This post follows on the other on the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving to complete my thoughts on the Essence of the Office.
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The essence of the Daily Office must be found on one hand in Paul’s exhortation for Christians “with gratitude in your hearts [to] sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God” (Col 3:12), and, on the other hand, to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17). The two central themes here that we must keep before our eyes are the idea of the use of songs and poetic praises of God and also continuous prayer springing from deliberate acts of periodic prayer. As we consider the Daily Office and its various parts and acts, we will return time and time again to these two basic principles that form its foundation.
Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs
The Anglican mystic Evelyn Underhill (†1941) in her book Worship reinforces the poetic character of the Daily Office and the significance of that quality:
Liturgical worship shares with all ritual action the character of a work of art. Entering upon it, we leave the lower realism of daily life for the higher realism of a successive action which expresses and interprets eternal truth by the deliberate use of poetic and symbolic material. A liturgical service should therefore possess a structural unity; its general form and movement, and each of its parts, being determined by the significance of the whole. By its successive presentation of all the phases of the soul’s response to the Holy, its alternative use of history and oratory, drama and rhythm, its appeals to feeling, thought, and will, the individual is educated and gathered into the great movement of the Church. . . . Nevertheless since its main function is to suggest the Supernatural and lead men out to communion with the supernatural, it is by the methods of poetry that its chief work will be done. . . . [P]oetry still remains a chief element at least in the Daily Office, which is mainly an arrangement of psalms, canticles, and Scripture readings. (Worship, p. 119)
She goes on to remind us of the interpretive errors that occur when we attempt to read poetry literally and miss its deeper sense and direction. As she sees it, poetry in the liturgy has three main purposes:
(1) It is the carrying-medium of something which otherwise wholly eludes representation: the soul’s deep and awestruck apprehension of the numinous. . . .
(2) It can universalize particulars; giving an eternal reference to those things of time in and through which God speaks to men. . . .
(3) It is a powerful stimulant of the transcendental sense . . .
All these characters of poetry are active in good liturgy, and indeed constitute an important part of its religious value. Moreover, poetry both enchants and informs, addressing its rhythmic and symbolic speech to regions of the mind which are inaccessible to argument, and evoking movements of awe and love which no exhortation can obtain. It has meaning at many levels, and welds together all those who use it; overriding their personal moods and subduing them with a grave loveliness. (Worship, p. 120)
Great art—great poetry—is that which can capture our minds and hearts, and suffuse reality with a new light, a new perspective. It helps us see our ordinary, everyday world as not so ordinary, and cracks open everyday reality to help us see the beauty, the glory, and the wonder that is concealed therein. It helps us see new possibilities; it helps us see grander movements.
This is my best perspective on Scripture: it invites us into a different way of seeing the world and our relationships within it. It invites us to experience the whole cosmos arrayed around the throne of God as portrayed in the heavenly throne-room depicted in Revelation 4-6, and leads us to speculate about what it means to live in a world where justice, mercy, and loving-kindness are fundamental guiding principles. We are invited to recognize our own world transformed and suffused with the light of God and to function as mirrors, lenses, and crystals, reflecting—focusing—diffusing—the divine light, casting it through our facets upon the world and people around us.
The Office with its language of poetry reminds us and orients us to this level of understanding and reflection. Too, it can help us get beyond a literalism and dogmatism that can either frustrate or limit our sense of the holy and the divine. The Athanasian Creed can be a hard pill for many to swallow. On one hand, it’s chalk full of complicated and philosophical technical terms. On the other, it ends with a declaration of damnation containing a certainty that seems to arrogate to itself a judgment properly left with God alone. The Episcopal Church has never been comfortable with it; Bishop Seabury (†1796), the first American Episcopal bishop, wrote that he was never convinced of the propriety of reading it in church, yet did want to include it along the same lines as the articles of faith to show that we hold the common faith of the West. Indeed, the 1979 revision is the only American prayer book to include it. Especially as modern people, we don’t know what to do with it—but the monks did! They sang it as a canticle complete with antiphons at Sunday Prime, the poetic and musical setting potentially subverting its dogmatism and softening its philosophical formality in song.
After speaking of the eight individual hours that formed the Daily Office in the West, Underhill draws them together and unites them with their purpose:
The complete Divine Office, then, . . . is best understood when regarded as a spiritual and artistic unity; so devised, that the various elements of praise, prayer, and reading, and the predominately poetic and historic material from which it is built up, contribute to one single movement of the corporate soul, and form together one single act of solemn yet exultant worship. This act of worship is designed to give enduring and impersonal expression to eternal truths; and unite the here and now earthly action of the Church with the eternal response of creation to its origin. It is her “Sacred Chant,” and loses some of its quality and meaning when its choral character is suppressed: for in it, the demands of a superficial realism are set aside, in favour of those deeper realities which can only be expressed under poetic and musical forms. (Worship, 124-5)
The more we sing of the Office, the more in touch we are with these melodies, harmonies, and rhythms of which she speaks. Yet, even if we are reading it alone in our rooms, we can still find the cadences there.
