The festival of a saint is observed in accordance with the rules of precedence set forth in the Calendar of the Church year.
At the discretion of the Celebrant, and as appropriate, any of the following Collects, with one of the corresponding sets of Psalms and Lessons, may be used
a) at the commemoration of a saint listed in the Calendar for which no Proper is provided in this Book
b) at the patronal festival or commemoration of a saint not listed in the Calendar.
Of a Martyr
O Almighty God, who didst give to thy servant N. boldness to confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of the same our Lord Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
or this
O Almighty God, by whose grace and power thy holy martyr N. triumphed over suffering and was faithful even unto death: Grant us, who now remember him with thanksgiving, to be so faithful in our witness to thee in this world, that we may receive with him the crown of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
or the following
Collects: Traditional 195
Almighty and everlasting God, who didst enkindle the flame of thy love in the heart of thy holy martyr N.: Grant to us, thy humble servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who rejoice in her triumph may profit by her example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Preface of a Saint
Of a Missionary
Almighty and everlasting God, we thank thee for thy servant N., whom thou didst call to preach the Gospel to the people of _________ (or to the __________ people). Raise up, we beseech thee, in this and every land evangelists and heralds of thy kingdom, that thy Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
or this
Almighty God, who willest to be glorified in thy saints, and didst raise up thy servant N. to be a light in the world; Shine, we pray, in our hearts, that we also in our generation may show forth thy praise, who hast called us out of darkness into thy marvelous light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Preface of Pentecost
Of a Pastor
O heavenly Father, Shepherd of thy people, we give thee thanks for thy servant N., who was faithful in the care and nurture of thy flock; and we pray that, following his example and the teaching of his holy life, we may by thy grace grow
196 Collects: Traditional
into the stature of the fullness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
or this
O God, our heavenly Father, who didst raise up thy faithful servant N., to be a [bishop and] pastor in thy Church and to feed thy flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of thy Holy Spirit, that they may minister in thy household as true servants of Christ and stewards of thy divine mysteries; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Preface of a Saint
Of a Theologian and Teacher
O God, who by thy Holy Spirit dost give to some the word of wisdom, to others the word of knowledge, and to others the word of faith: We praise thy Name for the gifts of grace manifested in thy servant N., and we pray that thy Church may never be destitute of such gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
or this
O Almighty God, who didst give to thy servant N. special gifts of grace to understand and teach the truth as it is in Christ Jesus: Grant, we beseech thee, that by this teaching we may know thee, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Preface of a Saint, or of Trinity Sunday
Collects: Traditional 197
Of a Monastic
O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through his poverty might be rich: Deliver us, we pray thee from an inordinate love of this world, that, inspired by the devotion of thy servant N., we may serve thee with singleness of heart, and attain to the riches of the age to come; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
or this
O God, by whose grace thy servant N., enkindled with the fire of thy love, became a burning and a shining light in thy Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and may ever walk before thee as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Preface of a Saint
Of a Saint
O Almighty God, who hast compassed us about with so great a cloud of witnesses: Grant that we, encouraged by the good example of thy servant N., may persevere in running the race that is set before us, until at length, through thy mercy, we may with him attain to thine eternal joy; through Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
or this
O God, who hast brought us near to an innumerable company of angels and to the spirits of just men made perfect: Grant us during our earthly pilgrimage to abide in their fellowship, and in our heavenly country to become
198 Collects: Traditional
partakers of their joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
or this
O Almighty God, who by thy Holy Spirit hast made us one with thy saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may ever be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and may know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to thy power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.
This catechism is primarily intended for use by parish priests, deacons, and lay catechists, to give an outline for instruction. It is a commentary on the creeds, but is not meant to be a complete statement of belief and practices; rather, it is a point of departure for the teacher, and it is cast in the traditional question and answer form for ease of reference.
The second use of this catechism is to provide a brief summary of the Church’s teaching for an inquiring stranger who picks up a Prayer Book.
It may also be used to form a simple service; since the matter is arranged under headings, it is suitable for selective use, and the leader may introduce prayers and hymns as needed.
844 Catechism
An Outline of the Faith commonly called the Catechism
Human Nature
Q.
What are we by nature?
A.
We are part of God’s creation, made in the image of God.
Q.
What does it mean to be created in the image of God?
A.
It means that we are free to make choices: to love, to create, to reason, and to live in harmony with creation and with God.
Q.
Why then do we live apart from God and out of harmony with creation?
A.
From the beginning, human beings have misused their freedom and made wrong choices.
Q.
Why do we not use our freedom as we should?
A.
Because we rebel against God, and we put ourselves in the place of God.
Q,
What help is there for us?
A.
Our help is in God.
Q.
How did God first help us?
A.
God first helped us by revealing himself and his will, through nature and history, through many seers and saints, and especially the prophets of Israel.
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God the Father
Q.
What do we learn about God as creator from the revelation to Israel?
A.
We learn that there is one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
Q.
What does this mean?
A.
This means that the universe is good, that it is the work of a single loving God who creates, sustains, and directs it.
Q.
What does this mean about our place in the universe?
A.
It means that the world belongs to its creator; and that we are called to enjoy it and to care for it in accordance with God’s purposes.
Q.
What does this mean about human life?
A.
It means that all people are worthy of respect and honor, because all are created in the image of God, and all can respond to the love of God.
Q.
How was this revelation handed down to us?
A.
This revelation was handed down to us through a community created by a covenant with God.
The Old Covenant
Q.
What is meant by a covenant with God?
A.
A covenant is a relationship initiated by God, to which a body of people responds in faith.
Q.
What is the Old Covenant?
A.
The Old Covenant is the one given by God to the Hebrew people.
Q.
What did God promise them?
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A.
God promised that they would be his people to bring all the nations of the world to him.
Q.
What response did God require from the chosen people?
A.
God required the chosen people to be faithful; to love justice, to do mercy, and to walk humbly with their God.
Q.
Where is this Old Covenant to be found?
A.
The covenant with the Hebrew people is to be found in the books which we call the Old Testament.
Q.
Where in the Old Testament is God’s will for us shown most clearly?
A.
God’s will for us is shown most clearly in the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments
See pages 317 and 350.
Q.
What are the Ten Commandments?
A.
The Ten Commandments are the laws given to Moses and the people of Israel.
Q.
What do we learn from these commandments?
A.
We learn two things: our duty to God, and our duty to our neighbors.
Q.
What is our duty to God?
A.
Our duty is to believe and trust in God;
I
To love and obey God and to bring others to know him;
II
To put nothing in the place of God;
III
To show God respect in thought, word, and deed;
IV
And to set aside regular times for worship, prayer, and the study of God’s ways.
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Q.
What is our duty to our neighbors?
A.
Our duty to our neighbors is to love them as ourselves, and to do to other people as we wish them to do to us;
V
To love, honor, and help our parents and family; to honor those in authority, and to meet their just demands;
VI
To show respect for the life God has given us; to work and pray for peace; to bear no malice, prejudice, or hatred in our hearts; and to be kind to all the creatures of God;
VII
To use our bodily desires as God intended;
VIII
To be honest and fair in our dealings; to seek justice, freedom, and the necessities of life for all people; and to use our talents and possessions as ones who must answer for them to God;
IX
To speak the truth, and not to mislead others by our silence;
X
To resist temptations to envy, greed, and jealousy; to rejoice in other people’s gifts and graces; and to do our duty for the love of God, who has called us into fellowship with him.
