Morning Prayer

SS. Peter and Paul -  Thursday, December 4, 2025
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Today's Readings

Psalm 66:1-20
Ezekiel 2:1-7
Acts 11:1-18
--Today is the Holy Day of Saints Peter & Paul--

Saint and Major Saints' Days

Their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:4

Confession of Sin

Most merciful God,
I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen


The Invitatory and Psalter
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 forever. Amen   Alleluia


Venite
ⓘ   'Venite' is Latin for 'O Come,' the opening word of Psalm 95: Venite exultemus Domino ('O Come, let us sing to the LORD').
Psalm 95:1 to 7
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!

The Antiphon:
ⓘ   A short, reflective sentence recited alongside a psalm to deepen our understanding of the readings.

The Lessons

Psalm 66

(1) Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! (2) Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious. (3) Say to God, 'How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. (4) All the earth shall worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.' Selah

(5) Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. (6) He turned the sea into dry land; They went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him. (7) He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah (8) Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard,

(9) Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved. (10) For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. (11) You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. (12) You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

(13) I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, (14) Which my lips have uttered And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble. (15) I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals, With the sweet aroma of rams; I will offer bulls with goats. Selah (16) Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul.

(17) I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue. (18) If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. (19) But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. (20) Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!

Glory 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.

Ezekiel Chapter 2

(1) And He said to me, 'Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.' (2) Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me. (3) And He said to me: 'Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. (4) For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.'

(5) As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse -- for they are a rebellious house -- yet they will know that a prophet has been among them. (6) And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. (7) You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Acts Chapter 11

(1) Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. (2) And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, (3) saying, 'You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!' (4) But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:

(5) I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. (6) When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. (7) And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' (8) But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.'

(9) But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.' (10) Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. (11) At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. (12) Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.

(13) And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, 'Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, (14) who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.' (15) And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. (16) Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

(17) If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?' (18) When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, 'Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.'

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.



The Apostles' Creed
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 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 Prayers


The Lord's Prayer   
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,
  forever and ever. Amen.

Suffrages
ⓘ   A simple prayer to God for help, mercy, or intercession, rooted in the Latin word for support.
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 by your Holy Spirit.


Seasonal Collect:
  


Holy Day Collect:   Saint Peter and Saint Paul June 29
Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdom: Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer 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.


Personal Prayers and Reflection

This is a time to pause, consider and listen. Pray for yourself and others.



Closing Prayers   

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 ourselves 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.

Conclude with the following
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

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