OPENING SENTENCES
To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, because we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws which he set before us. Daniel 9:9, 10
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
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
Lord, open our lips. *
And our mouths shall proclaim your praise!
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.
MORNING PSALM
Psalm 119:145-176
Qoph
I call with my whole heart; *
answer me, O LORD, that I may keep your statutes.
I call to you;
oh, that you would save me! *
I will keep your decrees.
Early in the morning I cry out to you, *
for in your word is my trust.
My eyes are open in the night watches, *
that I may meditate upon your promise.
Hear my voice, O LORD, according to your loving-kindness; *
according to your judgments, give me life.
They draw near who in malice persecute me; *
they are very far from your law.
You, O LORD, are near at hand, *
and all your commandments are true.
Long have I known from your decrees *
that you have established them for ever.
Resh
Behold my affliction and deliver me, *
for I do not forget your law.
Plead my cause and redeem me; *
according to your promise, give me life.
Deliverance is far from the wicked, *
for they do not study your statutes.
Great is your compassion, O LORD; *
preserve my life, according to your judgments.
There are many who persecute and oppress me, *
yet I have not swerved from your decrees.
I look with loathing at the faithless, *
for they have not kept your word.
See how I love your commandments! *
O LORD, in your mercy, preserve me.
The heart of your word is truth; *
all your righteous judgments endure for evermore.
Shin
Rulers have persecuted me without a cause, *
but my heart stands in awe of your word.
I am as glad because of your promise *
as one who finds great spoils.
As for lies, I hate and abhor them, *
but your law is my love.
Seven times a day do I praise you, *
because of your righteous judgments.
Great peace have they who love your law; *
for them there is no stumbling block.
I have hoped for your salvation, O LORD, *
and have fulfilled your commandments.
I have kept your decrees *
and I have loved them deeply.
I have kept your commandments and decrees, *
for all my ways are before you.
Taw
Let my cry come before you, O LORD; *
give me understanding, according to your word.
Let my supplication come before you; *
deliver me, according to your promise.
My lips shall pour forth your praise, *
when you teach me your statutes.
My tongue shall sing of your promise, *
for all your commandments are righteous.
Let your hand be ready to help me, *
for I have chosen your commandments.
I long for your salvation, O LORD, *
and your law is my delight.
Let me live, and I will praise you, *
and let your judgments help me.
I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost; *
search for your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments.
Lord, you are just and your commandments are eternal. Teach us to love you with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as ourselves, for the sake of Jesus our Lord.
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 Star - the innocence mission
MORNING LESSONS
For those not receiving Evening Prayer emails, the lectionary OT & NT Lessons for today are Jeremiah 25:30-38; Romans 10:14-21.
John 10:1-18
“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
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 for the fifth week of Lent:
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. *
Thanks be to God!