Q.
What is the purpose of the Ten Commandments?
A.
The Ten Commandments were given to define our relationship with God and our neighbors.
Q.
Since we do not fully obey them, are they useful at all?
A.
Since we do not fully obey them, we see more clearly our sin and our need for redemption.
Sin and Redemption
Q.
What is sin?
A.
Sin is the seeking of our own will instead of the will of God, thus distorting our relationship with God, with other people, and with all creation.
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Q.
How does sin have power over us?
A.
Sin has power over us because we lose our liberty when our relationship with God is distorted.
Q.
What is redemption?
A.
Redemption is the act of God which sets us free from the power of evil, sin, and death.
Q.
How did God prepare us for redemption?
A.
God sent the prophets to call us back to himself, to show us our need for redemption, and to announce the coming of the Messiah.
Q.
What is meant by the Messiah?
A.
The Messiah is one sent by God to free us from the power of sin, so that with the help of God we may live in harmony with God, within ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation.
Q.
Who do we believe is the Messiah?
A.
The Messiah, or Christ, is Jesus of Nazareth, the only Son of God.
God the Son
Q.
What do we mean when we say that Jesus is the only Son of God?
A
We mean that Jesus is the only perfect image of the Father, and shows us the nature of God.
Q.
What is the nature of God revealed in Jesus?
A.
God is love.
Q.
What do we mean when we say that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and became incarnate from the Virgin Mary?
A.
We mean that by God’s own act, his divine Son received our human nature from the Virgin Mary, his mother.
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Q.
Why did he take our human nature?
A.
The divine Son became human, so that in him human beings might be adopted as children of God, and be made heirs of God’s kingdom.
Q.
What is the great importance of Jesus’ suffering and death?
A.
By his obedience, even to suffering and death, Jesus made the offering which we could not make; in him we are freed from the power of sin and reconciled to God.
Q.
What is the significance of Jesus’ resurrection?
A.
By his resurrection, Jesus overcame death and opened for us the way of eternal life.
Q.
What do we mean when we say that he descended to the dead?
A.
We mean that he went to the departed and offered them also the benefits of redemption.
Q.
What do we mean when we say that he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father?
A.
We mean that Jesus took our human nature into heaven where he now reigns with the Father and intercedes for us.
Q.
How can we share in his victory over sin, suffering, and death?
A.
We share in his victory when we are baptized into the New Covenant and become living members of Christ.
The New Covenant
Q.
What is the New Covenant?
A.
The New Covenant is the new relationship with God given by Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to the apostles; and, through them, to all who believe in him.
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Q.
What did the Messiah promise in the New Covenant?
A.
Christ promised to bring us into the kingdom of God and give life in all its fullness.
Q.
What response did Christ require?
A.
Christ commanded us to believe in him and to keep his commandments.
Q.
What are the commandments taught by Christ?
A.
Christ taught us the Summary of the Law and gave us the New Commandment.
Q.
What is the Summary of the Law?
A.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Q.
What is the New Commandment?
A.
The New Commandment is that we love one another as Christ loved us.
Q.
Where may we find what Christians believe about Christ?
A.
What Christians believe about Christ is found in the Scriptures and summed up in the creeds.
The Creeds
Q.
What are the creeds?
A.
The creeds are statements of our basic beliefs about God.
Q.
How many creeds does this Church use in its worship?
A.
This Church uses two creeds: The Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
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Q.
What is the Apostles’ Creed?
A.
The Apostles’ Creed is the ancient creed of Baptism; it is used in the Church’s daily worship to recall our Baptismal Covenant.
Q.
What is the Nicene Creed?
A.
The Nicene Creed is the creed of the universal Church and is used at the Eucharist.
Q.
What, then, is the Athanasian Creed?
A.
The Athanasian Creed is an ancient document proclaiming the nature of the Incarnation and of God as Trinity.
Q.
What is the Trinity?
A.
The Trinity is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit
Q.
What is the Holy Spirit?
A.
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, God at work in the world and in the Church even now.
Q.
How is the Holy Spirit revealed in the Old Covenant?
A.
The Holy Spirit is revealed in the Old Covenant as the giver of life, the One who spoke through the prophets.
Q.
How is the Holy Spirit revealed in the New Covenant?
A.
The Holy Spirit is revealed as the Lord who leads us into all truth and enables us to grow in the likeness of Christ.
Q.
How do we recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
A.
We recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit when we confess Jesus Christ as Lord and are brought into love and harmony with God, with ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation.
852 Catechism
Q.
How do we recognize the truths taught by the Holy Spirit?
A.
We recognize truths to be taught by the Holy Spirit when they are in accord with the Scriptures.
The Holy Scriptures
Q.
What are the Holy Scriptures?
A.
The Holy Scriptures, commonly called the Bible, are the books of the Old and New Testaments; other books, called the Apocrypha, are often included in the Bible.
Q.
What is the Old Testament?
A.
The Old Testament consists of books written by the people of the Old Covenant, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to show God at work in nature and history.
Q.
What is the New Testament?
A.
The New Testament consists of books written by the people of the New Covenant, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to set forth the life and teachings of Jesus and to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom for all people.
Q.
What is the Apocrypha?
A.
The Apocrypha is a collection of additional books written by people of the Old Covenant, and used in the Christian Church.
Q.
Why do we call the Holy Scriptures the Word of God?
A.
We call them the Word of God because God inspired their human authors and because God still speaks to us through the Bible.
Q.
How do we understand the meaning of the Bible?
A.
We understand the meaning of the Bible by the help of
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the Holy Spirit, who guides the Church in the true interpretation of the Scriptures.
The Church
Q.
What is the Church?
A.
The Church is the community of the New Covenant.
Q.
How is the Church described in the Bible?
A.
The Church is described as the Body of which Jesus Christ is the Head and of which all baptized persons are members. It is called the People of God, the New Israel, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and the pillar and ground of truth.
Q.
How is the Church described in the creeds?
A.
The Church is described as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.
Q.
Why is the Church described as one?
A.
The Church is one, because it is one Body, under one Head, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Q.
Why is the Church described as holy?
A.
The Church is holy, because the Holy Spirit dwells in it, consecrates its members, and guides them to do God’s work.
Q.
Why is the Church described as catholic?
A.
The Church is catholic, because it proclaims the whole Faith to all people, to the end of time.
Q.
Why is the Church described as apostolic?
A.
The Church is apostolic, because it continues in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles and is sent to carry out Christ’s mission to all people.
854 Catechism
Q.
What is the mission of the Church?
A.
The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.
Q.
How does the Church pursue its mission?
A.
The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love.
Q.
Through whom does the Church carry out its mission?
A.
The church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members.
The Ministry
Q.
Who are the ministers of the Church?
A.
The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons.
Q.
What is the ministry of the laity?
A.
The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.
Q.
What is the ministry of a bishop?
A.
The ministry of a bishop is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as apostle, chief priest, and pastor of a diocese; to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God; to act in Christ’s name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up of the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ’s ministry.
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Q.
What is the ministry of a priest or presbyter?
A.
