Wed. evening Jul. 22
Opening response
Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!
Prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night: to you be praise and glory forever. As darkness falls, you renew your promise to reveal among us the light of your presence. By the light of Christ, your living Word, dispel the darkness of our hearts that we may walk as children of light and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.
That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and forever.
Amen.
Hymn
Grace Greater Than Our Sin
Confession of Sin
The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor recompensed us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his mercy toward those who fear Him.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Holy God,
Holy and strong,
Holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children,
so the LORD pities those who fear Him.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits.
Psalm 63
𝙍: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
O God, You are my God;
early will I seek You;
my soul thirsts for You;
my flesh longs for You,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary,
beholding Your power and Your glory.
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
my lips shall praise You.
Thus will I bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
𝙍: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
When I remember You upon my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches,
for You have been my help.
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice.
My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.
𝙍: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
But those who seek my soul, to destroy it,
shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
They shall fall by the sword;
they shall be prey for jackals.
But the king shall rejoice in God;
everyone who swears by Him shall glory,
for the mouths of those who speak lies shall be stopped.
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.
𝙍: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Psalm prayer
To you we come, radiant Lord, the goal of all our desiring, beyond all earthly beauty; gentle protector, strong deliverer, in the night you are our confidence; from first light be our joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemies.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
you will see evil no more.
On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands be slack.
The LORD your God is in your midst,
a Mighty One, who will save.
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will renew you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
I will gather those who grieve
for the appointed festival,
which is a reproach and burden on you.
At that time I will deal
with all who oppress you;
I will save the lame
and gather the outcast;
I will give them praise and fame
in every land where they have been put to shame.
At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes,
says the LORD.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 15:40-16:7
There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joseph, and Salome. They also had followed Him and had ministered to Him when He was in Galilee. And many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem were there.
When the evening had come, because it was the Day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, an honorable member of the Council, who also waited for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and requested the body of Jesus. Pilate wondered if He were already dead. And calling for the centurion, he asked him whether He had been dead for a while. When he learned about it from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. So he bought fine linen, and taking Him down, wrapped Him in the linen and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where He was laid.
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb at the rising of the sun. They said among themselves, “Who will roll the stone away from the door of the tomb for us?”
But when they looked, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. For it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white robe. And they were frightened.
He said to them, “Do not be frightened. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him, as He told you.”
Silence may be kept.
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)
Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
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.
Brief silence.
The Apostle’s Creed
Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:
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.
Thanksgiving and intercession
Thanksgiving may be made for the day.
Intercessions are offered
for peace
for individuals and their needs
Prayers may include the following concerns:
The social services
All who work in the criminal justice system
Victims and perpetrators of crime
The work of aid agencies throughout the world
Those living in poverty or under oppression
Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.
Response
Lord, hear your people
and answer our prayers.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Almighty God, whose Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of mind and body and called her to be a witness to his resurrection: forgive our sins and heal us by your grace, that we may serve you in the power of his risen life; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Savior taught us, so we 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,
forever. Amen.
Conclusion
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.
Tue. evening Jul. 21
Opening response
Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!
Prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night: to you be praise and glory forever. As darkness falls, you renew your promise to reveal among us the light of your presence. By the light of Christ, your living Word, dispel the darkness of our hearts that we may walk as children of light and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.
That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and forever.
Amen.
Hymn
Now Thank We All Our God
Confession of Sin
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
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.
Psalm 9
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
I will give thanks to You, O LORD, with my whole heart;
I will declare all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
When my enemies are turned back,
they will stumble and perish at Your presence.
For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging what is right.
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked,
You have wiped out their name forever and ever.
O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
You have destroyed cities;
even the memory of them has perished.
But the LORD remains forever;
He has established His throne for judgment.
He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will give judgment to the peoples in uprightness.
The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Sing praises to the LORD who dwells in Zion;
declare His deeds among the people.
He who avenges deaths remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble.
Be gracious to me, O LORD; consider my trouble from those who hate me,
O You who lifts me up from the gates of death,
that I may recount all Your praise
in the gates of the daughter of Zion,
that I may rejoice in Your salvation.
The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made;
their own foot is caught in the net which they hid.
The LORD is known by the judgment that He executes;
the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
The wicked will depart to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.
For the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor will the hope of the poor perish forever.
Arise, O LORD, may mortals not prevail;
let the nations be judged in Your sight.
