The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.
John 4:23
Officiant Lord,
open our lips.
People And
our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
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.
Alleluia.
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!
Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the
wicked, *
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the
seats of the scornful!
Their delight is in the law of the LORD, *
and they
meditate on his law day and night.
They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing
fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; *
everything
they do shall prosper.
It is not so with the wicked; *
they are like chaff
which the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when
judgment comes, *
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, *
but
the way of the wicked is doomed.
Why are the nations in an uproar? *
Why do the
peoples mutter empty threats?
Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt,
and
the princes plot together, *
against the LORD and against his
Anointed?
“Let us break their yoke,” they say; *
“let
us cast off their bonds from us.”
He whose throne is in heaven is laughing; *
the Lord
has them in derision.
Then he speaks to them in his wrath, *
and his rage
fills them with terror.
“I myself have set my king *
upon my holy hill
of Zion.”
Let me announce the decree of the LORD: *
he said to
me, “You are my Son;
this day have I begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your
inheritance *
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall crush them with an iron rod *
and shatter
them like a piece of pottery.”
And now, you kings, be wise; *
be warned, you rulers
of the earth.
Submit to the LORD with fear, *
and with trembling
bow before him;
Lest he be angry and you perish; *
for his wrath is
quickly kindled.
Happy are they all *
who take refuge in him!
LORD, how many adversaries I have! *
how many there
are who rise up against me!
How many there are who say of me, *
“There is
no help for him in his God.”
But you, O LORD, are a shield about me; *
you are my
glory, the one who lifts up my head.
I call aloud upon the LORD, *
and he answers me from
his holy hill;
I lie down and go to sleep; *
I wake again, because
the LORD sustains me.
I do not fear the multitudes of people *
who set
themselves against me all around.
Rise up, O LORD; set me free, O my God; *
surely, you
will strike all my enemies across the face,
you will break the
teeth of the wicked.
Deliverance belongs to the LORD. *
Your blessing be
upon your 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.
A Reading from the Book of Proverbs.
My child, do not despise
the LORD’s discipline
or be weary of his
reproof,
for the LORD reproves the one he loves,
as a
father the son in whom he delights.
Happy are those who find
wisdom,
and those who get understanding,
for her income is better than silver,
and her
revenue better than gold.
She is more precious than
jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with
her.
Long life is in her right hand;
in her
left hand are riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of
pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who
hold her fast are called happy.
The LORD by wisdom
founded the earth;
by understanding he
established the heavens;
by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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 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.
A Reading from the Gospel According to Matthew.
Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities. When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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.
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.
Officiant The
Lord be with you.
People And
also with you.
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. 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.
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.
Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep us, we pray, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with free hearts those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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.
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.
Let us pray now for our own needs and those of others.
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.
Let us bless the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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