The ministry of a priest is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as pastor to the people; to share with the bishop in the overseeing of the Church; to proclaim the Gospel; to administer the sacraments; and to bless and declare pardon in the name of God.
Q.
What is the ministry of a deacon?
A.
The ministry of a deacon is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as a servant of those in need; and to assist bishops and priests in the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments.
Q.
What is the duty of all Christians?
A.
The duty of all Christians is to follow Christ; to come together week by week for corporate worship; and to work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom of God.
Prayer and Worship
Q.
What is prayer?
A.
Prayer is responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or without words.
Q.
What is Christian Prayer?
A.
Christian prayer is response to God the Father, through Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Q.
What prayer did Christ teach us?
A.
Our Lord gave us the example of prayer known as the Lord’s Prayer. See page 364.
Q.
What are the principal kinds of prayer?
A.
The principal kinds of prayer are adoration, praise, thanksgiving, penitence, oblation, intercession, and petition.
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Q.
What is adoration?
A.
Adoration is the lifting up of the heart and mind to God, asking nothing but to enjoy God’s presence.
Q.
Why do we praise God?
A.
We praise God, not to obtain anything, but because God’s Being draws praise from us.
Q.
For what do we offer thanksgiving?
A.
Thanksgiving is offered to God for all the blessings of this life, for our redemption, and for whatever draws us closer to God.
Q.
What is penitence?
A.
In penitence, we confess our sins and make restitution where possible, with the intention to amend our lives.
Q.
What is prayer of oblation?
A.
Oblation is an offering of ourselves, our lives and labors, in union with Christ, for the purposes of God.
Q.
What are intercession and petition?
A.
Intercession brings before God the needs of others; in petition, we present our own needs, that God’s will may be done.
Q.
What is corporate worship?
A.
In corporate worship, we unite ourselves with others to acknowledge the holiness of God, to hear God’s Word, to offer prayer, and to celebrate the sacraments.
The Sacraments
Q.
What are the sacraments?
A.
The sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace.
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Q.
What is grace?
A.
Grace is God’s favor toward us, unearned and undeserved; by grace God forgives our sins, enlightens our minds, stirs our hearts, and strengthens our wills.
Q.
What are the two great sacraments of the Gospel?
A.
The two great sacraments given by Christ to his Church are Holy Baptism and the Holy Eucharist.
Holy Baptism
Q.
What is Holy Baptism?
A.
Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children and makes us members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God.
Q.
What is the outward and visible sign in Baptism?
A.
The outward and visible sign in Baptism is water, in which the person is baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Q.
What is the inward and spiritual grace in Baptism?
A.
The inward and spiritual grace in Baptism is union with Christ in his death and resurrection, birth into God’s family the Church, forgiveness of sins, and new life in the Holy Spirit.
Q.
What is required of us at Baptism?
A.
It is required that we renounce Satan, repent of our sins, and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Q.
Why then are infants baptized?
A.
Infants are baptized so that they can share citizenship in the Covenant, membership in Christ, and redemption by God.
Q.
How are the promises for infants made and carried out?
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A.
Promises are made for them by their parents and sponsors, who guarantee that the infants will be brought up within the Church, to know Christ and be able to follow him.
The Holy Eucharist
Q.
What is the Holy Eucharist?
A.
The Holy Eucharist is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection, until his coming again.
Q.
Why is the Eucharist called a sacrifice?
A.
Because the Eucharist, the Church’s sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, is the way by which the sacrifice of Christ is made present, and in which he unites us to his one offering of himself.
Q.
By what other names is this service known?
A.
The Holy Eucharist is called the Lord’s Supper, and Holy Communion; it is also known as the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, and the Great Offering.
Q.
What is the outward and visible sign in the Eucharist?
A.
The outward and visible sign in the Eucharist is bread and wine, given and received according to Christ’s command.
Q.
What is the inward and spiritual grace given in the Eucharist?
A.
The inward and spiritual grace in the Holy Communion is the Body and Blood of Christ given to his people, and received by faith.
Q.
What are the benefits which we receive in the Lord’s Supper?
A.
The benefits we receive are the forgiveness of our sins,
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the strengthening of our union with Christ and one another, and the foretaste of the heavenly banquet which is our nourishment in eternal life.
Q.
What is required of us when we come to the Eucharist?
A.
It is required that we should examine our lives, repent of our sins, and be in love and charity with all people.
Other Sacramental Rites
Q.
What other sacramental rites evolved in the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
A.
Other sacramental rites which evolved in the Church include confirmation, ordination, holy matrimony, reconciliation of a penitent, and unction.
Q.
How do they differ from the two sacraments of the Gospel?
A.
Although they are means of grace, they are not necessary for all persons in the same way that Baptism and the Eucharist are.
Q.
What is Confirmation?
A.
Confirmation is the rite in which we express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop.
Q.
What is required of those to be confirmed?
A.
It is required of those to be confirmed that they have been baptized, are sufficiently instructed in the Christian Faith, are penitent for their sins, and are ready to affirm their confession of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Q.
What is Ordination?
A.
Ordination is the rite in which God gives authority and the grace of the Holy Spirit to those being made bishops,
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priests, and deacons, through prayer and the laying on of hands by bishops.
Q.
What is Holy Matrimony?
A.
Holy Matrimony is Christian marriage, in which the woman and man enter into a life-long union, make their vows before God and the Church, and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows.
Q.
What is Reconciliation of a Penitent?
A.
Reconciliation of a Penitent, or Penance, is the rite in which those who repent of their sins may confess them to God in the presence of a priest, and receive the assurance of pardon and the grace of absolution.
Q.
What is Unction of the Sick?
A.
Unction is the rite of anointing the sick with oil, or the laying on of hands, by which God’s grace is given for the healing of spirit, mind, and body.
Q.
Is God’s activity limited to these rites?
A.
God does not limit himself to these rites; they are patterns of countless ways by which God uses material things to reach out to us.
Q.
How are the sacraments related to our Christian hope?
A.
Sacraments sustain our present hope and anticipate its future fulfillment.
The Christian Hope
Q.
What is the Christian hope?
A.
The Christian hope is to live with confidence in newness and fullness of life, and to await the coming of Christ in glory, and the completion of God’s purpose for the world.
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Q.
What do we mean by the coming of Christ in glory?
A.
By the coming of Christ in glory, we mean that Christ will come, not in weakness but in power, and will make all things new.
Q.
What do we mean by heaven and hell?
A.
By heaven, we mean eternal life in our enjoyment of God; by hell, we mean eternal death in our rejection of God.
Q.
Why do we pray for the dead?
A.
We pray for them, because we still hold them in our love, and because we trust that in God’s presence those who have chosen to serve him will grow in his love, until they see him as he is.
Q.
What do we mean by the last judgment?
A.
We believe that Christ will come in glory and judge the living and the dead.
Q.
What do we mean by the resurrection of the body?
A.
We mean that God will raise us from death in the fullness of our being, that we may live with Christ in the communion of the saints.
Q.
What is the communion of saints?
A.
The communion of saints is the whole family of God, the living and the dead, those whom we love and those whom we hurt, bound together in Christ by sacrament, prayer, and praise.
Q.
What do we mean by everlasting life?
A.
By everlasting life, we mean a new existence, in which we are united with all the people of God, in the joy of fully knowing and loving God and each other.
Q.
What, then, is our assurance as Christians?
