Thursday Morning Prayer in St. Matthias

Daily Morning Prayer:
Rite Two

Officiant	Lord, open our lips.
People	And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Officiant and People

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as
it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Venite     Psalm 95:1-7

Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
    let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
    and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *
    and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
    and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it, *
    and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
    and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *
    Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

The Psalm or Psalms Appointed

Psalm 73

1 Truly, God is good to Israel, *
    to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; *
    I had almost tripped and fallen;

3 Because I envied the proud *
    and saw the prosperity of the wicked:

4 For they suffer no pain, *
    and their bodies are sleek and sound;

5 In the misfortunes of others they have no share; *
    they are not afflicted as others are;

6 Therefore they wear their pride like a necklace *
    and wrap their violence about them like a cloak.

7 Their iniquity comes from gross minds, *
    and their hearts overflow with wicked thoughts.

8 They scoff and speak maliciously; *
    out of their haughtiness they plan oppression.

9 They set their mouths against the heavens, *
    and their evil speech runs through the world.

10 And so the people turn to them *
    and find in them no fault.

11 They say, "How should God know? *

    is there knowledge in the Most High?"

12 So then, these are the wicked; *
    always at ease, they increase their wealth.

13 In vain have I kept my heart clean, *
    and washed my hands in innocence.

14 I have been afflicted all day long, *
    and punished every morning.

15 Had I gone on speaking this way, *
    I should have betrayed the generation of your children.

16 When I tried to understand these things, *
    it was too hard for me;

17 Until I entered the sanctuary of God *
    and discerned the end of the wicked.

18 Surely, you set them in slippery places; *
    you cast them down in ruin.

19 Oh, how suddenly do they come to destruction, *
    come to an end, and perish from terror!

20 Like a dream when one awakens, O Lord, *
    when you arise you will make their image vanish.

21 When my mind became embittered, *
    I was sorely wounded in my heart.

22 I was stupid and had no understanding; *
    I was like a brute beast in your presence.

23 Yet I am always with you; *
    you hold me by my right hand.

24 You will guide me by your counsel, *
    and afterwards receive me with glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? *

    and having you I desire nothing upon earth.

26 Though my flesh and my heart should waste away, *
    God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.

27 Truly, those who forsake you will perish; *
    you destroy all who are unfaithful.

28 But it is good for me to be near God; *
    I have made the Lord GOD my refuge.

29 I will speak of all your works *

    in the gates of the city of Zion.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Gospel of Mark 8:27-9:1

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ 28 And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ 29 He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ 9 1 And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God.

The Apostles' Creed

Officiant and People together, all standing

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
    creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
    He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
        and born of the Virgin Mary.
    He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
        was crucified, died, and was buried.
    He descended to the dead.
    On the third day he rose again.
    He ascended into heaven,
        and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
    He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
    the holy catholic Church,
    the communion of saints,
    the forgiveness of sins
    the resurrection of the body,
    and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Prayers

The People stand or kneel

Officiant	The Lord be with you.
People	And also with you.
Officiant	Let us pray.

Officiant and People

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

Suffrages A

V.    Show us your mercy, O Lord;
R.    And grant us your salvation.
V.    Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
R.    Let your people sing with joy.
V.    Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
R.    For only in you can we live in safety.

V.    Lord, keep this nation under your care;
R.    And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V.    Let your way be known upon earth;
R.    Your saving health among all nations.
V.    Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
R.    Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
V.    Create in us clean hearts, O God;
R.    And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

A Collect for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know
you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend
us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that
we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of
any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the
earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those
who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people
everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the
nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh;
and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one
accord to make our common supplication to you; and you
have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two
or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the
midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions
as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of
your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.