Morning Prayer

Lent
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
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 137

⁽¹⁾ By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. ⁽²⁾ We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it. ⁽³⁾ For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion!' ⁽⁴⁾ How shall we sing the LORD's song In a foreign land?

⁽⁵⁾ If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill! ⁽⁶⁾ If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth -- If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.

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 144

⁽¹⁾ Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle -- ⁽²⁾ My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. ⁽³⁾ LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? ⁽⁴⁾ Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.

⁽⁵⁾ Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. ⁽⁶⁾ Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them. ⁽⁷⁾ Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, From the hand of foreigners, ⁽⁸⁾ Whose mouth speaks vain words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁽⁹⁾ I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, ⁽¹⁰⁾ The One who gives salvation to kings, Who delivers David His servant From the deadly sword. ⁽¹¹⁾ Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood -- ⁽¹²⁾ That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style;

⁽¹³⁾ That our barns may be full, Supplying all kinds of produce; That our sheep may bring forth thousands And ten thousands in our fields; ⁽¹⁴⁾ That our oxen may be well-laden; That there be no breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets. ⁽¹⁵⁾ Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is 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.

Exodus Chapter 10

⁽²¹⁾ Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.' ⁽²²⁾ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. ⁽²³⁾ They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. ⁽²⁴⁾ Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, 'Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.'

⁽²⁵⁾ But Moses said, 'You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. ⁽²⁶⁾ Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.' ⁽²⁷⁾ But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. ⁽²⁸⁾ Then Pharaoh said to him, 'Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!'

⁽²⁹⁾ And Moses said, 'You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.' ⁽¹⁾ And the LORD said to Moses, 'I will bring yet one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. ⁽²⁾ Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold.' ⁽³⁾ And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people. ⁽⁴⁾ Then Moses said, 'Thus says the LORD: 'About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt;

⁽⁵⁾ and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. ⁽⁶⁾ Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. ⁽⁷⁾ But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.' ⁽⁸⁾ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, 'Get out, and all the people who follow you!' After that I will go out.' Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

2 Corinthians Chapter 4

⁽¹³⁾ And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 'I believed and therefore I spoke,' we also believe and therefore speak, ⁽¹⁴⁾ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. ⁽¹⁵⁾ For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ⁽¹⁶⁾ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

⁽¹⁷⁾ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ⁽¹⁸⁾ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

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.

A Song of Creation   Prayer of Manasseh 1 to 2, 4, 6 to 7, 11 to 15
Invocation
Glorify the Lord,
all you works of the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.

The Cosmic Order
Glorify the Lord,
you angels and all powers of the Lord,
O heavens and all waters above the heavens.
Sun and moon and stars of the sky,
glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.
Glorify the Lord,
every shower of rain and fall of dew,
all winds and fire and heat.
Winter and Summer, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.

Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold,
drops of dew and flakes of snow.
Frost and cold, ice and sleet,
glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.

Glorify the Lord,
O nights and days,
O shining light and enfolding dark.
Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.

Doxology
Let us glorify the Lord:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
praise him and highly exalt him forever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.

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:  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.

Collect of the Day: Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; 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