The Martyrs of Japan
In 1597 twenty-six Christians (some priests or monks, but mostly lay folk, including three altar boys) were put to death near Nagasaki as part of a persecution aimed at wiping out Christianity in Japan. Sub-sequently, many more Christian converts were put to death. The teaching of Christianity was proscribed until the middle of the nine-teenth century. But when missionaries were allowed into Japan in the 1850s, they discovered that there were several thousand Chris-tians, who, though without priests and teachers for over two hun-dred years, had preserved and practised the faith in secret. FATS
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/y4eddx4h
Arise, Jerusalem, and look to the East
and see your children gathered from the rising to the setting of the sun. Baruch 5
Lord God,
our light and our salvation,
grant that your servants
who seek your face in times of trouble
may see your goodness in the land of the living,
and that we may be set safely on the rock of our faith,
Jesus Christ, our Savior and 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: Tokuo Yamaguchi; trans. Everett M Stowe ©
Tune: Tokyo https://tinyurl.com/bdr6y668
1 Here, O Lord, your servants gather,
hand we link with hand;
looking toward our Savior’s cross,
joined in love we stand.
As we seek the realm of God,
we unite to pray:
Jesus, Savior, guide our steps,
for you are the Way.
2 Many are the tongues we speak,
scattered are the lands,
yet our hearts are one in God,
one in love’s demands.
E’en in darkness hope appears,
calling age and youth:
Jesus, Teacher, dwell with us,
for you are the Truth.
3 Nature’s secrets open wide,
changes never cease.
Where, oh where, can weary souls
find the source of peace?
Unto all those sore distressed,
torn by endless strife:
Jesus, Healer, bring your balm,
for you are the Life.
4 Grant, O God, an age renewed,
filled with deathless love;
help us as we work and pray,
send us from above
truth and courage, faith and pow’r
needed in our strife:
Jesus, Master, be our Way;
be our Truth, our Life.
PSALMS
Psalm 27 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tlahhq6)
1 The Lord is my light, and my salvation; whom then shall I fear *
the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies, and my foes,
came upon me to eat up my flesh *
they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host of men were laid against me,
yet shall not my heart be afraid *
and though there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.
4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will require *
even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle *
yea, in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me,
and set me up upon a rock of stone.
6 And now shall he lift up mine head *
above mine enemies round about me.
7 Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladness *
I will sing, and speak praises unto the Lord.
8 Hearken unto my voice, O Lord, when I cry unto thee *
have mercy upon me, and hear me.
9 My heart hath talked of thee, Seek ye my face *
Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
10 O hide not thou thy face from me *
nor cast thy servant away in displeasure.
11 Thou hast been my succour *
leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
12 When my father and my mother forsake me *
the Lord taketh me up.
13 Teach me thy way, O Lord *
and lead me in the right way, because of mine enemies.
14 Deliver me not over into the will of mine adversaries *
for there are false witnesses risen up against me,
and such as speak wrong.
15 I should utterly have fainted *
but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
16 O tarry thou the Lord’s leisure *
be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart; and put thou thy trust in 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 28 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uxqzzoa)
1 Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my strength *
think no scorn of me; lest, if thou make as though thou hearest not,
I become like them that go down into the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my humble petitions, when I cry unto thee *
when I hold up my hands towards the mercy-seat of thy holy temple.
3 O pluck me not away, neither destroy me
with the ungodly and wicked doers *
which speak friendly to their neighbours,
but imagine mischief in their hearts.
4 Reward them according to their deeds *
and according to the wickedness of their own inventions.
5 Recompense them after the work of their hands *
pay them that they have deserved.
6 For they regard not in their mind the works of the Lord,
nor the operation of his hands *
therefore shall he break them down, and not build them up.
7 Praised be the Lord *
for he hath heard the voice of my humble petitions.
8 The Lord is my strength, and my shield;
my heart hath trusted in him, and I am helped *
therefore my heart danceth for joy, and in my song will I praise him.
9 The Lord is my strength *
and he is the wholesome defence of his Anointed.
10 O save thy people, and give thy blessing unto thine inheritance *
feed them, and set them up for ever.
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 29 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rxm2ar6)
1 Bring unto the Lord, O ye mighty,
bring young rams unto the Lord *
ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength.
2 Give the Lord the honour due unto his Name *
worship the Lord with holy worship.
3 It is the Lord, that commandeth the waters *
it is the glorious God, that maketh the thunder.
4 It is the Lord, that ruleth the sea;
the voice of the Lord is mighty in operation *
the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice.
5 The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedar-trees *
yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Libanus.
6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf *
Libanus also, and Sirion, like a young unicorn.
