Through Christ let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,
the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
1
Hebrews 13:15
Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of God's Grace
We have complete freedom:
to go into the most holy place by means of the death of Jesus
He opened for us a new way, a living way:
through the curtain, through his own body.
Since we have a great high priest
set over the household of God:
let us draw near with a sincere heart and a sure faith,
With hearts that have been made clean
from a guilty conscience:
and bodies washed with pure water.
to go into the most holy place by means of the death of Jesus
He opened for us a new way, a living way:
through the curtain, through his own body.
Since we have a great high priest
set over the household of God:
let us draw near with a sincere heart and a sure faith,
With hearts that have been made clean
from a guilty conscience:
and bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:19-22
3 The Opening Prayer
The night has passed and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence may be 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. Amen.
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever. Amen.
4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow
Holy God, through your beloved Son you reconciled all things to yourself, making peace by the blood of his cross: fill us and those for whom we pray with your peace and joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed
Judges 6:25–40 (Listen)
25 That night the LORD said to him, “Take your father’s bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it 26 and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.
Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal
28 When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. 29 And they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And after they had searched and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” 30 Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.” 32 Therefore on that day Gideon1 was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.
33 Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.
The Sign of the Fleece
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Footnotes
[1] 6:32
(ESV)
Luke 14:12–24 (Listen)
The Parable of the Great Banquet
12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers1 or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant2 to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you,3 none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”
Footnotes
[1] 14:12
[2] 14:17
[3] 14:24
(ESV)
The reading may be followed by a period of silence for reflection, a hymn or
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
and bear much fruit to your glory.
7 The Canticle, Saviour of the World
Jesus, Saviour of the world,
come to us in your mercy:
we look to you to save and help us.
By your cross and your life laid down,
you set your people free:
we look to you to save and help us.
When they were ready to perish,
you saved your disciples:
we looked to you to come to our help.
In the greatness of your mercy,
loose us from our chains:
forgive the sins of all your people.
Make yourself known as our saviour
and mighty deliverer:
save and help us that we may praise you.
come now and dwell with us, Lord Christ Jesus:
hear our prayers and be with us always.
And when you come in your glory:
make us to be one with you
and to share the life of your kingdom.
come to us in your mercy:
we look to you to save and help us.
By your cross and your life laid down,
you set your people free:
we look to you to save and help us.
When they were ready to perish,
you saved your disciples:
we looked to you to come to our help.
In the greatness of your mercy,
loose us from our chains:
forgive the sins of all your people.
Make yourself known as our saviour
and mighty deliverer:
save and help us that we may praise you.
come now and dwell with us, Lord Christ Jesus:
hear our prayers and be with us always.
And when you come in your glory:
make us to be one with you
and to share the life of your kingdom.
8 The Apostles' Creed may be said
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
9 The Prayers
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy Lord have mercy.
10 The Lord's Prayer and the Collect of the Day
Our 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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need.
12 The Morning Collect
Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and by whose love we are redeemed; guide and strengthen us by your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service, and live this day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
13
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
And also with you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Peace be to us all, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Ephesians 6:23
1
Peace to those who are far off.
Peace to those who are near.
Peace to those who are near.
Ephesians 2:17
Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
2 The Opening Canticle, The Lord's Servant
He was despised; he was rejected:
a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.
As one from whom people hide their faces:
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Ours were the sufferings he bore:
ours the torments he endured,
While we thought he was being punished:
struck by God and brought low.
He was pierced for our sins:
bruised for no fault but ours.
His punishment has won our peace:
and by his wounds we are healed.
We had all strayed like sheep:
all taking our own way;
But the Lord laid on him:
the guilt of us all.
a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.
As one from whom people hide their faces:
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Ours were the sufferings he bore:
ours the torments he endured,
While we thought he was being punished:
struck by God and brought low.
He was pierced for our sins:
bruised for no fault but ours.
His punishment has won our peace:
and by his wounds we are healed.
We had all strayed like sheep:
all taking our own way;
But the Lord laid on him:
the guilt of us all.