A.
Our assurance as Christians is that nothing, not even death, shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
I certify that this edition of The Book of Common Prayer has been compared with a certified copy of the Standard Book, as the Canon directs, and that it conforms thereto.
Charles Mortimer Guilbert Custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer September, 1979
[Note that this electronic text is NOT approved by the Custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer.]
By the Bishops, the Clergy, and the Laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in Convention, this Sixteenth Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine.
This Convention having, in their present session, set forth A Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, do hereby establish the said Book: And they declare it to be the Liturgy of this Church: And require that it be received as such by all the members of the same: And this Book shall be in use from and after the First Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety.
It is a most invaluable part of that blessed “liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,” that in his worship different forms and usages may without offense be allowed, provided the substance of the Faith be kept entire; and that, in every Church, what cannot be clearly determined to belong to Doctrine must be referred to Discipline; and therefore, by common consent and authority, may be altered, abridged, enlarged, amended, or otherwise disposed of, as may seem most convenient for the edification of the people, “according to the various exigency of times and occasions.”
The Church of England, to which the Protestant Episcopal Church in these States is indebted, under God, for her first foundation and a long continuance of nursing care and protection, hath, in the Preface of her Book of Common Prayer, laid it down as a rule, that “The particular Forms of Divine Worship, and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used therein, being things in their own nature indifferent, and alterable, and so acknowledged; it is but reasonable that upon weighty and important considerations, according to the various exigency of times and occasions, such changes and alterations should be made therein, as to those that are in place of Authority should, from time to time, seem either necessary or expedient.”
The same Church hath not only in her Preface, but likewise in her Articles and Homilies, declared the necessity and expediency of occasional alterations and amendments in her Forms of Public Worship; and we find accordingly, that, seeking to keep the happy mean between too much stiffness in refusing, and too much easiness in admitting variations in
Preface 9
things once advisedly established, she hath, in the reign of several Princes, since the first compiling of her Liturgy in the time of Edward the Sixth, upon just and weighty considerations her thereunto moving, yielded to make such alterations in some particulars, as in their respective times were thought convenient; yet so as that the main body and essential parts of the same (as well in the chiefest materials, as in the frame and order thereof) have still been continued firm and unshaken.
Her general aim in these different reviews and alterations hath been, as she further declares in her said Preface, to do that which, according to her best understanding, might most tend to the preservation of peace and unity in the Church; the procuring of reverence, and the exciting of piety and devotion in the worship of God; and, finally, the cutting off occasion, from them that seek occasion, of cavil or quarrel against her Liturgy. And although, according to her judgment, there be not any thing in it contrary to the Word of God, or to sound doctrine, or which a godly man may not with a good conscience use and submit unto, or which is not fairly defensible, if allowed such just and favourable construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all human writings; yet upon the principles already laid down, it cannot but be supposed that further alterations would be found expedient. Accordingly, a Commission for a review was issued in the year 1689: but this great and good work miscarried at that time; and the Civil Authority has not since thought proper to revive it by any new Commission.
But when in the course of Divine Providence, these American States became independent with respect to civil government, their ecclesiastical independence was necessarily included; and the different religious denominations of Christians in these States were left at full and equal liberty to model and organize their respective Churches, and forms of worship, and discipline, in such manner as they might judge most convenient for their future prosperity; consistently with the constitution and laws of their country.
The attention of this Church was in the first place drawn to those alterations in the Liturgy which became necessary in the prayers for our Civil Rulers, in consequence of the Revolution. And the principal care herein was to make them conformable to what ought to be the proper end of all such prayers, namely, that “Rulers may have grace, wisdom,
10Preface
and understanding to execute justice, and to maintain truth;” and that the people “may lead quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty.”
But while these alterations were in review before the Convention, they could not but, with gratitude to God, embrace the happy occasion which was offered to them (uninfluenced and unrestrained by any worldly authority whatsoever) to take a further review of the Public Service, and to establish such other alterations and amendments therein as might be deemed expedient.
It seems unnecessary to enumerate all the different alterations and amendments. They will appear, and it is to be hoped, the reasons of them also, upon a comparison of this with the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. In which it will also appear that this Church is far from intending to depart from the Church of England in any essential point of doctrine, discipline, or worship; or further than local circumstances require.
And now, this important work being brought to a conclusion, it is hoped the whole will be received and examined by every true member of our Church, and every sincere Christian, with a meek, candid, and charitable frame of mind; without prejudice or prepossessions; seriously considering what Christianity is, and what the truths of the Gospel are; and earnestly beseeching Almighty God to accompany with his blessing every endeavour for promulgating them to mankind in the clearest, plainest, most affecting and majestic manner, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour.
The Holy Eucharist, the principal act of Christian worship on the Lord’s Day and other major Feasts, and Daily Morning and Evening Prayer, as set forth in this Book, are the regular services appointed for public worship in the Church.
In addition to these services and the other rites contained in this Book, other forms set forth by authority within this Church may be used. Also, subject to the direction of the bishop, special devotions taken from this Book, or from Holy Scripture, may be used when the needs of the congregation so require.
For special days of fasting or thanksgiving, appointed by civil or Church authority, and for other special occasions for which no service or prayer has been provided in this Book, the bishop may set forth such forms as are fitting to the occasion.
In all services, the entire Christian assembly participates in such a way that the members of each order within the Church, lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons, fulfill the functions proper to their respective orders, as set forth in the rubrical directions for each service.
The leader of worship in a Christian assembly is normally a bishop or priest. Deacons by virtue of their order do not exercise a presiding function; but, like lay persons, may officiate in the Liturgy of the Word, whether in the form provided in the Daily Office, or (when a bishop or priest is not present) in the form appointed at the Eucharist. Under exceptional circumstances, when the services of a priest cannot be obtained, the bishop may, at discretion, authorize a deacon to preside
Service of the Church 13
at other rites also, subject to the limitations described in the directions for each service.
In any of the Proper Liturgies for Special Days, and in other services contained within this Book celebrated in the context of a Rite One service, the contemporary idiom may be conformed to traditional language.
Hymns referred to in the rubrics of this Book are to be understood as those authorized by this Church. The words of anthems are to be from Holy Scripture, or from this Book, or from texts congruent with them.
On occasion, and as appropriate, instrumental music may be substituted for a hymn or anthem.
Where rubrics indicate that a part of a service is to be “said,” it must be understood to include “or sung,” and vice versa.
When it is desired to use music composed for them, previously authorized liturgical texts may be used in place of the corresponding texts in this Book.
Scriptural citations in this Book, except for the Psalms, follow the numeration of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.
The Officiant begins the service with one or more of these sentences of Scripture, or with the versicle “O Lord, open thou our lips” on page 42.
