Morning Prayer Advent Thursday, 10 December 2020
O Lord, open our lips Alland our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Reveal among us the light of your presence Allthat we may behold your power and glory.
One or more of the following is said or sung:
this or another prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Sovereign God of all, to you be praise and glory for ever. In your tender compassion the dawn from on high is breaking upon us to dispel the lingering shadows of night. As we look for your coming among us this day, 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.
a suitable hymn, or A Song of the King’s Glory
1The earth is the Lord’s and all that fills it, ♦ the compass of the world and all who dwell therein.
2For he has founded it upon the seas ♦ and set it firm upon the rivers of the deep.
3‘Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord, ♦ or who can rise up in his holy place?’
4‘Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, ♦ who have not lifted up their soul to an idol, nor sworn an oath to a lie;
5‘They shall receive a blessing from the Lord, ♦ a just reward from the God of their salvation.’
6Such is the company of those who seek him, ♦ of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
7Lift up your heads, O gates; be lifted up, you everlasting doors; ♦ and the King of glory shall come in.
8‘Who is the King of glory?’ ♦ ‘The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord who is mighty in battle.’
9Lift up your heads, O gates; be lifted up, you everlasting doors; ♦ and the King of glory shall come in.
10‘Who is this King of glory?’ ♦ ‘The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.’
Psalm 24
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 53
Refrain:The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
1The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ ♦ Corrupt are they, and abominable in their wickedness; there is no one that does good.
2God has looked down from heaven upon the children of earth, ♦ to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks after God.
3They are all gone out of the way; all alike have become corrupt; ♦ there is no one that does good, no not one. R
4Have they no knowledge, those evildoers, ♦ who eat up my people as if they ate bread, and do not call upon God?
5There shall they be in great fear, such fear as never was; ♦ for God will scatter the bones of the ungodly.
6They will be put to shame, ♦ because God has rejected them.
7O that Israel’s salvation would come out of Zion! ♦ When God restores the fortunes of his people then will Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.
Refrain:The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Psalm 54
Refrain:Behold, God is my helper.
1Save me, O God, by your name ♦ and vindicate me by your power.
2Hear my prayer, O God; ♦ give heed to the words of my mouth.
3For strangers have risen up against me, and the ruthless seek after my life; ♦ they have not set God before them.
4Behold, God is my helper; ♦ it is the Lord who upholds my life. R
5May evil rebound on those who lie in wait for me; ♦ destroy them in your faithfulness.
6An offering of a free heart will I give you ♦ and praise your name, O Lord, for it is gracious.
7For he has delivered me out of all my trouble, ♦ and my eye has seen the downfall of my enemies.
Refrain:Behold, God is my helper.
Psalm 60
Refrain:Restore us again, O God our Saviour.
1O God, you have cast us off and broken us; ♦ you have been angry; restore us to yourself again.
2You have shaken the earth and torn it apart; ♦ heal its wounds, for it trembles.
3You have made your people drink bitter things; ♦ we reel from the deadly wine you have given us.
4You have made those who fear you to flee, ♦ to escape from the range of the bow.
5That your beloved may be delivered, ♦ save us by your right hand and answer us. R
6God has spoken in his holiness: ♦ ‘I will triumph and divide Shechem, and share out the valley of Succoth.
7‘Gilead is mine and Manasseh is mine; ♦ Ephraim is my helmet and Judah my sceptre.
8‘Moab shall be my washpot; over Edom will I cast my sandal; ♦ across Philistia will I shout in triumph.’ R
9Who will lead me into the strong city? ♦ Who will bring me into Edom?
10Have you not cast us off, O God? ♦ Will you no longer go forth with our troops?
11Grant us your help against the enemy, ♦ for earthly help is in vain.
12Through God will we do great acts, ♦
for it is he that shall tread down our enemies.
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.
Canticle
A Song of the Wilderness, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 30 (page 581) or number 49 (page 601), may be said
Refrain:
AllLift up your voice with strength, O herald of good tidings.
