Morning Prayer Lent Tuesday, 5 March 2024
Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Hear our voice, O Lord, according to your faithful love,
Allaccording to your judgement give us life.
One or more of the following is said or sung:
this or another prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, God of compassion and mercy,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
In the darkness of our sin,
your light breaks forth like the dawn
and your healing springs up for deliverance.
As we rejoice in the gift of your saving help,
sustain us with your bountiful Spirit
and open our lips to sing your praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.
a suitable hymn, or A Song of Penitence
1Have mercy on me, O God, in your great goodness; ♦
according to the abundance of your compassion
blot out my offences.
2Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness ♦
and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I acknowledge my faults ♦
and my sin is ever before me.
4Against you only have I sinned ♦
and done what is evil in your sight,
5So that you are justified in your sentence ♦
and righteous in your judgement.
6Cast me not away from your presence ♦
and take not your holy spirit from me.
7Give me again the joy of your salvation ♦
and sustain me with your gracious spirit;
8Then shall I teach your ways to the wicked ♦
and sinners shall return to you.
9Deliver me from my guilt, O God,
the God of my salvation, ♦
and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness.
Psalm 51.1-5, 12-15
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 6
Refrain:Turn again, O Lord, and deliver my soul.
1O Lord, rebuke me not in your wrath; ♦
neither chasten me in your fierce anger.
2Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak; ♦
Lord, heal me, for my bones are racked.
3My soul also shakes with terror; ♦
how long, O Lord, how long?
4Turn again, O Lord, and deliver my soul; ♦
save me for your loving mercy’s sake.
5For in death no one remembers you; ♦
and who can give you thanks in the grave?
6I am weary with my groaning; ♦
every night I drench my pillow
and flood my bed with my tears.
7My eyes are wasted with grief ♦
and worn away because of all my enemies. R
8Depart from me, all you that do evil, ♦
for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
9The Lord has heard my supplication; ♦
the Lord will receive my prayer.
10All my enemies shall be put to shame and confusion; ♦
they shall suddenly turn back in their shame.
Refrain:Turn again, O Lord, and deliver my soul.
Lord Jesus Christ,
may the tears shed in your earthly life
be balm for all who weep,
and may the prayers of your pilgrimage
give strength to all who suffer;
for your mercy’s sake.
Psalm 9
Refrain:You, Lord, have never failed those who seek you.
1I will give thanks to you, Lord, with my whole heart; ♦
I will tell of all your marvellous works.
2I will be glad and rejoice in you; ♦
I will make music to your name, O Most High.
3When my enemies are driven back, ♦
they stumble and perish at your presence.
4For you have maintained my right and my cause; ♦
you sat on your throne giving righteous judgement. R
5You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; ♦
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
6The enemy was utterly laid waste. ♦
You uprooted their cities;
their very memory has perished.
7But the Lord shall endure for ever; ♦
he has made fast his throne for judgement.
8For he shall rule the world with righteousness ♦
and govern the peoples with equity.
9Then will the Lord be a refuge for the oppressed, ♦
a refuge in the time of trouble.
10And those who know your name will put their trust in you, ♦
for you, Lord, have never failed those who seek you. R
11Sing praises to the Lord who dwells in Zion; ♦
declare among the peoples the things he has done.
12The avenger of blood has remembered them; ♦
he did not forget the cry of the oppressed.
13Have mercy upon me, O Lord; ♦
consider the trouble I suffer from those who hate me,
you that lift me up from the gates of death;
14That I may tell all your praises in the gates of the city of Zion ♦
and rejoice in your salvation.
15The nations shall sink into the pit of their making ♦
and in the snare which they set will their own foot be taken.
16The Lord makes himself known by his acts of justice; ♦
the wicked are snared in the works of their own hands. R
17They shall return to the land of darkness, ♦
all the nations that forget God.
18For the needy shall not always be forgotten ♦
and the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever.
19Arise, O Lord, and let not mortals have the upper hand; ♦
let the nations be judged before your face.
20Put them in fear, O Lord, ♦
that the nations may know themselves to be but mortal.
Refrain:You, Lord, have never failed those who seek you.
Remember, Lord, all who cry to you
from death’s dark gates;
do not forget those whom the world forgets,
but raise your faithful ones to Zion’s gate,
with your all-conquering Son,
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.
Genesis 47.28 – end of 48
Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred and forty-seven years.
