Saturday –
Year 1 Proper 20
Morning Prayer
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
Versicle and Response
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.
Jubilate
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.
87
1 On the holy mountain stands the city he has founded; *
the
Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of
Jacob.
2 Glorious things are spoken of you, *
O city of our
God.
3 I count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me;
*
behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia:
in Zion were they
born.
4 Of Zion it shall be said, "Everyone was born in
her, *
and the Most High himself shall sustain her."
5
The Lord will record as he enrolls the peoples, *
"These also
were born there."
6
The singers and the dancers will say, *
"All my fresh springs
are in you."
90
1 Lord, you have been our refuge *
from one generation to
another.
2 Before the
mountains were brought forth,
or the land and the earth were born,
*
from age to age you are God.
3 You turn us back to the
dust and say, *
"Go back, O child of earth."
4
For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past
*
and like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep us away like a
dream; *
we fade away suddenly like the grass.
6 In the
morning it is green and flourishes; *
in the evening it is dried
up and withered.
7 For we consume away in your displeasure;
*
we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.
8 Our
iniquities you have set before you, *
and our secret sins in the
light of your countenance.
9 When you are angry, all our days
are gone; *
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10
The span of our life is seventy years,
perhaps in strength even
eighty; *
yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow,
for they
pass away quickly and we are gone.
11 Who regards the power of
your wrath? *
who rightly fears your indignation?
12 So
teach us to number our days *
that we may apply our hearts to
wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry? *
be
gracious to your servants.
14 Satisfy us by your
loving-kindness in the morning; *
so shall we rejoice and be glad
all the days of our life.
15 Make us glad by the measure of
the days that you afflicted us *
and the years in which we
suffered adversity.
16 Show your servants your works *
and
your splendor to their children.
17 May the graciousness of
the Lord our God be upon us; *
prosper the work of our
hands;
prosper our handiwork.
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.
Now when Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead, she set about to destroy all the royal family. But Jehosheba, King Joram’s daughter, Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s children who were about to be killed; she put* him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus she* hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not killed; he remained with her for six years, hidden in the house of the Lord, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
But in the seventh year Jehoiada summoned the captains of the Carites and of the guards and had them come to him in the house of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the Lord; then he showed them the king’s son. He commanded them, ‘This is what you are to do: one-third of you, those who go off duty on the sabbath and guard the king’s house (another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards), shall guard the palace; and your two divisions that come on duty in force on the sabbath and guard the house of the Lord * shall surround the king, each with weapons in hand; and whoever approaches the ranks is to be killed. Be with the king in his comings and goings.’
The captains did according to all that the priest Jehoiada commanded; each brought his men who were to go off duty on the sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the sabbath, and came to the priest Jehoiada. The priest delivered to the captains the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the Lord; the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house, to guard the king on every side. Then he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant;* they proclaimed him king, and anointed him; they clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’
When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she went into the house of the Lord to the people; when she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar, according to custom, with the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, ‘Treason! Treason!’ Then the priest Jehoiada commanded the captains who were set over the army, ‘Bring her out between the ranks, and kill with the sword anyone who follows her.’ For the priest said, ‘Let her not be killed in the house of the Lord.’ So they laid hands on her; she went through the horses’ entrance to the king’s house, and there she was put to death.
Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, that they should be the Lord’s people; also between the king and the people. Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars. The priest posted guards over the house of the Lord. He took the captains, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land; then they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, marching through the gate of the guards to the king’s house. He took his seat on the throne of the kings. So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword at the king’s house.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Canticle 12 A Song of Creation
Invocation
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.
I The Cosmic Order
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.
II The Earth and its Creatures
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.
III The People of God
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.
Doxology
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.
To the married I give this command—not I but the Lord—that the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.
To the rest I say—I and not the Lord—that if any believer* has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. And if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. It is to peace that God has called you.* Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife.
However that may be, let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but obeying the commandments of God is everything. Let each of you remain in the condition in which you were called.
Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. Even if you can gain your freedom, make use of your present condition now more than ever.* For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed person belonging to the Lord, just as whoever was free when called is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of human masters. In whatever condition you were called, brothers and sisters,* there remain with God.
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.
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.
Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
Govern and uphold them, now and always.
Day by day we bless you;
We praise your name for ever.
Lord, keep us from all sin today;
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope;
And we shall never hope in vain.
Collect of the Day: Pentecost, proper 20
Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things which are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Saturdays
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.
For Mission
O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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