On a purely literary level, we can go through the Office step by step and note the presence of the poetry and music at every step. The psalms form the heart of the office. We respond to the Scripture readings with canticles, most of which are infused and inspired by the psalms—or songs like them. The suffrages themselves are verses of psalms recombined and related to one another in new ways. The collects and prayers speak in the language of the psalms and Scriptures.
As we pray the Office and sing it—whether aloud or in our hearts—we are incarnating the Pauline injunction to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God and to one another. As its poetry becomes more deeply a part of us, as these songs become more fully implanted within our hearts, they leads us to a more beautiful lens for locating God at work in our world.
To Pray Without Ceasing
This notion of having the songs and psalms implanted in our hearts and consciousness leads us in to the second principle, to pray without ceasing. If we wish to learning the meaning of this phrase, we must turn our eyes to the Desert Fathers and Mothers for it was they who devoted their entire efforts to live its meaning.
The fourth century was a tumultuous time for the Church as Constantine’s Edict of Milan in 313 meant an end to persecution and brought with it a tacit sign of imperial favor. (Christianity wouldn’t actually become the official religion of the empire until 380 under Theodosius.) While the easing of restrictions against Christianity brought in a wave of converts—some no doubt embracing it for political gain—this same easing equally triggered a crisis of spirituality. For decades, Christian authenticity had been bound up with martyrdom; fidelity to the way of the cross was identified with the willingness to die a martyr’s death. With martyrdom at the hands of the authorities no longer an option, where was an earnest Christian to turn?
The answer came in the form of the desert. Christians who sought to embody the commands of Scripture sold their possessions, renounced family life, and sought lives of prayer and austerity in the deserts, either on their own or in the company of like-minded souls. This way of life, which would flower into monasticism and feed the church spiritually for centuries to come, was popularized by bishops and theologians who wrote inspiring accounts of the lives of simple men and the spiritual riches they uncovered. The great bishop Athanasius (†373) penned the Life of Antony which chronicled the life and spirituality of one of the earliest desert saints and spread word of the movement across the Greek-speaking world. Not to be outdone, the ascetic and scholar Jerome (†367), living in a monastery in Jerusalem, wrote a number of lives that sought to supplement (or replace) the Life of Antony, bringing knowledge of the desert life to the Latin-speaking church. The first great systematic works of Western Christian spirituality, John Cassian’s (†435) Institutes and Conferences, were written for the benefit of his monastery in Gaul, containing remembrances of his youthful spiritual dialogues with heroes of the Egyptian and Palestinian deserts.
As we sift through the literature of the early monastic movement and the desert saints who founded it, we come back time and time again to this injunction to “pray without ceasing,” to praying of some form of the Daily Office, and a fundamental belief that the use of the Office was the key to praying without ceasing. The characteristic pattern of desert life is captured in a brief description of how Antony lived:
The money he earned from his work he gave to the poor, apart from what he needed to buy bread, and he prayed often, for he learned that one should pray to the Lord without ceasing. He also listened attentively to the Scriptures so that nothing should slip from his mind. He preserved all the Lord’s commandments, keeping them safe in his memory rather than in books. (Life of Antony 3, Early Christian Lives, p. 10)
Note the way that work, prayer, and memorization of the Scriptures are interconnected here. This way of life is further clarified by an episode where a desert hermit was disputing with a group of uber-pietists called the Euchites or Messalians concerning prayer without ceasing:
Some of the monks who are called Euchites went to Enaton to see Abba Lucius. The old man asked them, ‘What is your manual work?’ They said, ‘We do not touch manual work but as the Apostle says, we pray without ceasing.’ The old man asked them if they did not eat and they replied they did. So he said to them, ‘When you are eating, who prays for you then?’ Again he asked them if they did not sleep and they replied they did. And he said to them, ‘When you are asleep, who prays for you then?’ They could not find any answer to give him. He said to them, ‘Forgive me, but you do not act as you speak. I will show you how, while doing my manual work, I pray without interruption. I sit down with God, soaking my reeds and plaiting my ropes, and I say, “God have mercy on me; according to your great goodness and according to the multitude of your mercies, save me from my sins [Ps 51:1,2].”’ So he asked them if this were not prayer and they replied it was. Then he said to them, ‘So when I have spent the whole day working and praying, making thirteen pieces of money more or less, I put two pieces of money outside the door and I pay for my food with the rest of the money. He who takes the two pieces of money prays for me when I am eating and sleeping; so, by the grace of God, I fulfill the precept to pray without ceasing.’ (Sayings of the Desert Fathers, p. 120-1)
This blend of piety and practicality is found throughout this early literature. The life described is one filled with basic manual labor—weaving ropes or baskets made from the leaves of the desert palms or scratching out subsistence gardens from the rocky soil—suffused with constant prayer. Indeed, the Egyptian monks in particular were famous for prayers that were “brief but frequent.”
