Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/ypfm8yec
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall have their fill. Matthew 5
God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow,
God of the beginning and the end times:
As we make this journey through Advent,
we remember that your time is different from our time.
We must stay awake and pay attention
because your peace is not our peace,
and your ways are not our ways.
We do not know the hour or the day
when you are coming,
but we know that we must be watchful
for all the ways you will appear.
Even as we remember this beginning,
we know that you will be with us to the end.
With hope, peace, joy, and love we pray. Amen. CWC, alt.
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: Adam M.L. Tice ©
Tune: Loch Lomond
1 We dream of a turning from ages of wrong,
earth to Eden restored, and our pardon.
Like Eve and Adam, join in a story and a song
as we wander with God through the garden.
Refrain:
Where true peace is shining as hate rolls away,
see, God’s bright new creation is gleaming.
The morning rays that dawn on our weary, waking day
bring a hope far beyond all our dreaming.
2 We dream of a feast where there’s no one outside,
turned away due to diff’rence or label,
when all the weapons forged to destroy or to divide
turn to rust far from God’s holy table. [Refrain]
3 We dream of a mountain where no harm is done,
where the wolf and the lamb lie together.
A little child shall dance, leading all the creatures on,
as we join hand to hoof, claw, and feather! [Refrain]
PSALMS
Psalm 41 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/urktsqu)
1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy *
the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.
2 The Lord preserve him, and keep him alive,
that he may be blessed upon earth *
and deliver not thou him into the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord comfort him, when he lieth sick upon his bed *
make thou all his bed in his sickness.
4 I said, Lord, be merciful unto me *
heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me *
When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity *
and his heart conceiveth falsehood within himself,
and when he cometh forth he telleth it.
7 All mine enemies whisper together against me *
even against me do they imagine this evil.
8 Let the sentence of guiltiness proceed against him *
and now that he lieth, let him rise up no more.
9 Yea, even mine own familiar friend, whom I trusted *
who did also eat of my bread, hath laid great wait for me.
10 But be thou merciful unto me, O Lord *
raise thou me up again, and I shall reward them.
11 By this I know thou favourest me *
that mine enemy doth not triumph against me.
12 And when I am in my health, thou upholdest me *
and shalt set me before thy face for ever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel *
world without end. Amen.
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 42 and 43 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wxrfhr8)
sung as the one psalm they originally were
1 Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks *
so longeth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God *
when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night *
while they daily say unto me, Where is now thy God?
4 Now when I think thereupon, I pour out my heart by myself *
for I went with the multitude,
and brought them forth into the house of God;
5 In the voice of praise and thanksgiving *
among such as keep holy-day.
6 Why art thou so full of heaviness, O my soul *
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
7 Put thy trust in God *
for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance.
8 My God, my soul is vexed within me *
therefore will I remember thee concerning the land of Jordan,
and the little hill of Hermon.
9 One deep calleth another, because of the noise of the water-pipes *
all thy waves and storms are gone over me.
10 The Lord hath granted his loving-kindness in the day-time *
and in the night-season did I sing of him,
and made my prayer unto the God of my life.
11 I will say unto the God of my strength, Why hast thou forgotten me *
why go I thus heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?
12 My bones are smitten asunder as with a sword *
while mine enemies that trouble me cast me in the teeth;
13 Namely, while they say daily unto me *
Where is now thy God?
14 Why art thou so vexed, O my soul *
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
15 O put thy trust in God *
for I will yet thank him,
which is the help of my countenance, and my God.
1 Give sentence with me, O God,
and defend my cause against the ungodly people *
O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.
2 For thou art the God of my strength, why hast thou put me from thee *
and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?
3 O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me *
and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling.
4 And that I may go unto the altar of God,
even unto the God of my joy and gladness *
and upon the harp will I give thanks unto thee, O God, my God.
5 Why art thou so heavy, O my soul *
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
6 O put thy trust in God *
for I will yet give him thanks,
which is the help of my countenance, and my God.
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 41 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-41.mp3)
1 Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! *
the LORD will deliver them in the time of trouble.
2 The LORD preserves them and keeps them alive,
so that they may be happy in the land; *
he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.