1The wilderness and the dry land shall rejoice, ♦ the desert shall blossom and burst into song.
2They shall see the glory of the Lord, ♦ the majesty of our God.
3Strengthen the weary hands, ♦ and make firm the feeble knees.
4Say to the anxious, ‘Be strong, fear not, your God is coming with judgement, ♦ coming with judgement to save you.’
5Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, ♦ and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6Then shall the lame leap like a hart, ♦ and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.
7For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, ♦ and streams in the desert;
8The ransomed of the Lord shall return with singing, ♦ with everlasting joy upon their heads.
9Joy and gladness shall be theirs, ♦ and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35.1, 2b-4a, 4c-6, 10
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.
AllLift up your voice with strength, O herald of good tidings.
Scripture Reading
Isaiah 40:1-11
New International Version
Comfort for God’s People
40 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
9 You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” 10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. 11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Now it is time to awake out of sleep, Allfor the night is far spent and the day is at hand. Now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed, Allfor the night is far spent. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, Allfor the day is at hand. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, Allfor the night is far spent and the day is at hand.
from Romans 13
Gospel Canticle
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said, or A Song of Redemption (page 620) may be said
Refrain:
AllLook towards the east, O Jerusalem, and see the glory that is coming from God.
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:
AllLook towards the east, O Jerusalem, and see the glory that is coming from God.
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
¶ The Church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ ¶ The leaders of the Church ¶ The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God ¶ Those who are working for justice in the world ¶ The broken, that they may find God’s healing
A form of prayer found 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, who stooped to raise fallen humanity through the child-bearing of blessed Mary: grant that we, who have seen your glory revealed in our human nature and your love made perfect in our weakness, may daily be renewed in your image and conformed to the pattern of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AllAmen.
Prayer for Advent Candle
Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, fair and true: to you be praise and glory for ever. You spoke through your prophets, and now speak through Jesus, your son, whom you have appointed the inheritor of all things. Grant us, your people, to walk in his light in these dark days, that we may be found ready and watching when he comes again in glory; for you are our light and our rescuer.
The Lord’s Prayer is said
Awaiting his coming in glory, 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)
Awaiting his coming in glory, 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 the Lord, when he comes, find us watching and waiting. AllAmen.
Let us bless the Lord. AllThanks be to God.
¶Morning Prayer Advent Saturday, 5 December 2020
Preparation
O Lord, open our lips Alland our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Reveal among us the light of your presence Allthat we may behold your power and glory.
One or more of the following is said or sung:
this or another prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Sovereign God of all, to you be praise and glory for ever. In your tender compassion the dawn from on high is breaking upon us to dispel the lingering shadows of night. As we look for your coming among us this day, 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.
a suitable hymn, or A Song of the King’s Glory
1The earth is the Lord’s and all that fills it, ♦ the compass of the world and all who dwell therein.
2For he has founded it upon the seas ♦ and set it firm upon the rivers of the deep.
3‘Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord, ♦ or who can rise up in his holy place?’
4‘Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, ♦ who have not lifted up their soul to an idol, nor sworn an oath to a lie;
5‘They shall receive a blessing from the Lord, ♦ a just reward from the God of their salvation.’
6Such is the company of those who seek him, ♦ of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
7Lift up your heads, O gates; be lifted up, you everlasting doors; ♦ and the King of glory shall come in.
8‘Who is the King of glory?’ ♦ ‘The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord who is mighty in battle.’
9Lift up your heads, O gates; be lifted up, you everlasting doors; ♦ and the King of glory shall come in.
10‘Who is this King of glory?’ ♦ ‘The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.’
Psalm 24
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 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.
Psalm (10)
Refrain:You, Lord, have never failed those who seek you.
1Why stand so far off, O Lord? ♦ Why hide yourself in time of trouble?
2The wicked in their pride persecute the poor; ♦ let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3The wicked boast of their heart’s desire; ♦ the covetous curse and revile the Lord.