7 The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness *
yea, the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Cades.
8 The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to bring forth young,
and discovereth the thick bushes *
in his temple doth every man speak of his honour.
9 The Lord sitteth above the water-flood *
and the Lord remaineth a King for ever.
10 The Lord shall give strength unto his people *
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
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 27 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-27.mp3)
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? *
the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, *
it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army should encamp against me, *
yet my heart shall not be afraid;
4 And though war should rise up against me, *
yet will I put my trust in him.
5 One thing have I asked of the LORD; one thing I seek; *
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life;
6 To behold the fair beauty of the LORD *
and to seek him in his temple.
7 For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter; *
he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling
and set me high upon a rock.
8 Even now he lifts up my head *
above my enemies round about me.
9 Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation
with sounds of great gladness; *
I will sing and make music to the LORD.
10 Hearken to my voice, O LORD, when I call; *
have mercy on me and answer me.
11 You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.” *
Your face, LORD, will I seek.
12 Hide not your face from me, *
nor turn away your servant in displeasure.
13 You have been my helper; cast me not away; *
do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.
14 Though my father and my mother forsake me, *
the LORD will sustain me.
15 Show me your way, O LORD; *
lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.
16 Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, *
for false witnesses have risen up against me,
and also those who speak malice.
17 What if I had not believed
that I should see the goodness of the LORD *
in the land of the living!
18 O tarry and await the LORD’S pleasure;
be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; *
wait patiently for the LORD.
Psalm 28 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-28.mp3)
1 O LORD, I call to you;
my Rock, do not be deaf to my cry; *
lest, if you do not hear me,
I become like those who go down to the Pit.
2 Hear the voice of my prayer when I cry out to you, *
when I lift up my hands to your holy of holies.
3 Do not snatch me away with the wicked or with the evildoers, *
who speak peaceably with their neighbors,
while strife is in their hearts.
4 Repay them according to their deeds, *
and according to the wickedness of their actions.
5 According to the work of their hands repay them, *
and give them their just deserts.
6 They have no understanding of the LORD’S doings,
nor of the works of his hands; *
therefore he will break them down and not build them up.
7 Blessed is the LORD! *
for he has heard the voice of my prayer.
8 The LORD is my strength and my shield; *
my heart trusts in him, and I have been helped;
9 Therefore my heart dances for joy, *
and in my song will I praise him.
10 The LORD is the strength of his people, *
a safe refuge for his anointed.
11 Save your people and bless your inheritance; *
shepherd them and carry them for ever.
Psalm 29 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-29.mp3)
1 Ascribe to the LORD, you gods, *
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his Name; *
worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders; *
the LORD is upon the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; *
the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedar trees; *
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; *
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
8 The voice of the LORD makes the oak trees writhe *
and strips the forests bare.
9 And in the temple of the LORD *
all are crying, “Glory!”
10 The LORD sits enthroned above the flood; *
the LORD sits enthroned as King for evermore.
11 The LORD shall give strength to his people; *
the LORD shall give his people the blessing of peace.
PRAYER
God of mystery and power,
open our eyes to the fire of your love,
and open our ears to the thunder of your justice,
that we may receive your gifts of blessing and peace,
to the glory of your name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Genesis 21:1-21
The Lord was attentive to Sarah just as he had said, and the Lord carried out just what he had promised her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham when he was old, at the very time God had told him. Abraham named his son—the one Sarah bore him—Isaac. Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old just as God had commanded him. Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born. Sarah said, “God has given me laughter. Everyone who hears about it will laugh with me.” She said, “Who could have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse sons? But now I’ve given birth to a son when he was old!”
The boy grew and stopped nursing. On the day he stopped nursing, Abraham prepared a huge banquet. Sarah saw Hagar’s son laughing, the one Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham. So she said to Abraham, “Send this servant away with her son! This servant’s son won’t share the inheritance with my son Isaac.”
This upset Abraham terribly because the boy was his son. God said to Abraham, “Don’t be upset about the boy and your servant. Do everything Sarah tells you to do because your descendants will be traced through Isaac. But I will make of your servant’s son a great nation too, because he is also your descendant.” Abraham got up early in the morning, took some bread and a flask of water, and gave it to Hagar. He put the boy in her shoulder sling and sent her away.
She left and wandered through the desert near Beer-sheba. Finally the water in the flask ran out, and she put the boy down under one of the desert shrubs. She walked away from him about as far as a bow shot and sat down, telling herself, I can’t bear to see the boy die. She sat at a distance, cried out in grief, and wept.
