Fri. evening Oct. 2
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
Amazing Grace
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;
andall that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits.
Psalm 69
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood overflows me.
I am weary with my crying;
my throat is parched;
my eyes grow dim
while I wait for my God.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
Those who hate me without cause
are more than the hairs of my head;
they are mighty
who would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully;
what I did not steal,
I must now restore.
O God, You know my folly,
and my sins are not hidden from You.
Let not those who wait on You,
O Lord GOD of Hosts,
be ashamed because of me;
let not those who seek You
be dishonored because of me,
O God of Israel,
because for Your sake I have borne reproach;
shame has covered my face.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
I have become a stranger to my brothers,
and an alien to my mother’s children;
for zeal for Your house has consumed me,
and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen upon me.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting,
it became my reproach.
When I made sackcloth my clothing,
I became a proverb to them.
Those who sit in the gate speak against me,
and I am the song of the drunkards.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD,
at an acceptable time; O God,
in the abundance of Your mercy,
answer me in the truth of Your salvation.
Deliver me out of the mire
and let me not sink;
let me be delivered from those who hate me,
and out of the deep waters.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
Let not the flood overflow me,
nor let the deep swallow me up;
and let not the pit close its mouth on me.
Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good;
turn to me according to the abundance of Your tender mercies.
Hide not Your face from Your servant,
for I am in trouble; answer me quickly.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
Draw near to my soul, and redeem it;
deliver me because of my enemies.
You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor;
my adversaries are all known to You.
Reproach has broken my heart,
and I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none,
and for comforters, but I found none.
They also gave me poison in my food,
and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
Let their table become a snare before them,
and let their peace be a trap.
Let their eyes be darkened so they do not see,
and make their loins tremble continually.
Pour out Your indignation upon them,
and let Your wrathful anger overtake them.
Let their camp be desolate,
and let no one dwell in their tents.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
For they persecute him whom You have struck,
and they recount the pain of those whom You have wounded.
Add guilt to their iniquity,
and let them not come into Your righteousness.
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living,
and let them not be recorded with the righteous.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let Your salvation, O God, set me safely on high.
I will praise the name of God with a song,
and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
This will please the LORD
more than an ox or bull with horns and hoofs.
The humble shall see this and be glad;
and you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
𝙍: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
For the LORD hears the poor,
and does not despise His prisoners.
Let heaven and earth praise Him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.
For God will save Zion,
and will build the cities of Judah,
that they may dwell there and possess it.
The descendants of His servants shall inherit it,
and those who love His name shall dwell in it.
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: Hide not Your face from Your servant, O LORD.
Psalm prayer
Thirsting on the cross, your Son shared the reproach of the oppressed and carried the sins of all; in him, O God, may the despairing find you, the afflicted gain life and the whole creation know its true king, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Ezekiel 13:1-16
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying: Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own hearts, “Hear the word of the LORD!” Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! O Israel, your prophets are like the foxes in the ruins. You have not gone up into the gaps, nor did you build up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of the LORD. They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, “The LORD says,” when the LORD has not sent them. And they have made others to hope for the confirmation of their word. Have you not seen a vain vision, and have you not spoken a lying divination when you say, “The LORD says,” yet it is not I who have spoken?
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have spoken vanity and seen lies, therefore I am against you, says the Lord GOD. Thus My hand shall be against the prophets who see vanity and who divine lies. They shall not have a place in the council of My people, nor shall they be written in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel so that you may know that I am the Lord GOD.
It is surely because they have seduced My people, saying, “Peace,” when there was no peace. And when anyone builds up a wall, they daub it with whitewash. Say to those who daub it with whitewash that it shall fall. There shall be an overflowing shower, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall. And a stormy wind shall break it. When the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, “Where is the whitewash with which you have daubed it?”
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will make a violent wind break out in My fury. And there shall be an overflowing shower in My anger, and hailstones in My fury to consume it. So I will break down the wall that you have daubed with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground so that its foundation is laid bare. And when it falls, you shall be consumed in its midst. And you shall know that I am the LORD. Thus I will accomplish My wrath upon the wall and upon those who have daubed it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who daubed it, along with the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace, says the Lord GOD.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 14:53-65
They led Jesus away to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were assembled with him. Peter followed Him at a distance into the courtyard of the high priest. He sat with the guards and warmed himself by the fire.
