Morning Prayer

Lent
Jesus said, 'If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.' Mark 8:34

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

Venite
The Antiphon:

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

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.

The Lessons

Psalm 95

⁽¹⁾ Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. ⁽²⁾ Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. ⁽³⁾ For the LORD is the great God, And the great King above all gods. ⁽⁴⁾ In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also.

⁽⁵⁾ The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land. ⁽⁶⁾ Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. ⁽⁷⁾ For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: ⁽⁸⁾ Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,

⁽⁹⁾ When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work. ⁽¹⁰⁾ For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, 'It is a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.' ⁽¹¹⁾ So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.' '

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 22

⁽¹⁾ My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? ⁽²⁾ O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. ⁽³⁾ But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. ⁽⁴⁾ Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them.

⁽⁵⁾ They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. ⁽⁶⁾ But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. ⁽⁷⁾ All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ⁽⁸⁾ He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!'

⁽⁹⁾ But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts. ⁽¹⁰⁾ I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God. ⁽¹¹⁾ Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help. ⁽¹²⁾ Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.

⁽¹³⁾ They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion. ⁽¹⁴⁾ I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. ⁽¹⁵⁾ My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. ⁽¹⁶⁾ For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;

⁽¹⁷⁾ I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. ⁽¹⁸⁾ They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. ⁽¹⁹⁾ But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! ⁽²⁰⁾ Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog.

⁽²¹⁾ Save Me from the lion's mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me. ⁽²²⁾ I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. ⁽²³⁾ You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! ⁽²⁴⁾ For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard.

⁽²⁵⁾ My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. ⁽²⁶⁾ The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever! ⁽²⁷⁾ All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. ⁽²⁸⁾ For the kingdom is the LORD's, And He rules over the nations.

⁽²⁹⁾ All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive. ⁽³⁰⁾ A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, ⁽³¹⁾ They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.

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.

Jeremiah Chapter 29

⁽¹⁾ Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were carried away captive -- to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. ⁽⁴⁾ Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁽⁵⁾ Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. ⁽⁶⁾ Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters -- that you may be increased there, and not diminished. ⁽⁷⁾ And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

⁽⁸⁾ For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. ⁽⁹⁾ For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the LORD. ⁽¹⁰⁾ For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. ⁽¹¹⁾ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

⁽¹²⁾ Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ⁽¹³⁾ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Romans Chapter 11

⁽¹³⁾ For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ⁽¹⁴⁾ if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. ⁽¹⁵⁾ For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? ⁽¹⁶⁾ For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

⁽¹⁷⁾ And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, ⁽¹⁸⁾ do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. ⁽¹⁹⁾ You will say then, 'Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.' ⁽²⁰⁾ Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.

⁽²¹⁾ For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. ⁽²²⁾ Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. ⁽²³⁾ And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ⁽²⁴⁾ For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John Chapter 11

⁽¹⁾ Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ⁽²⁾ It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. ⁽³⁾ Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, 'Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.' ⁽⁴⁾ When Jesus heard that, He said, 'This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.'

⁽⁵⁾ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁽⁶⁾ So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. ⁽⁷⁾ Then after this He said to the disciples, 'Let us go to Judea again.' ⁽⁸⁾ The disciples said to Him, 'Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?'

⁽⁹⁾ Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ⁽¹⁰⁾ But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.' ⁽¹¹⁾ These things He said, and after that He said to them, 'Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.' ⁽¹²⁾ Then His disciples said, 'Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.'

⁽¹³⁾ However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. ⁽¹⁴⁾ Then Jesus said to them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead. ⁽¹⁵⁾ And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.' ⁽¹⁶⁾ Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with Him.'

⁽¹⁷⁾ So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. ⁽¹⁹⁾ And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. ⁽²⁰⁾ Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

⁽²¹⁾ Then Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ⁽²²⁾ But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.' ⁽²³⁾ Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' ⁽²⁴⁾ Martha said to Him, 'I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'

⁽²⁵⁾ Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ⁽²⁶⁾ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?' ⁽²⁷⁾ She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.'

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.


A Song of Penitence Prayer of Manasseh 1 to 2, 4, 6 to 7, 11 to 15
O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven,
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and of all their righteous offspring:
You made the heavens and the earth,
with all their vast array.
All things quake with fear at your presence;
they tremble because of your power.
But your merciful promise is beyond all measure;
it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.
O Lord, you are full of compassion,
long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.
You hold back your hand;
you do not punish as we deserve.
In your great goodness, Lord,
you have promised forgiveness to sinners,
that they may repent of their sin and be saved.
And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart,
and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.
I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned,
and I know my wickedness only too well.
Therefore I make this prayer to you:
Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.
Do not let me perish in my sin,
nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.
For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent,
and in me you will show forth your goodness.
Unworthy as I am, you will save me,
in accordance with your great mercy,
and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.
For all the powers of heaven sing your praises,
and yours is the glory to ages of ages. 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   Traditional
Suffrages A

Seasonal Collect:  Fifth Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, 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. When you lack the words


Closing Prayers   Thanksgiving

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