Morning Prayer

Lent
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' Luke 15:18, 19

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 88

⁽¹⁾ O LORD, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You. ⁽²⁾ Let my prayer come before You; Incline Your ear to my cry. ⁽³⁾ For my soul is full of troubles, And my life draws near to the grave. ⁽⁴⁾ I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength,

⁽⁵⁾ Adrift among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom You remember no more, And who are cut off from Your hand. ⁽⁶⁾ You have laid me in the lowest pit, In darkness, in the depths. ⁽⁷⁾ Your wrath lies heavy upon me, And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah ⁽⁸⁾ You have put away my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an abomination to them; I am shut up, and I cannot get out;

⁽⁹⁾ My eye wastes away because of affliction. LORD, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You. ⁽¹⁰⁾ Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You? Selah ⁽¹¹⁾ Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? ⁽¹²⁾ Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

⁽¹³⁾ But to You I have cried out, O LORD, And in the morning my prayer comes before You. ⁽¹⁴⁾ LORD, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? ⁽¹⁵⁾ I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. ⁽¹⁶⁾ Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off.

⁽¹⁷⁾ They came around me all day long like water; They engulfed me altogether. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Loved one and friend You have put far from me, And my acquaintances into darkness.

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.

Genesis Chapter 47

⁽¹⁾ Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, 'My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen.' ⁽²⁾ And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. ⁽³⁾ Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, 'What is your occupation?' And they said to Pharaoh, 'Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.' ⁽⁴⁾ And they said to Pharaoh, 'We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.'

⁽⁵⁾ Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, 'Your father and your brothers have come to you. ⁽⁶⁾ The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.' ⁽⁷⁾ Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. ⁽⁸⁾ Pharaoh said to Jacob, 'How old are you?'

⁽⁹⁾ And Jacob said to Pharaoh, 'The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.' ⁽¹⁰⁾ So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. ⁽¹¹⁾ And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. ⁽¹²⁾ Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with bread, according to the number in their families.

⁽¹³⁾ Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. ⁽¹⁴⁾ And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. ⁽¹⁵⁾ So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, 'Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.' ⁽¹⁶⁾ Then Joseph said, 'Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone.'

⁽¹⁷⁾ So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys. Thus he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year. ⁽¹⁸⁾ When that year had ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, 'We will not hide from my lord that our money is gone; my lord also has our herds of livestock. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. ⁽¹⁹⁾ Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.' ⁽²⁰⁾ Then Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh's.

⁽²¹⁾ And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end. ⁽²²⁾ Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had rations allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their rations which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their lands. ⁽²³⁾ Then Joseph said to the people, 'Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. ⁽²⁴⁾ And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.'

⁽²⁵⁾ So they said, 'You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.' ⁽²⁶⁾ And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh's.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

1 Corinthians Chapter 9

⁽¹⁶⁾ For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! ⁽¹⁷⁾ For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. ⁽¹⁸⁾ What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. ⁽¹⁹⁾ For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;

⁽²⁰⁾ and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; ⁽²¹⁾ to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; ⁽²²⁾ to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. ⁽²³⁾ Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

⁽²⁴⁾ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. ⁽²⁵⁾ And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. ⁽²⁶⁾ Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. ⁽²⁷⁾ But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Mark Chapter 6

⁽⁴⁷⁾ Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. ⁽⁴⁸⁾ Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. ⁽⁴⁹⁾ And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; ⁽⁵⁰⁾ for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, 'Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.'

⁽⁵¹⁾ Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. ⁽⁵²⁾ For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. ⁽⁵³⁾ When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. ⁽⁵⁴⁾ And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him,

⁽⁵⁵⁾ ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. ⁽⁵⁶⁾ Wherever He entered into villages, cities, or in the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

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:  Third Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. 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