Oremus for July 21, 2026

The Miracle of Manna, Tintoretto, ca. 1577

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/yc5u5mp9

The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth;
by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, alleluia. Psalm 33

God of all good,
you are life and salvation to all:
Make us faithful and wise
in your worship and service,
day by day and step by step
adding fire to fire,
fervor to fervor,
zeal to zeal,
and love to love;
in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen. 2

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: Jan Struther ©
Tune: Slane https://tinyurl.com/2myws5zb

1 Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever child-like, no cares can destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

2 Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

3 Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

4 Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

PSALMS

Psalm 105 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/s2yts33)
1  Give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his Name *
 tell the people what things he hath done.
2  O let your songs be of him, and praise him *
 and let your talking be of all his wondrous works.
3  Rejoice in his holy Name *
 let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
4  Seek the Lord and his strength *
 seek his face evermore.
5  Remember the marvellous works that he hath done *
 his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth,
6  O ye seed of Abraham his servant *
 ye children of Jacob his chosen.
7  He is the Lord our God *
 his judgements are in all the world.
8  He hath been alway mindful of his covenant and promise *
 that he made to a thousand generations;
9  Even the covenant that he made with Abraham *
 and the oath that he sware unto Isaac;
10  And appointed the same unto Jacob for a law *
 and to Israel for an everlasting testament;
11  Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan *
 the lot of your inheritance;
12  When there were yet but a few of them *
 and they strangers in the land;
13  What time as they went from one nation to another *
 from one kingdom to another people;
14  He suffered no man to do them wrong *
 but reproved even kings for their sakes;
15  Touch not mine Anointed *
 and do my prophets no harm.
16  Moreover, he called for a dearth upon the land *
 and destroyed all the provision of bread.
17  But he had sent a man before them *
 even Joseph, who was sold to be a bond-servant;
18  Whose feet they hurt in the stocks *
 the iron entered into his soul;
19  Until the time came that his cause was known *
 the word of the Lord tried him.
20  The king sent, and delivered him *
 the prince of the people let him go free.
21  He made him lord also of his house *
 and ruler of all his substance;
22  That he might inform his princes after his will *
 and teach his senators wisdom.
23  Israel also came into Egypt *
 and Jacob was a stranger in the land of Ham.
24  And he increased his people exceedingly *
 and made them stronger than their enemies;
25  Whose heart turned so, that they hated his people *
 and dealt untruly with his servants.
26  Then sent he Moses his servant *
 and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27  And these shewed his tokens among them *
 and wonders in the land of Ham.
28  He sent darkness, and it was dark *
 and they were not obedient unto his word.
29  He turned their waters into blood *
 and slew their fish.
30  Their land brought forth frogs *
 yea, even in their kings’ chambers.
31  He spake the word, and there came all manner of flies *
 and lice in all their quarters.
32  He gave them hail-stones for rain *
 and flames of fire in their land.
33  He smote their vines also and fig-trees *
 and destroyed the trees that were in their coasts.
34  He spake the word, and the grass hoppers came, and caterpillars innumerable *
 and did eat up all the grass in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
35  He smote all the first-born in their land *
 even the chief of all their strength.
36  He brought them forth also with silver and gold *
 there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
37  Egypt was glad at their departing *
 for they were afraid of them.
38  He spread out a cloud to be a covering *
 and fire to give light in the night-season.
39  At their desire he brought quails *
 and he filled them with the bread of heaven.
40  He opened the rock of stone, and the waters flowed out *
 so that rivers ran in the dry places.
41  For why? he remembered his holy promise *
 and Abraham his servant.
42  And he brought forth his people with joy *
 and his chosen with gladness;
43  And gave them the lands of the heathen *
 and they took the labours of the people in possession;
44  That they might keep his statutes *
 and observe his laws.
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 105 (Gregorian Tone III.4)

