Morning Prayer

Today is the Feast of St. Jospeh -- Click for Readings
Lent
Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Joel 2:13

Saint and Major Saints' Days
Their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:4

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 72

⁽¹⁾ Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king's Son. ⁽²⁾ He will judge Your people with righteousness, And Your poor with justice. ⁽³⁾ The mountains will bring peace to the people, And the little hills, by righteousness. ⁽⁴⁾ He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor.

⁽⁵⁾ They shall fear You As long as the sun and moon endure, Throughout all generations. ⁽⁶⁾ He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, Like showers that water the earth. ⁽⁷⁾ In His days the righteous shall flourish, And abundance of peace, Until the moon is no more. ⁽⁸⁾ He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.

⁽⁹⁾ Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, And His enemies will lick the dust. ⁽¹⁰⁾ The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba Will offer gifts. ⁽¹¹⁾ Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him. ⁽¹²⁾ For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper.

⁽¹³⁾ He will spare the poor and needy, And will save the souls of the needy. ⁽¹⁴⁾ He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; And precious shall be their blood in His sight. ⁽¹⁵⁾ And He shall live; And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; Prayer also will be made for Him continually, And daily He shall be praised. ⁽¹⁶⁾ There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, On the top of the mountains; Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

⁽¹⁷⁾ His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! ⁽¹⁹⁾ And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. ⁽²⁰⁾ The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

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 3

⁽⁶⁾ The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: 'Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. ⁽⁷⁾ And I said, after she had done all these things, 'Return to Me.' But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. ⁽⁸⁾ Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. ⁽⁹⁾ So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.

⁽¹⁰⁾ And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,' says the LORD. ⁽¹¹⁾ Then the LORD said to me, 'Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. ⁽¹²⁾ Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: 'Return, backsliding Israel,' says the LORD; 'I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,' says the LORD; 'I will not remain angry forever. ⁽¹³⁾ Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the LORD your God, And have scattered your charms To alien deities under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice,' says the LORD.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Return, O backsliding children,' says the LORD; 'for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. ⁽¹⁵⁾ And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. ⁽¹⁶⁾ Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,' says the LORD, 'that they will say no more, 'The ark of the covenant of the LORD.' It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. ⁽¹⁷⁾ At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.

⁽¹⁸⁾ In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Romans Chapter 1

⁽²⁸⁾ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ⁽²⁹⁾ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ⁽³⁰⁾ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ⁽³¹⁾ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

⁽³²⁾ who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. ⁽¹⁾ Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ⁽²⁾ But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. ⁽³⁾ And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁽⁴⁾ Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

⁽⁵⁾ But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁽⁶⁾ who 'will render to each one according to his deeds': ⁽⁷⁾ eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; ⁽⁸⁾ but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness -- indignation and wrath,

⁽⁹⁾ tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; ⁽¹⁰⁾ but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ⁽¹¹⁾ For there is no partiality with God.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John Chapter 5

⁽¹⁾ After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ⁽²⁾ Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. ⁽³⁾ In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. ⁽⁴⁾ For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

⁽⁵⁾ Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. ⁽⁶⁾ When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, 'Do you want to be made well?' ⁽⁷⁾ The sick man answered Him, 'Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.' ⁽⁸⁾ Jesus said to him, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk.'

⁽⁹⁾ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. ⁽¹⁰⁾ The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, 'It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.' ⁽¹¹⁾ He answered them, 'He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.' ' ⁽¹²⁾ Then they asked him, 'Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?'

⁽¹³⁾ But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. ⁽¹⁴⁾ Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, 'See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.' ⁽¹⁵⁾ The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. ⁽¹⁶⁾ For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.

⁽¹⁷⁾ But Jesus answered them, 'My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.' ⁽¹⁸⁾ Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.


Glory to God        
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. 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:  Second Sunday in Lent
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission: Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. 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

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21