Advent
Watch ye , for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. Mark 13:35, 36
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Isaiah 40:5
Christmas
Behold, I bring you good tidings of a great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10, 11
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Revelation 21:3
Morning Prayer I 37
Epiphany
The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the bright- ness of thy rising. Isaiah 60:3
I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Isaiah 49:6b
From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered unto my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. Malachi 1:11
Lent
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:8, 9
Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Joel 2:13
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” Luke 15:18, 19
To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws which he set before us. Daniel 9:9, 10
Jesus said, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34
38 Morning Prayer I
Holy Week
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6
Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me. Lamentations 1:12
Easter Season, including Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost
Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Hebrews 9:24
Ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witness unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8
Trinity Sunday
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Revelation 4:8
Morning Prayer I 39
All Saints and other Major Saints’ Days
We give thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:12
Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God. Ephesians 2:19
Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world. Psalm 19:4
Occasions of Thanksgiving
O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his Name; tell the people what things he hath done. Psalm 105:1
At any Time
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2
I was glad when they said unto me, “We will go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me, and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling. Psalm 43:3
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Habakkuk 2:20
The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23
Thus saith the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity,
40 Morning Prayer I
whose name is Holy, “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15
The following Confession of Sin may then be said; or the Office may continue at once with “O Lord, open thou our lips.”
Confession of Sin
The Officiant says to the people
Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father, to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
or this
Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Silence may be kept.
Officiant and People together, all kneeling
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, we have offended against thy holy laws, we have left undone those things which we ought to have done,
Morning Prayer I 41
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, spare thou those who confess their faults, restore thou those who are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord; and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
The Priest alone stands and says
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen.
A deacon or lay person using the preceding form remains kneeling, and substitutes “us” for “you” and “our” for “your.”
The Invitatory and Psalter
All stand
Officiant
O Lord, open thou our lips.
People
And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Officiant and People
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Except in Lent, Alleluia may be added.
Then follows one of the Invitatory Psalms, Venite or Jubilate.
42 Morning Prayer I
One of the following Antiphons may be sung or said with the Invitatory Psalm
In Advent
Our King and Savior draweth nigh: O come, let us adore him.
On the Twelve Days of Christmas
Alleluia. Unto us a child is born: O come, let us adorehim. Alleluia.
From the Epiphany through the Baptism of Christ, and on the Feasts of the Transfiguration and Holy Cross
The Lord hath manifested forth his glory: O come, let us adore him.
In Lent
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: O come, let us adore him.
From Easter Day until the Ascension
Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.
From Ascension Day until the Day of Pentecost
Alleluia. Christ the Lord ascendeth into heaven: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.
On the Day of Pentecost
Alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.
On Trinity Sunday
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God: O come, let us adore him.
Morning Prayer I 43
On other Sundays and weekdays
The earth is the Lord’s for he made it: O come, let us adore him.
or this
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: O come, let us adore him.
or this
The mercy of the Lord is everlasting: O come, let us adore him.
The Alleluias in the following Antiphons are used only in Easter Season.
On Feasts of the Incarnation
[Alleluia.] The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us: O come, let us adore him. [Alleluia.]
On All Saints and other Major Saints’ Days
[Alleluia.] The Lord is glorious in his saints: O come, let us adore him. [Alleluia.]
VenitePsalm 95:1-7
O come, let us sing unto the Lord; * let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods. In his hand are all the corners of the earth, * and the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it, * and his hands prepared the dry land.
44 Morning Prayer I
O come, let us worship and fall down, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is the Lord our God, * and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; * let the whole earth stand in awe of him. For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth, * and with righteousness to judge the world and the peoples with his truth.
or Psalm 95, page 146.
Jubilate Psalm 100
Be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands; * serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song.
Be ye sure that the Lord he is God; it is he that hath made us and not we ourselves; * we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise; * be thankful unto him and speak good of his Name.
For the Lord is gracious; his mercy is everlasting; * and his truth endureth from generation to generation.
In Easter Week, in place of an Invitatory Psalm, the following is sung or said. It may also be used daily until the Day of Pentecost.
Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; * therefore let us keep the feast, Not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, * but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.
Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; * death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once; * but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, * but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
Christ is risen from the dead, * and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, * by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, * even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.
Then follows
The Psalm or Psalms Appointed
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
46 Morning Prayer I
The Lessons
One or two lessons, as appointed, are read, the Reader first saying
A Reading (Lesson) from _______________.
A citation giving chapter and verse may be added.
After each Lesson the Reader may say
The Word of the Lord.
People
Thanks be to God.
Or the Reader may say Here endeth the Lesson (Reading).
Silence may be kept after each Reading. One of the following Canticles, or one of those on pages 85-95 (Canticles 8-21), is sung or said after each Reading. If three Lessons are used, the Lesson from the Gospel is read after the second Canticle.
1A Song of CreationBenedicite, omnia opera Domini Song of the Three Young Men, 35-65
This Canticle may be shortened by omitting section II or III
I Invocation
O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
II The Cosmic Order
O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord; * O ye waters that be above the firmament, bless ye the Lord; O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
Morning Prayer I 47
O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord; * O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord; O ye showers and dew, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
O ye winds of God, bless ye the Lord; * O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord; O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
O ye dews and frosts, bless ye the Lord; * O ye frost and cold, bless ye the Lord; O ye ice and snow, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord; * O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord; O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
III The Earth and its Creatures
O let the earth bless the Lord; * O ye mountains and hills, bless ye the Lord; O all ye green things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
O ye wells, bless ye the Lord; * O ye seas and floods, bless ye the Lord; O ye whales and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord; praise him and magnify him for ever.
O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord; * O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord; O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
48 Morning Prayer I
IV The People of God
O ye people of God, bless ye the Lord; * O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord; * O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord. Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; * praise him and magnify him for ever.
2A Song of PraiseBenedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34
Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers; * praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou for the name of thy Majesty; * praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou in the temple of thy holiness; * praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and dwellest between the Cherubim; * praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom; * praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven; * praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * praised and exalted above all for ever.
Morning Prayer I 49
3The Song of MaryMagnificat Luke 1:46-55
My soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me, * and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, * as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
4The Song of ZechariahBenedictus Dominus Deus Luke 1:68-79
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, * for he hath visited and redeemed his people; And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us * in the house of his servant David, As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, * which have been since the world began:
50 Morning Prayer I
That we should be saved from our enemies, * and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, * and to remember his holy covenant; To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, * that he would give us, That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies * might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, * all the days of our life.
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, * for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people * for the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God, * whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us; To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
5The Song of SimeonNunc dimittis Luke 2:29-32
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, * according to thy word; For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, * which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, * and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Morning Prayer I 51
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
6Glory be to GodGloria in Excelsis
Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men.
We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
7We Praise TheeTe Deum laudamus
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting. To thee all Angels cry aloud, the Heavens and all the Powers therein. To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:
52 Morning Prayer I
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory. The glorious company of the apostles praise thee. The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee. The noble army of martyrs praise thee. The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee, the Father, of an infinite majesty, thine adorable, true, and only Son, also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
Thou art the King of glory, O Christ. Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst humble thyself to be born of a Virgin. When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father. We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge. We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood. Make them to be numbered with thy saints, in glory everlasting.
The Apostles’ Creed
Officiant and People together, all standing
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell.
Morning Prayer I 53
The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The text of the Creed on page 96 may be used instead.
The Prayers
The People stand or kneel
Officiant
The Lord be with you.
People
And with thy spirit.
Officiant
Let us pray.