The prayer recited by Abba Lucius is an adaptation of the start of Psalm 51. Reading through the Life of Antony and the description that Athanasius gives of Antony’s struggles in spiritual travail, a pattern emerges. At a great turning point in Antony’s life, during a struggle with demons that left him both physically and spiritually battered he retained his faith and focus by ceaselessly chanting, “If they place an encampment against me, my heart will not fear” (Ps 27:3). When people came from the cities, hoping to find him dead, he would pray verses from Ps 68:1-2 and Ps 118:10. Throughout the literature, the words of the psalms are constantly appearing through their prayers and discussions. In truth their whole conversations are shot through with Scripture, but consistently the psalms predominate. In fact, the Egyptian “brief but frequent” prayers that appear in the corpus are almost always drawn from Scripture and the psalms. One of the works of Evagrius of Pontus (†399) consists entirely of one-liners from Scripture to be used for prayer in a host of situations organized in relation to the eight vices identified by the desert monks.
For these monks—many of whom were illiterate—Scripture came through hearing. Preeminently, Scripture was heard and memorized in the Daily Offices. The foundation of the Office gave them the words they needed to meditate in the midst of their work and to truly pray without ceasing no matter what they were doing.
Perhaps the preeminent connection between the Scriptures, the psalms, and praying without ceasing comes from the second conference on prayer recorded by John Cassian. Abba Isaac says that the whole goal of the monastic way of life can be summed up like this: “This, I say, is the end [goal] of all perfection–that the mind purged of every carnal desire may daily be elevated to spiritual things, until one’s whole way of life and all the yearnings of one’s heart become and single and continuous prayer” (Conferences 10.7.3). Cassian’s companion Germanus asks how this sort of focus can be achieved. The reply from Abba Isaac is that there is one particular formula for meditation that can secure this result:
The formula for this discipline and prayer that you are seeking, then, shall be presented to you. Every monk who longs for the continual awareness of God should be in the habit of meditating on it ceaselessly in his heart, after having driven out every kind of thought, because he will be unable to hold fast to it in any other way than by being freed from all bodily cares and concerns. Just as this was handed down to us by a few of the oldest fathers who were left, so also we pass it on to none but the most exceptional, who truly desire it. This, then, is the devotional formula proposed to you as absolutely necessary for possessing the perpetual awareness of God: ‘O God, make speed to save me; O Lord, make haste to help me’ [Ps 70:1]. (Conferences 10.10.2)
Yes, this is the line that is used as a verse and response to open each of the prayer offices. No, that’s not an accident.
John Cassian makes the explicit connection between the Daily Office and the continuous prayer of the Egyptian monks in his other big book, the Institutes, but he does so by framing it in the midst of one of the disputes about monastic practice. By the end of the fourth century, there were two major centers of monastic practice—the deserts of Egypt and the deserts of Palestine. They had different ways of praying the Daily Office. The Egyptian model was the same in format as what appears to have been done in many of the early cathedrals of the period—one public service in the morning and another in the evening. Twelve psalms were sung, then there was a reading from the Old Testament, then one from the New Testament. That was it for the day. The Palestinian model was to gather more frequently. Jerome, writing from his monastery in Bethlehem, advises this:
Further, although the apostle bids us to ‘pray without ceasing,’ and although to the saints their very sleep is a supplication, we ought to have fixed hours of prayer, that if we are detained by work, the time may remind us of our duty. Prayers, as everyone knows, ought to be said at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, at dawn and at evening. . . . We should rise two or three times in the night and go over the parts of Scripture which we know by heart. (Letter 22. 37)
and instructs the parents of a young virgin dedicated to the church to train her in the same way: “She ought to rise at night to recite prayers and psalms; to sing hymns in the morning; at the third, sixth, and ninth hours to take her place in the line to do battle for Christ; and lastly to kindle her lamp and to offer her evening sacrifice” (Letter 107.9).
The Egyptians responded rather harshly. One characteristic response comes from the Egyptian-trained Epiphanius:
The Blessed Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus, was told this by the abbot of a monastery he had in Palestine, ‘By your prayers we do not neglect our appointed round of psalmody, but we are very careful to recite [the prayer offices of] Terce, Sext and None.’ Then Epiphanius corrected them with the following comment, ‘It is clear you do not trouble about the other hours of the day, if you cease from prayer. The true monk should have prayer and psalmody continuously in his heart.’ (Sayings of the Desert Fathers, p. 57)
Thus, he suggested that by having more set hours of the day, the monks were neglecting this continual prayer of the heart and instead were satisfied only to pray when the clock told them it was time to do so. Frankly, this is kind of a cheap shot. An argument could equally be made that since the Palestinian monks were hearing the psalms more, they had better opportunity to memorize them and keep them always in their hearts—but the (Egyptian) sayings don’t see fit to give us the Palestinian abbot’s response!
In light of this argument between the two parties, John Cassian tries to take a middle path. After explaining the Egyptian system, and before talking about how to pray the day hours, he says this:
For, among [the Egyptians as opposed to the monasteries of Palestine and Mesopotamia] the offices that we are obliged to render to the Lord at different hours and at intervals of time [i.e., the day offices of Terce, Sext, and None] to the call of the summoner, are celebrated continuously and spontaneously throughout the course of the whole day, in tandem with their work. For they are constantly doing manual labor alone in their cells in such a way that they almost never omit meditating on the psalms and on other parts of Scripture, and to this they add entreaties and prayers at every moment, taking up the whole day in offices that we celebrate at fixed times. Hence, apart from the evening and
Morning Prayer for 4/23/2026
Thursday after the Third Sunday of Easter
(Commemoration of George, Soldier and Martyr, c. 304)
(Commemoration of Toyohiko Kagawa, Social Reformer, 1960)
Pre-Office Angelus [+][-]
O Queen of heaven, be joyful : Alleluia
For he who was born of your body : Alleluia
Has arisen as he promised : Alleluia
Pray for us to the Father : Alleluia
V.Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia.
