Wednesday - Proper 28

Nov 22

Opening Words:

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Psalm 19:14 (ESV)

Confession:

Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.

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 you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

The Invitatory

Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness:
Come let us adore him.

Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.

The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *

Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness:
Come let us adore him.

The Psalter

Psalm 101

Misericordiam et judicium

I will sing of mercy and justice; *

to you, O Lord, will I sing praises.

I will strive to follow a blameless course;

oh, when will you come to me? *

I will walk with sincerity of heart within my house.

I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; *

I hate the doers of evil deeds;

they shall not remain with me.

A crooked heart shall be far from me; *

I will not know evil.

Those who in secret slander their neighbors I will destroy; *

those who have a haughty look and a proud heart I cannot abide.

My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me, *

and only those who lead a blameless life shall be my servants.

Those who act deceitfully shall not dwell in my house, *

and those who tell lies shall not continue in my sight.

I will soon destroy all the wicked in the land, *

that I may root out all evildoers from the city of the Lord.

Psalm 109

Deus, laudem

Hold not your tongue, O God of my praise; *

for the mouth of the wicked,

the mouth of the deceitful, is opened against me.

They speak to me with a lying tongue; *

they encompass me with hateful words

and fight against me without a cause.

Despite my love, they accuse me; *

but as for me, I pray for them.

They repay evil for good, *

and hatred for my love.

But you, O Lord my God,

oh, deal with me according to your Name; *

for your tender mercy’s sake, deliver me.

For I am poor and needy, *

and my heart is wounded within me.

I have faded away like a shadow when it lengthens; *

I am shaken off like a locust.

My knees are weak through fasting, *

and my flesh is wasted and gaunt.

I have become a reproach to them; *

they see and shake their heads.

Help me, O Lord my God; *

save me for your mercy’s sake.

Let them know that this is your hand, *

that you, O Lord, have done it.

They may curse, but you will bless; *

let those who rise up against me be put to shame,

and your servant will rejoice.

Let my accusers be clothed with disgrace *

and wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.

I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth; *

in the midst of the multitude will I praise him;

Because he stands at the right hand of the needy, *

to save his life from those who would condemn him.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Lessons

1 Maccabees 3:42-60

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Now Judas and his brothers saw that misfortunes had increased and that the forces were encamped in their territory. They also learned what the king had commanded to do to the people to cause their final destruction. But they said to one another, “Let us restore the ruins of our people and fight for our people and the sanctuary.” So the congregation assembled to be ready for battle and to pray and ask for mercy and compassion.

Jerusalem was uninhabited like a wilderness;
    not one of her children went in or out.
The sanctuary was trampled down,
    and strangers held the citadel;
    it was a lodging place for the nations.
Joy was taken from Jacob;
    the flute and the harp ceased to play.

Then they gathered together and went to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem, because Israel formerly had a place of prayer in Mizpah. They fasted that day, put on sackcloth, and sprinkled ashes on their heads, and tore their clothes. And they opened the book of the law to inquire into those matters about which the nations consulted the likenesses of their gods. They also brought the vestments of the priesthood and the first fruits and the tithes, and they stirred up the nazirites who had completed their days, and they cried aloud to heaven, saying,

“What shall we do with these?
    Where shall we take them?
Your sanctuary is trampled down and profaned,
    and your priests mourn in humiliation.
Here the nations are assembled against us to destroy us;
    you know what they plot against us.
How will we be able to withstand them,
    if you do not help us?”

Then they sounded the trumpets and gave a loud shout. After this Judas appointed leaders of the people in charge of thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens. Those who were building houses or were about to be married or were planting a vineyard or were fainthearted, he told to go home, according to the law. Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus.

And Judas said, “Arm yourselves and be courageous. Be ready early in the morning to fight with these nations who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. It is better for us to die in battle than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary. But as his will in heaven may be, so shall he do.”

Revelation 21:9-21

English Standard Version

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks Be To God.

Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)

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.

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Prayers

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy

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, forever and ever. Amen.

The Suffrages

O Lord, show your mercy upon us;

And grant us your salvation.

O Lord, guide those who govern us

And lead us in the way of justice and truth.

Clothe your ministers with righteousness

And let your people sing with joy.

O Lord, save your people

And bless your inheritance.

Give peace in our time, O Lord

And defend us by your mighty power.

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

Create in us clean hearts, O God

And take not your Holy Spirit from us.

Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others.

The Collects

Proper 28

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Daily Collects:

A Collect for Peace

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, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Grace

O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect of Saint Basil

O Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.

General Thanksgiving

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. John Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: 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.

Dismissal

Let us bless the Lord

Thanks be to God!
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Benediction

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

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Psalms taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer by the Episcopal Church.

The reading plan based is based on the 1979 Daily Office Lectionary Year A

Michael Livingston