All
Souls’
Thursday
Morning Prayer
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Habakkuk 2:20
Lord, open our lips.
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!
Glory
be to the Father and to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
As it
was in the beginning, is now,
And will be forever. Amen.
50
1
The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken; *
he has called the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion,
perfect in its beauty, *
God reveals himself in glory.
3
Our God will come and will not keep silence; *
before him there is
a consuming flame,
and round about him a raging storm.
4 He
calls the heavens and the earth from above *
to witness the
judgment of his people.
5 "Gather before me my loyal
followers, *
those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it
with sacrifice."
6 Let the heavens declare the rightness
of his cause; *
for God himself is judge.
7 Hear, O my
people, and I will speak:
"O Israel, I will bear witness
against you; *
for I am God, your God.
8 I do not accuse
you because of your sacrifices; *
your offerings are always before
me.
9 I will take no bull-calf from your stalls, *
nor
he-goats out of your pens;
10 For all the beasts of the forest
are mine, *
the herds in their thousands upon the hills.
11 I know every bird in the sky, *
and the creatures of the
fields are in my sight.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell
you, *
for the whole world is mine and all that is in it.
13
Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, *
or drink the blood of
goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and
make good your vows to the Most High.
15 Call upon me in the
day of trouble; *
I will deliver you, and you shall honor me."
16
But to the wicked God says: *
"Why do you recite my
statutes,
and take my covenant upon your lips;
17 Since you
refuse discipline, *
and toss my words behind your back?
18
When you see a thief, you make him your friend, *
and you cast in
your lot with adulterers.
19 You have loosed your lips for
evil, *
and harnessed your tongue to a lie.
20 You are
always speaking evil of your brother *
and slandering your own
mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I kept still,
*
and you thought that I am like you."
22 "I have
made my accusation; *
I have put my case in order before your
eyes.
23 Consider this well, you who forget God, *
lest I
rend you and there be none to deliver you.
24 Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me;
*
but to those who keep in my way will I show the salvation of
God."
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 words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. They replied, ‘The survivors there in the province who escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.’
When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. I said, ‘O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name.” They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!’
At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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.
Reading
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding
the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered
myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full
voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to
receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honour and glory
and blessing!’
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on
earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them,
singing,
‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be
blessing and honour and glory and might
for ever and ever!’
And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the
elders fell down and worshipped.
Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, ‘Come!’* I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.
When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, ‘Come!’* And out came* another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword.
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, ‘Come!’* I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand, and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s pay,* and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay,* but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!’
When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, ‘Come!’* I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, ‘Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?’ They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow-servants* and of their brothers and sisters,* who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks
be to God.
Canticle 20 Glory to God
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
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.
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.
The
Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
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.
Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
Collect of the Day: All Souls’
O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen
A Collect for the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, who 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 while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Mission
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.
General Thanksgiving
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