1 Give thanks unto the Lord and call upon his Name; *
tell the peoples what things he has done.
2 O let your songs be of him, and praise him, *
and let your speech be of all his wondrous works.
3 Rejoice in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Seek the Lord and his strength; *
seek his face evermore.
5 Remember the marvelous works that he has done, *
his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,
6 O seed of Abraham his servant, *
O children of Jacob his chosen.
7 He is the Lord our God; *
his judgments are in all the world.
8 He has always been mindful of his covenant, *
and the promise that he made to a thousand generations,
9 Even the covenant that he made with Abraham, *
and the oath that he swore to Isaac,
10 Which he appointed to Jacob for a law, *
and to Israel for an everlasting testament,
11 Saying, “To you will I give the land of Canaan *
to be the portion of your inheritance.”
12 When there were yet but a few of them, *
and they were strangers in the land,
13 And they wandered from nation to nation, *
and from one kingdom to another,
14 He allowed no one to do them wrong, *
but reproved even kings for their sakes:
15 “Do not touch my Anointed, *
and do my prophets no harm.”
16 Moreover, he called for a famine in the land *
and destroyed all the provision of bread.
17 But he had sent a man before them: *
Joseph, who was sold to be a bondservant,
18 Whose feet they hurt in the stocks; *
they put an iron collar around his neck.
19 Until the time came that his sayings were fulfilled, *
the word of the Lord tried him.
20 The king sent and delivered him; *
the ruler of the people let him go free.
21 He made him lord over his house, *
and ruler of all his possessions,
22 That he might instruct his princes according to his will *
and teach his elders wisdom.
23 Israel also came into Egypt, *
and Jacob was a stranger in the land of Ham.
24 And he increased his people exceedingly, *
and made them stronger than their enemies,
25 Whose heart he turned, so that they hated his people, *
and dealt deceitfully with his servants.
26 Then he sent Moses his servant, *
and Aaron whom he had chosen,
27 And they worked his signs among them, *
and wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and it was dark; *
but they were not obedient to his word.
29 He turned their waters into blood *
and caused their fish to die.
30 Their land brought forth frogs, *
even in their kings’ chambers.
31 He spoke the word, and there came all manner of flies, *
and gnats in all their borders.
32 He gave them hailstones for rain, *
and flames of fire in their land.
33 He smote their vines also, and their fig trees, *
and destroyed the trees that were in their borders.
34 He spoke the word, and the grasshoppers came, and locusts innumerable, *
which ate up all the grass in their land and devoured
the fruit of their ground.
35 He smote all the firstborn in their land, *
even the firstfruits of all their strength.
36 He brought forth Israel with silver and gold; *
in all their tribes there was not one who stumbled.
37 Egypt was glad at their departing, *
for they were afraid of them.
38 He spread out a cloud to be a covering, *
and fire to give light in the night season.
39 At their desire he brought quail, *
and he filled them with the bread of heaven.
40 He opened the rock, and the waters flowed out, *
so that rivers ran in the dry places.
41 For he remembered his holy promise *
and Abraham his servant.
42 And he brought forth his people with joy, *
and his chosen ones with gladness,
43 And gave them the lands of the nations, *
and they took the labors of the peoples in possession,
44 That they might keep his statutes *
and observe his laws. 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 ever shall be,
world without end. 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
READING: Exodus 16:1-15
The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim and came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites: ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’ ” And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses, “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

HYMN: Sylvia G Dunstan ©
Tune: Holy Manna https://tinyurl.com/yx994p9m

1 All who hunger, gather gladly;
holy manna is our bread.
Come from wilderness and wand’ring.
Here, in truth, we will be fed.
You that yearn for days of fullness,
all around us is our food.

Refrain:
Taste and see the grace eternal.
Taste and see that God is good.

2 All who hunger, never strangers,
seeker, be a welcome guest.
Come from restlessness and roaming.
Here, in joy, we keep the feast.
We that once were lost and scattered
in communion’s love have stood. [Refrain]

3 All who hunger, sing together;
Jesus Christ is living bread.
Come from loneliness and longing.
Here, in peace, we have been led.
Blest are those who from this table
live their days in gratitude. [Refrain]

READING: 1 John 2:3-11
Now by this we know that we have come to know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we know that we are in him: whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk in the same way as he walked.

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister abides in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates a brother or sister is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.

HYMN: William Cowper
Tune: Caithness https://tinyurl.com/2n39e7xs

1 O for a closer walk with God,
a calm and heav’nly frame,
a light to shine upon the road
that leads me to the Lamb!

2 Where is the blessedness I knew
when first I sought the Lord?
Where is the soul refreshing view
of Jesus and His Word?

3 What peaceful hours I then enjoyed!
How sweet their mem’ry still!
But they have left an aching void
the world can never fill.

4 Return, O holy Dove, return,
sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn,
and drove Thee from my breast.

5 The dearest idol I have known,
whate’er that idol be,
help me to tear it from Thy throne
and worship only Thee.

6 So shall my walk be close with God,
calm and serene my frame;
so purer light shall mark the road
that leads me to the Lamb.

READING: Matthew 13:54-58
Jesus came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own hometown and in their own house.” And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.

CANTICLE Prayer of Manasseh
(Joe Cox https://tinyurl.com/4hqmx4jh)
Ant. Your merciful promise is beyond all measure; *
    it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.
O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, *
    God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
    and of all their righteous offspring:
You made the heavens and the earth, *
    with all their vast array.
All things quake with fear at your presence; *
    they tremble because of your power.
But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; *
    it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.
O Lord, you are full of compassion, *
    long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.
You hold back your hand; *
    you do not punish as we deserve.
In your great goodness, Lord,
you have promised forgiveness to sinners, *
    that they may repent of their sin and be saved.
And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, *
    and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.
I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, *
    and I know my wickedness only too well.
Therefore I make this prayer to you: *
    Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.
Do not let me perish in my sin, *
    nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.
For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, *
    and in me you will show forth your goodness.
Unworthy as I am, you will save me,
in accordance with your great mercy, *
    and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.
For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, *
    and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen.

THE 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 our share in your creative purpose
for your gifts of creative vision and inventive skill
for your faithfulness to us 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 hope,
when your hungry people longed for the slave food of Egypt,
you opened the doors of heaven and rained down manna.
Feed us with the bread of life at your table,
that we may taste the freedom of eternal life
and lead lives worthy of our calling,
through Christ our head. 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


BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.

2 Inspired by John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent (c. 600), as printed in Book of Common Worship (2018)

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

The main scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language versions of Psalm 105 is from Book of Common Prayer (2019) as recorded for the St Bernard Breviary https://www.bernardbreviary.com/chant-helps.

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.

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