This is the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I promised: ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have shown it to you with your own eyes; however, you will not cross over into it.”
Then Moses, the Lord’s servant, died—right there in the land of Moab, according to the Lord’s command. The Lord buried him in a valley in Moabite country across from Beth-peor. Even now, no one knows where Moses’ grave is.
Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyesight wasn’t impaired, and his vigor hadn’t diminished a bit.
Back down in the Moabite plains, the Israelites mourned Moses’ death for thirty days. At that point, the time for weeping and for mourning Moses was over.
Joshua, Nun’s son, was filled with wisdom because Moses had placed his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to Joshua, and they did exactly what the Lord commanded Moses.
No prophet like Moses has yet emerged in Israel; Moses knew the Lord face-to-face! That’s not even to mention all those signs and wonders that the Lord sent Moses to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to his entire land— as well as all the extraordinary power that Moses displayed before Israel’s own eyes!
HYMN: Isaac Watts
Tune: Culross https://tinyurl.com/2wvc6tw5
1 Lord, ’tis an infinite delight
To see thy lovely face,
To dwell whole ages in thy sight,
And feel thy vital rays.
2 This Gabriel knows; and sings thy name
With raptures on his tongue;
Moses the saint enjoys the same,
And heaven repeats the song.
3 While the bright nation sounds thy praise
From each eternal hill,
Sweet odours of exhaling grace
The happy region fill.
4 Thy love, a sea without a shore,
Spreads life and joy abroad;
O ’tis a heaven worth dying for,
To see a smiling God.
5 Sweet was the journey to the sky
And wondrous prophet try’d;
“Climb up the mount,” says God, “and die,”
The prophet climb’d and died.
6 Softly his fainting head he lay
Upon his maker’s breast;
His maker kiss’d his soul away,
And laid his flesh to rest.
7 Shew me thy face, and I’ll away
From all inferior things;
Speak, Lord, and here I quit my clay,
And stretch my airy wings.
Although I’m free from all people, I make myself a slave to all people, to recruit more of them. I act like a Jew to the Jews, so I can recruit Jews. I act like I’m under the Law to those under the Law, so I can recruit those who are under the Law (though I myself am not under the Law). I act like I’m outside the Law to those who are outside the Law, so I can recruit those outside the Law (though I’m not outside the law of God but rather under the law of Christ). I act weak to the weak, so I can recruit the weak. I have become all things to all people, so I could save some by all possible means. All the things I do are for the sake of the gospel, so I can be a partner with it.
Don’t you know that all the runners in the stadium run, but only one gets the prize? So run to win. Everyone who competes practices self-discipline in everything. The runners do this to get a crown of leaves that shrivel up and die, but we do it to receive a crown that never dies. So now this is how I run—not without a clear goal in sight. I fight like a boxer in the ring, not like someone who is shadowboxing. Rather, I’m landing punches on my own body and subduing it like a slave. I do this to be sure that I myself won’t be disqualified after preaching to others.
HYMN: Mary Nelson Keithahn ©
Tune: Fortunatus New https://tinyurl.com/3hw5y77v
When the word is babbling ’round us,
deafening us to human need,
when its selfish ways confound us
as we satisfy our greed,
find us and free us, O God,
find us and free us, O God.
When we fail to hear you call us,
when we turn and run away
until evil times befall us,
causing us to stop and pray,
find us, forgive us, O God,
find us, forgive us, O God.
Let your holy spirit enter
into hearts on wings of dove.
Let your will be at the center
of our lives afire with love.
Find us, and fill us, O God,
find us, and fill us, O God.
Make us one with Christ in caring
for the outcast and the lost,
that in joyful, selfless sharing
we may never count the cost.
Find us, and form us, O God.
Find us, and form us, O God.
READING: Matthew 19:23-30
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I assure you that it will be very hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. In fact, it’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.”
When his disciples heard this, they were stunned. “Then who can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them carefully and said, “It’s impossible for human beings. But all things are possible for God.”
Then Peter replied, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you. What will we have?” Jesus said to them, “I assure you who have followed me that, when everything is made new, when the Human One sits on his magnificent throne, you also will sit on twelve thrones overseeing the twelve tribes of Israel. And all who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or farms because of my name will receive one hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last. And many who are last will be first.”
CANTICLE Judith 16.13-16
(Lucy Walker: https://tinyurl.com/3j5ekpvz)
Refrain:
All You sent forth your Spirit, O God,
and you continue to show mercy to all.
1 I will sing a new song to my God,
for you are great and glorious,
truly strong and invincible.
2 May your whole creation serve you,
for you spoke and all things came to be.
3 You sent forth your Spirit and they were formed,
for no one can resist your voice.
4 Mountains and seas are stirred to their depths;
at your presence rocks shall melt like wax.
5 But to those who fear you,
you continue to show mercy.
6 No sacrifice, however fragrant, can please you,
but whoever fears the Lord
shall stand in your sight for ever.
All Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
All You sent forth your Spirit, O God,
and you continue to show mercy to all.
THE PRAYERS AAPB
Holy Father,
you have reconciled us to yourself in Christ;
and by your Holy Spirit you enable us to be your children:
We give thanks
for Christ your obedient son
for his bearing of the sin of the world in his own body on the cross
for his victory over evil and suffering and death . . .
for the joy and wonder of human love and friendship
for the lives to which our own are bound
for the gift of peace with you and with one another . . .
for the communities in whose life we share
for all human relationships in which reconciliation is experienced. . .
We pray for our families and friends
home and family life. . .
children who have no home. . .
friends and relations. . .
neighbors. . .
those we meet in our daily life and work. . .
those from whom we are estranged. . .
Help us to share in the obedience of your Son,
that we may love and serve one another in your peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
is one with you for ever. Amen.
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 blessing and woe,
disturbing the deadly order of the world:
give us faith tested in poverty,
hunger for what really satisfies,
eyes softened by tears
and hearts ready to laugh
at all that is false and pompous
that we, like Simone Weil, might be witnesses
to the dignity of life;
through Jesus Christ, who turns the world upside down. Amen. PIC
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
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
1 adapted from Christy Wampole https://tinyurl.com/yay7zbse
AAPB An Australian Prayer Book, © 1978 Anglican Church of Australia
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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