Morning Prayer

Easter
Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Hebrews 9:24

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


From Easter to Pentecost, Christ the Passover  can be used in place of the Venite or Jubilate.

Christ the Passover  1 Corinthians 5:7 to 8; Romans 6:9 to 11; 1 Corinthians 15:20 to 22
Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us;
  therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil,
  but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.

Christ being raised from the dead will never die again;
  death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all;
  but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin,
  and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.

  the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death,
  by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die,
  so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

Venite
The Antiphon:

ⓘ   A short, reflective sentence recited alongside a psalm to deepen our understanding of the readings.

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

The Lessons

Psalm 63

⁽¹⁾ O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. ⁽²⁾ So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. ⁽³⁾ Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. ⁽⁴⁾ Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

⁽⁵⁾ My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. ⁽⁶⁾ When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. ⁽⁷⁾ Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. ⁽⁸⁾ My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.

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 98

⁽¹⁾ Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. ⁽²⁾ The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. ⁽³⁾ He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. ⁽⁴⁾ Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

⁽⁵⁾ Sing to the LORD with the harp, With the harp and the sound of a psalm, ⁽⁶⁾ With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King. ⁽⁷⁾ Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in it; ⁽⁸⁾ Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the LORD,

⁽⁹⁾ For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.

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.

Wisdom Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ Love justice, you rulers of the world. Set your minds sincerely on the Lord, and look for him with all honesty. ⁽²⁾ Those who do not try to test him will find him; he will show himself to those who trust him. ⁽³⁾ Dishonest thoughts separate people from God, and if we are foolish enough to test him, his power will put us to shame. ⁽⁴⁾ Wisdom will never be at home with anyone who is deceitful or a slave of sin.

⁽⁵⁾ Everyone who is holy has learned to stay away from deceitful people. He will not stay around when foolish thoughts are being expressed; he will not feel comfortable when injustice is done. ⁽⁶⁾ Wisdom is a spirit that is friendly to people, but she will not forgive anyone who speaks against God, for God knows our feelings and thoughts, and hears our every word. ⁽⁷⁾ Since the Lord's spirit fills the entire world, and holds everything in it together, she knows every word that people say. ⁽⁸⁾ No one who speaks wickedly will escape notice; sooner or later he will receive just punishment.

⁽⁹⁾ The intentions of ungodly people will be closely examined; their words will be reported to the Lord, and then they will get the punishment that their wickedness deserves. ⁽¹⁰⁾ God will tolerate no challenge, and since he hears everything, you cannot hide your complaining from him. ⁽¹¹⁾ So be sure that you do not go around complaining'it does no good'and don't engage in bitter talk. The most secret things you say will have their consequences, and lying will destroy your soul. ⁽¹²⁾ Do not bring on your own death by sinful actions.

⁽¹³⁾ God did not invent death, and when living creatures die, it gives him no pleasure. ⁽¹⁴⁾ He created everything so that it might continue to exist, and everything he created is wholesome and good. There is no deadly poison in them. No, death does not rule this world, ⁽¹⁵⁾ for God's justice does not die.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

1 Peter Chapter 5

⁽¹⁾ The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: ⁽²⁾ Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; ⁽³⁾ nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; ⁽⁴⁾ and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

⁽⁵⁾ Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.' ⁽⁶⁾ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁽⁷⁾ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. ⁽⁸⁾ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

⁽⁹⁾ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. ⁽¹⁰⁾ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ⁽¹¹⁾ To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Matthew Chapter 7

⁽¹⁵⁾ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ⁽¹⁶⁾ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ⁽¹⁷⁾ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ⁽¹⁸⁾ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ⁽²⁰⁾ Therefore by their fruits you will know them. ⁽²¹⁾ Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ⁽²²⁾ Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'

⁽²³⁾ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' ⁽²⁴⁾ Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ⁽²⁵⁾ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. ⁽²⁶⁾ But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

⁽²⁷⁾ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.' ⁽²⁸⁾ And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, ⁽²⁹⁾ for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

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   Traditional
Suffrages A

Seasonal Collect:  Fourth Sunday of Easter
O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever. 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. When you lack the words


Closing Prayers   Thanksgiving

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