Officiant and People
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
54 Morning Prayer I
Then follows one of these sets of Suffrages
A
V. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us; R. And grant us thy salvation. V. Endue thy ministers with righteousness; R. And make thy chosen people joyful. V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world; R. For only in thee can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under thy care; R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth. V. Let thy way be known upon earth; R. Thy saving health among all nations. V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. V. Create in us clean hearts, O God; R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
B
V. O Lord, save thy people and bless thine heritage; R. Govern them and lift them up for ever. V. Day by day we magnify thee; R. And we worship thy name for ever, world without end. V. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin; R. O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us. V. O Lord, let thy mercy be upon us; R. As our trust is in thee. V. O Lord, in thee have I trusted; R. Let me never be confounded.
The Officiant then says one or more of the following Collects
The Collect of the Day
Morning Prayer I 55
A Collect for Sundays
O God, who makest us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of thy Son our Lord: Grant us this day such blessing through our worship of thee, that the days to come may be spent in thy favor; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Fridays
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Saturdays
Almighty God, who after the creation of the world didst rest from all thy works and sanctify a day of rest for all thy creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of thy sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to thy people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, who dividest the day from the night and turnest the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep thy law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done thy will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night cometh, rejoice to give thee thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
56 Morning Prayer I
A Collect for Peace
O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom: Defend us, thy humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Grace
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that we, being ordered by thy governance, may do always what is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Guidance
O heavenly Father, in whom we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray thee so to guide and govern us by thy Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget thee, but may remember that we are ever walking in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then, unless the Eucharist or a form of general intercession is to follow, one of these prayers for mission is added
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of thy faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before thee for all members of thy holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
or the following
Morning Prayer I 57
O God, who hast made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and didst send thy blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after thee and find thee; bring the nations into thy fold; pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of thy kingdom; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
or this
Lord Jesus Christ, who didst stretch out thine arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of thy saving embrace: So clothe us in thy Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know thee to the knowledge and love of thee; for the honor of thy Name. Amen.
Here may be sung a hymn or anthem.
Authorized intercessions and thanksgivings may follow.
Before the close of the Office one or both of the following may be used
The General Thanksgiving
Officiant and People
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
58 Morning Prayer I
And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee; and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
Then may be said
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
From Easter Day through the Day of Pentecost “Alleluia, alleluia” may be added to the preceding versicle and response.
The Officiant may then conclude with one of the following
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.2 Corinthians 13:14
Morning Prayer I 59
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.Ephesians 3:20,21
The Officiant begins the service with one or more of the following sentences of Scripture, or of those on pages 37-40;
or with the Service of Light on pages 109-112, and continuing with the appointed Psalmody;
or with the versicle “O God, make speed to save us” on page 63.
Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him. Psalm 96:9
Thine is the day, O God, thine also the night; thou hast established the moon and the sun. Thou hast fixed all the boundaries of the earth; thou hast made summer and winter. Psalm 74:15,16
I will bless the Lord, who giveth me counsel; my heart teacheth me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall. Psalm 16:7,8
Evening Prayer I 61
Seek him that made the Pleiades and Orion, that turneth deep darkness into the morning, and darkeneth the day into night; that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his Name. Amos 5:8
If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night,” darkness is not dark to thee, O Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to thee are both alike. Psalm 139:10,11
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12
The following Confession of Sin may then be said; or the Office may continue at once with “O God make speed to save us.”
Confession of Sin
The Officiant says to the people
Dear friends in Christ, here in the presence of Almighty God, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, so that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
or this
Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Silence may be kept.
Officiant and People together, all kneeling
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts,
62 Evening Prayer I
we have offended against thy holy laws, we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, spare thou those who confess their faults, restore thou those who are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord; and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
The Priest alone stands and says
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen.
A deacon or lay person using the preceding form remains kneeling, and substitutes “us” for “you” and “our” for “your.”
The Invitatory and Psalter
All stand
Officiant
O God, make speed to save us.
People
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Officiant and People
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Except in Lent, Alleluia may be added.
Evening Prayer I 63
The following, or some other suitable hymn, or an Invitatory Psalm, may be sung or said
O Gracious LightPhos hilaron
O gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing thy praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Thou art worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified though all the worlds.
Then follows
The Psalm or Psalms Appointed
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Lessons
One or two lessons, as appointed, are read, the Reader first saying
A Reading (Lesson) from _______________.
A citation giving chapter and verse may be added.
64 Evening Prayer I
After each Lesson the Reader may say
The Word of the Lord.
People
Thanks be to God.
Or the Reader may say Here endeth the Lesson (Reading).
Silence may be kept after each Reading. One of the following Canticles, or one of those on pages 47-52, or 85-95, is sung or said after each Reading. If three Lessons are used, the Lesson from the Gospel is read after the second Canticle.
The Song of MaryMagnificat Luke 1:46-55
My soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me, * and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, * as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Evening Prayer I 65
The Song of SimeonNunc dimittis Luke 2:29-32
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, * according to thy word; For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, * which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, * and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Apostles’ Creed
Officiant and People together, all standing
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The text of the Creed on page 120 may be used instead.
66 Evening Prayer I
The Prayers
The People stand or kneel
Officiant
The Lord be with you.
People
And with thy spirit.
Officiant
Let us pray.
Officiant and People
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Then follows one of these sets of Suffrages
A
V. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us; R. And grant us thy salvation. V. Endue thy ministers with righteousness; R. And make thy chosen people joyful. V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world; R. For only in thee can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under thy care; R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Evening Prayer I 67
V. Let thy way be known upon earth; R. Thy saving health among all nations. V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. V. Create in us clean hearts, O God; R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
B
That this evening may be holy,good, and peaceful, We entreat thee, O Lord.
That thy holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat thee, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat thee, O Lord.
That there may be peace to thyChurch and to the whole world, We entreat thee, O Lord.
That we may depart this life in thy faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat thee, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by thy Holy Spirit in the communion of [___________ and] all thy saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat thee, O Lord.
The Officiant then says one or more of the following Collects
The Collect of the Day
68 Evening Prayer I
A Collect for Sundays
Lord God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ triumphed over the powers of death and prepared for us our place in the new Jerusalem: Grant that we, who have this day given thanks for his resurrection, may praise thee in that City of which he is the light; and where he liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Fridays
O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy death didst take away the sting of death: Grant unto us thy servants so to follow in faith where thou hast led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in thee, and awake up after thy likeness; for thy tender mercies’ sake. Amen.
A Collect for Saturdays
O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth thine unending day upon us who watch for thee, that our lips may praise thee, our lives may bless thee, and our worship on the morrow may give thee glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Peace
O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of all enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Evening Prayer I 69
A Collect for Aid against Perils
Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Collect for Protection
O God, who art the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank thee for the timely blessings of the day, and humbly beseech thy merciful protection all the night. Bring us, we pray thee, in safety to the morning hours; through him who died for us and rose again, thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Collect for the Presence of Christ
Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know thee as thou art revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of thy love. Amen.
Then, unless the Eucharist or a form of general intercession is to follow, one of these prayers for mission is added
O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship thee, all nations obey thee, all tongues confess and bless thee, and men and women every- where love thee and serve thee in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
or the following
70 Evening Prayer I
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give thine angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for thy love’s sake. Amen.
or this
O God, who dost manifest in thy servants the signs of thy presence: Send forth upon us the Spirit of love, that in companionship with one another thine abounding grace may increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here may be sung a hymn or anthem.
Authorized intercessions and thanksgivings may follow.