Put them in fear, O LORD,
that the nations themselves may know that they are mortals.
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.
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalm prayer
Remember, Lord, all who cry to you from death’s dark gates; do not forget those whom the world forgets, but raise your faithful ones to Zion’s gate, with your all-conquering Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Psalm 10
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Why do You stand far off, O LORD?
Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?
In arrogance the wicked persecutes the poor;
let them be caught in the devices they have planned.
For the wicked boasts of his soul’s desire,
and blesses the greedy and despises the LORD.
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek God;
God is not in all his thoughts.
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
His ways are always prosperous;
Your judgments are high and distant from him;
as for all his enemies, he scoffs at them.
He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
for generations I shall not meet adversity.”
His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
in the secret places he murders the innocent;
his eyes lurk against the unfortunate.
He lies in wait secretly as a lion in his den;
he lies in wait to catch the poor;
he catches the poor, drawing them into his net.
He crouches; he lies low,
so that the unfortunate falls by his strength.
He says in his heart, “God has forgotten;
He hides His face; He will never see it.”
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Arise, O LORD! O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
Why do the wicked despise God?
He says in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”
You have seen it, for You observe trouble and grief,
to repay it with Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the orphan.
Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
seek out his wickedness
until You find none.
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
The LORD is King forever and ever;
the nations perished from His land.
The desire of the humble You have heard, O LORD;
You make their heart attentive; You bend Your ear
to judge the orphan and the oppressed;
man on earth no longer trembles.
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.
𝙍: You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalm prayer
When wickedness triumphs, and the poor are betrayed, come to your kingdom, strong and holy God, destroy the masks of evil and reign in our broken hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Jeremiah 28
In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year and in the fifth month, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, “Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two full years I will bring back into this place all the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went into Babylon, says the LORD, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”
Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD, even the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen. May the LORD do so; may the LORD perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the house of the LORD and all that was carried away captive, from Babylon into this place. Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your ears and in the ears of all the people. The prophets of old who have been before me and before you prophesied both against many countries and against great kingdoms, of war and disaster and pestilence. As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet shall be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent.”
Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it. Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within the space of two full years.” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying: Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus says the LORD: You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made instead of them yokes of iron. For thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. And I have given him the beasts of the field also.
Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah. The LORD has not sent you, and you make this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will cast you from off the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the LORD.”
So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
2 Corinthians 11:16-33
I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. Otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, so that I also may boast a little. What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you tolerate fools gladly, seeing you yourselves are wise. For you permit it if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes from you, if a man exalts himself, or if a man strikes you on the face. I say to my reproach that we were too weak for that.
But whenever anyone is bold (I speak foolishly), I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, often facing death. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brothers; in weariness and painfulness, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness. Beside the external things, the care of all the churches pressures me daily. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I am not distressed?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things which concern my weakness. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forevermore, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me. But I was let down by the wall through a window in a basket and escaped his hands.
Silence may be kept.
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)
Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
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.
Brief silence.
The Apostle’s Creed
Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:
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.
Thanksgiving and intercession
Thanksgiving may be made for the day.
Intercessions are offered
for peace
for individuals and their needs
Prayers may include the following concerns:
All who are sick in body, mind, or spirit
Those in the midst of famine or disaster
Victims of abuse and violence, intolerance, and prejudice
Those who are bereaved
All who work in the medical and healing professions
Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.
Response
Lord of life
In your mercy, hear us.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of your great mercy keep us in the same; 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 forever.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Savior taught us, so we 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,
forever. Amen.
Conclusion
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.
Mon. evening Jul. 20
Opening response
Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!
Prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night: to you be praise and glory forever. As darkness falls, you renew your promise to reveal among us the light of your presence. By the light of Christ, your living Word, dispel the darkness of our hearts that we may walk as children of light and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.
That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and forever.
Amen.
Hymn
Revive Us Again
Confession of Sin
Come, Holy Spirit of God,
and search our hearts with the light of Christ.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said:
“The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
After a period of reflection
Come, let us return to the Lord and say:
Lord our God, in our sin, we have avoided your call. Our faithfulness is like a morning cloud, and like the early dew, it goes away. Have mercy on us; deliver us from judgment; bind up our wounds and revive us; in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
cf Hosea 6
May Almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring us his pardon and peace, now and forever.
Amen.
Psalm 4
𝙍: I will both lie down in peace and sleep.
