Morning Prayer

Lent
To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, because we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws which he set before us. Daniel 9:9, 10

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 102

⁽¹⁾ Hear my prayer, O LORD, And let my cry come to You. ⁽²⁾ Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline Your ear to me; In the day that I call, answer me speedily. ⁽³⁾ For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth. ⁽⁴⁾ My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread.

⁽⁵⁾ Because of the sound of my groaning My bones cling to my skin. ⁽⁶⁾ I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert. ⁽⁷⁾ I lie awake, And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop. ⁽⁸⁾ My enemies reproach me all day long, Those who deride me swear an oath against me.

⁽⁹⁾ For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping, ⁽¹⁰⁾ Because of Your indignation and Your wrath; For You have lifted me up and cast me away. ⁽¹¹⁾ My days are like a shadow that lengthens, And I wither away like grass. ⁽¹²⁾ But You, O LORD, shall endure forever, And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.

⁽¹³⁾ You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come. ⁽¹⁴⁾ For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And show favor to her dust. ⁽¹⁵⁾ So the nations shall fear the name of the LORD, And all the kings of the earth Your glory. ⁽¹⁶⁾ For the LORD shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory.

⁽¹⁷⁾ He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer. ⁽¹⁸⁾ This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. ⁽¹⁹⁾ For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the LORD viewed the earth, ⁽²⁰⁾ To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To release those appointed to death,

⁽²¹⁾ To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem, ⁽²²⁾ When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD. ⁽²³⁾ He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days. ⁽²⁴⁾ I said, 'O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations.

⁽²⁵⁾ Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. ⁽²⁶⁾ They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed. ⁽²⁷⁾ But You are the same, And Your years will have no end. ⁽²⁸⁾ The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You.'

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.

Exodus Chapter 2

⁽¹⁾ And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. ⁽²⁾ So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. ⁽³⁾ But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank. ⁽⁴⁾ And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.

⁽⁵⁾ Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. ⁽⁶⁾ And when she had opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, 'This is one of the Hebrews' children.' ⁽⁷⁾ Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, 'Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?' ⁽⁸⁾ And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, 'Go.' So the maiden went and called the child's mother.

⁽⁹⁾ Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, 'Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.' So the woman took the child and nursed him. ⁽¹⁰⁾ And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, 'Because I drew him out of the water.' ⁽¹¹⁾ Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. ⁽¹²⁾ So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

⁽¹³⁾ And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, 'Why are you striking your companion?' ⁽¹⁴⁾ Then he said, 'Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?' So Moses feared and said, 'Surely this thing is known!' ⁽¹⁵⁾ When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. ⁽¹⁶⁾ Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

⁽¹⁷⁾ Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. ⁽¹⁸⁾ When they came to Reuel their father, he said, 'How is it that you have come so soon today?' ⁽¹⁹⁾ And they said, 'An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.' ⁽²⁰⁾ So he said to his daughters, 'And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.'

⁽²¹⁾ Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. ⁽²²⁾ And she bore him a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, 'I have been a stranger in a foreign land.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

1 Corinthians Chapter 12

⁽²⁷⁾ Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. ⁽²⁸⁾ And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. ⁽²⁹⁾ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ⁽³⁰⁾ Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

⁽¹⁾ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ⁽²⁾ And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ⁽³⁾ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Mark Chapter 9

⁽²⁾ Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. ⁽³⁾ His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. ⁽⁴⁾ And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁽⁵⁾ Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah' --

⁽⁶⁾ because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. ⁽⁷⁾ And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!' ⁽⁸⁾ Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. ⁽⁹⁾ Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

⁽¹⁰⁾ So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. ⁽¹¹⁾ And they asked Him, saying, 'Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?' ⁽¹²⁾ Then He answered and told them, 'Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? ⁽¹³⁾ But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.'

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:  Fourth Sunday in Lent
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; 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