The Daily Office for Today

 Morning Prayer

For the Fourth Week of Easter

CALL TO PRAISE AND PRAYER

O Lord, open my lips

    an my mouth shall declare your praise

If we have died with him, we shall also live with him.

    Alleluia! Thanks be to God!

 

CANTICLE

Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

    Therefore let us keep the feast

Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil.

    but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia!

Christ being raised from the dead with never die again;

    death no longer has dominion over him.

The death he died, he died for sin, once for all     

    but the life he lives, he lives to God.

So also consider yourselves dead to sin,

    and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia!

Christ has been raised from the dead,

    the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

For since by a human came death,

    so by a human has come also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die,

    so in Christ all shall be made alive. Alleluia!

                                                        (1 Cor. 5:7-8; Rom. 6:9-11, 1 Cor. 15:20-22)

                                                            [text adap. from BCP]

 

MORNING PRAYER  

Praised be my Lord God for all creatures,

    and especially for our brother the sun,

    brings us the day and brings us the light;

    fair is he who shines with very great splendor.

Praised be my Lord for our sister the moon, and for the stars,

    which he has set clear and lovely in the heaven.

Praised by my Lord for our brother the wind,

    and for air and clouds and for all weather.

Praised be my Lord for our sister water,

    who is very serviceable unto us

    and humble and precious and clean.

Praised be my Lord for our brother fire,

    through whom thou givest us light in darkness,

    and he is very bright and pleasant and very mighty and strong.

Praised by my Lord for our mother the earth,

    which doth sustain us and keep us

    and bringeth forth fresh fruits and flowers of many color and grass.

Praise ye and bless my Lord,

    and give thanks, serving God with great humility. Amen.

                                                         (St. Francis of Assisi, 13th c.)

 

PSALTER Psalm 67

Favor and bless us, Lord.

    Let your face shine on us,

revealing your way to all peoples,

    salvation the world over,

Let nations sing your praise,

    every nation on earth 

The world will shout for joy,

for you rule the planet with justice,

In fairness you govern the nations

    and guide the peoples of earth;

Let the nations sing your praise

every nation on earth.

The land delivers its harvest

God out God, has blessed us.

O God, continue your blessing,

may the whole world worship you.

THE GLORIA

THE ALLELUIA (chanted or spoken)

    Alleluia! Alleluia!

          Alleliuia!

 

SCRIPTURE (the daily lectionary)          [For April 30: Acts 8:26-40; 1 John 4:1-6]

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH                [Luke 1:68-79]

 

READINGS FOR MEDITATION AND REFLECTION

 

PRAYERS

 

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Supplication

    Almighty God, you know us so well that your message of deliverance is commissioned to generations not yet born. We come today to sing glory to your blessed Name and to pay our vows of honor. You have demonstrated your great love for your creation by sending your own son to be the savior of the world. He has called us to love one another, as children of a family that are called in harmony. It is as your children that we pray for our brothers and sisters:

    for those who languish in despair...

    for those cry out for reconciliation...

    for those who need healing of body, mind, or spirit...

    for those who are leaders of our community and world...

Hear our prayers, O Lord, and fill us with your Holy Spirit that we may offer hands for healing, and arms for embracing; in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

OTHER SELECTED PRAYERS OR COLLECTS

 

CONCLUDING PRAYER

    Creator of earth and heaven, you fill your creation with beauty and provide for all living things. May we cherish and use your gifts wisely. God of the wind, water, fire, and earth, and of all living things; we rejoice that we are part of your creation. Help cherish, nourish, and share it in serving you and one another in the Name of Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, eternal in the heavens. Amen.

 

HYMN (Tune Judas Maccabeus, UMH 308)

 

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son:

    endless is the victory thou o'er death hast won.

Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away

    kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay. 

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son:

    endless is the victory thou o'er death hast won.

Lo, Jesus meets thee risen from the tomb.

    lovingly he greets thee, scatters fear and gloom.

Let the church in gladness hymns of triumph sing,

    for now our Lord liveth; death has lost its sting.

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son:

    endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won.

No more we doubt thee, glorious prince of life!

Life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife.

    Make us more than conquerors through thy deathless love; 

    Bring us safe through Jordan to our home above.

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son;

    endless is the victory thou o'er death hast won.

                                                    [Edmond L. Budry, 1904; trans. by R. Birch Hoyle, 1923]

 

GOING FORTH

    Above all, clothe yourselves with love,

    which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

    Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

    to which indeed you were called in the one body.

    And be thankful.

 

Let us bless the Lord.

    Thanks be to God!