Morning Prayer | Lent Day 21

OPENING SENTENCES

I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him,  "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son."    Luke 15:18, 19

 

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 71

In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge; *
let me never be ashamed.

In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; *
incline your ear to me and save me.

Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; *
you are my crag and my stronghold.

Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, *
from of the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.

For you are my hope, O LORD God, *
my confidence since I was young.

I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;
from my mother's womb you have been my strength; *
my praise shall be always of you.

I have become a portent to many; *
but you are my refuge and my strength.

Let my mouth be full of your praise *
and your glory all the day long.

Do not cast me off in my old age; *
forsake me not when my strength fails.

For my enemies are talking against me, *
and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together.

They say, "God has forsaken him;
go after him and seize him; *
because there is none who will save."

O God, be not far from me; *
come quickly to help me, O my God.

Let those who set themselves against me be put to shame and
be disgraced; *
let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn
and reproach.

But I shall always wait in patience, *
and shall praise you more and more.

My mouth shall recount your mighty acts
and saving deeds all day long; *
though I cannot know the number of them.

I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord GOD; *
I will recall your righteousness, yours alone.

O God, you have taught me since I was young, *
and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.

And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not
forsake me, *
till I make known your strength to this generation
and your power to all who are to come.

Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens; *
you have done great things;
who is like you, O God?

You have showed me great troubles and adversities, *
but you will restore my life
and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth.

You strengthen me more and more; *
you enfold and comfort me,

Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your
faithfulness, O my God; *
I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.

My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, *
and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.

My tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long, *
for they are ashamed and disgraced who sought
to do me harm.

 

Lord God of the living, do not desert us in old age, but help us to follow your will in both good and bad times, so that forever we may praise your faithfulness; 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

Miserere Mei Deus

MORNING LESSONS

For those not receiving Evening Prayer emails, the lectionary OT & NT Lessons for today are Jeremiah 4:9-10, 19-28; Romans 2:12-24.

John 5:19-29

Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes.The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life. “Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

 

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 Lent:

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. *
Thanks be to God!