Morning Prayer

Lent
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' Luke 15:18, 19

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 119

⁽⁹⁷⁾ Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. ⁽⁹⁸⁾ You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. ⁽⁹⁹⁾ I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. ⁽¹⁰⁰⁾ I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.

⁽¹⁰¹⁾ I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. ⁽¹⁰²⁾ I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me. ⁽¹⁰³⁾ How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! ⁽¹⁰⁴⁾ Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.

⁽¹⁰⁵⁾ Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. ⁽¹⁰⁶⁾ I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments. ⁽¹⁰⁷⁾ I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word. ⁽¹⁰⁸⁾ Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, And teach me Your judgments.

⁽¹⁰⁹⁾ My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law. ⁽¹¹⁰⁾ The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts. ⁽¹¹¹⁾ Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart. ⁽¹¹²⁾ I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end.

⁽¹¹³⁾ I hate the double-minded, But I love Your law. ⁽¹¹⁴⁾ You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. ⁽¹¹⁵⁾ Depart from me, you evildoers, For I will keep the commandments of my God! ⁽¹¹⁶⁾ Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.

⁽¹¹⁷⁾ Hold me up, and I shall be safe, And I shall observe Your statutes continually. ⁽¹¹⁸⁾ You reject all those who stray from Your statutes, For their deceit is falsehood. ⁽¹¹⁹⁾ You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross; Therefore I love Your testimonies. ⁽¹²⁰⁾ My flesh trembles for fear of You, And I am afraid of Your judgments.

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.

Genesis Chapter 45

⁽¹⁶⁾ Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, 'Joseph's brothers have come.' So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well. ⁽¹⁷⁾ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Say to your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land. ⁽¹⁹⁾ Now you are commanded -- do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come.

⁽²⁰⁾ Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.' ' ⁽²¹⁾ Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. ⁽²²⁾ He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. ⁽²³⁾ And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey.

⁽²⁴⁾ So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, 'See that you do not become troubled along the way.' ⁽²⁵⁾ Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. ⁽²⁶⁾ And they told him, saying, 'Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.' And Jacob's heart stood still, because he did not believe them. ⁽²⁷⁾ But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.

⁽²⁸⁾ Then Israel said, 'It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

1 Corinthians Chapter 8

⁽¹⁾ Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. ⁽²⁾ And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. ⁽³⁾ But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. ⁽⁴⁾ Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

⁽⁵⁾ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), ⁽⁶⁾ yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. ⁽⁷⁾ However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁽⁸⁾ But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

⁽⁹⁾ But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. ⁽¹⁰⁾ For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? ⁽¹¹⁾ And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? ⁽¹²⁾ But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

⁽¹³⁾ Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Mark Chapter 6

⁽¹³⁾ And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. ⁽¹⁴⁾ Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, 'John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.' ⁽¹⁵⁾ Others said, 'It is Elijah.' And others said, 'It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.' ⁽¹⁶⁾ But when Herod heard, he said, 'This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!'

⁽¹⁷⁾ For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. ⁽¹⁸⁾ For John had said to Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.' ⁽¹⁹⁾ Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; ⁽²⁰⁾ for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

⁽²¹⁾ Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. ⁽²²⁾ And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, 'Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.' ⁽²³⁾ He also swore to her, 'Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.' ⁽²⁴⁾ So she went out and said to her mother, 'What shall I ask?' And she said, 'The head of John the Baptist!'

⁽²⁵⁾ Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, 'I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.' ⁽²⁶⁾ And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. ⁽²⁷⁾ Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, ⁽²⁸⁾ brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.

⁽²⁹⁾ When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

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:  Third Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 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