4The wicked in their arrogance say, ‘God will not avenge it’; ♦ in all their scheming God counts for nothing. R
5They are stubborn in all their ways, for your judgements are far above out of their sight; ♦ they scoff at all their adversaries.
6They say in their heart, ‘I shall not be shaken; ♦ no harm shall ever happen to me.’
7Their mouth is full of cursing, deceit and fraud; ♦ under their tongue lie mischief and wrong.
8They lurk in the outskirts and in dark alleys they murder the innocent; ♦ their eyes are ever watching for the helpless.
9They lie in wait, like a lion in his den; they lie in wait to seize the poor; ♦ they seize the poor when they get them into their net.
10The innocent are broken and humbled before them; ♦ the helpless fall before their power.
11They say in their heart, ‘God has forgotten; ♦ he hides his face away; he will never see it.’ R
12Arise, O Lord God, and lift up your hand; ♦ forget not the poor.
13Why should the wicked be scornful of God? ♦ Why should they say in their hearts, ‘You will not avenge it’?
14Surely, you behold trouble and misery; ♦ you see it and take it into your own hand.
15The helpless commit themselves to you, ♦ for you are the helper of the orphan.
16Break the power of the wicked and malicious; ♦ search out their wickedness until you find none. R
17The Lord shall reign for ever and ever; ♦ the nations shall perish from his land.
18Lord, you will hear the desire of the poor; ♦ you will incline your ear to the fullness of their heart,
19To give justice to the orphan and oppressed, ♦ so that people are no longer driven in terror from the land.
Refrain:You, Lord, have never failed those who seek you.
When wickedness triumphs and the poor are betrayed, come to your kingdom, strong and holy God, destroy the masks of evil and reign in our broken hearts; through 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.
Canticle
A Song of the Wilderness, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 30 (page 581) or number 49 (page 601), may be said
Refrain:
AllLift up your voice with strength, O herald of good tidings.
1The wilderness and the dry land shall rejoice, ♦ the desert shall blossom and burst into song.
2They shall see the glory of the Lord, ♦ the majesty of our God.
3Strengthen the weary hands, ♦ and make firm the feeble knees.
4Say to the anxious, ‘Be strong, fear not, your God is coming with judgement, ♦ coming with judgement to save you.’
5Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, ♦ and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6Then shall the lame leap like a hart, ♦ and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.
7For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, ♦ and streams in the desert;
8The ransomed of the Lord shall return with singing, ♦ with everlasting joy upon their heads.
9Joy and gladness shall be theirs, ♦ and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35.1, 2b-4a, 4c-6, 10
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.
AllLift up your voice with strength, O herald of good tidings.
Scripture Reading
Exodus 6:1-8
New International Version
6 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”
2 God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty,[a] but by my name the Lord[b] I did not make myself fully known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.
6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Now it is time to awake out of sleep, Allfor the night is far spent and the day is at hand. Now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed, Allfor the night is far spent. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, Allfor the day is at hand. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, Allfor the night is far spent and the day is at hand.
from Romans 13
Gospel Canticle
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said, or A Song of Redemption (page 620) may be said
Refrain:
AllLook towards the east, O Jerusalem, and see the glory that is coming from God.
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:
AllLook towards the east, O Jerusalem, and see the glory that is coming from God.
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
¶ The Church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ ¶ The leaders of the Church ¶ The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God ¶ Those who are working for justice in the world ¶ The broken, that they may find God’s healing
A form of prayer found 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 God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AllAmen.
The prayer for the lighting of the first candle of Advent, the Candle of Hope and Promise:
Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, the God of our ancestors: to you be praise and glory for ever. You called Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to live by the light of faith and to journey in the hope of your promises fulfilled. May we obey your call and be ready and watchful to receive Jesus into our lives as a lamp to our feet and a light in the darkness.
The Lord’s Prayer is said
Awaiting his coming in glory, 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)
Awaiting his coming in glory, 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 the Lord, when he comes, find us watching and waiting. AllAmen.
Let us bless the Lord. AllThanks be to God.