O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall
proclaim your praise.
One or more of the following is said
or sung:
a
prayer of thanksgiving (page 109),
a suitable hymn,
or A Song of God’s Glorious Name
1O Lord our governor,
•
how glorious is your name in all the world!
2Your majesty above the
heavens is praised •
out of the mouths of babes at the breast.
3You have founded a stronghold
against your foes, •
that you might still the enemy and the avenger.
4When I consider your
heavens, the work of your fingers, •
the moon and the stars that you have ordained,
5What are mortals, that
you should be mindful of them; •
mere human beings, that you should seek them out?
6You have made them little
lower than the angels •
and crown them with glory and honour.
7You have given them
dominion over the works of your hands •
and put all things under their feet,
8All sheep and oxen,
•
even the wild beasts of the field,
9The birds of the air,
the fish of the sea •
and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea.
10O Lord our governor,
•
how glorious is your name in all the world!
Psalm 8
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 appointed psalmody is said.
Refrain: The Lord is king and has put on glorious apparel.
1 The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, •
until I make your enemies your footstool.’
2 May the Lord stretch forth the sceptre of your power; •
rule from Zion in the midst of your enemies.
3 ‘Noble are you on this day of your birth; •
on the holy mountain, from the womb of the dawn
the dew of your new birth is upon you.’ R
4 The Lord has sworn and will not retract: •
‘You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.’
5 The king at your right hand, O Lord, •
shall smite down kings in the day of his wrath. R
6 In all his majesty, he shall judge among the nations, •
smiting heads over all the wide earth.
7 He shall drink from the brook beside the way; •
therefore shall he lift high his head.
Refrain: The Lord is king and has put on glorious apparel.
Lord Jesus, divine Son and eternal priest,
inspire us with the confidence of your final conquest of evil,
and grant that daily on our way
we may drink of the brook of your eternal life
and so find courage against all adversities;
for your mercy’s sake.
Refrain: The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
1 Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, •
in the company of the faithful and in the congregation.
2 The works of the Lord are great, •
sought out by all who delight in them.
3 His work is full of majesty and honour •
and his righteousness endures for ever.
4 He appointed a memorial for his marvellous deeds; •
the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. R
5 He gave food to those who feared him; •
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He showed his people the power of his works •
in giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are truth and justice; •
all his commandments are sure. R
8 They stand fast for ever and ever; •
they are done in truth and equity.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever; •
holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
a good understanding have those who live by it; •
his praise endures for ever.
Refrain: The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
Gracious God, you are full of compassion;
may we who long for your kingdom to come
rejoice to do your will
and acknowledge your power alone to save;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Refrain: The righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.
1 Alleluia.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord •
and have great delight in his commandments.
2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land, •
a generation of the faithful that will be blest.
3 Wealth and riches will be in their house, •
and their righteousness endures for ever.
4 Light shines in the darkness for the upright; •
gracious and full of compassion are the righteous. R
5 It goes well with those who are generous in lending •
and order their affairs with justice,
6 For they will never be shaken; •
the righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.
7 They will not be afraid of any evil tidings; •
their heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. R
8 Their heart is sustained and will not fear, •
until they see the downfall of their foes.
9 They have given freely to the poor;
their righteousness stands fast for ever; •
their head will be exalted with honour.
10 The wicked shall see it and be angry;
they shall gnash their teeth in despair; •
the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Refrain: The righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.
Generous God,
save us from the meanness
that calculates its interest and hoards its earthly gain;
as we have freely received,
so may we freely give;
in the grace of 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.
Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord or for the duties of the priests to the people. When anyone offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, ‘Give meat for the priest to roast; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.’ And if the man said to him, ‘Let them burn the fat first, and then take whatever you wish’, he would say, ‘No, you must give it now; if not, I will take it by force.’ Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord; for they treated the offerings of the Lord with contempt.
Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod. His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, ‘May the Lord repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the Lord’; and then they would return to their home.
And the Lord took note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
Now Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He said to them, ‘Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. If one person sins against another, someone can intercede for the sinner with the Lord; but if someone sins against the Lord, who can make intercession?’ But they would not listen to the voice of their father; for it was the will of the Lord to kill them.
Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the Lord and with the people.
A Song of the Word of the Lord, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 35 (page 586), may be said
Refrain:
AllReturn to the Lord, who
will have mercy,
to our God, who will richly pardon. Alleluia.
1Seek the Lord while
he may be found, •
call upon him while he is near;
2Let the wicked abandon
their ways, •
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
3Return to the Lord,
who will have mercy; •
to our God, who will richly pardon.
4‘For my thoughts
are not your thoughts, •
neither are your ways my ways,’ says the Lord.
5‘For as the heavens
are higher than the earth, •
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
6‘As the rain and
the snow come down from above, •
and return not again but water the earth,
7‘Bringing forth
life and giving growth, •
seed for sowing and bread to eat,
8‘So is my word
that goes forth from my mouth; •
it will not return to me fruitless,
9‘But it will accomplish
that which I purpose, •
and succeed in the task I gave it.’
Isaiah 55.6-11
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.
AllReturn to the Lord, who
will have mercy,
to our God, who will richly pardon. Alleluia.
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders and said to him, ‘Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?’ He answered them, ‘I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ They discussed it with one another, saying, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say, “Why did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet.’ So they answered that they did not know where it came from. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Lord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
For I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
AllAnd afterwards receive
me with glory.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
from Psalm 73
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)
is normally said,
or A Song of Redemption (page 620)
may be said
Refrain:
AllYou show mercy to our ancestors,
and remember your holy covenant.
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:
AllYou show mercy to our ancestors,
and remember your holy covenant.
Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life
The cycle on pages 364–365 and the prayer on page 377 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 and everlasting God,
by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
is governed and sanctified:
hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry
they may serve you in holiness and truth
to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
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 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.
Implemented by Simon Kershaw at
Crucix.
Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002-2011.