3 The LORD sustains them on their sickbed *
and ministers to them in their illness.
4 I said, “LORD, be merciful to me; *
heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
5 My enemies are saying wicked things about me: *
When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words; *
their heart collects false rumors;
they go outside and spread them.
7 All my enemies whisper together about me *
and devise evil against me.
8 “A deadly thing,” they say, “has fastened on him; *
he has taken to his bed and will never get up again.”
9 Even my best friend, whom I trusted,
who broke bread with me, *
has lifted up his heel and turned against me.
10 But you, O LORD, be merciful to me and raise me up, *
and I shall repay them.
11 By this I know you are pleased with me, *
that my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 In my integrity you hold me fast, *
and shall set me before your face for ever.
13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, *
from age to age. Amen. Amen.
Psalm 42 (Gregorian Tone 2 monasticus)
2 Like the deer that yearns
for running streams,
so my soul is yearning
for you, my God.
3 My soul is thirsting for God,
the living God;
when can I enter and appear
before the face of God?
4 My tears have become my bread,
by day, by night,
as they say to me ail the day long,
“Where is your God?”
5 These things will I remember
as I pour out my soul:
for I would go to the place
of your wondrous tent,
all the way to the house of God,
amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving,
the throng keeping joyful festival.
6 Why are you cast down, my soul;
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him yet again,
my saving presence and my God.
7 My soul is cast down within me,
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and Mount Hermon,
from the Hill of Mizar.
8 Deep is calling on deep, .
in the roar of your torrents;
your billows and all your waves
swept over me.
9 By day the LoRD decrees his loving mercy;
by night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
10 I will say to God, my rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
oppressed by the foe?”
11 With a deadly wound in my bones,
my enemies revile me,
saying to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
12 Why are you cast down, my soul;
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him yet again,
my saving presence and my God.
Psalm 42 (Gregorian Tone 6)
1 Give me justice, O God, and plead my cause
against a nation that is faithless.
From the deceitful and the cunning
rescue me, O God.
2 You, O God, are my strength;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go mourning,
oppressed by the foe?
3 O send forth your light and your truth;
they will guide me on.
They will bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
4 And I will come to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and gladness.
To you will I give thanks on the harp,
O God, my God.
5 Why are you cast down, my soul;
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him yet again,
my saving presence and my God.
PRAYER
Eternal God, source of everlasting light,
send forth your truth into our hearts,
and bring us into your presence with joy and gladness
in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Jeremiah 7:1-11
Jeremiah received the Lord’s word: Stand near the gate of the Lord’s temple and proclaim there this message: Listen to the Lord’s word, all you of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord. This is what the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, says: Improve your conduct and your actions, and I will dwell with you in this place. Don’t trust in lies: “This is the Lord’s temple! The Lord’s temple! The Lord’s temple!” No, if you truly reform your ways and your actions; if you treat each other justly; if you stop taking advantage of the immigrant, orphan, or widow; if you don’t shed the blood of the innocent in this place, or go after other gods to your own ruin, only then will I dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave long ago to your ancestors for all time.
And yet you trust in lies that will only hurt you. Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, sacrifice to Baal and go after other gods that you don’t know, and then come and stand before me in this temple that bears my name, and say, “We are safe,” only to keep on doing all these detestable things? Do you regard this temple, which bears my name, as a hiding place for criminals? I can see what’s going on here, declares the Lord.
HYMN: Albert F Bayly ©
Tune: Sharpthorne https://tinyurl.com/mr3x4pfh
1 What does the Lord require
for praise and offering?
What sacrifice desire,
or tribute bid you bring?
Do justly; love mercy;
walk humbly with your God.
2 Rulers of earth, give ear!
Should you not justice show?
Will God your pleading hear,
while crime and cruelty grow?
Do justly; love mercy;
walk humbly with your God.
3 Still down the ages ring
the prophet’s stern commands.
To merchant, worker, king
he brings God’s high demands:
Do justly; love mercy;
walk humbly with your God.
4 How shall our life fulfill
God’s law so hard and high?
Let Christ endue our will
with grace to fortify.
Then justly, in mercy,
we’ll humbly walk with God.
