1 O King enthroned on high,
thou Comforter divine,
blest Spirit of all truth, be nigh
and make us thine.
—-
2 Thou art the source of life,
thou art our treasure-store;
give us thy peace and end our strife
for evermore.
—-
3 Descend, O heavenly Dove,
abide with us alway;
and in the fullness of thy love
cleanse us, we pray.
thou Comforter divine,
blest Spirit of all truth, be nigh
and make us thine.
—-
2 Thou art the source of life,
thou art our treasure-store;
give us thy peace and end our strife
for evermore.
—-
3 Descend, O heavenly Dove,
abide with us alway;
and in the fullness of thy love
cleanse us, we pray.
Friday, 26 July 2024
Anne and Joachim, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Lesser Festival]
+++
Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever.
Amen.
+++
Morning
Jeremiah 17, 27, 2 readers
Judah’s Sin and Punishment
17 The sin of Judah is written with an iron pen; with a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts and on the horns of their altars, 2 while their children remember their altars and their sacred poles[a] beside every green tree and on the high hills, 3 on the mountains in the open country. Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your sin[b] throughout all your territory. 4 By your own act you shall lose the heritage that I gave you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.
5
Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals
and make mere flesh their strength,
whose hearts turn away from the Lord.
6
They shall be like a shrub in the desert
and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
7
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8
They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit.
9
The heart is devious above all else;
it is perverse--
who can understand it?
10
I the Lord test the mind
and search the heart,
to give to all according to their ways,
according to the fruit of their doings.
11
Like the partridge hatching what it did not lay,
so are all who amass wealth unjustly;
in midlife it will leave them,
and at their end they will prove to be fools.
12
O glorious throne, exalted from the beginning,
shrine of our sanctuary!
13
O hope of Israel! O Lord!
All who forsake you shall be put to shame;
those who turn away from you[c] shall be recorded in the underworld,[d]
for they have forsaken the fountain of living water, the Lord.
Second reader
Jeremiah Prays for Vindication
14
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
save me, and I shall be saved,
for you are my praise.
15
See how they say to me,
“Where is the word of the Lord?
Let it come!”
16
But I have not run away from being a shepherd[e] in your service,
nor have I desired the fatal day.
You know what came from my lips;
it was before your face.
17
Do not become a terror to me;
you are my refuge in the day of disaster;
18
Let my persecutors be shamed,
but do not let me be shamed;
let them be dismayed,
but do not let me be dismayed;
bring on them the day of disaster;
destroy them with double destruction!
Hallow the Sabbath Day
19 Thus said the Lord to me: Go and stand in the People’s Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, 20 and say to them: Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter by these gates. 21 Thus says the Lord: For the sake of your lives, take care that you do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. 22 And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. 23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear; they stiffened their necks and would not hear or receive instruction.
24 But if you listen to me, says the Lord, and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the Sabbath day but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it, 25 then there shall enter by the gates of this city kings[f] who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city shall be inhabited forever. 26 And people shall come from the towns of Judah and the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, from the hill country, and from the Negeb, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27 But if you do not listen to me, to keep the Sabbath day holy and to carry in no burden through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates; it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
John 14, 31, 2 readers
Jesus the Way to the Father
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe[a] in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.”[c]5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know[d] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe[e] because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me[f] for anything, I will do it.
Second reader
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, you will keep[g] my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[h] to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be[i] in[j] you.
18 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.
25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate,[k] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
Psalm 119, 105-144, 2 readers
105
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
106
I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to observe your righteous ordinances.
107
I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O Lord, according to your word.
108
Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord,
and teach me your ordinances.
109
I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law.
110
The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from your precepts.
111
Your decrees are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
112
I incline my heart to perform your statutes
forever, to the end.
113
I hate the double-minded,
but I love your law.
114
You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in your word.
115
Go away from me, you evildoers,
that I may keep the commandments of my God.
116
Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live,
and let me not be put to shame in my hope.
117
Hold me up, that I may be safe
and have regard for your statutes continually.
118
You spurn all who go astray from your statutes,
for their cunning is in vain.
119
All the wicked of the earth I count[d] as dross;
therefore I love your decrees.
120
My flesh trembles for fear of you,
and I am afraid of your judgments.
121
I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122
Guarantee your servant’s well-being;
do not let the godless oppress me.
123
My eyes fail from watching for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124
Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes.
125
I am your servant; give me understanding,
so that I may know your decrees.
Second reader
126
It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.
127
Truly I love your commandments
more than gold, more than fine gold.
128
Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts;[e]
I hate every false way.
129
Your decrees are wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
130
The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.
131
With open mouth I pant,
because I long for your commandments.
