Today's Readings
Psalm 131:1-3Psalm 132:1-18Jeremiah 26:1-16Romans 11:1-12John 10:19-42Lent
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
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:
The Lessons
Psalm 131
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 132
(5) Until I find a place for the LORD, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.' (6) Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; We found it in the fields of the woods. (7) Let us go into His tabernacle; Let us worship at His footstool. (8) Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.
(9) Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy. (10) For Your servant David's sake, Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed. (11) The LORD has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: 'I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body. (12) If your sons will keep My covenant And My testimony which I shall teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.'
(13) For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: (14) This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. (15) I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. (16) I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
(17) There I will make the horn of David grow; I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed. (18) His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.'
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 26
(5) to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded), (6) then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.' ' ' (7) So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. (8) Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, 'You will surely die!
(9) Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, 'This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without an inhabitant'?' And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD. (10) When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of the LORD and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the LORD's house. (11) And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, 'This man deserves to die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.' (12) Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying: 'The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city with all the words that you have heard.
(13) Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; then the LORD will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you. (14) As for me, here I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and proper to you. (15) But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.' (16) So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, 'This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.'
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Romans Chapter 11
(5) Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (6) And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. (7) What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (8) Just as it is written: 'God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.'
(9) And David says: 'Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. (10) Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always.' (11) I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. (12) Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
John Chapter 10
(23) And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. (24) Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, 'How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.' (25) Jesus answered them, 'I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me. (26) But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
(27) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (28) And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. (29) My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. (30) I and My Father are one.'
(31) Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. (32) Jesus answered them, 'Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?' (33) The Jews answered Him, saying, 'For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.' (34) Jesus answered them, 'Is it not written in your law, 'I said, 'You are gods' '?
(35) If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), (36) do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? (37) If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; (38) but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.'
(39) Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. (40) And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. (41) Then many came to Him and said, 'John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.' (42) And many believed in Him there.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Song of Moses Exodus 15:1 to 6, 11 to 13, 17 to 18
I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted;
the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my refuge;
the Lord has become my Savior.
This is my God and I will praise him,
the God of my people and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a mighty warrior;
Yahweh is his Name.
The chariots of Pharoah and his army has he hurled into the sea;
the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.
The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them;
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might;
your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy.
Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods?
who is like you, glorious in holiness,
awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?
You stretched forth your right hand;
the earth swallowed them up.
With your constant love you led the people you redeemed;
with your might you brought them in safety to
your holy dwelling.
You will bring them in and plant them
on the mount of your possession,
The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord,
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established.
The Lord shall reign forever and forever.
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.
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 Prayers
The Lord's Prayer
  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
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.
Collect of the Day:
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.
Personal Prayers and Reflection
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