1O come, let us sing to the Lord; ♦
let us heartily rejoice in the rock of our salvation.

2Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving ♦
and be glad in him with psalms.

3For the Lord is a great God ♦
and a great king above all gods.

4In his hand are the depths of the earth ♦
and the heights of the mountains are his also.

5The sea is his, for he made it, ♦
and his hands have moulded the dry land.

6Come, let us worship and bow down ♦
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

7For he is our God; ♦
we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.

The canticle may end here.

8O that today you would listen to his voice: ♦
‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
on that day at Massah in the wilderness,

9‘When your forebears tested me, and put me to the proof, ♦
though they had seen my works.

10‘Forty years long I detested that generation and said, ♦
“This people are wayward in their hearts;
they do not know my ways.”

11‘So I swore in my wrath, ♦
“They shall not enter into my rest.”’

Psalm 95

AllGlory 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.

This opening prayer may be said

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 55

Refrain: Cast your burden upon the Lord and he will sustain you.

1 Hear my prayer, O God; ♦
hide not yourself from my petition.

2 Give heed to me and answer me; ♦
I am restless in my complaining.

3 I am alarmed at the voice of the enemy ♦
and at the clamour of the wicked;

4 For they would bring down evil upon me ♦
and are set against me in fury.

5 My heart is disquieted within me, ♦
and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

6 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, ♦
and a horrible dread has overwhelmed me. R

7 And I said: ‘O that I had wings like a dove, ♦
for then would I fly away and be at rest.

8 ‘Then would I flee far away ♦
and make my lodging in the wilderness.

9 ‘I would make haste to escape ♦
from the stormy wind and tempest.’

10 Confuse their tongues, O Lord, and divide them, ♦
for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

11 Day and night they go about on her walls; ♦
mischief and trouble are in her midst.

12 Wickedness walks in her streets; ♦
oppression and guile never leave her squares. R

13 For it was not an open enemy that reviled me, ♦
for then I could have borne it;

14 Nor was it my adversary that puffed himself up against me, ♦
for then I would have hid myself from him.

15 But it was even you, one like myself, ♦
my companion and my own familiar friend.

16 We took sweet counsel together ♦
and walked with the multitude in the house of God.

17 Let death come suddenly upon them;
let them go down alive to the Pit; ♦
for wickedness inhabits their dwellings, their very hearts. R

18 As for me, I will call upon God ♦
and the Lord will deliver me.

19 In the evening and morning and at noonday
I will pray and make my supplication, ♦
and he shall hear my voice.

20 He shall redeem my soul in peace
from the battle waged against me, ♦
for many have come upon me.

21 God, who is enthroned of old,
will hear and bring them down; ♦
they will not repent, for they have no fear of God. R

22 My companion stretched out his hands against his friend ♦
and has broken his covenant;

23 His speech was softer than butter, though war was in his heart; ♦
his words were smoother than oil, yet are they naked swords.

24 Cast your burden upon the Lord and he will sustain you, ♦
and will not let the righteous fall for ever.

25 But those that are bloodthirsty and deceitful, O God, ♦
you will bring down to the pit of destruction.

26 They shall not live out half their days, ♦
but my trust shall be in you, O Lord.

Refrain: Cast your burden upon the Lord and he will sustain you.

Lord, in all times of fear and dread,
grant that we may so cast our burdens upon you,
that you may bear us on the holy wings of the Spirit
to the stronghold of your peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory 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.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

1 Maccabees 2.29-48

At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to live there, they, their sons, their wives, and their livestock, because troubles pressed heavily upon them. And it was reported to the king’s officers, and to the troops in Jerusalem the city of David, that those who had rejected the king’s command had gone down to the hiding-places in the wilderness. Many pursued them, and overtook them; they encamped opposite them and prepared for battle against them on the sabbath day. They said to them, ‘Enough of this! Come out and do what the king commands, and you will live.’ But they said, ‘We will not come out, nor will we do what the king commands and so profane the sabbath day.’ Then the enemy quickly attacked them. But they did not answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up their hiding-places, for they said, ‘Let us all die in our innocence; heaven and earth testify for us that you are killing us unjustly.’ So they attacked them on the sabbath, and they died, with their wives and children and livestock, to the number of a thousand people.

When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them deeply. And all said to their neighbours: ‘If we all do as our kindred have done and refuse to fight with the Gentiles for our lives and for our ordinances, they will quickly destroy us from the earth.’ So they made this decision that day: ‘Let us fight against anyone who comes to attack us on the sabbath day; let us not all die as our kindred died in their hiding-places.’

Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of Israel, all who offered themselves willingly for the law. And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced them. They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety. And Mattathias and his friends went around and tore down the altars; they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Israel. They hunted down the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands. They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.

or 2 Chronicles 14.2-end

Canticle

A Song of Humility, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 33 (page 584), may be said

Refrain:

AllRaise us up, O God,
that we may live in your presence. Alleluia.

1Come, let us return to the Lord ♦
who has torn us and will heal us.

2God has stricken us ♦
and will bind up our wounds.

3After two days, he will revive us, ♦
and on the third day will raise us up,
that we may live in his presence.

4Let us strive to know the Lord; ♦
his appearing is as sure as the sunrise.

5He will come to us like the showers, ♦
like the spring rains that water the earth.

6‘O Ephraim, how shall I deal with you? ♦
How shall I deal with you, O Judah?

7‘Your love for me is like the morning mist, ♦
like the dew that goes early away.

8‘Therefore, I have hewn them by the prophets, ♦
and my judgement goes forth as the light.

9‘For loyalty is my desire and not sacrifice, ♦
and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. ’

Hosea 6.1-6

AllGlory 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.

AllRaise us up, O God,
that we may live in your presence. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

Mark 14.53-65

They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, ‘We heard him say, “I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.” ’ But even on this point their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ‘Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?’ But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ Jesus said, ‘I am; and
“you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power”,
and “coming with the clouds of heaven.” ’
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?’ All of them condemned him as deserving death. Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, ‘Prophesy!’ The guards also took him over and beat him.

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Forsake me not, O Lord;
be not far from me, O my God.
AllForsake me not, O Lord;
be not far from me, O my God.
Make haste to help me,
O Lord of my salvation.
AllBe not far from me, O my God.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllForsake me not, O Lord;
be not far from me, O my God.

from Psalm 38

Gospel Canticle

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said,
or A Song of Praise (page 627) may be said

Refrain:

All Blessed are those who are persecuted for the cause of right,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Alleluia.

1Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, ♦
who has come to his people and set them free.

2He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, ♦
born of the house of his servant David.

3Through his holy prophets God promised of old ♦
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,

4To show mercy to our ancestors, ♦
and to remember his holy covenant.

5This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: ♦
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

6Free to worship him without fear, ♦
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

7And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, ♦
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

8To give his people knowledge of salvation ♦
by the forgiveness of all their sins.

9In the tender compassion of our God ♦
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

10To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, ♦
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1.68-79

AllGlory 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.

Refrain:

All Blessed are those who are persecuted for the cause of right,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Alleluia.

Prayers

Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363

¶ The King, members of parliament and the armed forces
¶ Peace and justice in the world
¶ Those who work for reconciliation
¶ All whose lives are devastated by war and civil strife
¶ Prisoners, refugees and homeless people

One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

Feed us, O Lord, with the living bread
and make us drink deep of the cup of salvation
that, following the teaching of your bishop Ignatius
and rejoicing in the faith
      with which he embraced a martyr's death,
we may be nourished for that eternal life
      for which he longed;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur 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.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

(or)

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Conclusion

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
AllAmen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.