Isaiah 53:3-6
3 The Opening Prayer
The day is now passed and the night is at hand.
Let us pray with one heart and mind.
Let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence may be kept
Father of lights, receive the prayer and praise we offer you as our evening sacrifice; make us a light for all the world, delivered by your goodness from all the works of darkness; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each
1 Save me, O God, •
for the waters have come up, even to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire where there is no foothold; •
I have come into deep waters and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I have grown weary with crying; my throat is raw; •
my eyes have failed from looking so long for my God.
4 Those who hate me without any cause •
are more than the hairs of my head;
5 Those who would destroy me are mighty; •
my enemies accuse me falsely:
must I now give back what I never stole?
6 O God, you know my foolishness, •
and my faults are not hidden from you.
7 Let not those who hope in you
be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts; •
let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me,
O God of Israel.
8 For your sake have I suffered reproach; •
shame has covered my face.
9 I have become a stranger to my kindred, •
an alien to my mother’s children.
10 Zeal for your house has eaten me up; •
the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.
11 I humbled myself with fasting, •
but that was turned to my reproach.
12 I put on sackcloth also •
and became a byword among them.
13 Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, •
and the drunkards make songs about me.
14 But as for me, I make my prayer to you, O Lord; •
at an acceptable time, O God.
15 Answer me, O God, in the abundance of your mercy •
and with your sure salvation.
16 Draw me out of the mire, that I sink not; •
let me be rescued from those who hate me
and out of the deep waters.
17 Let not the water flood drown me,
neither the deep swallow me up; •
let not the Pit shut its mouth upon me.
18 Answer me, Lord, for your loving-kindness is good; •
turn to me in the multitude of your mercies.
19 Hide not your face from your servant; •
be swift to answer me, for I am in trouble.
20 Draw near to my soul and redeem me; •
deliver me because of my enemies.
21 You know my reproach, my shame and my dishonour; •
my adversaries are all in your sight.
22 Reproach has broken my heart; I am full of heaviness. •
I looked for some to have pity, but there was no one,
neither found I any to comfort me.
23 They gave me gall to eat, •
and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.
24 Let the table before them be a trap •
and their sacred feasts a snare.
25 Let their eyes be darkened, that they cannot see, •
and give them continual trembling in their loins.
26 Pour out your indignation upon them, •
and let the heat of your anger overtake them.
27 Let their camp be desolate, •
and let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
28 For they persecute the one whom you have stricken, •
and increase the sorrows of him whom you have pierced.
29 Lay to their charge guilt upon guilt, •
and let them not receive your vindication.
30 Let them be wiped out of the book of the living •
and not be written among the righteous.
31 As for me, I am poor and in misery; •
your saving help, O God, will lift me up.
32 I will praise the name of God with a song; •
I will proclaim his greatness with thanksgiving.
33 This will please the Lord more than an offering of oxen, •
more than bulls with horns and hooves.
34 The humble shall see and be glad; •
you who seek God, your heart shall live.
35 For the Lord listens to the needy, •
and his own who are imprisoned he does not despise.
36 Let the heavens and the earth praise him, •
the seas and all that moves in them;
37 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; •
they shall live there and have it in possession.
38 The children of his servants shall inherit it, •
and they that love his name shall dwell therein.
for the waters have come up, even to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire where there is no foothold; •
I have come into deep waters and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I have grown weary with crying; my throat is raw; •
my eyes have failed from looking so long for my God.
4 Those who hate me without any cause •
are more than the hairs of my head;
5 Those who would destroy me are mighty; •
my enemies accuse me falsely:
must I now give back what I never stole?
6 O God, you know my foolishness, •
and my faults are not hidden from you.
7 Let not those who hope in you
be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts; •
let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me,
O God of Israel.
8 For your sake have I suffered reproach; •
shame has covered my face.
9 I have become a stranger to my kindred, •
an alien to my mother’s children.
10 Zeal for your house has eaten me up; •
the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.
11 I humbled myself with fasting, •
but that was turned to my reproach.
