Prayer During the Day
Lent
    Saturday, 15 March 2025
Ember Day
     
     
      Preparation  
     
    O God, make speed to save us.
All
   O Lord, make haste to help us.
     
    Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry;
All
   hold not your peace at my tears.
   
Psalm 39.13
     
   
Praise
  
     
    A hymn, song, canticle, extempore praise or
     
    Jesus, like a mother you gather your people to you;
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.
     
    Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness;
through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.
     
    Your warmth gives life to the dead,
your touch makes sinners righteous.
     
    Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us;
in your love and tenderness remake us.
     
    In your compassion bring grace and forgiveness,
for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us
   
Anselm (1109)
     
   
The Word of God
  
     
     
   
Psalmody
     
    Either, Saturday Psalm 61
     
    (or)
     
    Or, on any day Psalm 51.1-10
     
    Alternatively, when Morning and Evening Prayer are also celebrated, one of these cycles may be followed.
     
   

Psalm 61

Refrain: You are my refuge, O God,
a strong tower against the enemy.

1  Hear my crying, O God, ♦
   and listen to my prayer.

2  From the end of the earth I call to you with fainting heart; ♦
   O set me on the rock that is higher than I.

3  For you are my refuge, ♦
   a strong tower against the enemy.

4  Let me dwell in your tent for ever ♦
   and take refuge under the cover of your wings.

5  For you, O God, will hear my vows; ♦
   you will grant the request of those who fear your name.

6  You will add length of days to the life of the king, ♦
   that his years may endure throughout all generations.

7  May he sit enthroned before God for ever; ♦
   may steadfast love and truth watch over him.

8  So will I always sing praise to your name, ♦
   and day by day fulfil my vows.

Refrain: You are my refuge, O God,
a strong tower against the enemy.

Risen Christ,
as you knew the discipline of suffering
and the victory that brings us salvation,
so grant us your presence in our weakness
and a place in your unending kingdom
now and for evermore.
     
    (or)
     
   

Psalm 51.1-10

Refrain: The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.

1  Have mercy on me, O God, in your great goodness; ♦
   according to the abundance of your compassion
      blot out my offences.

2  Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness ♦
   and cleanse me from my sin.

3  For I acknowledge my faults ♦
   and my sin is ever before me.

4  Against you only have I sinned ♦
   and done what is evil in your sight,

5  So that you are justified in your sentence ♦
   and righteous in your judgement.

6  I have been wicked even from my birth, ♦
   a sinner when my mother conceived me.

7  Behold, you desire truth deep within me ♦
   and shall make me understand wisdom
      in the depths of my heart.

8  Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; ♦
   wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

9  Make me hear of joy and gladness, ♦
   that the bones you have broken may rejoice.

10  Turn your face from my sins ♦
   and blot out all my misdeeds.

Refrain: The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.

Take away, good Lord, the sin that corrupts us;
give us the sorrow that heals
and the joy that praises
and restore by grace your own image within us,
that we may take our place among your people;
in 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
  
     
    Either, Saturday
    Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’
   
Luke 10.38-end
     
    Or, on any day in Lent
    Jesus said, ‘There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.’
   
Luke 15.7
     
   
Response
  
     
    Silence, study, song, or words from Scripture, such as
     
    Blessed are the merciful,
All
   for they will receive mercy.
   
Matthew 5.7
     
   
Prayers
  
     
    Prayers may include these concerns:
     
    Those preparing for baptism and confirmation
    Those serving through leadership
    Those looking for forgiveness
    Those misled by the false gods of this present age
    All who are hungry
     
    A form of intercession found here may be used.
     
    Either, the following prayer is said
     
    Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to seek for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do your will.
All
   Amen.
     
   
Ignatius of Loyola (1556)
     
     
    Or, the Collect of the day is said
     
    Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
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 God bless us and show us compassion and mercy.
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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