Jesus said, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Mark 8:34
Officiant O
Lord, open thou our lips.
People And
our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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
shew 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.
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.
To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your
hearts *
as in the provocation, and as in the day of
temptation in the wilderness;
When your fathers tempted me *
proved me, and
saw my works.
Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and
said *
It is a people that do err in their hearts, for they
have not known my ways;
Unto whom I sware in my wrath *
that they should
not enter into my rest.
Save me, O God *
for the waters are come in,
even unto my soul.
I stick fast in the deep mire, where no ground is *
I
am come into deep waters, so that the floods run over me.
I am weary of crying; my throat is dry *
my
sight faileth me for waiting so long upon my God.
They that hate me without a cause are more than the
hairs of my head *
they that are mine enemies, and would
destroy me guiltless, are mighty.
I paid them the things that I never took *
God,
thou knowest my simpleness, and my faults are not hid from thee.
Let not them that trust in thee, O Lord God of hosts, be
ashamed for my cause *
let not those that seek thee be
confounded through me, O Lord God of Israel.
And why? for thy sake have I suffered reproof *
shame
hath covered my face.
I am become a stranger unto my brethren *
even
an alien unto my mother’s children.
For the zeal of thine house hath even eaten me *
and
the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen upon me.
I wept, and chastened myself with fasting *
and
that was turned to my reproof.
I put on sackcloth also *
and they jested upon
me.
They that sit in the gate speak against me *
and
the drunkards make songs upon me.
But, Lord, I make my prayer unto thee *
in an
acceptable time.
Hear me, O God, in the multitude of thy mercy *
even
in the truth of thy salvation.
Take me out of the mire, that I sink not *
O let
me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
Let not the water-flood drown me, neither let the deep
swallow me up *
and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
Hear me, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is
comfortable *
turn thee unto me according to the multitude of
thy mercies.
And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in
trouble *
O haste thee, and hear me.
Draw nigh unto my soul, and save it *
O deliver
me, because of mine enemies.
Thou hast known my reproof, my shame, and my
dishonour *
mine adversaries are all in thy sight.
Thy rebuke hath broken my heart; I am full of
heaviness *
I looked for some to have pity on me, but there
was no man, neither found I any to comfort me.
They gave me gall to eat *
and when I was
thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink.
[Let their table be made a snare to take themselves
withal *
and let the things that should have been for their
wealth be unto them an occasion of falling.
Let their eyes be blinded, that they see not *
and
ever bow thou down their backs.
Pour out thine indignation upon them *
and let
thy wrathful displeasure take hold of them.
Let their habitation be void *
and no man to
dwell in their tents.
For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten *
and
they talk how they may vex them whom thou hast wounded.
Let them fall from one wickedness to another *
and
not come into thy righteousness.
Let them be wiped out of the book of the living *
and
not be written among the righteous.]
As for me, when I am poor and in heaviness *
thy
help, O God, shall lift me up.
I will praise the Name of God with a song *
and
magnify it with thanksgiving.
This also shall please the Lord *
better than a
bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
The humble shall consider this, and be glad *
seek
ye after God, and your soul shall live.
For the Lord heareth the poor *
and despiseth
not his prisoners.
Let heaven and earth praise him *
the sea, and
all that moveth therein.
For God will save Sion, and build the cities of
Judah *
that men may dwell there, and have it in possession.
The posterity also of his servants shall inherit
it *
and they that love his Name shall dwell therein.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah.
Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, look around and take note! Search its squares and see if you can find one person who acts justly and seeks truth— so that I may pardon Jerusalem. Although they say, “As the LORD lives,” yet they swear falsely. O LORD, do your eyes not look for truth? You have struck them, but they felt no anguish; you have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to turn back. Then I said, “These are only the poor, they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the LORD, the law of their God. Let me go to the rich and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the law of their God.” But they all alike had broken the yoke, they had burst the bonds. Therefore a lion from the forest shall kill them, a wolf from the desert shall destroy them. A leopard is watching against their cities; everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces— because their transgressions are many, their apostasies are great. How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and have sworn by those who are no gods. When I fed them to the full, they committed adultery and trooped to the houses of prostitutes. They were well-fed lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor’s wife. Shall I not punish them for these things? says the LORD; and shall I not bring retribution on a nation such as this?
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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.
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.
A Reading from the Letter to the Romans.
Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So, if those who are uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you that have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart—it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God.
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much, in every way. For in the first place the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written, “So that you may be justified in your words, and prevail in your judging.” But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), “Let us do evil so that good may come”? Their condemnation is deserved! What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, as it is written: “There is no one who is righteous, not even one; there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one.” “Their throats are opened graves; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of vipers is under their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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;
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.
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.
Officiant The
Lord be with you.
People And
with thy spirit.
Officiant Let
us pray.
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.
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 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.
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from thy ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of thy Word, Jesus Christ thy Son; who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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.
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.
Let us pray now for our own needs and those of others.
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;
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.
Let us bless the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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