Prayer During the Day
Advent
    Friday, 13 December 2024
Lucy, Martyr at Syracuse, 304 [Lesser Festival]
Samuel Johnson, Moralist, 1784 [Commemoration]
Ember Day
     
     
      Preparation  
     
    O God, make speed to save us.
All
   O Lord, make haste to help us.
     
    Your words have I hidden within my heart,
All
   that I should not sin against you.
   
Psalm 119.11
     
   
Praise
  
     
    A hymn, song, canticle, extempore praise or
     
    Saviour eternal,
life of the world unfailing,
light everlasting
and our true redemption.
     
    Taking our humanity
in your loving freedom,
you rescued our lost earth
and filled the world with joy.
     
    By your first advent justify us,
by your second, set us free:
that when the great light dawns
and you come as judge of all,
we may be robed in immortality
and ready, Lord, to follow
in your footsteps blest, wherever they may lead.
   
Salus Aeterna
     
   
The Word of God
  
     
     
   
Psalmody
     
    Either, Friday Psalm 75
     
    Or, on any day Psalm 80.1-8
     
    Alternatively, when Morning and Evening Prayer are also celebrated, one of these cycles may be followed.
     
   

Psalm 75

Refrain: God alone is judge.

1  We give you thanks, O God, we give you thanks, ♦
   for your name is near, as your wonderful deeds declare.

2  ‘I will seize the appointed time; ♦
   I, the Lord, will judge with equity.

3  ‘Though the earth reels and all that dwell in her, ♦
   it is I that hold her pillars steady.

4  ‘To the boasters I say, “Boast no longer,” ♦
   and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horn.

5  ‘ “Do not lift up your horn on high; ♦
   do not speak with a stiff neck.” ’

6  For neither from the east nor from the west, ♦
   nor yet from the wilderness comes exaltation.

7  But God alone is judge; ♦
   he puts down one and raises up another.

8  For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, ♦
   well mixed and full of foaming wine.

9  He pours it out for all the wicked of the earth; ♦
   they shall drink it, and drain the dregs.

10  But I will rejoice for ever ♦
   and make music to the God of Jacob.

11  All the horns of the wicked will I break, ♦
   but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Refrain: God alone is judge.

Judge of all the earth,
restrain the ambition of the proud
and establish among us the reign of the Messiah,
who drained for us the cup of judgement
and is alive with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
     
    (or)
     
   

Psalm 80.1-8

1  Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, ♦
   you that led Joseph like a flock;

2  Shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim, ♦
   before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.

3  Stir up your mighty strength ♦
   and come to our salvation.

4  Turn us again, O God; ♦
   show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

5  O Lord God of hosts, ♦
   how long will you be angry at your people’s prayer?

6  You feed them with the bread of tears; ♦
   you give them abundance of tears to drink.

7  You have made us the derision of our neighbours, ♦
   and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

8  Turn us again, O God of hosts; ♦
   show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Faithful shepherd of your people,
as we look for the light of your countenance,
restore in us the image of your glory
and graft us into the risen life of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
    Each psalm or group of psalms may end with
     
All
   Glory 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.
     
   
Short readings
  
     
    Friday
    You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
   
Romans 13.11 - end
     
    Or, on any day in Advent
    Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.
   
Isaiah 40.1
     
   
Response
  
     
    Silence, study, song, or words from Scripture, such as
     
    Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
All
   for they will be filled.
   
Matthew 5.6
     
   
Prayers
  
     
    Prayers may include these concerns:
     
    The Church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ
    The leaders of the Church
    The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God
    Those who are working for justice in the world
    The broken, that they may find God’s healing
     
    A form of intercession found here may be used.
     
    Either, the following prayer is said
     
    Keep us, O Lord,
while we tarry on this earth,
in a serious seeking after you,
and in an affectionate walking with you,
every day of our lives;
that when you come,
we may be found not hiding our talent,
nor serving the flesh,
nor yet asleep with our lamp unfurnished,
but waiting and longing for our Lord,
our glorious God for ever.
All
   Amen.
   
Richard Baxter (1691)
     
     
    Or, the Collect of the day is said
     
    God our redeemer,
who gave light to the world that was in darkness
by the healing power of the Saviour's cross:
shed that light on us, we pray,
that with your martyr Lucy
we may, by the purity of our lives,
      reflect the light of Christ
and, by the merits of his passion,
      come to the light of everlasting life;
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 for ever.
AllAmen.
     
    The Lord’s Prayer is said.
     
    (Either)
     
    As our Saviour taught us, so we pray
     
All
  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 for ever.
Amen.
     
    (or)
     
    Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
     
All
  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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
     
   
The Conclusion
  
     
    May the Lord make us ready for his coming in glory.
All
   Amen.
     
   

© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000–2005
Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing.

The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Implemented by Simon Kershaw at Crucix.
Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002–2021.

 
     
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