READING: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
We don’t need to write to you about the timing and dates, brothers and sisters. You know very well that the day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. When they are saying, “There is peace and security,” at that time sudden destruction will attack them, like labor pains start with a pregnant woman, and they definitely won’t escape. But you aren’t in darkness, brothers and sisters, so the day won’t catch you by surprise like a thief. All of you are children of light and children of the day. We don’t belong to night or darkness. So then, let’s not sleep like the others, but let’s stay awake and stay sober. People who sleep sleep at night, and people who get drunk get drunk at night. Since we belong to the day, let’s stay sober, wearing faithfulness and love as a piece of armor that protects our body and the hope of salvation as a helmet. God didn’t intend for us to suffer his wrath but rather to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with him. So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already.
HYMN: Charles Wesley
Tune: St Magnus https://tinyurl.com/yxcym5s7
1 All praise to our redeeming Lord,
who joins us by His grace
and bids us, each to each restored,
together seek His face.
2 He bids us build each other up;
and gathered into one,
to our high calling’s glorious hope,
we hand in hand go on.
3 We all partake the joy of one,
the common peace we feel;
a peace to sensual minds unknown,
a joy unspeakable.
4 And if our fellowship below
in Jesus be so sweet,
what height of rapture shall we know
when ’round His throne we meet!
READING: Matthew 23:1-12
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and his disciples, “The legal experts and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore, you must take care to do everything they say. But don’t do what they do. For they tie together heavy packs that are impossible to carry. They put them on the shoulders of others, but are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do, they do to be noticed by others. They make extra-wide prayer bands for their arms and long tassels for their clothes. They love to sit in places of honor at banquets and in the synagogues. They love to be greeted with honor in the markets and to be addressed as ‘Rabbi.’
“But you shouldn’t be called Rabbi, because you have one teacher, and all of you are brothers and sisters. Don’t call anybody on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is heavenly. Don’t be called teacher, because Christ is your one teacher. But the one who is greatest among you will be your servant. All who lift themselves up will be brought low. But all who make themselves low will be lifted up.”
CANTICLE Isaiah 12:2-6
(BCP 2019/James Turle)
Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
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.
PRAYERS CWC
God of hope,
we come to you as our waiting time begins—
this “already but not yet” time.
We look forward just a few weeks
and prepare to celebrate your coming years ago.
We remember to prepare for your coming again.
We pray in hope.
God of peace,
as part of the preparation for your coming,
may we begin to beat our swords into plowshares.
May we dismantle our weapons of mass destruction,
and rid ourselves of our stockpiles of fear.
May we sow seeds of connection rather than discontent.
May we teach peace to the nations
who continue to study war, including our own.
We pray for your peace.
God of joy,
lead us in the joyful work of making peace.
May we seek ways to feed those who hunger,
to bind up those who are wounded,
to get treatment for all who are addicted,
to find housing for all who need it,
and provide protection for any who are not safe.
May our joy be rooted in your promises
to care for the stranger,
to release the captive,
to bring good news to the poor,
and to let the oppressed go free.
We pray for such joy.
God of love,
a joy so deep and wide will surely expand our hearts.
So today as we pray for those we love already—
family, friends, neighbors, colleagues—
we pray also for those who are harder for us to love—
family, friends, neighbors, colleagues.
Love isn’t easy,
so we ask for your strength and guidance.
We pray to love well.
As we journey toward Bethlehem
to meet you at the manger once again,
may we not forget to look for you
all around and at all times—
wherever we encounter
your hope, peace, joy, and love.
In Jesus’ name we pray. 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.
Almighty and merciful God,
do not let our earthly concerns
keep us from hastening to meet your Son,
but teach us the heavenly wisdom
that makes us his true companions.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen. 1998
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.
BCW2018 Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 2018
CWC Connections Worship Companion, ed. David Gambrell © Westminster John Knox Press
1998 Draft Roman Sacramentary © ICEL, 1998
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 41 is from the The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalms 42 and 43 are from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles ©2010, 2018 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. ©2020 as recorded for the Chants and Rants YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@chantsandrants. The canticle is from Book of Common Prayer (2019) as recorded for the St Bernard Breviary https://www.bernardbreviary.com/chant-helps
The three main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
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.
Oremus 