R. For the Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Let us pray:
O God, who by the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
gave gladness to the world: Grant, we pray, that we, aided
by the prayers of the Virgin Mary his mother, may attain to
the joys of everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O Queen of heaven, be joyful : Alleluia
For he whom so meetly thou bearest : Alleluia
Hath arisen as he promised : Alleluia
Pray for us to the Father : Alleluia
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia.
R. For the Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Let us pray:
O God, who, by the resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ
didst vouchsafe to give gladness to the world:
Grant, we beseech thee, that we, being holpen by the Virgin Mary his mother,
may attain unto the joys of everlasting life;
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57
Confession of Sin [+][-]
Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of
Almighty God our heavenly Father, to render thanks for the
great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth
his most worthy praise, to hear this holy Word, and to ask, for
ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are
necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we may
prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us
kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts
confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his
infinite goodness and mercy.
Silence may be kept.
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep,
we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts,
we have offended against thy holy laws,
we have left undone those things which we ought to have done,
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
spare thou those who confess their faults,
restore thou those who are penitent,
according to thy promises declared unto mankind
in Christ Jesus our Lord;
and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant us absolution and
remission of all our sins, true repentance, amendment of
life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of
Almighty God our heavenly Father, to set forth his praise, to
hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf
of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our
salvation. And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and
mind to worship him, let us kneel in silence, and with
penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may
obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
Silence may be kept.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we 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
V. Lord, open our lips.
R. 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 for ever. Amen.
V. O Lord, open thou our lips.
R. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Alleluia.
Christ our Passover Pascha nostrum 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Alleluia.
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; *
therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, *
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.
Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; *
death hath no more dominion over him.
For in that he died, he died unto sin once; *
but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, *
but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
Christ is risen from the dead, *
and become the first fruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, *
by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.
Christ our Passover Pascha nostrum 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with the 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.
Christ has been raised from the dead, *
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 also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.
The Psalm or Psalms Appointed
Psalm 110 Dixit Dominus
Be thou ruler even in the midst among thine enemies.
1 THE LORD said unto my Lord, *
Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion: *
be thou ruler, even in the midst among thine enemies.
3 In the day of thy power shall thy people offer themselves willingly with an holy worship: *
thy young men come to thee as dew from the womb of the morning.
4 The LORD sware, and will not repent, *
Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
5 The Lord upon thy right hand *
shall wound even kings in the day of his wrath.
6 He shall judge among the heathen; *
he shall fill the places with the dead bodies, and smite in sunder the heads over divers countries.
7 He shall drink of the brook in the way; *
therefore shall he lift up his head.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Be thou ruler even in the midst among thine enemies.
Psalm 111 Confitebor tibi
The works of his hands are verity and judgement.
1 I WILL give thanks unto the LORD with my whole heart, *
secretly among the faithful, and in the congregation.
2 The works of the LORD are great, *
sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3 His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour, *
and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 The merciful and gracious LORD hath so done his marvellous works, *
that they ought to be had in remembrance.
5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him; *
he shall ever be mindful of his covenant.
6 He hath showed his people the power of his works, *
that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; *
all his commandments are true.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, *
and are done in truth and equity.
9 He sent redemption unto his people; *
he hath commanded his covenant for ever; holy and reverend is his Name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; *
a good understanding have all they that do thereafter; his praise endureth for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The works of his hands are verity and judgement.
Psalm 112 Beatus vir
The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance; he will not be afraid of any evil tidings.
1 BLESSED is the man that feareth the LORD; *
he hath great delight in his commandments.
2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth; *
the generation of the faithful shall be blessed.
3 Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house; *
and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 Unto the godly there ariseth up light in the darkness; *
he is merciful, loving, and righteous.
5 A good man is merciful, and lendeth; *
and will guide his words with discretion.
6 For he shall never be moved: *
and the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.
7 He will not be afraid of any evil tidings; *
for his heart standeth fast, and believeth in the LORD.
8 His heart is stablished, and will not shrink, *
until he see his desire upon his enemies.
9 He hath dispersed abroad, and given to the poor. *
and his righteousness remaineth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
10 The ungodly shall see it, and it shall grieve him; *
he shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away; the desire of the ungodly shall perish.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance; he will not be afraid of any evil tidings.
Psalm 113 Laudate, pueri
Blessed be the Name of the LORD from this time forth for evermore.
1 PRAISE the LORD, ye servants; *
O praise the Name of the LORD.
2 Blessed be the Name of the LORD *
from this time forth for evermore.
3 The LORD's Name is praised *
from the rising up of the sun unto the going down of the same.
4 The LORD is high above all nations, *
and his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like unto the LORD our God, that hath his dwelling so high, *
and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth!