Now the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin requested testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.
Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another not made with hands.’ ” But still their testimony did not agree.
Then the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Do You answer nothing? What is it which these men testify against You?” But He kept silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
The high priest tore his robes, saying, “What need do we have of any further witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned Him as guilty unto death. Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to strike Him, saying to Him, “Prophesy!” And the guards struck Him with the palms of their 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:
National leaders, public officials, and the armed forces
Peace and justice in the world
Those who work for reconciliation
All whose lives are devastated by war and civil strife
Prisoners, refugees, and homeless people
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, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you: pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself, and so bring us at last to your heavenly city where we shall see you face to face; 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.
Thu. evening Oct. 1
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
O For a Thousand tongues
Confession of Sin
Seek the LORD while He may be found,
call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
and let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him,
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
cf Isaiah 55
A time of silence and self-examination may be kept.
Lord God, I have sinned against you; I have done what is evil in your sight. I am sorry and repent. Have mercy on me according to your lovingkindness. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Renew a right spirit within me, and restore unto me the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
cf Psalm 51
May the Father of all mercies cleanse us from our sins, and restore us in his image to the praise and glory of his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Blessed be the LORD,
because He has heard the voice of my supplications.
Therefore my heart rejoices,
and with my song I will thank Him.
cf Psalm 28:7,9
Psalm 78:40-72
𝙍: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.
How often they provoked Him in the wilderness
and grieved Him in the desert!
Again and again they tested God,
and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
They did not remember His power,
nor the day when He redeemed them from the enemy,
when He performed His signs in Egypt
and His wonders in the fields of Zoan,
and turned their rivers into blood,
so that they could not drink of their streams.
He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them,
and frogs, which destroyed them.
He gave their crops to the grasshopper
and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
𝙍: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.
He destroyed their vines with hail
and their sycamore trees with frost.
He gave up their cattle to the hail
and their flocks to fiery lightning.
He cast upon them the fierceness of His anger,
wrath, indignation, and distress,
by sending angels of destruction.
He made a path for His anger;
He did not spare them from death,
but gave their lives over to the plague,
and struck down all the firstborn in Egypt,
the first fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.
𝙍: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.
But He led forth His own people like sheep
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
He led them on safely, so that they were not afraid,
but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
He brought them to His holy border,
to the mountain which His right hand had acquired.
He cast out the nations before them,
and divided for them their tribal allotments,
and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.
𝙍: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.
Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God,
and did not keep His testimonies,
but turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers;
they turned aside like a deceitful bow.
For they provoked Him to anger with their high places
and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images.
When God heard this, He was filled with wrath
and greatly abhorred Israel,
so that He forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh,
the tent where He dwelt among men,
and delivered His strength to captivity
and His glory to the enemy’s hand.
He gave His people over to the sword,
and was filled with wrath at His inheritance.
The fire consumed their young men,
and their young women were not given in marriage.
Their priests fell by the sword,
and their widows made no lamentation.
𝙍: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.
Then the Lord awoke as one out of sleep,
like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.
He routed His enemies back;
He made them a perpetual reproach.
Moreover, He rejected the tent of Joseph,
and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
but chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which He loves.
He built His sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth that He has established forever.
He chose David His servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes He brought him
to shepherd Jacob His people,
and Israel His inheritance.
So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart
and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
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: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.
Psalm prayer
God our shepherd, in all our wanderings and temptations, teach us to rest in your mercy and trust in your defense; through him who laid down his life for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Ezekiel 12:17-28
Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and with anxiety. And say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with carefulness and drink their water with astonishment, because their land shall be desolate from all that is in it, because of the violence of all those who dwell in it. The cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have in the land of Israel, saying, “The days are prolonged, and every vision fails”? Tell them therefore, “Thus says the Lord GOD: I will make this proverb cease so that they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.” But say to them, The days are at hand and the effect of every vision. For there shall be no more any vain vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.For I the LORD will speak, and the word that I speak shall come to pass. It shall be no more prolonged, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word, and will perform it, says the Lord GOD.
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying: Son of man, behold, the house of Israel says, “The vision that he sees is for many days to come, and he prophesies of the times that are far off.”
Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: There shall none of My words be prolonged anymore, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, says the Lord GOD.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 14:43-52
Immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
Now he who betrayed Him had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One. Seize Him and lead Him away safely.” So as soon as he came, he went to Him immediately and said, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. They laid hands on Him and seized Him. Then one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
Then Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would a thief? Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” Then they all deserted Him and fled.
A young man followed Him, wearing a linen cloth around himself. And the young men laid hold of him, so he left the linen cloth, and fled from them unclothed.
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:
Local government, community leaders
All who provide local services
Those who work with young or elderly people
Schools, colleges, and universities
Emergency and rescue organizations
Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.
Response
Father, hear our prayer,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you: pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself, and so bring us at last to your heavenly city where we shall see you face to face; 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.
Wed. evening Sep. 30
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
Man of sorrows
Confession of Sin
Let us admit to God the sin which always confronts us.
A time of silence and self-examination may be kept.
Almighty God, patient and of great goodness: I confess to you, I confess with my whole heart my neglect and forgetfulness of your commandments, my wrong doing, thinking, and speaking; the hurts I have done to others, and the good I have left undone. O God, forgive me, for I have sinned against you; and raise me to newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
May the God of love and power forgive us and free us from our sins, heal and strengthen us by his Spirit, and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Psalm 119:81-104
𝙍: Revive me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness.
My soul languishes for Your salvation,
but I hope in Your word.
My eyes fail from reading Your word,
saying, “When will You comfort me?”
For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet have I not forgotten Your statutes.
How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
The proud have dug pits for me;
which is not according to Your law.
All Your commandments are faithful;
they persecute me wrongfully; help me!
They have almost destroyed me on earth,
but I did not forsake Your precepts.
Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
𝙍: Revive me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness.
Forever, O LORD, Your word
is established in heaven.
Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You have established the earth, and it stands.
They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
for all things are Your servants.
If Your law had not been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
𝙍: Revive me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness.
I will never forget Your precepts,
for by them You have given me life.
I am Yours; save me,
for I have sought Your precepts.
The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
but I will consider Your testimonies.
I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but Your commandment is exceedingly broad.
𝙍: Revive me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness.
Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients,
because I keep Your precepts.
I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
that I may keep Your word.
𝙍: Revive me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness.
I have not departed from Your judgments,
for You have taught me.
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I get understanding;
therefore I hate every false way.
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: Revive me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness
Psalm prayer
Lord Christ, as we sit at your feet, teach us your living way; for you are our Word and Wisdom, one God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Old Testament reading
Ezekiel 12:1-16
The word of the LORD also came to me, saying: Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see and does not see, ears to hear and does not hear, for they are a rebellious house.
Therefore, son of man, prepare baggage for captivity and go into captivity by day in their sight. And you shall go into captivity from your place to another place in their sight. It may be that they understand, though they are a rebellious house. You shall bring out your belongings by day in their sight, as baggage for exile; and you shall go out at evening in their sight, as those who go into exile. Dig a hole through the wall in their sight, and go out thereby. In their sight you shall bear it on your shoulders and carry it out in the twilight. You shall cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel.
I did so as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day as baggage for captivity, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought it out at twilight, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight.
In the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying: Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, “What are you doing?”
Say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.” Say, “I am your sign.
“As I have done, so it shall be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.”
The prince who is among them shall bear his baggage on his shoulder in the twilight and go out. They shall dig through the wall to carry it out thereby. He shall cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. My net also I will spread upon him, and he shall be taken in My snare. And I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans. Yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there. I will scatter toward every wind all who are about him, his helpers and all his troops. And I will draw out the sword after them.
Then they shall know that I am the LORD when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the countries. But I will spare a few men of them from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, so that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go and know that I am the LORD.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 14:26-42
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus said to them, “All of you will fall away on account of Me this night, for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
But after I have risen, I will go before you to Galilee.”
Peter said to Him, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you that this day, during the night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”
But he said more vehemently, “If I must die with You, I will not deny You.” They all said the same thing.
They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. And He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter and James and John with Him and began to be greatly distressed and very troubled. And He said to them, “My soul is deeply sorrowful unto death. Remain here and keep watch.”
He went a little farther and fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”
Then He came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not keep watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Again He went away and prayed the same words. When He returned, He again found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And they did not know what to answer Him.
When He returned a third time, He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go. Look! He who betrays Me is at hand.”
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
God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you: pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself, and so bring us at last to your heavenly city where we shall see you face to face; 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.