Before the close of the Office one or both of the following may be used
The General Thanksgiving
Officiant and People
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful;
Evening Prayer I 71
and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee; and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
Then may be said
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
From Easter Day through the Day of Pentecost “Alleluia, alleluia” may be added to the preceding versicle and response.
The Officiant may then conclude with one of the following
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14
72 Evening Prayer I
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
The Officiant begins the service with one or more of these sentences of Scripture, or with the versicle “Lord, open our lips” on page 80.
Advent
Watch , for you know not when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning; lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. Mark 13:35, 36
In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Isaiah 40:5
Christmas
Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy, which will come to all the people; for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10, 11
Behold, the dwelling of God is with mankind. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God. Revelation 21:3
Morning Prayer II 75
Epiphany
Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:3
I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. Isaiah 49:6b
From the rising of the sun to its setting my Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 1:11
Lent
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:8, 9
Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Joel 2:13
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
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
Jesus said, “If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34
Holy Week
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one
76 Morning Prayer II
to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which was brought upon me, whom the Lord hath afflicted. Lamentations 1:12
Easter Season, including Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost
Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
On this day the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Hebrews 9:24
You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
Trinity Sunday
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. Revelation 4:8
All Saints and other Major Saints’ Days
We give thanks to the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:12
Morning Prayer II 77
You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Ephesians 2:19
Their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:4
Occasions of Thanksgiving
O give thanks to the Lord, and call upon his Name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Psalm 105:1
At any Time
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
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
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Habakkuk 2:20
The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. John 4:23
Thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, “I dwell in the high and holy place and also with the one who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15
78 Morning Prayer II
The following Confession of Sin may then be said; or the Office may continue at once with “Lord, open our lips.”
Confession of Sin
The Officiant says to the people
Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father, to set forth his praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
or this
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
Officiant and People together, all kneeling
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.
Morning Prayer II 79
The Priest alone stands and says
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
A deacon or lay person using the preceding form remains kneeling, and substitutes “us” for “you” and “our” for “your.”
The Invitatory and Psalter
All stand
Officiant
Lord, open our lips.
People
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Officiant and People
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Except in Lent, add Alleluia.
Then follows one of the Invitatory Psalms, Venite or Jubilate.
One of the following Antiphons may be sung or said with the Invitatory Psalm
In Advent
Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him.
On the Twelve Days of Christmas
Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.
80 Morning Prayer II
From the Epiphany through the Baptism of Christ, and on the Feasts of the Transfiguration and Holy Cross
The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.
In Lent
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.
From Easter Day until the Ascension
Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed: Come let us adore him. Alleluia.
From Ascension Day until the Day of Pentecost
Alleluia. Christ the Lord has ascended into heaven: Come let us adore him. Alleluia.
On the Day of Pentecost
Alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord renews the face of the earth: Come let us adore him. Alleluia.
On Trinity Sunday
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God: Come let us adore him.
On other Sundays and weekdays
The earth is the Lord’s for he made it: Come let us adore him.
or this
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him.
or this
The mercy of the Lord is everlasting: Come let us adore him.
Morning Prayer II 81
The Alleluias in the following Antiphons are used only in Easter Season.
On Feasts of the Incarnation
[Alleluia.] The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us: Come, let us adore him. [Alleluia.]
On All Saints and other Major Saints’ Days
[Alleluia.] The Lord is glorious in his saints: Come, let us adore him. [Alleluia.]
VenitePsalm 95:1-7
Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!
or Psalm 95, page 724
JubilatePsalm 100
Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; * serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song.
82 Morning Prayer II
Know this: The Lord himself is God; * he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise; * give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; * and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
In Easter Week, in place of an Invitatory Psalm, the following is sung or said. It may also be used daily until the Day of Pentecost.
Alleluia. Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; * therefore let us keep the feast, Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, * but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.
Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; * death no longer has dominion over him. The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; * but the life he lives, he lives to God. So also consider yourselves dead to sin, * and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
Christ has been raised from the dead, * the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by a man came death, * by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, * so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.
Morning Prayer II 83
Then follows
The Psalm or Psalms Appointed
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Lessons
One or two lessons, as appointed, are read, the Reader first saying
A Reading (Lesson) from _______________.
A citation giving chapter and verse may be added.
After each Lesson the Reader may say
The Word of the Lord.
People
Thanks be to God.
Or the Reader may say Here ends the Lesson (Reading).
Silence may be kept after each Reading. One of the following Canticles, or one of those on pages 47-52 (Canticles 1-7), is sung or said after each Reading. If three Lessons are used, the Lesson from the Gospel is read after the second Canticle.
84 Morning Prayer II
8The Song of MosesCantemus Domino Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18
Especially suitable for use in Easter Season
I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; * the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my refuge; * the Lord has become my Savior. This is my God and I will praise him, * the God of my people and I will exalt him. The Lord is a mighty warrior; * Yahweh is his Name. The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea; * the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea. The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; * they sank into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; * your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy. Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? * who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in renown, and worker of wonders? You stretched forth your right hand; * the earth swallowed them up. With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; * with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling. You will bring them in and plant them * on the mount of your possession, The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, * the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established. The Lord shall reign * for ever and for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Morning Prayer II 85
9The First Song of IsaiahEcce, Deus Isaiah 12:2-6
Surely, it is God who saves me; * I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, * and he will be my Savior. Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing * from the springs of salvation. And on that day you shall say, * Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; Make his deeds known among the peoples; * see that they remember that his Name is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, * and this is known in all the world. Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, * for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
10The Second Song of IsaiahQuaerite Dominum Isaiah 55:6-11
Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; * call upon him when he draws near. Let the wicked forsake their ways * and the evil ones their thoughts; And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, * and to our God, for he will richly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, * nor your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, * so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
86 Morning Prayer II
For as rain and snow fall from the heavens * and return not again, but water the earth, Bringing forth life and giving growth, * seed for sowing and bread for eating, So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; * it will not return to me empty; But it will accomplish that which I have purposed, * and prosper in that for which I sent it.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
11The Third Song of IsaiahSurge, illuminare Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19
Arise, shine, for your light has come, * and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you. For behold, darkness covers the land; * deep gloom enshrouds the peoples. But over you the Lord will rise, * and his glory will appear upon you. Nations will stream to your light, * and kings to the brightness of your dawning. Your gates will always be open; * by day or night they will never be shut. They will call you, The City of the Lord, * The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Violence will no more be heard in your land, * ruin or destruction within your borders. You will call your walls, Salvation, * and all your portals, Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day; * by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.
Morning Prayer II 87
The Lord will be your everlasting light, * and your God will be your glory.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
12A Song of CreationBenedicite, omnia opera Domini Song of the Three Young Men, 35-65
One or more sections of this Canticle may be used. Whatever the selection, it begins with the Invocation and concludes with the Doxology.
