by Debbie Scalise
Morning Prayer (Lauds)
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.
Psalm 50/51
God, have mercy on me
A contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.
Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy,
in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.
Wash me ever more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know how guilty I am,
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone have I sinned,
and I have done evil in your sight.
Know this, so that you may give just sentence
and an unbiased judgement.
See, I was conceived in guilt,
in sin my mother conceived me,
but you love truth in the heart,
and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.
You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean,
you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness,
the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
Turn your face away from my sins
and wipe out all my transgressions;
create a pure heart in me, God,
put a steadfast spirit into me.
Do not send me away from your presence,
or withdraw your holy spirit from me,
give me again the joy of your salvation,
and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.
I will teach the unjust your ways,
and the impious will return to you.
Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour,
and my voice will glory in your justice.
Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will proclaim your praise,
for you do not delight in sacrifices,
if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.
The true sacrifice is a broken spirit
a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.
Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Zion,
so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,
Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings,
then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.
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.
A contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.
Canticle: Habakkuk 3
The Lord will appear in judgement
When you are angry, O Lord, you will remember your mercy.
Lord, I heard what you gave me to hear,
and I was struck with awe of your work.
In the midst of the years, bring it to life
in the midst of the years you will make it known.
When you are angry, you will remember your mercy.
God will come from Theman,
the holy one from the mountain of Pharan.
His glory has covered the heavens
and the earth is full of his praise.
His brightness shall be like light itself,
rays shining from his hands
there is his strength hidden.
You went forth for the salvation of the people,
for salvation with your anointed one.
You made a way through the sea for your horses,
in the silt of many waters.
I have heard you, Lord,
and my stomach churns within me,
at the sound of your voice my lips tremble.
My bones rot away, my steps stumble.
I will rest and be quiet on the day of tribulation
and let it overtake those who have invaded us.
For the fig will not flower,
the vines will not fruit,
the work of the olive will be lost.
The fields will yield no food,
the flocks will be cut off from the sheepfold,
there will be no cattle in the stalls.
But I will rejoice in the Lord, take joy in God my saviour.
The Lord God is my strength.
He will make me as sure-footed as the deer.
He will lead me up to the heights.
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.
When you are angry, O Lord, you will remember your mercy.
Psalm 147/147b
God, the foundation of Jerusalem
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem
Zion, praise your God.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates,
he has blessed your children.
He keeps your borders in peace,
he fills you with the richest wheat.
He sends out his command over the earth,
and swiftly runs his word.
He sends down snow that is like wool,
frost that is like ashes.
He sends hailstones like crumbs
who can withstand his cold?
He will send out his word, and all will be melted,
his spirit will breathe, and the waters will flow.
He proclaims his word to Jacob,
his laws and judgements to Israel.
He has not done this for other nations,
he has not shown them his judgements.
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.
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
A Reading from Isaiah 53:11-12
By his sufferings shall my servant justify many, taking their faults on himself. Hence I will grant whole hordes for his tribute, he shall divide the spoil with the mighty, for surrendering himself to death and letting himself be taken for a sinner, while he was bearing the faults of many and praying all the time for sinners.
Canticle
The Messiah and his forerunner
He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him when the season arrives.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation
in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones,
his prophets through the ages,
to rescue us from our enemies
and all who hate us,
to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant
and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us,
that we could serve him without fear
freed from the hands of our enemies
in uprightness and holiness before him,
for all of our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation,
so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God,
one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness,
who live in the shadow of death,
to lead our feet in the path of peace.
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.
He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him when the season arrives.
Prayers and Intercessions
We cast our prayers at the feet of Christ our saviour, who has redeemed us by his death and resurrection…
Lord, have mercy on us.
You went up to Jerusalem to undergo the Passion and thus enter into glory-
lead your Church safely through to your eternal Paschal feast.
Lord, have mercy on us.
It was by your will that, as you hung on the cross,
your side was pierced by the soldier’s lance
we too are wounded, heal us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
By your decree, the cross has become the tree of life,
give its fruit to all who are reborn in baptism.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Hanging from that tree you pardoned the penitent thief,
we too are sinners, pardon us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
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.
Almighty God, may our zealous penitence purify us,
by the time we come to Easter,
may our minds be whole and sincere.
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. Amen.
