OPENING SENTENCES

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." Psalm 122:1

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

As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. Amen.

Lord, open our lips. *
And our mouths shall proclaim your praise!

MORNING PSALM

Psalm 28

O LORD, I call to you;
my Rock, do not be deaf to my cry; *
lest, if you do not hear me,
I become like those who go down to the Pit.

Hear the voice of my prayer when I cry out to you, *
when I lift up my hands to your holy of holies.

Do not snatch me away with the wicked or with the
evildoers, *
who speak peaceably with their neighbors,
while strife is in their hearts.

Repay them according to their deeds, *
and according to the wickedness of their actions.

According to the work of their hands repay them, *
and give them their just deserts.

They have no understanding of the LORD'S doings,
nor of the works of his hands; *
therefore he will break them down and not
build them up.

Blessed is the LORD! *
for he has heard the voice of my prayer.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; *
my heart trusts in him, and I have been helped;

Therefore my heart dances for joy, *
and in my song will I praise him.

The LORD is the strength of his people, *
a safe refuge for his anointed.

Save your people and bless your inheritance; *
shepherd them and carry them for ever.

Strong Shepherd of your people, when your Son stretched out his hands on the cross, you heard him and he did not become like those who go down into the pit. By his resurrection strengthen your people to offer you thanks for the mighty works that you have done, and make our hearts dance for joy; through your Son, Jesus Christ 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

Lord, I Believe - Bifrost Arts

MORNING LESSONS

For those not receiving Evening Prayer emails, the lectionary OT & NT Lessons for today are Job 12:1, 13:3-17, 21-27; Acts 12:1-17.

John 8:33-47

They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word.

I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.” They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did, but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are indeed doing what your father does.” They said to him, “We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.”

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:

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth
in us the fruit of good works; 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!