6 He taketh up the simple out of the dust, *
and lifteth the poor out of the mire;
7 That he may set him with the princes, *
even with the princes of his people.
8 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, *
and to be a joyful mother of children.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Blessed be the Name of the LORD from this time forth for evermore.
Psalm 110 Dixit Dominus
Be thou ruler even in the midst among thine enemies.
Be the ruler even in the midst of your enemies.
1 The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, *
until I make your enemies your footstool."
2 The LORD will send the scepter of your power out of Zion, *
saying, "Rule over your enemies round about you.
3 Princely state has been yours from the day of your birth; *
in the beauty of holiness have I begotten you, like dew from the womb of the morning."
4 The LORD has sworn and he will not recant: *
"You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek."
5 The Lord who is at your right hand will smite kings in the day of his wrath; *
he will rule over the nations.
6 He will heap high the corpses; *
he will smash heads over the wide earth.
7 He will drink from the brook beside the road; *
therefore he will lift high his head.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:*
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Be thou ruler even in the midst among thine enemies.
Be the ruler even in the midst of your enemies.
Psalm 111 Confitebor tibi
The works of his hands are verity and judgement.
The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice.
1 Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, *
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the deeds of the LORD! *
they are studied by all who delight in them.
3 His work is full of majesty and splendor, *
and his righteousness endures for ever.
4 He makes his marvelous works to be remembered; *
the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He gives food to those who fear him; *
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works *
in giving them the lands of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; *
all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, *
because they are done in truth and equity.
9 He sent redemption to his people; he commanded his covenant for ever; *
holy and awesome is his Name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; *
those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise endures for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:*
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The works of his hands are verity and judgement.
The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice.
Psalm 112 Beatus vir
The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance; he will not be afraid of any evil tidings.
The righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance; they will not be afraid of any evil rumors.
1 Hallelujah! Happy are they who fear the Lord *
and have great delight in his commandments!
2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches will be in their house, *
and their righteousness will last for ever.
4 Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
5 It is good for them to be generous in lending *
and to manage their affairs with justice.
6 For they will never be shaken; *
the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.
7 They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *
their heart is right; they put their trust in the Lord.
8 Their heart is established and will not shrink, *
until they see their desire upon their enemies.
9 They have given freely to the poor, *
and their righteousness stands fast for ever; they will hold up their head with honor.
10 The wicked will see it and be angry; they will gnash their teeth and pine away; *
the desires of the wicked will perish.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:*
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance; he will not be afraid of any evil tidings.
The righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance; they will not be afraid of any evil rumors.
Psalm 113 Laudate, pueri
Blessed be the Name of the LORD from this time forth for evermore.
Let the Name of the LORD be blessed, from this time forth for evermore.
1 Hallelujah! Give praise, you servants of the LORD; *
praise the Name of the LORD.
2 Let the Name of the LORD be blessed, *
from this time forth for evermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to its going down *
let the Name of the LORD be praised.
4 The LORD is high above all nations, *
and his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the LORD our God, who sits enthroned on high, *
but stoops to behold the heavens and the earth?
6 He takes up the weak out of the dust *
and lifts up the poor from the ashes.
7 He sets them with the princes, *
with the princes of his people.
8 He makes the woman of a childless house *
to be a joyful mother of children.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:*
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Blessed be the Name of the LORD from this time forth for evermore.
Let the Name of the LORD be blessed, from this time forth for evermore.
Psalm 37:1-18
For the LORD loveth the thing that is right; he forsaketh not his that be godly but they are preserved for ever.
1 FRET not thyself because of the ungodly; *
neither be thou envious against the evil doers.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, *
and be withered even as the green herb.
3 Put thou thy trust in the LORD, and be doing good; *
dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thou in the LORD, *
and he shall give thee thy heart's desire.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD, and put thy trust in him, *
and he shall bring it to pass.
6 He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light, *
and thy just dealing as the noon-day.
7 Hold thee still in the LORD, and abide patiently upon him: *
but grieve not thyself at him whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil counsels.
8 Leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure: *
fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.
9 Wicked doers shall be rooted out; *
and they that patiently abide the LORD, those shall inherit the land.
10 Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone: *
thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away.
11 But the meek-spirited shall possess the earth, *
and shall be refreshed in the multitude of peace.
12 The ungodly seeketh counsel against the just, *
and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh him to scorn; *
for he hath seen that his day is coming.
14 The ungodly have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, *
to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be upright in their ways.
15 Their sword shall go through their own heart, *
and their bow shall be broken.
16 A small thing that the righteous hath, *
is better than great riches of the ungodly.
17 For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken, *
and the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
18 The LORD knoweth the days of the godly; *
and their inheritance shall endure for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
For the LORD loveth the thing that is right; he forsaketh not his that be godly but they are preserved for ever.
Psalm 37:1-18
For the LORD loves justice; he does not forsake his faithful ones.
1 Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; *
do not be jealous of those who do wrong.
2 For they shall soon wither like the grass, *
and like the green grass fade away.
3 Put your trust in the LORD and do good; *
dwell in the land and feed on its riches.
4 Take delight in the LORD, *
and he shall give you your heart's desire.
5 Commit your way to the LORD and put your trust in him, *
and he will bring it to pass.
6 He will make your righteousness as clear as the light *
and your just dealing as the noonday.
7 Be still before the LORD *
and wait patiently for him.
8 Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *
the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
9 Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *
do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.
10 For evildoers shall be cut off, *
but those who wait upon the LORD shall possess the land.
11 In a little while the wicked shall be no more; *
you shall search out their place, but they will not be there.
12 But the lowly shall possess the land; *
they will delight in abundance of peace.
13 The wicked plot against the righteous *
and gnash at them with their teeth.
14 The Lord laughs at the wicked, *
because he sees that their day will come.
15 The wicked draw their sword and bend their bow to strike down the poor and needy, *
to slaughter those who are upright in their ways.
16 Their sword shall go through their own heart, *
and their bow shall be broken.
17 The little that the righteous has *
is better than great riches of the wicked.
18 For the power of the wicked shall be broken, *
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:*
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
For the LORD loves justice; he does not forsake his faithful ones.
The Lessons
A Reading from Exodus 20:1-21
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's. And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. "You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it. "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you. "You shall not kill. "You shall not commit adultery. "You shall not steal. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's." Now when all the people perceived the thunderings and the lightnings and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled; and they stood afar off, and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will hear; but let not God speak to us, lest we die." And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to prove you, and that the fear of him may be before your eyes, that you may not sin." And the people stood afar off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
Then God spoke all these words: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work-- you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die." Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin." Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
Here ends the Reading.
The Song of Moses Cantemus Domino
Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18
I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; *
the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and song; *
and he is become my salvation:
He is my God and I will prepare him an habitation; *
my father's God and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war; *
the Lord is his Name.
Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea; *
his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths have covered them; *
they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: *
thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? *
who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand; *
the earth swallowed them.
Thou in thy mercy led forth the people
which thou hast redeemed; *
thou hast guided them in thy strength
unto thy holy habitation.
Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them *
in the mountain of thine inheritance,
In the place, O Lord, which thou hast
made for thee to dwell in; *
in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
The Lord shall reign *
for ever and for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Song of Moses Cantemus Domino
Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18
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 *
for ever and for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:*
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Song of Moses Cantemus Domino
Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18
I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; *
the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and song; *
and he is become my salvation:
He is my God and I will prepare him an habitation; *
my father's God and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war; *
the Lord is his Name.
Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea; *
his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths have covered them; *
they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: *
thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? *
who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand; *
the earth swallowed them.
Thou in thy mercy led forth the people
which thou hast redeemed; *
thou hast guided them in thy strength
unto thy holy habitation.
Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them *
in the mountain of thine inheritance,
In the place, O Lord, which thou hast
made for thee to dwell in; *
in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
The Lord shall reign *
for ever and for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Song of Moses Cantemus Domino
Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18
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 *
for ever and for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:*
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
A Reading from Colossians 1:24-2:7
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me. For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you, and for those at La-odice'a, and for all who have not seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in love, to have all the riches of assured understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with beguiling speech. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil and struggle with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me. For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face. I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your morale and the firmness of your faith in Christ. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Here ends the Reading.
Jesus said to his disciples, bring me some of the fish you have caught. Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net, alleluia.
Glory be to God Gloria in Excelsis
Glory be to God on high,
and on earth peace, good will towards men.
We praise thee, we bless thee,
we worship thee,
we glorify thee,
we give thanks to thee for thy great glory,
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father,
have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy,
thou only art the Lord,
thou only, O Christ,
with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Jesus said to his disciples, bring me some of the fish you have caught. Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net, alleluia.
Jesus said to his disciples, bring me some of the fish you have caught. Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net, alleluia.
Glory to God Gloria in excelsis
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.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:*
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Jesus said to his disciples, bring me some of the fish you have caught. Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net, alleluia.
Jesus said to his disciples, bring me some of the fish you have caught. Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net, alleluia.
The Song of Zechariah Benedictus Dominus Deus
Luke 1:68-79
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, *
for he hath visited and redeemed his people;
And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us *
in the house of his servant David,
As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, *
which have been since the world began:
That we should be saved from our enemies, *
and from the hand of all that hate us;
To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, *
and to remember his holy covenant;
To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, *
that he would give us,
That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies *
might serve him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before him, *
all the days of our life.
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, *
for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord
to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people *
for the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God, *
whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us;
To give light to them that sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Jesus said to his disciples, bring me some of the fish you have caught. Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net, alleluia.
Jesus said to his disciples, bring me some of the fish you have caught. Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net, alleluia.
The Song of Zechariah Benedictus Dominus Deus
Luke 1: 68-79
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 for ever. Amen.
Jesus said to his disciples, bring me some of the fish you have caught. Simon Peter went aboard and hauled ashore the net, alleluia.
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 power of 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.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Prayers
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And also with you.And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Suffrages A
V. Show us your mercy, O Lord;
R. And grant us your salvation.
V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
R. Let your people sing with joy.
V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
R. For only in you can we live in safety.
V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;
R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V. Let your way be known upon earth;
R. Your saving health among all nations.
V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;
R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
V. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us;
R. And grant us thy salvation.
V. Endue thy ministers with righteousness;
R. And make thy chosen people joyful.
V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
R. For only in thee can we live in safety.
V. Lord, keep this nation under thy care;
R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V. Let thy way be known upon earth;
R. Thy saving health among all nations.
V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;
R. And sustain us with thy Holy Spirit.
Suffrages B
V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
R. Govern and uphold them, now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you;
R. We praise your name for ever.
V. Lord, keep us from all sin today;
R. Have mercy upon us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. For we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope;
R. And we shall never hope in vain.
V. O Lord, save thy people and bless thine heritage;
R. Govern them and lift them up for ever.
V. Day by day we magnify thee;
R. And we worship thy name ever, world without end.
V. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin;
R. O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
V. O Lord, let thy mercy be upon us;
R. As our trust is in thee.
V. O Lord, in thee have I trusted;
R. Let me never be confounded.
Collect of the Day
O God, whose blessed Son did manifest himself to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open, we pray thee, the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Commemoration of George, Soldier and Martyr, c. 304
He that hateth his life * in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
V. The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree.
R. And shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.
Almighty God, who didst commission thy holy martyr George to bear before the rulers of this world the banner of the cross: Strengthen us in our battles against the great serpent of sin and evil, that we too may attain the crown of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
He who hates his life * in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
V. The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree.
R. And shall spread abroad like a cedar in Lebanon.
Almighty God, who didst commission thy holy martyr George to bear before the rulers of this world the banner of the cross: Strengthen us in our battles against the great serpent of sin and evil, that we too may attain the crown of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Commemoration of Toyohiko Kagawa, Social Reformer, 1960
Well done, good and faithful servant, * because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, saith the Lord.
V. The Lord guided the righteous in right paths.
R. And showed him the kingdom of God.
Strengthen and protect, O God, all those who suffer for their fidelity to Jesus Christ; that, like thy servant Toyohiko Kagawa, they might persevere in seeking and serving Christ in all persons, and work tirelessly for the advancement of thy kingdom; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honor and glory now and for ever. Amen.
Well done, my good and faithful servant; since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.
V. The Lord guided the righteous in right paths.
R. And showed him the kingdom of God.
Strengthen and protect, O God, all those who suffer for their fidelity to Jesus Christ; that, like thy servant Toyohiko Kagawa, they might persevere in seeking and serving Christ in all persons, and work tirelessly for the advancement of thy kingdom; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honor and glory now and for ever. Amen.
A Collect for Guidance
O heavenly Father, in whom we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray thee so to guide and govern us by thy Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget thee, but may remember that we are ever walking in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then, unless the Eucharist or a form of general intercession is to follow, one of these prayers for mission is added.
Prayer for Mission
O God, who hast made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and didst send thy blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after thee and find thee; bring the nations into thy fold; pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of thy kingdom; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Guidance
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then, unless the Eucharist or a form of general intercession is to follow, one of these prayers for mission is added.
Prayer for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here may be sung a hymn or anthem. [+][-]
Hymn: Sermone blando Angelus
With gentle voice the angel gave
the women tidings at the grave;
Fear not, your Master shall ye see;
he goes before to Galilee.
Then, hastening on their eager way
the joyful tidings to convey,
their Lord they met, their living Lord,
and falling at his feet adored.
The eleven, when they hear, with speed
to Galilee forthwith proceed,
that there once more they may behold
the Lord's dear face, as he foretold.
That Eastertide with joy was bright,
the sun shone out with fairer light,
when, to their longing eyes restored,
the glad apostles saw their Lord.
He bade them see his hands, his side,
where yet the glorious wounds abide;
the tokens true which made it plain
their Lord indeed was risen again.
Jesus, the King of gentleness,
do thou thyself our hearts possess
that we may give thee all our days
the tribute of our grateful praise.
O Lord of all, with us abide
in this our joyful Eastertide;
from every weapon death can wield
thine own redeemed forever shield.
V. In thy resurrection, O Christ, alleluia.
R. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia.
Hymn: Sermone blando Angelus
With gentle voice the angel gave
the women tidings at the grave;
Fear not, your Master shall ye see;
he goes before to Galilee.
Then, hastening on their eager way
the joyful tidings to convey,
their Lord they met, their living Lord,
and falling at his feet adored.
The eleven, when they hear, with speed
to Galilee forthwith proceed,
that there once more they may behold
the Lord's dear face, as he foretold.
That Eastertide with joy was bright,
the sun shone out with fairer light,
when, to their longing eyes restored,
the glad apostles saw their Lord.
He bade them see his hands, his side,
where yet the glorious wounds abide;
the tokens true which made it plain
their Lord indeed was risen again.
Jesus, the King of gentleness,
do thou thyself our hearts possess
that we may give thee all our days
the tribute of our grateful praise.
O Lord of all, with us abide
in this our joyful Eastertide;
from every weapon death can wield
thine own redeemed forever shield.
V. In your resurrection, O Christ, alleluia.
R. Let heaven and earth rejoice, alleluia.
Authorized intercessions and thanksgivings may follow.
For All Sorts and Conditions [A form of general intercession] [+][-]
O God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, we humbly
beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou
wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy
saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for
thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and
governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call
themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and
hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in
righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly
goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed,
in mind, body, or estate; [especially those for whom our prayers
are desired]; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve
them according to their several necessities, giving them patience
under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their
afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
O God, the creator and preserver of all humanity, we humbly
beseech you on behalf of all sorts and conditions of people; that you
would be pleased to make your ways known to them, your
saving health to all nations. Especially, we pray for
your holy Church across the world; that it may be guided and
governed by your good Spirit, so that all who profess and call
themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and
hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in
righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to your fatherly
goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed,
in mind, body, or estate; [especially those for whom our prayers
are desired]; that it may please you to comfort and relieve
them according to their various needs, giving them patience
under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their
afflictions. And this we ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
The General Thanksgiving [+][-]
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we thine unworthy servants
do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
for all thy goodness and loving kindness
to us and to all men.
We bless thee for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for thine inestimable 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 beseech thee,
give us that due sense of all thy mercies,
that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful;
and that we show forth thy praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to thy service,
and by walking before thee
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost,
be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
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 our selves 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.
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom [+][-]
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one
accord to make our common supplication unto thee, and
hast promised through thy well beloved Son that when two
or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the
midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions
of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this
world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life
everlasting. Amen.
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
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
Post-Office Marian Antiphon [+][-]
Regina Caeli
O Queen of heaven, be joyful : Alleluia
For he whom so meetly thou bearest : Alleluia
Hath arisen as he promised : Alleluia
Pray for us to the Father : Alleluia
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia.
R. For the Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Let us pray:
O God, who, by the resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ didst vouchsafe to give gladness to the world: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, being holpen by the Virgin Mary his mother, may attain unto the joys of everlasting life; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. May the divine help remain with us always.
R. And with our absent brothers and sisters. Amen.
Regina Caeli
O Queen of heaven, be joyful : Alleluia
For he who was born of your body : Alleluia
Has arisen as he promised : Alleluia
Pray for us to the Father : Alleluia
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia.
R. For the Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Let us pray:
O God, who by the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ gave gladness to the world: Grant, we pray, that we, aided by the prayers of the Virgin Mary his mother, may attain to the joys of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. May the divine help remain with us always.
R. And with our absent brothers and sisters. Amen.
gatherings, they celebrate no public service during the day except on Saturday and Sunday, when they gather at the third hour for Holy Communion. For what is offered [freely] is greater than what is rendered at particular moments, and a voluntary service is more pleasing than functions that are carried out by canonical obligation. This is why David himself rejoices somewhat boastfully when he says: ‘Willingly shall I sacrifice to you.’ And: ‘May the free offerings of my mouth be pleasing to you, Lord.’
So, John Cassian is, in essence, admitting that the Egyptians have a more perfect practice: the two Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer give the stern Egyptian monks all they need in order to pray without ceasing for the rest of the day. But then he goes right ahead and tells his monks to do the three day hours in Palestinian fashion! The Egyptian way may be better, but the Palestinian is easier—and is likely better training for those still needing to learn their psalms.
In essence, we can say that these two groups show us two different ways of using the Daily Office to learn how to pray without ceasing. The “Egyptian” model is to only have two long Offices with psalms and readings at both. The “Palestinian” model is to have shorter and more frequent Offices with psalmody, leaving the reading of Scripture for the long Office at night. The Palestinian model wins decisively in the West; Benedict expresses in his Rule what has become normative in the West: eight liturgical services of prayer with an additional monastic business meeting—Chapter—that itself acquires liturgical material. Indeed, this pattern of frequency in corporate recitation of the Offices gets taken to its extreme in the monasteries of Cluny to the point that up to a full eight hours of the day were spent singing liturgies!
With the creation of the Book of Common Prayer at the Reformation, Archbishop Cranmer put the Anglican churches onto the other path. Whereas for centuries the Western Church had followed the Palestinian model, Cranmer turned us back to the Egyptian model. Up until our present book, our Offices had consisted of just what the Egyptian Office had: psalms, a reading from the Old Testament, a reading from the New Testament and prayers, all done twice a day. (The 1979 book gives a “Palestinian” nod with the introduction of Noon Prayer and Compline.)
If prayer without ceasing is our goal (and why shouldn’t it be?) we must recall that the Egyptian model is the harder path. In order to fulfill the call, we would be wise to take their advice. Pray the long Offices as they’re appointed, but then—throughout the day—make our private prayers “brief but frequent.” Take a verse that strikes you in the morning. Ponder it through the day; make it your prayer. Repeat it to yourself as you sit in silence. Whisper it to yourself as you work. Roll it in your mind while you eat. Make it part of your prayer without ceasing.
This, then, is the essence of the Office—to make our spiritual sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. By speaking in “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God” our hearts are lifted and our minds expanded to see a world imbued with God. As we take the words of the psalms and the Scriptures into ourselves, we provide ourselves with the basic resources to “pray without ceasing.” The practice of the Office—whether together or alone—builds up in us the pattern of praise and points us in the way of the habitual recollection of God.