132
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your custom toward those who love your name.
133
Keep my steps steady according to your promise,
and never let iniquity have dominion over me.
134
Redeem me from human oppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135
Make your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136
My eyes shed streams of tears
because your law is not kept.
137
You are righteous, O Lord,
and your judgments are right.
138
You have appointed your decrees in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
139
My zeal consumes me
because my foes forget your words.
140
Your promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
141
I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
142
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your law is the truth.
143
Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
but your commandments are my delight.
144
Your decrees are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
Let us pray.
God the Father,
have mercy upon us.
God the Son,
have mercy upon us.
God the Holy Spirit,
have mercy upon us.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
have mercy upon us.
Leader prays a short prayer
+++
The Collect of the day is said
Lord God of Israel,
who bestowed such grace on Anne and Joachim
that their daughter Mary grew up obedient to your word
and made ready to be the mother of your Son:
help us to commit ourselves in all things to your keeping
and grant us the salvation you promised to your people;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
+++
The Lord’s Prayer is said
Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray
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.
+++
The Conclusion
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
+++
Evening
Jeremiah 18, 23
The Potter and the Clay
18 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. 9 And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it.11 Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you, from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
Israel’s Stubborn Idolatry
12 But they say, “It is no use! We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of our evil will.”
13
Therefore thus says the Lord:
Ask among the nations:
Who has heard the like of this?
The virgin Israel has done
a most horrible thing.
14
Does the snow of Lebanon leave
the crags of Sirion?[a]
Do the mountain[b] waters run dry,[c]
the cold flowing streams?
15
But my people have forgotten me;
they burn offerings to a delusion;
they have stumbled[d] in their ways,
in the ancient roads,
and have gone into bypaths,
not the highway,
16
making their land a horror,
a thing to be hissed at forever.
All who pass by it are horrified
and shake their heads.
17
Like the wind from the east,
I will scatter them before the enemy.
I will show them my back, not my face,
in the day of their calamity.
A Plot against Jeremiah
18 Then they said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for instruction shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us bring charges against him,[e] and let us not heed any of his words.”
19
Give heed to me, O Lord,
and listen to what my adversaries say!
20
Is evil a recompense for good?
Yet they have dug a pit for my life.
Remember how I stood before you
to speak good for them,
to turn away your wrath from them.
21
Therefore give their children over to famine;
hurl them out to the power of the sword;
let their wives become childless and widowed.
May their men meet death by pestilence,
their youths be slain by the sword in battle.
22
May a cry be heard from their houses
when you bring the marauder suddenly upon them!
For they have dug a pit to catch me
and laid snares for my feet.
23
Yet you, O Lord, know
all their plotting to kill me.
Do not forgive their iniquity;
do not blot out their sin from your sight.
Let them be tripped up before you;
deal with them while you are angry.
+++
Titus 1, 16
Salutation
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began— 3 in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior,
4 To Titus, my true child[a] in the faith we share:
Grace[b] and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Titus in Crete
5 I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: 6 someone who is blameless, married only once,[c] whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious. 7 For a bishop,[d]as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but he must be hospitable,[e] a lover of goodness, self-controlled, upright, devout, and restrained, 9 holding tightly to the trustworthy word of the teaching, so that he may be able both to exhort with sound instruction and to refute those who contradict it.
10 There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; 11 they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is not right to teach. 12 It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said,
“Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons.”
13 That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
+++
Psalm 119, 145-176
145
With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord.
I will keep your statutes.
146
I cry to you; save me,
that I may observe your decrees.
147
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I put my hope in your words.
148
My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.
149
In your steadfast love hear my voice;
O Lord, in your justice preserve my life.
150
Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near;
they are far from your law.
151
Yet you are near, O Lord,
and all your commandments are true.
152
Long ago I learned from your decrees
that you have established them forever.
153
Look on my misery and rescue me,
for I do not forget your law.
154
Plead my cause and redeem me;
give me life according to your promise.
155
Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek your statutes.
156
Great is your mercy, O Lord;
be gracious to me[f] according to your justice.
157
Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
yet I do not swerve from your decrees.
158
I look at the faithless with disgust
because they do not keep your commands.
159
Consider how I love your precepts;
be gracious to me[g] according to your steadfast love.
160
The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.
161
Princes persecute me without cause,
but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162
I rejoice at your word
like one who finds great spoil.
163
I hate and abhor falsehood,
but I love your law.
164
Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous ordinances.
165
Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.
166
I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
and I fulfill your commandments.
167
My soul keeps your decrees;
I love them exceedingly.
168
I keep your precepts and decrees,
for all my ways are before you.
