Prayer During the Day
Passiontide
    Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Wednesday of Holy Week
     
     
      Preparation  
     
    O God, make speed to save us.
All
   O Lord, make haste to help us.
     
    My trust is in you, O Lord.
All   I have said ‘You are my God.’
   
Psalm 31.14
     
   
Praise
  
     
    A hymn, song, canticle, extempore praise or
     
    We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
     
    Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
     
    We glory in your cross, O Lord,
and praise and glorify your holy resurrection:
for by virtue of the cross
joy has come to the whole world.
   
from the Liturgy of Good Friday
     
   
The Word of God
  
     
     
   
Psalmody
     
    Either, Wednesday Psalm 143
     
    (or)
     
    Or, on any day Psalm 22.1-11
     
    Alternatively, when Morning and Evening Prayer are also celebrated, one of these cycles may be followed.
     
   

Psalm 143

Refrain: Show me, O Lord, the way that I should walk in.

1  Hear my prayer, O Lord,
      and in your faithfulness give ear to my supplications; ♦
   answer me in your righteousness.

2  Enter not into judgement with your servant, ♦
   for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

3  For the enemy has pursued me,
      crushing my life to the ground, ♦
   making me sit in darkness like those long dead.

4  My spirit faints within me; ♦
   my heart within me is desolate.

5  I remember the time past; I muse upon all your deeds; ♦
   I consider the works of your hands.

6  I stretch out my hands to you; ♦
   my soul gasps for you like a thirsty land.

7  O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; ♦
   hide not your face from me
      lest I be like those who go down to the Pit.

8  Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
      for in you I put my trust; ♦
   show me the way I should walk in,
      for I lift up my soul to you.

9  Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies, ♦
   for I flee to you for refuge.

10  Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; ♦
   let your kindly spirit lead me on a level path.

11  Revive me, O Lord, for your name’s sake; ♦
   for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.

12  In your faithfulness, slay my enemies,
      and destroy all the adversaries of my soul, ♦
   for truly I am your servant.

Refrain: Show me, O Lord, the way that I should walk in.

Jesus, our companion,
when we are driven to despair,
help us, through the friends and strangers
we encounter on our path,
to know you as our refuge,
our way, our truth and our life.
     
    (or)
     
   

Psalm 22.1-11

Refrain: Be not far from me, O Lord.

1  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me, ♦
   and are so far from my salvation,
      from the words of my distress?

2  O my God, I cry in the daytime,
      but you do not answer; ♦
   and by night also, but I find no rest.

3  Yet you are the Holy One, ♦
   enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

4  Our forebears trusted in you; ♦
   they trusted, and you delivered them.

5  They cried out to you and were delivered; ♦
   they put their trust in you and were not confounded.

6  But as for me, I am a worm and no man, ♦
   scorned by all and despised by the people.

7  All who see me laugh me to scorn; ♦
   they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,

8  ‘He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him; ♦
   let him deliver him, if he delights in him.’

9  But it is you that took me out of the womb ♦
   and laid me safe upon my mother’s breast.

10  On you was I cast ever since I was born; ♦
   you are my God even from my mother’s womb.

11  Be not far from me, for trouble is near at hand ♦
   and there is none to help.

Refrain: Be not far from me, O Lord.

Restless with grief and fear,
the abandoned turn to you:
in every hour of trial,
good Lord, deliver us,
O God most holy, God most strong,
whose wisdom is the cross of Christ.
    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, Wednesday
    The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
   
1 Corinthians 1.18,22-25
     
    Or, on any day in Passiontide
    I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.
   
Galatians 2.19b,20a
     
   
Response
  
     
    Silence, study, song, or words from Scripture, such as
     
    Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
All
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
   
Matthew 5.10
     
   
Prayers
  
     
    Prayers may include these concerns:
     
    The suffering Church
    The oppressed peoples of the world
    All who are lonely
    All who are near to death
    All who are facing loss
     
    A form of intercession found here may be used.
     
    Either, the following prayer is said
     
    Soul of Christ, sanctify me,
body of Christ, save me,
blood of Christ, inebriate me,
water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me:
hide me within your wounds
and never let me be separated from you.
From the wicked enemy defend me,
in the hour of my death, call me
and bid me come to you,
so that with your saints I may praise you
for ever and ever.
All
   Amen.
   
Anima Christi (14th century)
     
     
    Or, the Collect of the day is said
     
    Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race
      sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh
and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
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 Christ our Saviour give us peace.
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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