Answer me when I call,
O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress;
have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
O people, how long will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love vanity and seek after lies?
Know that the LORD set apart the faithful for Himself;
the LORD hears when I call to Him.
Tremble in awe, and do not sin.
Meditate within your own heart on your bed,
and be still.
𝙍: I will both lie down in peace and sleep.
Offer sacrifices of righteousness,
and trust in the LORD.
There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?”
Lord, let the light of Your countenance shine upon us.
You have placed gladness in my heart,
more than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will both lie down in peace and sleep;
for You, LORD,
make me dwell safely and securely.
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.
𝙍: I will both lie down in peace and sleep.
Psalm prayer
Give us today, O God, a glad heart and a clear conscience, that when we come to this day’s end, we may rest in peace with Christ our Lord.
Psalm 7
𝙍: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me,
lest they tear my soul like a lion,
rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
O LORD my God, if I have done this,
if there is iniquity in the palms of my hands,
if I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,
or have delivered my adversary without cause,
then may the enemy pursue my life and overtake me;
may my enemy trample my life to the ground,
and lay my honor in the dust.
𝙍: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;
rise up because of the rage of my adversaries,
and awaken Yourself for me; You have commanded justice.
So shall the congregation of the peoples surround You;
For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
The LORD will judge the peoples;
grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
and according to my integrity within me.
May the evil of the wicked come to an end;
may You vindicate the righteous;
You are a righteous God who examines the minds and hearts.
𝙍: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
My defense depends on God,
who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
and God has indignation every day.
If a man does not repent,
God will sharpen His sword;
He has bent His bow and made it ready.
He has prepared for Himself deadly weapons;
He makes His arrows flaming shafts.
𝙍: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
Behold, the wicked man writhes in pain of iniquity;
he has conceived mischief and brought forth falsehood.
He who digs a hole and hollows it
will then fall into his own pit.
His mischief will return on his own head;
his violence will descend on the crown of his own head.
I will thank the LORD according to His righteousness,
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
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.
𝙍: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
Psalm prayer
Lord, your justice turns evil on itself: move us to examine our hearts and repent of all duplicity; for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Judge and righteous Savior.
Old Testament reading
Jeremiah 26
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD, saying: Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the house of the LORD, and speak to all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word. Perhaps they will listen and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I purpose to do to them because of the evil of their deeds. You will say to them: Thus says the LORD: If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them, but you have not listened, then I will make this house like Shiloh and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. And when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people took hold of him, saying, “You shall surely die. Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant’?” And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
When the officials of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king’s house to the house of the LORD and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the LORD. Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “This man deserves to die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”
Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent of the disaster that He has pronounced against you. As for me, behold, I am in your hand. Do with me as seems good and right to you. But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and upon the inhabitants. For truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”
Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, “This man is not worthy of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.”
Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying: “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of Hosts:
Zion shall be plowed like a field,
and Jerusalem shall become heaps,
and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.’
Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the LORD, and the LORD relented of the disaster which He had pronounced against them? Thus we might procure great evil against ourselves.”
There was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the officials, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah heard it, he was afraid and fled and went into Egypt. And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt: namely, Elnathan the son of Akbor and certain men with him into Egypt. They brought Uriah out of Egypt and led him to Jehoiakim the king, who slew him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, with the result that he was not given into the hands of the people to put him to death.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
2 Corinthians 11:1-15
I would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly. Indeed, bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve through his trickery, so your minds might be led astray from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might submit to it readily enough.
For I think I am not in any way inferior to the most eminent of the apostles. Even though I am unpolished in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. All things about us have been thoroughly revealed to you. Did I commit a sin in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God free of charge? I robbed other churches by accepting wages from them to serve you. Furthermore, when I was present with you and was lacking, I was a burden to no one. For the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I lacked. In all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows.
And I will continue doing what I am doing, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be found equal to us in what they boast about. For such are false apostles and deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Silence may be kept.
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)
Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
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.
Brief silence.
The Apostle’s Creed
Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:
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.
Thanksgiving and intercession
Thanksgiving may be made for the day.
Intercessions are offered
for peace
for individuals and their needs
Prayers may include the following concerns:
The media and the arts
Farming and fishing
Commerce and industry
Those whose work is unfulfilling, stressful, or fraught with danger
All who are unemployed
Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.
Response
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of your great mercy keep us in the same; 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 forever.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Savior taught us, so we 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,
forever. Amen.
Conclusion
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.