169
Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word.
170
Let my supplication come before you;
deliver me according to your promise.
171
My lips will pour forth praise,
because you teach me your statutes.
172
My tongue will sing of your promise,
for all your commandments are right.
173
Let your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
174
I long for your salvation, O Lord,
and your law is my delight.
175
Let me live that I may praise you,
and let your ordinances help me.
176
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments.
Anne and Joachim, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Lesser Festival]
+++
Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever.
Amen.
+++
Morning
Jeremiah 17, 27, 2 readers
Judah’s Sin and Punishment
17 The sin of Judah is written with an iron pen; with a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts and on the horns of their altars, 2 while their children remember their altars and their sacred poles[a] beside every green tree and on the high hills, 3 on the mountains in the open country. Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your sin[b] throughout all your territory. 4 By your own act you shall lose the heritage that I gave you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.
5
Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals
and make mere flesh their strength,
whose hearts turn away from the Lord.
6
They shall be like a shrub in the desert
and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
7
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8
They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit.
9
The heart is devious above all else;
it is perverse--
who can understand it?
10
I the Lord test the mind
and search the heart,
to give to all according to their ways,
according to the fruit of their doings.
11
Like the partridge hatching what it did not lay,
so are all who amass wealth unjustly;
in midlife it will leave them,
and at their end they will prove to be fools.
12
O glorious throne, exalted from the beginning,
shrine of our sanctuary!
13
O hope of Israel! O Lord!
All who forsake you shall be put to shame;
those who turn away from you[c] shall be recorded in the underworld,[d]
for they have forsaken the fountain of living water, the Lord.
Second reader
Jeremiah Prays for Vindication
14
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
save me, and I shall be saved,
for you are my praise.
15
See how they say to me,
“Where is the word of the Lord?
Let it come!”
16
But I have not run away from being a shepherd[e] in your service,
nor have I desired the fatal day.
You know what came from my lips;
it was before your face.
17
Do not become a terror to me;
you are my refuge in the day of disaster;
18
Let my persecutors be shamed,
but do not let me be shamed;
let them be dismayed,
but do not let me be dismayed;
bring on them the day of disaster;
destroy them with double destruction!
Hallow the Sabbath Day
19 Thus said the Lord to me: Go and stand in the People’s Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, 20 and say to them: Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter by these gates. 21 Thus says the Lord: For the sake of your lives, take care that you do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. 22 And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. 23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear; they stiffened their necks and would not hear or receive instruction.
24 But if you listen to me, says the Lord, and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the Sabbath day but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it, 25 then there shall enter by the gates of this city kings[f] who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city shall be inhabited forever. 26 And people shall come from the towns of Judah and the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, from the hill country, and from the Negeb, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27 But if you do not listen to me, to keep the Sabbath day holy and to carry in no burden through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates; it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
+++
John 14, 31, 2 readers
Jesus the Way to the Father
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe[a] in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.”[c]5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know[d] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe[e] because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me[f] for anything, I will do it.
Second reader
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, you will keep[g] my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[h] to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be[i] in[j] you.
18 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.
25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate,[k] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
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Psalm 119, 105-144, 2 readers
105
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
106
I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to observe your righteous ordinances.
107
I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O Lord, according to your word.
108
Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord,
and teach me your ordinances.
109
I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law.
110
The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from your precepts.
111
Your decrees are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
112
I incline my heart to perform your statutes
forever, to the end.
113
I hate the double-minded,
but I love your law.
114
You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in your word.
115
Go away from me, you evildoers,
that I may keep the commandments of my God.
116
Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live,
and let me not be put to shame in my hope.
117
Hold me up, that I may be safe
and have regard for your statutes continually.
118
You spurn all who go astray from your statutes,
for their cunning is in vain.
119
All the wicked of the earth I count[d] as dross;
therefore I love your decrees.
120
My flesh trembles for fear of you,
and I am afraid of your judgments.
121
I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122
Guarantee your servant’s well-being;
do not let the godless oppress me.
123
My eyes fail from watching for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124
Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes.
125
I am your servant; give me understanding,
so that I may know your decrees.
Second reader
126
It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.
127
Truly I love your commandments
more than gold, more than fine gold.
128
Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts;[e]
I hate every false way.
129
Your decrees are wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
130
The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.
131
With open mouth I pant,
because I long for your commandments.
132
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your custom toward those who love your name.
133
Keep my steps steady according to your promise,
and never let iniquity have dominion over me.
134
Redeem me from human oppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135
Make your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136
My eyes shed streams of tears
because your law is not kept.
137
You are righteous, O Lord,
and your judgments are right.
