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
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!
Give ear to my words, O LORD; *
consider my
meditation.
Hearken to my cry for help, my King and my God, *
for
I make my prayer to you.
In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; *
early in
the morning I make my appeal and watch for you.
For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
*
and evil cannot dwell with you.
Braggarts cannot stand in your sight; *
you hate all
those who work wickedness.
You destroy those who speak lies; *
the bloodthirsty
and deceitful, O LORD, you abhor.
But as for me, through the greatness of your mercy I
will go into your house; *
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in awe of you.
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness,
because of
those who lie in wait for me; *
make your way straight before me.
For there is no truth in their mouth; *
there is
destruction in their heart;
Their throat is an open grave; *
they flatter with
their tongue.
Declare them guilty, O God; *
let them fall, because
of their schemes.
Because of their many transgressions cast them out,
*
for they have rebelled against you.
But all who take refuge in you will be glad; *
they
will sing out their joy for ever.
You will shelter them, *
so that those who love your
Name may exult in you.
For you, O LORD, will bless the righteous; *
you will
defend them with your favor as with a shield.
LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger; *
do not punish
me in your wrath.
Have pity on me, LORD, for I am weak; *
heal me,
LORD, for my bones are racked.
My spirit shakes with terror; *
how long, O LORD, how
long?
Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; *
save me for your
mercy’s sake.
For in death no one remembers you; *
and who will
give you thanks in the grave?
I grow weary because of my groaning; *
every night I
drench my bed
and flood my couch with tears.
My eyes are wasted with grief *
and worn away because
of all my enemies.
Depart from me, all evildoers, *
for the LORD has
heard the sound of my weeping.
The LORD has heard my supplication; *
the LORD
accepts my prayer.
All my enemies shall be confounded and quake with fear;
*
they shall turn back and suddenly be put to shame.
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.
Listen, children, to a
father’s instruction,
and be attentive,
that you may gain insight;
for I give you good precepts:
do
not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my
father,
tender, and my mother’s favourite,
he taught me, and said to me,
‘Let your heart hold fast
my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away
from
the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will keep
you;
love her, and she will guard you.
The
beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and
whatever else you get, get insight.
Prize her highly, and she
will exalt you;
she will honour you if you
embrace her.
She will place on your head a fair garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.’
Hear, my child, and
accept my words,
that the years of your life may
be many.
I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I
have led you in the paths of uprightness.
When you walk, your
step will not be hampered;
and if you run, you
will not stumble.
Keep hold of instruction; do not
let go;
guard her, for she is your life.
Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not
walk in the way of evildoers.
Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn
away from it and pass on.
For they cannot sleep unless they have
done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they
have made someone stumble.
For they eat the bread of
wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which
shines brighter and brighter until full day.
The way of the
wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know
what they stumble over.
My child, be attentive to my
words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
Do
not let them escape from your sight;
keep
them within your heart.
For they are life to those who
find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for
from it flow the springs of life.
Put away from you crooked
speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
Let your eyes look directly forwards,
and
your gaze be straight before you.
Keep straight the path of
your feet,
and all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away
from evil.
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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.
A Reading from the Gospel According to Matthew.
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John came; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. Let anyone with ears listen!
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,
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. 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 on 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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