Invocation
Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever. In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
I The Cosmic Order
Glorify the Lord, you angels and all powers of the Lord, * O heavens and all waters above the heavens. Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew, * all winds and fire and heat. Winter and Summer, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold, * drops of dew and flakes of snow. Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
88 Morning Prayer II
Glorify the Lord, O nights and days, * O shining light and enfolding dark. Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
II The Earth and its Creatures
Let the earth glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever. Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills, and all that grows upon the earth, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas, and streams, * O whales and all that move in the waters. All birds of the air, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild, * and all you flocks and herds. O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
III The People of God
Let the people of God glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever. Glorify the Lord, O priests and servants of the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O spirits and souls of the righteous, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever. You that are holy and humble of heart, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Morning Prayer II 89
Doxology
Let us glorify the Lord: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * praise him and highly exalt him for ever. In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
13A Song of PraiseBenedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34
Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you. Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; * on the throne of your majesty, glory to you. Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
Glory to you, beholding the depths; * in the high vault of heaven, glory to you. Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
14A Song of PenitenceKyrie Pantokrator Prayer of Manasseh 1-2, 4, 6-7, 11-15
Especially suitable in Lent, and on other penitential occasions
O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, * God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of all their righteous offspring: You made the heavens and the earth, * with all their vast array.
90 Morning Prayer II
All things quake with fear at your presence; * they tremble because of your power. But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; * it surpasses all that our minds can fathom. O Lord, you are full of compassion, * long-suffering, and abounding in mercy. You hold back your hand; * you do not punish as we deserve. In your great goodness, Lord, you have promised forgiveness to sinners, * that they may repent of their sin and be saved. And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, * and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, * and I know my wickedness only too well. Therefore I make this prayer to you: * Forgive me, Lord, forgive me. Do not let me perish in my sin, * nor condemn me to the depths of the earth. For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, * and in me you will show forth your goodness. Unworthy as I am, you will save me, in accordance with your great mercy, * and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life. For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, * and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen.
15The Song of MaryMagnificat Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
Morning Prayer II 91
From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
16The Song of ZechariahBenedictus Dominus Deus Luke 1: 68-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David. Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
92 Morning Prayer II
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
17The Song of SimeonNunc Dimittis Luke 2:29-32
Lord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
18A Song to the LambDignus es Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13
Splendor and honor and kingly power * are yours by right, O Lord our God, For you created everything that is, * and by your will they were created and have their being;
Morning Prayer II 93
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, * for with your blood you have redeemed for God, From every family, language, people, and nation, * a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, * and to Christ the Lamb, Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, * for ever and for evermore.
19The Song of the RedeemedMagna et mirabilia Revelation 15:3-4
O ruler of the universe, Lord God, great deeds are they that you have done, * surpassing human understanding. Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth, * O King of all the ages.
Who can fail to do you homage, Lord, and sing the praises of your Name? * for you only are the Holy One. All nations will draw near and fall down before you, * because your just and holy works have been revealed.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
20Glory to GodGloria in excelsis
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,
94 Morning Prayer II
we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
21You are GodTe Deum laudamus
You are God: we praise you; You are the Lord; we acclaim you; You are the eternal Father: All creation worships you. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you; Father, of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
Morning Prayer II 95
You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father. When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin’s womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory. We believe that you will come and be our judge. Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.
The Apostles’ Creed
Officiant and People together, all standing
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
96 Morning Prayer II
The Prayers
The People stand or kneel
Officiant
The Lord be with you.
People
And also with you.
Officiant
Let us pray.
Officiant and People
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
Then follows one of these sets of Suffrages
A
V. Show us your mercy, O Lord; R. And grant us your salvation. V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy. V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world; R. For only in you can we live in safety.
Morning Prayer II 97
V. Lord, keep this nation under your care; R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth. V. Let your way be known upon earth; R. Your saving health among all nations. V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. V. Create in us clean hearts, O God; R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
B
V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance; R. Govern and uphold them, now and always. V. Day by day we bless you; R. We praise your name for ever. V. Lord, keep us from all sin today; R. Have mercy upon us, Lord, have mercy. V. Lord, show us your love and mercy; R. For we put our trust in you. V. In you, Lord, is our hope; R. And we shall never hope in vain.
The Officiant then says one or more of the following Collects
The Collect of the Day
A Collect for Sundays
O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
98 Morning Prayer II
A Collect for Fridays
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Saturdays
Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Peace
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Morning Prayer II 99
A Collect for Grace
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Guidance
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then, unless the Eucharist or a form of general intercession is to follow, one of these prayers for mission is added
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
or this
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
or the following
100 Morning Prayer II
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
Here may be sung a hymn or anthem.
Authorized intercessions and thanksgivings may follow.
Before the close of the Office one or both of the following may be used
The General Thanksgiving
Officiant and People
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Morning Prayer II 101
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
Then may be said
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
From Easter Day through the Day of Pentecost “Alleluia, alleluia” may be added to the preceding versicle and response.
The Officiant may then conclude with one of the following
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.2 Corinthians 13:14
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.Ephesians 3:20,21
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Except in Lent, add Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be sung.
One or more of the following Psalms is sung or said. Other suitable selections include Psalms 19,67, one or more sections of Psalm 119, or a selection from Psalms 120 through 133.
Psalm 119Lucerna pedibus meis
105
Your word is a lantern to my feet * and a light upon my path.
106
I have sworn and am determined * to keep your righteous judgments.
Noonday 103
107
I am deeply troubled; * preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.
108
Accept, O LORD, the willing tribute of my lips, * and teach me your judgments.
109
My life is always in my hand, * yet I do not forget your law.
110
The wicked have set a trap for me, * but I have not strayed from your commandments.
111
Your decrees are my inheritance for ever; * truly, they are the joy of my heart.
112
I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes * for ever and to the end.
Psalm 121Levavi oculos
1
I lift up my eyes to the hills; * from where is my help to come?
2
My help comes from the LORD, * the maker of heaven and earth.
3
He will not let your foot be moved * and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
4
Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep;
5
The LORD himself watches over you; * the LORD is your shade at your right hand,
6
So that the sun shall not strike you by day, * nor the moon by night.
7
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; * it is he who shall keep you safe.
104 Noonday
8
The LORD shall watch over your going out and your coming in, * from this time forth for evermore.
Psalm 126In convertendo
1
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, * then were we like those who dream.
2
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, * and our tongue with shouts of joy.
3
Then they said among the nations, * “The LORD has done great things for them.”
4
The LORD has done great things for us, * and we are glad indeed.
5
Restore our fortunes, O LORD, * like the watercourses of the Negev.
6
Those who sowed with tears * will reap with songs of joy.
7
Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, * will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
One of the following, or some other suitable passage of Scripture, is read
The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:5
People
Thanks be to God.
or the following
Noonday 105
If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
People
Thanks be to God.
or this
From the rising of the sun to its setting my Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure offering; for my Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts. Malachi 1:11
People
Thanks be to God.
A meditation, silent or spoken, may follow.
The Officiant then begins the Prayers
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Officiant and People
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
106 Noonday
Officiant
Lord, hear our prayer;
People
And let our cry come to you.
Officiant
Let us pray.
The Officiant then says one of the following Collect. If desired, the Collect of the Day may be used.
Heavenly Father, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts, to direct and rule us according to your will, to comfort us in all our afflictions, to defend us from all error, and to lead us into all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessed Savior, at this hour you hung upon the cross, stretching out your loving arms: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may look to you and be saved; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.
Almighty Savior, who at noonday called your servant Saint Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles: We pray you to illumine the world with the radiance of your glory, that all nations may come and worship you; for you live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles, “Peace I give to you; my peace I leave with you:” Regard not our sins, but the faith of your Church, and give to us the peace and unity of that heavenly city, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, now and for ever. Amen.
