Matthew
Matthew appears in the list of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to the gospel written under his name, was a tax collector. Mark and Luke called the tax collector Levi, and it has been assumed that they are one and the same. This occupation was despised by his fellow Jews as a betrayal to the occupying Roman force but Christ showed that judging by outward appearance was not what he was about. He ate with Matthew and with his friends, scandalising those around him. Matthew affirmed that his life would now change because of following Jesus, and that he would make amends for any former wrongdoing. This was enough for Jesus, for he had drawn someone back to God. He was forgiven, therefore he was acceptable, therefore he was received.EH
Antiphon1
Ant. Unto you, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul; *
O my God, I trust in you, let me not be put to shame;
do not allow my en-emies to laugh at me;
for none of those who are awaiting you will be disappointed.
Ps. Guide me in your truth, and teach me; †
for you are the God of my salvation. *
I have hoped in you all day long. Psalm 25
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: William Bright
Tune: Alfreton https://tinyurl.com/vbeehuu6
1 He sat to watch o’er customs paid,
a man of scorned and hardening trade,
alike the symbol and the tool
of foreign masters’ hated rule.
2 But grace within his breast had stirred;
there needed but the timely word:
it came, true Lord of souls, from thee,
that royal summons, ‘Follow me.’
3 Enough, when thou wast passing by,
to hear thy voice, to meet thine eye:
he rose, responsive to the call,
and left his task, his gains, his all.
4 O wise exchange! With these to part,
and lay up treasure in the heart –
who now with crown of light doth shine
among the apostolic line.
5 Come, Saviour, as in days of old;
pass where the world has strongest hold,
and faithless care and selfish greed
are thorns that choke the holy seed.
6 Who keep thy gifts, O bid them claim
the steward’s, not the owner’s name;
who yield all up for thy dear sake,
let them of Matthew’s wealth partake.
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: 1 Samuel 10:17-25
Samuel summoned the people to the Lord at Mizpah and said to the Israelites, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said, ‘No, but set a king over us.’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.”
Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of the Matrites was taken by lot. Finally he brought the family of the Matrites near man by man, and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. So they inquired again of the Lord, “Did the man come here?” And the Lord said, “See, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” Then they ran and brought him from there. When he took his stand among the people, he was head and shoulders taller than any of them. Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people back to their homes.
HYMN: Psalm 33; para. Isaac Watts
Tune: Beatitudo https://tinyurl.com/42h2a4wp
1 Blest is the nation, where the Lord
Hath fix’d his gracious throne;
Where he reveals his heav’nly word
And calls their tribes his own.
2 His eye, with infinite survey
Does the whole behold;
He form’d us all of equal clay
And knows our feeble mould.
3 Kings are not rescu’d by the force
Of armies from the grave;
Nor speed nor courage of a horse
Can his bold rider save.
4 Vain is the strength of beasts or men,
Nor springs our safety thence;
But holy souls from God obtain
A sure and strong defence.
5 Lord, let our hearts in thee rejoice,
And bless us from thy throne;
For we have made thy word our choice;
And trust thy grace alone.
READING: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
For we know that, if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to be further clothed with our heavenly dwelling, for surely when we have been clothed in it we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan under our burden because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. The one who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a down payment.
So we are always confident, even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive due recompense for actions done in the body, whether good or evil.
HYMN: Henry Alford
Tune: St Botolph https://tinyurl.com/bddrp5zj
We walk by faith, and not by sight;
No gracious words we hear
From him who spake as man ne’er spake;
But we believe him near.
We may not touch his hands and side,
Nor follow where he trod;
But in his promise we rejoice,
And cry, “My Lord and God!”
Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;
And may our faith abound,
To call on thee when thou art near,
And seek where thou art found:
That, when our life of faith is done,
In realms of clearer light
We may behold thee as thou art,
With full and endless sight.
READING: Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
CANTICLE Te Deum
(Chant by Joe Cox: https://tinyurl.com/ybzyundx)
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud,
the Heavens and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.
The noble army of martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world
doth acknowledge thee,
the Father, of an infinite majesty,
thine adorable, true, and only Son,
also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,
thou didst humble thyself to be born of a Virgin.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,
thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,
whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy saints,
in glory everlasting.
PRAYERS
Let us pray to God,
whose word was entrusted to the Apostles
and has spread to all the world.
Empower your Church
to proclaim the saving message of Jesus Christ.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
Give us courage and strength
to spread the Gospel in places
where it has not been preached.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
Bless us in our personal lives
that we may live fully according to Jesus’ example.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
Open our eyes to your Word in the Holy Scriptures
that we find new paths of understanding.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
Remember, in your mercy, those who have gone before
marked with the sign of faith and led by the Gospel.
Lord of mercy,
spread your word.
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.
O Almighty God,
whose blessed Son called Matthew the tax collector
to be an apostle and evangelist:
give us grace to forsake the selfish pursuit of gain
and the possessive love of riches
that we may follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen. CW
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)
1 Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©
EH Exciting Holiness, Ed. Brother Tristram SSF © European Province of the Society of Saint Francis, 1997
CW Common Worship, 2000, Archbishops’ Council, Church of England
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.
Oremus 