God heard the boy’s cries, and God’s messenger called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “Hagar! What’s wrong? Don’t be afraid. God has heard the boy’s cries over there. Get up, pick up the boy, and take him by the hand because I will make of him a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well. She went over, filled the water flask, and gave the boy a drink. God remained with the boy; he grew up, lived in the desert, and became an expert archer. He lived in the Paran desert, and his mother found him an Egyptian wife.
HYMN: Phil Campbell-Enns ©
Tune: Fill Us With Your Feast
1 Weary and tempted we enter the desert,
desp’rately seeking your face—
lives that are thirsty and hearts that are lonely,
we will seek your embrace.
Refrain:
Find us empty and wandering:
we, the lost and the least.
Find us in the wilderness
then fill us with your feast.
2 Deep in our darkness you enter in stillness,
offering comfort so bright.
Gathered together within your safe shelter,
darkness welcomes the light. [Refrain]
3 Seeking and trusting, we turn from destruction,
wondering what you will bring.
God of the present, the past and the future,
come and do a new thing. [Refrain]
READING: Romans 3:21-31
But now God’s righteousness has been revealed apart from the Law, which is confirmed by the Law and the Prophets. God’s righteousness comes through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who have faith in him. There’s no distinction. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, but all are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Christ Jesus. Through his faithfulness, God displayed Jesus as the place of sacrifice where mercy is found by means of his blood. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness in passing over sins that happened before, during the time of God’s patient tolerance. He also did this to demonstrate that he is righteous in the present time, and to treat the one who has faith in Jesus as righteous.
What happens to our bragging? It’s thrown out. With which law? With what we have accomplished under the Law? No, not at all, but through the law of faith. We consider that a person is treated as righteous by faith, apart from what is accomplished under the Law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t God the God of Gentiles also? Yes, God is also the God of Gentiles. Since God is one, then the one who makes the circumcised righteous by faith will also make the one who isn’t circumcised righteous through faith. Do we then cancel the Law through this faith? Absolutely not! Instead, we confirm the Law.
HYMN: Isaac Watts
Tune: Croft’s 136th https://tinyurl.com/e8rkun4m
1 We give immortal praise
to God the Father’s love
for all our comforts here,
and better hopes above:
he sent his own
eternal Son,
to die for sins
that man had done.
2 To God the Son belongs
immortal glory too,
who bought us with his blood
from everlasting woe:
and now he lives,
and now he reigns,
and sees the fruit
of all his pains.
3 To God the Spirit’s name
immortal worship give,
whose new-creating power
makes the dead sinner live:
his work completes
the great design,
and fills the soul
with joy divine.
4 Almighty God, to thee
be endless honours done,
the undivided Three,
and the mysterious One:
where reason fails
with all her powers,
there faith prevails,
and love adores.
READING: Mark 1:40-45
A man with a skin disease approached Jesus, fell to his knees, and begged, “If you want, you can make me clean.” Incensed, Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do want to. Be clean.” Instantly, the skin disease left him, and he was clean. Sternly, Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t say anything to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifice for your cleansing that Moses commanded. This will be a testimony to them.” Instead, he went out and started talking freely and spreading the news so that Jesus wasn’t able to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, but people came to him from everywhere.
CANTICLE Ezekiel 36.24-26,28b
(Nils Greenhow, https://tinyurl.com/mw4f7n7d)
All The Spirit of God fills the whole world.
1 I will take you from the nations,
and gather you from all the countries.
2 I will sprinkle clean water upon you,
and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses.
3 A new heart I will give you,
and put a new spirit within you,
4 And I will remove from your body the heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh.
5 You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
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 The Spirit of God fills the whole world.
THE PRAYERS BCW
We praise you, God our creator,
for your handiwork in shaping
and sustaining your wondrous creation.
Especially we thank you for
the miracle of life and the wonder of living . . .
particular blessings coming to us in this day . . .
the resources of the earth . . .
gifts of creative vision and skillful craft . . .
the treasure stored in every human life. . . .
We dare to pray for others, God our Savior, claiming your love in Jesus Christ for the whole world, committing ourselves to care for those around us in his name. Especially we pray for
those who work for the benefit of others . . .
those who cannot work today . . .
those who teach and those who learn . . .
people who are poor . . .
the church in Europe. . . .
(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)DL
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the bread of life;
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.
Everloving God,
the source of strength for all your saints,
you upheld the martyrs of Japan in the way of the cross;
grant that, encouraged by their example,
we may hold fast the faith we profess,
even to death itself;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen. FATS
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
FATS For All the Saints, © The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, 2014
DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.
The main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible
The traditional version of the psalms is from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern versions are 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 © 2026 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 