Preparation

Opening response

Favor us, Lord, and deliver us.
Lord, come quickly and help us.

Make your servant’s life happy again
because, my Lord, I offer my life to you.

Psalm 86:4

Praise

Blessed are you,
Lord God of our ancestors.
You are worthy of praise and raised high above all others forever.
Blessed is your glorious
and holy reputation,
worthy of praise and raised high above all others forever.
Blessed are you in your glorious,
holy temple,
worthy of hymns and honored
above all others forever.
Blessed are you,
sitting on the winged creatures,
looking down into the farthest depths,
worthy of praise and raised high above all others forever.
Blessed are you on your royal throne,
worthy of hymns and raised high
above all others forever.
Blessed are you in the dome of the sky,
worthy of hymns
and honored forever.

Hymn of the Three Young Men (Prayer of Azariah 29-33 CEB)

The Word of God

Psalm 84

Refrain:
Those who live in your house are truly happy.

How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord of heavenly forces!
My very being longs, even yearns,
for the Lord’s courtyards.
My heart and my body
will rejoice out loud to the living God!
Yes, the sparrow too has found a home there;
the swallow has found herself a nest
where she can lay her young beside your altars,
Lord of heavenly forces, my king, my God!
Those who live in your house are truly happy;
they praise you constantly.
Those who put their strength in you are truly happy;
pilgrimage is in their hearts.
As they pass through the Baca Valley,
they make it a spring of water.
Yes, the early rain covers it with blessings.
They go from strength to strength,
until they see the supreme God in Zion.

Lord God of heavenly forces,
hear my prayer;
listen closely, Jacob’s God!
Look at our shield, God;
pay close attention to the face of your anointed one!
Better is a single day in your courtyards
than a thousand days anywhere else!

I would prefer to stand outside the entrance of my God’s house
than live comfortably in the tents of the wicked!
The Lord is a sun and shield;
God is favor and glory.
The Lord gives—doesn’t withhold!—good things
to those who walk with integrity.
Lord of heavenly forces,
those who trust in you are truly happy!

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.

Refrain:
Those who live in your house are truly happy.

Psalm prayer

Lord God,
sustain us in this vale of tears
with the vision of your grace and glory,
that, strengthened by the bread of life,
we may come to your eternal dwelling place;
in the power of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Scripture reading
Luke 11:9-13

And I tell you: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. To everyone who knocks, the door is opened.

“Which father among you would give a snake to your child if the child asked for a fish? If a child asked for an egg, what father would give the child a scorpion? If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Silence may be kept.

Response

Happy are people who grieve,
because they will be made glad.

Matthew 5:4

Prayers

Intercession and thanksgiving

Prayers may include these concerns:

God’s royal priesthood, that it may be empowered by the Spirit
Those who wait on God, that they may find renewal
All people, that they may acknowledge the kingdom
of the ascended Christ
The earth, for productivity and for fruitful harvests
All who are struggling with broken relationships

Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.

Prayer

O King enthroned on high,
Comforter and Spirit of truth,
you that are in all places and fill all things,
the treasury of blessings and the giver of life,
come and dwell with us,
cleanse us from every stain
and save our souls, O gracious one.
Amen.

An Orthodox prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Savior 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 forever.
Amen.

Conclusion

May the grace of the Holy Spirit enlighten our hearts and minds.
Alleluia. Amen.