138
You have appointed your decrees in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
139
My zeal consumes me
because my foes forget your words.
140
Your promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
141
I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
142
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your law is the truth.
143
Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
but your commandments are my delight.
144
Your decrees are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
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Let us pray.
God the Father,
have mercy upon us.
God the Son,
have mercy upon us.
God the Holy Spirit,
have mercy upon us.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
have mercy upon us.
Leader prays a short prayer
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The Collect of the day is said
Lord God of Israel,
who bestowed such grace on Anne and Joachim
that their daughter Mary grew up obedient to your word
and made ready to be the mother of your Son:
help us to commit ourselves in all things to your keeping
and grant us the salvation you promised to your people;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
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The Lord’s Prayer is said
Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray
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.
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The Conclusion
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
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Evening
Jeremiah 18, 23
The Potter and the Clay
18 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. 9 And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it.11 Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you, from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
Israel’s Stubborn Idolatry
12 But they say, “It is no use! We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of our evil will.”
13
Therefore thus says the Lord:
Ask among the nations:
Who has heard the like of this?
The virgin Israel has done
a most horrible thing.
14
Does the snow of Lebanon leave
the crags of Sirion?[a]
Do the mountain[b] waters run dry,[c]
the cold flowing streams?
15
But my people have forgotten me;
they burn offerings to a delusion;
they have stumbled[d] in their ways,
in the ancient roads,
and have gone into bypaths,
not the highway,
16
making their land a horror,
a thing to be hissed at forever.
All who pass by it are horrified
and shake their heads.
17
Like the wind from the east,
I will scatter them before the enemy.
I will show them my back, not my face,
in the day of their calamity.
A Plot against Jeremiah
18 Then they said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for instruction shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us bring charges against him,[e] and let us not heed any of his words.”
19
Give heed to me, O Lord,
and listen to what my adversaries say!
20
Is evil a recompense for good?
Yet they have dug a pit for my life.
Remember how I stood before you
to speak good for them,
to turn away your wrath from them.
21
Therefore give their children over to famine;
hurl them out to the power of the sword;
let their wives become childless and widowed.
May their men meet death by pestilence,
their youths be slain by the sword in battle.
22
May a cry be heard from their houses
when you bring the marauder suddenly upon them!
For they have dug a pit to catch me
and laid snares for my feet.
23
Yet you, O Lord, know
all their plotting to kill me.
Do not forgive their iniquity;
do not blot out their sin from your sight.
Let them be tripped up before you;
deal with them while you are angry.
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Titus 1, 16
Salutation
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began— 3 in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior,
4 To Titus, my true child[a] in the faith we share:
Grace[b] and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Titus in Crete
5 I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: 6 someone who is blameless, married only once,[c] whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious. 7 For a bishop,[d]as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but he must be hospitable,[e] a lover of goodness, self-controlled, upright, devout, and restrained, 9 holding tightly to the trustworthy word of the teaching, so that he may be able both to exhort with sound instruction and to refute those who contradict it.
10 There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; 11 they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is not right to teach. 12 It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said,
“Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons.”
13 That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
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Psalm 119, 145-176
145
With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord.
I will keep your statutes.
146
I cry to you; save me,
that I may observe your decrees.
147
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I put my hope in your words.
148
My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.
149
In your steadfast love hear my voice;
O Lord, in your justice preserve my life.
150
Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near;
they are far from your law.
151
Yet you are near, O Lord,
and all your commandments are true.
152
Long ago I learned from your decrees
that you have established them forever.
153
Look on my misery and rescue me,
for I do not forget your law.
154
Plead my cause and redeem me;
give me life according to your promise.
155
Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek your statutes.
156
Great is your mercy, O Lord;
be gracious to me[f] according to your justice.
157
Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
yet I do not swerve from your decrees.
158
I look at the faithless with disgust
because they do not keep your commands.
159
Consider how I love your precepts;
be gracious to me[g] according to your steadfast love.
160
The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.
161
Princes persecute me without cause,
but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162
I rejoice at your word
like one who finds great spoil.
163
I hate and abhor falsehood,
but I love your law.
164
Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous ordinances.
165
Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.
166
I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
and I fulfill your commandments.
167
My soul keeps your decrees;
I love them exceedingly.
168
I keep your precepts and decrees,
for all my ways are before you.
169
Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word.
170
Let my supplication come before you;
deliver me according to your promise.
171
My lips will pour forth praise,
because you teach me your statutes.
172
My tongue will sing of your promise,
for all your commandments are right.
173
Let your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
174
I long for your salvation, O Lord,
and your law is my delight.
175
Let me live that I may praise you,
and let your ordinances help me.
176
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments.