The Thursday after The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
5th February 1407
Daily Prayer (Morning)
Preparation
A Sentence of Scripture
From the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord. Malachi 1: 11
God who said, ‘out of darkness light shall shine’, has caused his light to shine in our hearts, the light which is knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4: 6 (REB)
The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. Titus 2: 11
Versicles and Responses
O Lord, open our lips
All and our mouth will proclaim your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
All O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
All as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Praise the Lord.
All The Lord’s name be praised.
The Word of God
A Psalm
Psalm 66
1Be joyful in God, | all the | earth; ■
sing the glory of his name; sing the | glory | of his | praise.
2Say to God, ‘How awesome | are your | deeds! ■
Because of your great strength your | enemies shall | bow be | fore you.
3‘All the | earth shall | worship you, ■
sing to you, sing | praise | to your | name.’
4Come now and behold the | works of | God, ■
how wonderful he is in his | dealings with | human | kind.
5He turned the sea into dry land; the river they passed | through on | foot; ■
there | we re | joiced in | him.
6In his might he rules for ever; his eyes keep watch | over the | nations; ■
let no | rebel rise | up a | gainst him.
7Bless our God, | O you | peoples; ■
make the voice of his | praise | to be | heard,
8Who holds our | souls in | life ■
and suffers | not our | feet to | slip.
10You brought us | into the | snare; ■
you laid heavy | burdens up | on our | backs.
11You let enemies ride over our heads; we went through | fire and | water; ■
but you brought us out | into a | place of | liberty.
12I will come into your house with burnt offerings and will | pay you my | vows, ■
which my lips uttered and my mouth promised | when I | was in | trouble.
13I will offer you fat burnt sacrifices with the | smoke of | rams; ■
I will | sacrifice | oxen and | goats.
14Come and listen, all | you who fear | God, ■
and I will tell you what | he has | done for my | soul.
15I called out to him | with my | mouth ■
and his | praise was | on my | tongue.
16If I had nursed evil | in my | heart, ■
the | Lord would | not have | heard me,
17But in truth | God has | heard me; ■
he has | heeded the | voice of my | prayer.
18Blessed be God, who has not re | jected my | prayer, ■
nor withheld his | loving | mercy | from me.
Psalm 67
1God be gracious to | us and | bless us ■
and make his | face to | shine up | on us,
2That your way may be | known upon | earth, ■
your saving | power a | mong all | nations.
3Let the peoples | praise you, O | God; ■
let | all the | peoples | praise you.
4O let the nations re | joice and be | glad, ■
for you will judge the peoples righteously and | govern the | nations•upon | earth.
5Let the peoples | praise you, O | God; ■
let | all the | peoples | praise you.
6Then shall the earth bring | forth her | increase, ■
and God, our | own | God, will | bless us.
7God | will | bless us, ■
and all the | ends of the | earth shall | fear him.
A Canticle
Which may be said here or between the readings
Urbs Fortitudinis
1 We have a strong city:
salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
2 Open ye the gates:
that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee
because he trusteth in thee.
4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever:
for our rock of ages is the Lord.
5 The way of the just is uprightness;
thou that art upright dost direct the path of the just.
6 Yea in the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee;
the desire of our soul is to thy Name,
and to the remembrance of thee.
One or two readings
The Gospel Canticle
Benedictus
1 Blessèd be the Lord the God of Israel,
who has come to his people and set them free.
2 The Lord has raised up for us a mighty saviour,
born of the house of his servant David.
3 Through the holy prophets God promised of old
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of those who hate us,
4 to show mercy to our forebears,
and to remember his holy covenant.
5 This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies.
6 Free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous before him all the days of our life.
7 And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8 To give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9 In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us.
10 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 shall be forever. Amen
The Apostles’ Creed
May be said
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
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,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and 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.
Prayer
Kneel
Let us pray
Lord, have mercy
All Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy
Weekday Intercessions and Thanksgivings
The Resurrection of Christ: The Household of Faith, the Church
Eternal God,
you have raised Jesus Christ from the dead
and exalted him to your right hand in glory;
through him you have called your Church into being,
that your people might know you
and make your name known.
Intercession
We pray for [The Church]
the Church universal, and local ...
the unity of the Church ...
the ministries of the Church ...
the mission of the Church ...
the renewal of the Church ...
all Christians in this place ...
Thanksgiving
Eternal God, we give you thanks
for the apostolic gospel committed to your Church,
the continuing presence and power of your Spirit,
the ministry of Word, Sacrament and Prayer ...
for the mission in which you have called us to share,
the will to unity, and its fruit in common action,
the faithful witness of those who are true to Christ ...
for all works of compassion
and every service that proclaims your love.
Concluding Prayer
In peace and unity
may your people offer the unfailing sacrifice of praise,
and make your glory known;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect of the Day
Creator God,
who in the beginning
commanded the light to shine out of darkness:
We pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
may dispel the darkness of ignorance and unbelief,
shine into the hearts of all your people,
and reveal the knowledge of your glory
in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Alternative collects
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord,
to know you is eternal life, and to serve you is perfect freedom:
Defend us in all assaults of our enemies,
that we, surely trusting in your protection,
may not fear the power of any adversaries;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everliving God,
we give you thanks for bringing us safely to this day:
Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger,
and in all things guide us to know and do your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Go before us, Lord, in all our doings, with your most gracious favour,
and further us with your continual help;
that in all our works begun, continued and ended in you,
we may glorify your holy name,
and finally by your mercy attain everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Heavenly Father,
in whom we live and move and have our being:
We humbly pray that your Holy Spirit may so guide and govern us
that in all the cares and occupations of our daily life,
we may never forget your presence
but may remember that we are always walking in your sight,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Going out as God’s people
The Lord be with you
All and also with you.
Let us bless the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore.
All Amen
To the King of Ages, immortal, invisible, the only God
be honour and glory for ever and ever.
All Amen
May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that by the Holy Spirit
you may abound in hope.
All Amen