Morning Prayer - February 25, 2024

Today's Readings

Psalm 146:1-10

Psalm 147:1-20

Proverbs 9:1-12

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Mark 10:46-52

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 146

⁽¹⁾ Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!⁽²⁾ While I live I will praise the LORD; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.⁽³⁾ Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.⁽⁴⁾ His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish.

⁽⁵⁾ Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God,⁽⁶⁾ Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever,⁽⁷⁾ Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.⁽⁸⁾ The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous.

⁽⁹⁾ The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.⁽¹⁰⁾ The LORD shall reign forever -- Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

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 147

⁽¹⁾ Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.⁽²⁾ The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.⁽³⁾ He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.⁽⁴⁾ He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.

⁽⁵⁾ Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.⁽⁶⁾ The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.⁽⁷⁾ Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God,⁽⁸⁾ Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.

⁽⁹⁾ He gives to the beast its food, And to the young ravens that cry.⁽¹⁰⁾ He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.⁽¹¹⁾ The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.⁽¹²⁾ Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

⁽¹³⁾ For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you.⁽¹⁴⁾ He makes peace in your borders, And fills you with the finest wheat.⁽¹⁵⁾ He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly.⁽¹⁶⁾ He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes;

⁽¹⁷⁾ He casts out His hail like morsels; Who can stand before His cold?⁽¹⁸⁾ He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.⁽¹⁹⁾ He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel.⁽²⁰⁾ He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise the LORD!

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.

Proverbs Chapter 9

⁽¹⁾ Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars;⁽²⁾ She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table.⁽³⁾ She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city,⁽⁴⁾ Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!' As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,

⁽⁵⁾ Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed.⁽⁶⁾ Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.⁽⁷⁾ He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.⁽⁸⁾ Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

⁽⁹⁾ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.⁽¹⁰⁾ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.⁽¹¹⁾ For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.⁽¹²⁾ If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

2 Corinthians Chapter 9

⁽⁶⁾ But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.⁽⁷⁾ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.⁽⁸⁾ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.⁽⁹⁾ As it is written: 'He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.'

⁽¹⁰⁾ Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,⁽¹¹⁾ while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.⁽¹²⁾ For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,⁽¹³⁾ while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,

⁽¹⁴⁾ and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.⁽¹⁵⁾ Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Mark Chapter 10

⁽⁴⁶⁾ Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.⁽⁴⁷⁾ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'⁽⁴⁸⁾ Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'⁽⁴⁹⁾ So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, 'Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.'

⁽⁵⁰⁾ And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.⁽⁵¹⁾ So Jesus answered and said to him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' The blind man said to Him, 'Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.'⁽⁵²⁾ Then Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The Song of Zechariah Luke 1: 68 to 79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
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.

You are God
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord; we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not shun the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

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: Eighth Sunday after the Epiphany
Most loving Father, whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things, to fear nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on you who care for us: Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested to us in your Son 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: O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; 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