OPENING SENTENCES
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2
CONFESSION OF SIN
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Silence for reflection
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Lord, open our lips. *
And our mouths shall proclaim your praise!
MORNING PSALM
Psalm 41
Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! *
the LORD will deliver them in the time of trouble.
The LORD preserves them and keeps them alive,
so that they may be happy in the land; *
he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.
The LORD sustains them on their sickbed *
and ministers to them in their illness.
I said, "LORD, be merciful to me; *
heal me, for I have sinned against you."
My enemies are saying wicked things about me: *
When will he die, and his name perish?"
Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words; *
their heart collects false rumors;
they go outside and spread them.
All my enemies whisper together about me *
and devise evil against me.
"A deadly thing," they say, "has fastened on him; *
he has taken to his bed and will never get up again."
Even my best friend, whom I trusted,
who broke bread with me, *
has lifted up his heel and turned against me.
But you, O LORD, be merciful to me and raise me up, *
and I shall repay them.
By this I know you are pleased with me, *
that my enemy does not triumph over me.
In my integrity you hold me fast, *
and shall set me before your face for ever.
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, *
from age to age. Amen. Amen.
Lord Jesus, healer of soul and body, you said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Teach us to come to the aid of the needy in a spirit of love, as we have been received and strengthened by you; and to you be the glory and praise now and forever.
Glory 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.
MORNING SONG
MORNING LESSONS
For those not receiving Evening Prayer emails, the lectionary OT & NT Lessons for today are Isaiah 28:9-16; Revelation 11:1-14.
Luke 11:14-26
Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul.Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
Silence for reflection
CONCLUDING PRAYER
In the morning, pray for:
the day and its tasks
the world and its needs
the Church and her life
Conclude with the Lord's Prayer and/or the following Collect:
Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. *
Thanks be to God!