Morning Prayer - February 28, 2025

Today's Readings

Psalm 140:1-13

Psalm 142:1-7

Ruth 3:1-8

2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Matthew 5:38-48

Epiphany
From the rising of the sun to its setting my Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 1:11

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 Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.

The Lessons

Psalm 140

⁽¹⁾ Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men,⁽²⁾ Who plan evil things in their hearts; They continually gather together for war.⁽³⁾ They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; The poison of asps is under their lips. Selah⁽⁴⁾ Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from violent men, Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.

⁽⁵⁾ The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set traps for me. Selah⁽⁶⁾ I said to the LORD: 'You are my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.⁽⁷⁾ O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.⁽⁸⁾ Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; Do not further his wicked scheme, Lest they be exalted. Selah

⁽⁹⁾ As for the head of those who surround me, Let the evil of their lips cover them;⁽¹⁰⁾ Let burning coals fall upon them; Let them be cast into the fire, Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.⁽¹¹⁾ Let not a slanderer be established in the earth; Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.'⁽¹²⁾ I know that the LORD will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor.

⁽¹³⁾ Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.

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.

Psalm 142

⁽¹⁾ I cry out to the LORD with my voice; With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication.⁽²⁾ I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble.⁽³⁾ When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me.⁽⁴⁾ Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul.

⁽⁵⁾ I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, 'You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.⁽⁶⁾ Attend to my cry, For I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than I.⁽⁷⁾ Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with 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.

Ruth Chapter 3

⁽¹⁾ Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, 'My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?⁽²⁾ Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.⁽³⁾ Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.⁽⁴⁾ Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.'

⁽⁵⁾ And she said to her, 'All that you say to me I will do.'⁽⁶⁾ So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her.⁽⁷⁾ And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.⁽⁸⁾ Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

2 Corinthians Chapter 4

⁽¹⁾ Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.⁽²⁾ But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.⁽³⁾ But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,⁽⁴⁾ whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

⁽⁵⁾ For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.⁽⁶⁾ For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.⁽⁷⁾ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.⁽⁸⁾ We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

⁽⁹⁾ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed --⁽¹⁰⁾ always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.⁽¹¹⁾ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.⁽¹²⁾ So then death is working in us, but life in you.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Matthew Chapter 5

⁽³⁸⁾ You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'⁽³⁹⁾ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.⁽⁴⁰⁾ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.⁽⁴¹⁾ And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

⁽⁴²⁾ Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.⁽⁴³⁾ You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'⁽⁴⁴⁾ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,⁽⁴⁵⁾ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

⁽⁴⁶⁾ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?⁽⁴⁷⁾ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?⁽⁴⁸⁾ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The Second Song of Isaiah Isaiah 55:6 to 11

Seek the Lord while he wills to be found;
call upon him when he draws near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the evil ones their thoughts;
And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion,
and to our God, for he will richly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as rain and snow fall from the heavens
and return not again, but water the earth,
Bringing forth life and giving growth,
seed for sowing and bread for eating,
So is my word that goes forth from my mouth;
it will not return to me empty;
But it will accomplish that which I have purposed,
and prosper in that for which I sent it.
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.

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: Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission: 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.

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

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13