Monday Morning Prayer with Prayers for our Country

Today we begin with prayers for our country and all of God’s children. I recorded this Morning Prayer on Saturday at St. Matthias before Quincy, John, and I prepared Sunday’s worship for the Feast of Pentecost. On Sunday, as Phyllis and I were driving to Houston, we listened to the news of the demonstrations in so many of our cities across the United States. Many peacefully protested the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis but some turned violent. Then we listened to the sermon of our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry and were reminded that our ministry as Christians is to share God’s love with those hurting from Covid-19 and those hurting from violence and injustice. Bishop Curry recalls the words of that old hymn of the Church, “There is a Balm in Gilead” calling us to the ministry of healing no matter the cause. So let us pray and then let us listen with our hearts and spirits as Quincy sings “There is a Balm in Gilead”. 

Bishop Curry's sermon is at

https://www.facebook.com/WNCathedral/videos/682753512282862/

Daily Morning Prayer

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

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.  Alleluia

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!

Psalm 41

1 Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! *

    the LORD will deliver them in the time of trouble.

2 The LORD preserves them and keeps them alive,

so that they may be happy in the land; *

    he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.

 

3 The LORD sustains them on their sickbed *

    and ministers to them in their illness.

 

4 I said, "LORD, be merciful to me; *

    heal me, for I have sinned against you."

 

5 My enemies are saying wicked things about me: *

    When will he die, and his name perish?"

 

6 Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words; *

    their heart collects false rumors;

    they go outside and spread them.

 

7 All my enemies whisper together about me *

    and devise evil against me.

 

8 "A deadly thing," they say, "has fastened on him; *

    he has taken to his bed and will never get up again."

 

9 Even my best friend, whom I trusted,

who broke bread with me, *

    has lifted up his heel and turned against me.

 

10 But you, O LORD, be merciful to me and raise me up, *

    and I shall repay them.

 

11 By this I know you are pleased with me, *

    that my enemy does not triumph over me.

 

12 In my integrity you hold me fast, *

    and shall set me before your face for ever.

 

13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, *

    from age to age. Amen. Amen.

At the end of the Psalms is sung or said

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.

Galatians 1:1-17 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

1 Paul an apostle—sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the members of God’s family who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!

10 Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

11 For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; 12 for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus.

The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

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. 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.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole
body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified:
Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before
you for all members of your holy Church, that in their
vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you;
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.


Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.