Morning Prayer | Ordinary Time, Proper 23

OPENING SENTENCES

Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.     Psalm 43:3

 

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

Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Amen.

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

 

MORNING PSALM

Psalm 18:1-20

Part I

I love you, O LORD my strength, *
O LORD my stronghold, my crag, and my haven.

My God, my rock in whom I put my trust, *
my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge;
you are worthy of praise.

I will call upon the LORD, *
and so shall I be saved from my enemies.

The breakers of death rolled over me, *
and the torrents of oblivion made me afraid.

The cords of hell entangled me, *
and the snares of death were set for me.

I called upon the LORD in my distress *
and cried out to my God for help.

He heard my voice from his heavenly dwelling; *
my cry of anguish came to his ears.

The earth reeled and rocked; *
the roots of the mountains shook;
they reeled because of his anger.

Smoke rose from his nostrils
and a consuming fire out of his mouth; *
hot burning coals blazed forth from him.

He parted the heavens and came down *
with a storm cloud under his feet.

He mounted on cherubim and flew; *
he swooped on the wings of the wind.

He wrapped darkness about him; *
he made dark waters and thick clouds his pavilion.

From the brightness of his presence, through the clouds, *
burst hailstones and coals of fire.

The LORD thundered out of heaven; *
the Most High uttered his voice.

He loosed his arrows and scattered them; *
he hurled thunderbolts and routed them.

The beds of the seas were uncovered,
and the foundations of the world laid bare, *
at your battle cry, O LORD,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

He reached down from on high and grasped me; *
he drew me out of great waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemies
and from those who hated me; *
for they were too mighty for me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster; *
but the LORD was my support.

He brought me out into an open place; *
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

 

Lord God, our stronghold and our salvation, give us such strength of love that we may reach out to our neighbor without counting the cost, for the sake of 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

We Will Feast in the House of Zion - Sandra McCracken

MORNING LESSONS

For those not receiving Evening Prayer emails, the lectionary OT & NT Lessons for today are Jeremiah 38:1-13; 1 Corinthians 14:26-33a,37-40.

Matthew 10:34-42

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

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, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; 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!