Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

after Lancelot Andrewes (1626)

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Righteousness

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 73

Refrain: In the Lord God have I made my refuge.

1 Truly, God is loving to Israel, ♦
to those who are pure in heart.

2 Nevertheless, my feet were almost gone; ♦
my steps had well-nigh slipped.

3 For I was envious of the proud; ♦
I saw the wicked in such prosperity;

4 For they suffer no pains ♦
and their bodies are sleek and sound;

5 They come to no misfortune like other folk; ♦
nor are they plagued as others are;

6 Therefore pride is their necklace ♦
and violence wraps them like a cloak.

7 Their iniquity comes from within; ♦
the conceits of their hearts overflow. R

8 They scoff, and speak only of evil; ♦
they talk of oppression from on high.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens, ♦
and their tongue ranges round the earth;

10 And so the people turn to them ♦
and find in them no fault.

11 They say, ‘How should God know? ♦
Is there knowledge in the Most High?’

12 Behold, these are the wicked; ♦
ever at ease, they increase their wealth.

13 Is it in vain that I cleansed my heart ♦
and washed my hands in innocence?

14 All day long have I been stricken ♦
and chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, ‘I will speak as they do,’ ♦
I should have betrayed the generation of your children. R

16 Then thought I to understand this, ♦
but it was too hard for me,

17 Until I entered the sanctuary of God ♦
and understood the end of the wicked:

18 How you set them in slippery places; ♦
you cast them down to destruction.

19 How suddenly do they come to destruction, ♦
perish and come to a fearful end!

20 As with a dream when one awakes, ♦
so, Lord, when you arise you will despise their image.

21 When my heart became embittered ♦
and I was pierced to the quick,

22 I was but foolish and ignorant; ♦
I was like a brute beast in your presence. R

23 Yet I am always with you; ♦
you hold me by my right hand.

24 You will guide me with your counsel ♦
and afterwards receive me with glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? ♦
And there is nothing upon earth that I desire
in comparison with you.

26 Though my flesh and my heart fail me, ♦
God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.

27 Truly, those who forsake you will perish; ♦
you will put to silence the faithless who betray you.

28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; ♦
in the Lord God have I made my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.

Refrain: In the Lord God have I made my refuge.

Holy God,
may we find wisdom in your presence
and set our hope not on uncertain riches
but on the love that holds us to the end;
in 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.

Ecclesiasticus 7.27-end

With all your heart honour your father,
   and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother.
Remember that it was of your parents you were born;
   how can you repay what they have given to you?

With all your soul fear the Lord,
   and revere his priests.
With all your might love your Maker,
   and do not neglect his ministers.
Fear the Lord and honour the priest,
   and give him his portion, as you have been commanded:
the first fruits, the guilt-offering, the gift of the shoulders,
   the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first fruits of the holy things.

Stretch out your hand to the poor,
   so that your blessing may be complete.
Give graciously to all the living;
   do not withhold kindness even from the dead.
Do not avoid those who weep,
   but mourn with those who mourn.
Do not hesitate to visit the sick,
   because for such deeds you will be loved.
In all you do, remember the end of your life,
   and then you will never sin.

or Ezekiel 11.14-end

Canticle

A Song of Peace, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 26 (page 577), may be said

Refrain:

AllSpirit of God, teach us your ways,
that we may walk in the paths of peace. Alleluia.

1Come, let us go up to the mountain of God, ♦
to the house of the God of Jacob;

2That God may teach us his ways, ♦
and that we may walk in his paths.

3For the law shall go out from Zion, ♦
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

4God shall judge between the nations, ♦
and shall mediate for many peoples.

5They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, ♦
and their spears into pruning hooks.

6Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, ♦
neither shall they learn war any more.

7O people of Jacob, come: ♦
let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Isaiah 2.3-5

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.

AllSpirit of God, teach us your ways,
that we may walk in the paths of peace. 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 14.12-25

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, the disciples of Jesus said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

When it was evening, he came with the twelve. And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’ He said to them, ‘It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’

While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’

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

Open my eyes, O Lord
that I may see the wonders of your law.
AllOpen my eyes, O Lord
that I may see the wonders of your law.
Lead me in the path of your commandments
Allthat I may see the wonders of your law.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllOpen my eyes, O Lord
that I may see the wonders of your law.

from Psalm 119

Gospel Canticle

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said,
or The Song of Christ's Glory (page 619) may be said

Refrain:

AllIn your tender compassion, O God,
the dawn from on high shall break upon us.

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:

AllIn your tender compassion, O God,
the dawn from on high shall break upon us.

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

¶ All who are sick in body, mind or spirit
¶ Those in the midst of famine or disaster
¶ Victims of abuse and violence, intolerance and prejudice
¶ Those who are bereaved
¶ All who work in the medical and healing professions

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

Almighty God,
you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you:
pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself,
and so bring us at last to your heavenly city
where we shall see you face to face;
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.