When the time of Israel’s death drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, ‘If I have found favour with you, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal loyally and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt. When I lie down with my ancestors, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.’ He answered, ‘I will do as you have said.’ And he said, ‘Swear to me’; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself on the head of his bed.
After this Joseph was told, ‘Your father is ill.’ So he took with him his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim. When Jacob was told, ‘Your son Joseph has come to you’, he summoned his strength and sat up in bed. And Jacob said to Joseph, ‘God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and he blessed me, and said to me, “I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers; I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your offspring after you for a perpetual holding.” Therefore your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are now mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are. As for the offspring born to you after them, they shall be yours. They shall be recorded under the names of their brothers with regard to their inheritance. For when I came from Paddan, Rachel, alas, died in the land of Canaan on the way, while there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath’ (that is, Bethlehem).
When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, ‘Who are these?’ Joseph said to his father, ‘They are my sons, whom God has given me here.’ And he said, ‘Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.’ Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, and he could not see well. So Joseph brought them near him; and he kissed them and embraced them. Israel said to Joseph, ‘I did not expect to see your face; and here God has let me see your children also.’ Then Joseph removed them from his father’s knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand towards Israel’s left, and Manasseh in his left hand towards Israel’s right, and brought them near him. But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn. He blessed Joseph, and said,
‘The God before whom my ancestors Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,
the angel who has redeemed me from all harm, bless the boys;
and in them let my name be perpetuated, and the name of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude on the earth.’
When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. Joseph said to his father, ‘Not so, my father! Since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.’ But his father refused, and said, ‘I know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.’ So he blessed them that day, saying,
‘By you Israel will invoke blessings, saying,
“God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.” ’
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your ancestors. I now give to you one portion more than to your brothers, the portion that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.’
Canticle
The Song of Manasseh, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 20 (page 570), number 33 (page 584) or number 41 (page 592), may be said
Refrain:
AllFull of compassion and mercy and love
is God, the Most High, the Almighty.
1Lord almighty and God of our ancestors, ♦
you who made heaven and earth in all their glory:
2All things tremble with awe at your presence, ♦
before your great and mighty power.
3Immeasurable and unsearchable is your promised mercy, ♦
for you are God, Most High.
4You are full of compassion, long-suffering and very merciful, ♦
and you relent at human suffering.
5O God, according to your great goodness, ♦
you have promised forgiveness for repentance
to those who have sinned against you.
6The sins I have committed against you ♦
are more in number than the sands of the sea.
7I am not worthy to look up to the height of heaven, ♦
because of the multitude of my iniquities.
8And now I bend the knee of my heart before you, ♦
imploring your kindness upon me.
9I have sinned, O God, I have sinned, ♦
and I acknowledge my transgressions.
10Unworthy as I am, you will save me, ♦
according to your great mercy.
11For all the host of heaven sings your praise, ♦
and your glory is for ever and ever.
Manasseh 1a, 2, 4, 6, 7a, b, 9a, c, 11, 12, 14b, 15b
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.
AllFull of compassion and mercy and love
is God, the Most High, the Almighty.
Scripture Reading
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
Hebrews 5.11 – 6.12
About this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become dull in understanding. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.
Therefore let us go on towards perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith towards God, instruction about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement. And we will do this, if God permits. For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, since on their own they are crucifying again the Son of God and are holding him up to contempt. Ground that drinks up the rain falling on it repeatedly, and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and on the verge of being cursed; its end is to be burned over.
Even though we speak in this way, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we want each one of you to show the same diligence, so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
AllO my God, in you I trust.
You are the God of my salvation,
AllTo you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
In you I hope all the day long.
AllO my God, in you I trust.
Remember, Lord, your compassion and love,
for they are from everlasting.
AllTo you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
O my God, in you I trust.
from Psalm 25
Gospel Canticle
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said,
or Saviour of the World (page 644) may be said
Refrain:
AllBlessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
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:
AllBlessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
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 364–365
¶ Those preparing for baptism and confirmation
¶ Those serving through leadership
¶ Those looking for forgiveness
¶ Those misled by the false gods of this present age
¶ All who are hungry
A form of prayer found on page 380 may be used.
The Litany on pages 400-403 may be said instead of the Prayers.
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,
whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain,
and entered not into glory before he was crucified:
mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross,
may find it none other than the way of life and peace;
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
Trusting in the compassion of God,
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)
Trusting in the compassion of God,
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
May God our Redeemer show us compassion and love.
AllAmen.
Let us bless the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
