¶ Morning Prayer
from the day after Ascension Day
until the Day of Pentecost
Saturday, 27 May 2023

Preparation

O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Send your Holy Spirit upon us,
Alland clothe us with power from on high. Alleluia..

One or more of the following is said or sung:

this or another prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, creator God,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your Spirit moved over the face of the waters
bringing light and life to your creation,
pour out your Spirit on us today
that we may walk as children of light
and by your grace reveal your presence.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

a suitable hymn, or A Song of God’s Righteousness

1Bless the Lord, O my soul, ♦
and all that is within me bless his holy name.

2Bless the Lord, O my soul, ♦
and forget not all his benefits;

3Who forgives all your sins ♦
and heals all your infirmities;

4Who redeems your life from the Pit ♦
and crowns you with faithful love and compassion;

5Who satisfies you with good things, ♦
so that your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.

6The Lord executes righteousness ♦
and judgement for all who are oppressed.

7He made his ways known to Moses ♦
and his works to the children of Israel.

8The Lord has established his throne in heaven, ♦
and his kingdom has dominion over all.

9Bless the Lord, you angels of his, ♦
you mighty ones who do his bidding
and hearken to the voice of his word.

10Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, ♦
you ministers of his who do his will.

11Bless the Lord, all you works of his,
in all places of his dominion; ♦
bless the Lord, O my soul.

Psalm 103.1-7, 19-22

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

This opening prayer may be said

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 42

1 As the deer longs for the water brooks, ♦
so longs my soul for you, O God.

2 My soul is athirst for God, even for the living God; ♦
when shall I come before the presence of God?

3 My tears have been my bread day and night, ♦
while all day long they say to me, ‘Where is now your God?’

4 Now when I think on these things, I pour out my soul: ♦
how I went with the multitude
and led the procession to the house of God,

5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, ♦
among those who kept holy day.

6 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, ♦
and why are you so disquieted within me?

7 O put your trust in God; ♦
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

8 My soul is heavy within me; ♦
therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,
and from Hermon and the hill of Mizar.

9 Deep calls to deep in the thunder of your waterfalls; ♦
all your breakers and waves have gone over me.

10 The Lord will grant his loving-kindness in the daytime; ♦
through the night his song will be with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.

11 I say to God my rock,
‘Why have you forgotten me, ♦
and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresses me?’

12 As they crush my bones, my enemies mock me; ♦
while all day long they say to me, ‘Where is now your God?’

13 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? ♦
and why are you so disquieted within me?

14 O put your trust in God; ♦
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Come, creator Spirit, source of life;
sustain us when our hearts are heavy
and our wells have run dry,
for you are the Father’s gift,
with him who is our living water,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 43

1 Give judgement for me, O God,
and defend my cause against an ungodly people; ♦
deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked.

2 For you are the God of my refuge;
why have you cast me from you, ♦
and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresses me?

3 O send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, ♦
and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling,

4 That I may go to the altar of God,
to the God of my joy and gladness; ♦
and on the lyre I will give thanks to you, O God my God.

5 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, ♦
and why are you so disquieted within me?

6 O put your trust in God; ♦
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Come, creator Spirit, light and truth;
bring us to the altar of life
and renew our joy and gladness
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Deuteronomy 32.48 - end; 34.1-end

On that very day the Lord addressed Moses as follows: ‘Ascend this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites for a possession; you shall die there on the mountain that you ascend and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his kin; because both of you broke faith with me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, by failing to maintain my holiness among the Israelites. Although you may view the land from a distance, you shall not enter it—the land that I am giving to the Israelites.’

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, ‘This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your descendants”; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.’ Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequalled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

Canticle

A Song of Ezekiel, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 45 (page 597), may be said

Refrain:

AllThe Spirit of God fills the whole world. Alleluia.

1I will take you from the nations, ♦
and gather you from all the countries.

2I will sprinkle clean water upon you, ♦
and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses.

3A new heart I will give you, ♦
and put a new spirit within you,

4And I will remove from your body the heart of stone ♦
and give you a heart of flesh.

5You shall be my people, ♦
and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 36.24-26, 28b

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

AllThe Spirit of God fills the whole world. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

1 John 5

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. There are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. If you see your brother or sister committing what is not a mortal sin, you will ask, and God will give life to such a one—to those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin that is mortal; I do not say that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not mortal.

We know that those who are born of God do not sin, but the one who was born of God protects them, and the evil one does not touch them. We know that we are God’s children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your people
Alland kindle in us the fire of your love.
All who are led by the Spirit of God
are children of God and fellow-heirs with Christ.
AllCome, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your people.
Renew the face of your creation, Lord,
pouring on us the gifts of your Spirit,
Alland kindle in us the fire of your love.
For the creation waits with eager longing
for the glorious liberty of the children of God.
AllCome, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your people
and kindle in us the fire of your love.

cf Romans 8

Gospel Canticle

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said,
or The Song of Christ’s Glory (page 619) may be said

Refrain:

AllChrist has gone up on high
and has led captivity captive. Alleluia.

1Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, ♦
who has come to his people and set them free.

2He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, ♦
born of the house of his servant David.

3Through his holy prophets God promised of old ♦
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,

4To show mercy to our ancestors, ♦
and to remember his holy covenant.

5This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: ♦
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

6Free to worship him without fear, ♦
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

7And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, ♦
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

8To give his people knowledge of salvation ♦
by the forgiveness of all their sins.

9In the tender compassion of our God ♦
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

10To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, ♦
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1.68-79

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Refrain:

AllChrist has gone up on high
and has led captivity captive. Alleluia.

Prayers

Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 364–365

¶ God’s royal priesthood, for empowerment 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

A form of prayer found on page 383 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

O God the King of glory,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
we beseech you, leave us not comfortless,
but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us
and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

Being made one by the power of the Spirit,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur 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 for ever.
Amen.

(or)

Being made one by the power of the Spirit,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur 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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Conclusion

May the Spirit kindle in us the fire of God’s love.
AllAmen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.