O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
Psalm 136 (137) |
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By the rivers of Babylon |
By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept remembering Sion. On the willow-trees of Babylon we hung up our harps. In that place they asked us, those who had captured us, to sing them a song: Sing us, they said, a song of Sion. They had brought us affliction and asked us for joy. How shall we sing the songs of the Lord in a foreign land? Jerusalem, if I forget you, send my right hand to oblivion; let my tongue stick in my throat if I do not remember if I do not rank Jerusalem the first of my joys. Remember, Lord, the Edomites on the day of Jerusalem: Raze it, they said, to the ground. Babylons daughter, destroyer blessed be he that takes his revenge, that smashes your child on a rock. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Psalm 137 (138) |
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Thanksgiving |
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth. In the presence of the angels I will make music to you, worship before your holy temple. I will praise your name because of your mercy and faithfulness: high above all other names is the greatness of your word. Each day that I call on you, Lord, listen to me, strengthen my spirit. All the kings of the earth will proclaim your glory, Lord, when they hear your word. They will sing of the paths of the Lord, so great is his glory. For the Lord is on high but he cares for the humble; and he knows the proud from afar. If I walk in the midst of troubles, you will give me life. If my enemies rise up against me, your right hand will keep me safe. The Lord does all that I need. Lord, your kindness lasts for ever: do not forsake the work of your hands. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Canticle | Apocalypse 4,5 |
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The song of the redeemed | |
You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power; for you made all things, and it is by your will that they existed and were created. You are worthy, Lord, to receive the book and open its seals, for you were killed, and with your blood you have ransomed people from every tribe and language and people and nation, and made them rulers and priests for God; and they will rule over the earth. The Lamb is worthy, who was killed, to receive power and riches and wisdom, strength and honour, glory and blessing. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Short reading | Colossians 3:16 © |
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Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God. |
Canticle | Magnificat |
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My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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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 that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
As we pray in your sight, Lord, we beg for your kindness: may we carry always in our hearts what we proclaim with our voices. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
A M E N |
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Tuesday, October 16, 2007 Meditation Romans 1:16-25 "Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes . . . have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made." (Romans 1:20) How is it possible that we can go through an entire day and be completely unaware of God? As Paul reminds us, the whole of creation declares to us his glory and majesty. It is only our failure to pay attention to that creation that prevents us from seeing him more clearly. Its as if the world teaches us to go through life with tunnel vision, focusing narrowly on our destinations and never taking time to enjoy the scenery along the way. There is no denying that most of us are very busy. But we should never let ourselves become so busy that we lose sight of the beauty that surrounds us. We rush to work, school, and appointments; we fly through the day, then rush home to take care of our families. How refreshing it would be if just for a few minutes each day, we could slow down enough to let God speak to us through his creation. When was the last time you sat at the edge of a river, under a giant tree in the woods, or even in your own backyard, and marveled at Gods handiwork? Maybe its time to take another look at the world. Try gazing at the stark elegance of trees in autumn, with the magnificent carpet of leaves underneath. Ponder the beauty of spring flowers, blossoming in all their radiant glory. Pay attention to the quiet majesty of the clouds and let them speak to you about your loving Father. Remember that all of creation is meant to lead us to one thing: worship! Those whom Paul is talking about in todays reading were so focused on themselves that they ended up worshipping the creature rather than the creator (Romans 1:25). By contrast, hearing the voice of the Lord in a gentle breeze or seeing his face in the wonder of the night sky can lead us to praise God in ways we never knew before. Who knows? It may even lead us to waste a little more time with him! Lord, open my eyes to your glory. Teach me to listen as you speak to me through your creation. May I become thankful for all you have done for me! Psalm 19:2-5; Luke 11:37-41 |
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