12 I put on sackcloth also •
and became a byword among them.
13 Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, •
and the drunkards make songs about me.
14 But as for me, I make my prayer to you, O Lord; •
at an acceptable time, O God.
15 Answer me, O God, in the abundance of your mercy •
and with your sure salvation.
16 Draw me out of the mire, that I sink not; •
let me be rescued from those who hate me
and out of the deep waters.
17 Let not the water flood drown me,
neither the deep swallow me up; •
let not the Pit shut its mouth upon me.
18 Answer me, Lord, for your loving-kindness is good; •
turn to me in the multitude of your mercies.
19 Hide not your face from your servant; •
be swift to answer me, for I am in trouble.
20 Draw near to my soul and redeem me; •
deliver me because of my enemies.
21 You know my reproach, my shame and my dishonour; •
my adversaries are all in your sight.
22 Reproach has broken my heart; I am full of heaviness. •
I looked for some to have pity, but there was no one,
neither found I any to comfort me.
23 They gave me gall to eat, •
and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.
24 Let the table before them be a trap •
and their sacred feasts a snare.
25 Let their eyes be darkened, that they cannot see, •
and give them continual trembling in their loins.
26 Pour out your indignation upon them, •
and let the heat of your anger overtake them.
27 Let their camp be desolate, •
and let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
28 For they persecute the one whom you have stricken, •
and increase the sorrows of him whom you have pierced.
29 Lay to their charge guilt upon guilt, •
and let them not receive your vindication.
30 Let them be wiped out of the book of the living •
and not be written among the righteous.
31 As for me, I am poor and in misery; •
your saving help, O God, will lift me up.
32 I will praise the name of God with a song; •
I will proclaim his greatness with thanksgiving.
33 This will please the Lord more than an offering of oxen, •
more than bulls with horns and hooves.
34 The humble shall see and be glad; •
you who seek God, your heart shall live.
35 For the Lord listens to the needy, •
and his own who are imprisoned he does not despise.
36 Let the heavens and the earth praise him, •
the seas and all that moves in them;
37 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; •
they shall live there and have it in possession.
38 The children of his servants shall inherit it, •
and they that love his name shall dwell therein.
5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow
Holy Spirit, sanctifier, cleans us from all hypocrisy, unite us to one another in the bonds of peace and love, and confirm us in holiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed
Ezra 5 (Listen)
Rebuilding Begins Anew
5:1 Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?” 4 They also asked them this:1 “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.
Tattenai’s Letter to King Darius
6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and his associates, the governors who were in the province Beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. 7 They sent him a report, in which was written as follows: “To Darius the king, all peace. 8 Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands. 9 Then we asked those elders and spoke to them thus: ‘Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?’ 10 We also asked them their names, for your information, that we might write down the names of their leaders.2 11 And this was their reply to us: ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 12 But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. 13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. 14 And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, these Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 15 and he said to him, “Take these vessels, go and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.” 16 Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been in building, and it is not yet finished.’ 17 Therefore, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.”
Footnotes
[1] 5:4
[2] 5:10
(ESV)
Romans 11:1–12 (Listen)
The Remnant of Israel
11:1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,1 a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,
“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”
9 And David says,
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and bend their backs forever.”
Gentiles Grafted In
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion2 mean!
(ESV)
The reading may be followed by a period of silence for reflection, a hymn or
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
and bear much fruit to your glory.
7 The Canticle, A Song to the Lamb
You are worthy, our Lord and God:
to receive glory and honour and power.
For you have created all things:
and by your will they have their being.
You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain:
and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God:
and they will reign with you on earth.
To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.
to receive glory and honour and power.
For you have created all things:
and by your will they have their being.
You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain:
and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God:
and they will reign with you on earth.
To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 4:11; 5:9b-10
8 The Prayers
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy Lord have mercy.
9 The Lord's Prayer and the Collect of the Day
Our 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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
10 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need.
11 The Evening Collect
Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray: and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
12
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
And also with you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the God of all grace, who has called us to eternal glory in Christ, restore, establish, strengthen us. To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:10-11