Preparation
O Lord, open our lips,
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Eternal, incomprehensible, and invisible God,
infinite in power, wisdom and goodness,
dwelling in the light which no man can approach,
where a thousand thousands minister unto you,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before you,
yet dwelling with the humble and contrite,
and taking pleasure in your people:
You have consecrated for us a new and living way,
by the blood of Jesus,
and have bid us seek you while you may be found:
We come to you at your call,
and worship at your footstool.
Behold us in your tender mercies.
Despise us not, though unworthy. after Richard Baxter
Variant on Benedictus
Chosen first among the priests
To serve within the temple walls
Zacharias stood in awe
As he heard the angel call
Refrain
Benedictus
Benedictus
Blessed is the Lord
Benedictus
Benedictus
God’s incarnate Word
Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God
Will come to raise salvation’s horn
God Incarnate, Word made flesh
To a virgin shall be born
Refrain
Christ brings light to sin’s dark night
Our Dayspring, Jesus, from on high
Saints and angels sing God’s praise
All the earth and heav’ns reply
Refrain
God’s incarnate Word
Benedictus
Benedictus
The Word of God
Let your word be spoken and heard by us as the word of God:
Give us attentive, hearing ears,
and opened, believing, understanding hearts,
that we may no more refuse your calls,
nor disregard your merciful, outstretched hand,
nor slight your counsel and correction;
but be more ready to hear,
than to give the sacrifice of fools. Ecclesiastes 5:1
Psalm 105:39-45
Refrain: Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering,
fire to give light in the night.
40 They asked, and he brought quails,
and satisfied them with the bread of the sky.
41 He opened the rock, and waters gushed out.
They ran as a river in the dry places.
42 For he remembered his holy word,
and Abraham, his servant.
43 He brought his people out with joy,
his chosen with singing.
44 He gave them the lands of the nations.
They took the labour of the peoples in possession,
45 that they might keep his statutes,
and observe his laws. Praise the LORD!
Silence may be kept
O God Eternal, who is always mindful of your covenant, and who delivered the seed of Abraham from the slavery of Egypt, from the waves of the sea, from the rage of Pharaoh, from the thirst and famine of the wilderness, continue like mercies to all your people; deliver us from the bondage of our sins, and preserve us in the Ark of the Church, that we perish not in the waves of this troublesome world; save us from all our earthly and spiritual enemies, feed us with food from heaven, and give us enough on earth, that we may gladly keep your statutes, observe your Laws, and so imitate your Son. Grant this, we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Leviticus 23:9-22
9 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you. On the next day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 On the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb without defect a year old for a burnt offering to the LORD. 13 The meal offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah* of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the LORD for a pleasant aroma; and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.† 14 You must not eat bread, or roasted grain, or fresh grain, until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God. This is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
15 “ ‘You shall count from the next day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 The next day after the seventh Sabbath you shall count fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal offering to the LORD. 17 You shall bring out of your habitations two loaves of bread for a wave offering made of two tenths of an ephah‡ of fine flour. They shall be baked with yeast, for first fruits to the LORD. 18 You shall present with the bread seven lambs without defect a year old, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to the LORD, with their meal offering and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet aroma to the LORD. 19 You shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20 The priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. 21 You shall make proclamation on the same day that there shall be a holy convocation to you. You shall do no regular work. This is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22 “ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not wholly reap into the corners of your field, and you must not gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor, and for the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.’ ”
Proverbs 22:24-25
24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man,
and don’t associate with one who harbours anger:
25 lest you learn his ways,
and ensnare your soul.
A song may be sung Suggestion: “In Labor All Creation Groans”[1]
In labor all creation groans till fear and hatred cease,
Till human hearts come to believe: In Christ alone is peace.
In labor all creation groans till prejudice shall cease,
Till every race and tribe and tongue in Christ will live in peace.
In labor all creation groans till rape and murder cease,
Till women walk by night unharmed and Christ is this world’s peace.
In labor all creation groans till false divisions cease,
Till enemies are reconciled in Christ who is our peace.
Mark 9:01
1 He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see God’s Kingdom come with power.” [2]
Jesus said, I am the gate for the sheep.
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:7,10b
Prayers
Prayers may include these concerns:
– as your spirit is prompted
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
Silence may be kept
The Collect of the day or the following is said
O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:
increase and multiply upon us your mercy;
that with you as our ruler and guide
we may so pass through things temporal
that we lose not our hold on things eternal;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us:
Our 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.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The Conclusion
May God kindle in us the fire of love.
May those who cause division by perverting the truth be stilled. Rom. 16:17-20 [4]
(the pdf of this prayer may be downloaded here)
[1] Bifrost Arts | Lamentations: Simple Songs of Lament and Hope, Vol. 1
[2] All Scripture from the World English Bible: British Edition (WEBBE)
[4] N. Andrew Long. The Offerings of Our Lips: Prayer in Community. Nampa, ID: In(habit) Media, 2017.
Long-ing For Life 