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.
Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *
serve the
Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
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.
I will exalt you, O LORD,
because you have lifted me
up *
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
O LORD my God, I cried out to you, *
and you restored
me to health.
You brought me up, O LORD, from the dead; *
you
restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
Sing to the LORD, you servants of his; *
give thanks
for the remembrance of his holiness.
For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *
his
favor for a lifetime.
Weeping may spend the night, *
but joy comes in the
morning.
While I felt secure, I said,
“I shall never be
disturbed. *
You, LORD, with your favor, made me as strong as the
mountains.”
Then you hid your face, *
and I was filled with fear.
I cried to you, O LORD; *
I pleaded with the Lord,
saying,
“What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to
the Pit? *
will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me; *
O LORD, be my
helper.”
You have turned my wailing into dancing; *
you have
put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.
Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *
O
LORD my God, I will give you thanks for ever.
Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *
and
whose sin is put away!
Happy are they to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, *
and
in whose spirit there is no guile!
While I held my tongue, my bones withered away,
*
because of my groaning all day long.
For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *
my
moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *
and did not
conceal my guilt.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the
LORD.” *
Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to
you in time of trouble; *
when the great waters overflow, they
shall not reach them.
You are my hiding-place;
you preserve me from
trouble; *
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way that
you should go; *
I will guide you with my eye.
Do not be like horse or mule, which have no
understanding; *
who must be fitted with bit and bridle,
or
else they will not stay near you.”
Great are the tribulations of the wicked; *
but mercy
embraces those who trust in the LORD.
Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; *
shout
for joy, all who are true of heart.
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 Job.
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered: “Can a mortal be of use to God? Can even the wisest be of service to him? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless? Is it for your piety that he reproves you, and enters into judgment with you?
“Agree with God, and be at peace; in this way good will come to you. Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored, if you remove unrighteousness from your tents, if you treat gold like dust, and gold of Ophir like the stones of the torrent-bed, and if the Almighty is your gold and your precious silver, then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God. You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows. You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. When others are humiliated, you say it is pride; for he saves the humble. He will deliver even those who are guilty; they will escape because of the cleanness of your hands.”
Then Job answered: “Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling! I would lay my case before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn what he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me. Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; but he would give heed to me. There an upright person could reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A Reading from the Gospel According to John.
“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
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. 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.
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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.
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.
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.
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20,21