OFFICIANT
To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, because we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws which he set before us.
Daniel 9:9, 10
OFFICIANT
To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws which he set before us.
Daniel 9:9, 10
Confession of Sin
OFFICIANT
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
OFFICIANT
Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Silence may be kept.
Officiant and People together, all kneeling
ALL
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
ALL
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, we have offended against thy holy laws, we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, spare thou those who confess their faults, restore thou those who are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord; and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
Remain kneeling for the concluding prayer.
OFFICIANT
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
OFFICIANT
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant us absolution and remission of all our sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Invitatory and Psalter
All stand
OFFICIANT
O God, make speed to save us.
PEOPLE
O Lord, make haste to help us.
ALL
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.
OFFICIANT
O God, make speed to save us.
PEOPLE
O Lord, make haste to help us.
ALL
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.
The following, or some other suitable hymn, or an Invitatory Psalm, may be sung or said.
O Gracious Light
O gracious light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing thy praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Thou art worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
Psalms 77, [79]
Psalm 77Voce mea ad Dominum
I will cry aloud to God; *
I will cry aloud, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; *
my hands were stretched out by night and did not tire;
I refused to be comforted.
I think of God, I am restless, *
I ponder, and my spirit faints.
You will not let my eyelids close; *
I am troubled and I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old; *
I remember the years long past;
I commune with my heart in the night; *
I ponder and search my mind.
Will the Lord cast me off for ever? *
will he no more show his favor?
Has his loving-kindness come to an end for ever? *
has his promise failed for evermore?
Has God forgotten to be gracious? *
has he, in his anger, withheld his compassion?
And I said, "My grief is this: *
the right hand of the Most High has lost its power."
I will remember the works of the LORD, *
and call to mind your wonders of old time.
I will meditate on all your acts *
and ponder your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy; *
who is so great a god as our God?
You are the God who works wonders *
and have declared your power among the peoples.
By your strength you have redeemed your people, *
the children of Jacob and Joseph.
The waters saw you, O God;
the waters saw you and trembled; *
the very depths were shaken.
The clouds poured out water;
the skies thundered; *
your arrows flashed to and fro;
The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lit up the world; *
the earth trembled and shook.
Your way was in the sea,
and your paths in the great waters, *
yet your footsteps were not seen.
You led your people like a flock *
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
[Psalm 79]Deus, venerunt
O God, the heathen have come into your inheritance;
they have profaned your holy temple; *
they have made Jerusalem a heap of rubble.
They have given the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the air, *
and the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the field.
They have shed their blood like water on every side of Jerusalem, *
and there was no one to bury them.
We have become a reproach to our neighbors, *
an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
How long will you be angry, O LORD? *
will your fury blaze like fire for ever?
Pour out your wrath upon the heathen who have not known you *
and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon your Name.
For they have devoured Jacob *
and made his dwelling a ruin.
Remember not our past sins;
let your compassion be swift to meet us; *
for we have been brought very low.
Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your Name; *
deliver us and forgive us our sins, for your Name's sake.
Why should the heathen say, "Where is their God?" *
Let it be known among the heathen and in our sight
that you avenge the shedding of your servants' blood.
Let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before you, *
and by your great might spare those who are condemned to die.
May the revilings with which they reviled you, O Lord, *
return seven-fold into their bosoms.
For we are your people and the sheep of your pasture; *
we will give you thanks for ever
and show forth your praise from age to age.
ALL
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.
The Lessons
The First Lesson
18Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
21Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’
22So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
23But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
24Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.
25Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’
26But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’
27And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. 29Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’
30So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life, 31sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. 32Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’
33Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers. 34For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”
Silence may be kept after each Reading.
A Song of Penitence
The Song of Mary
O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, *
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and of all their righteous offspring:
You made the heavens and the earth, *
with all their vast array.
All things quake with fear at your presence; *
they tremble because of your power.
But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; *
it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.
O Lord, you are full of compassion, *
long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.
You hold back your hand; *
you do not punish as we deserve.
In your great goodness, Lord,
you have promised forgiveness to sinners, *
that they may repent of their sin and be saved.
And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, *
and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.
I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, *
and I know my wickedness only too well.
Therefore I make this prayer to you: *
Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.
Do not let me perish in my sin, *
nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.
For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, *
and in me you will show forth your goodness.
Unworthy as I am, you will save me,
in accordance with your great mercy, *
and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.
For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, *
and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen.
My soul doth magnify the Lord, *
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded *
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from henceforth *
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, *
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him *
throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; *
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, *
as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
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.
The Second Lesson
14About halfway through the feast, Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach. 15The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”
16“My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me. 17If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own. 18He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood. 19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?”
20“You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?”
21Jesus answered them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22But because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath (not that it is from Moses, but from the patriarchs.) 23If a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses will not be broken, why are you angry with Me for making the whole man well on the Sabbath? 24Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
25Then some of the people of Jerusalem began to say, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26Yet here He is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying anything to Him. Have the rulers truly recognized that this is the Christ? 27But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”
28Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You know Me, and you know where I am from. I have not come of My own accord, but He who sent Me is true. You do not know Him, 29but I know Him, because I am from Him and He sent Me.”
30So they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31Many in the crowd, however, believed in Him and said, “When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?”
32When the Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Jesus, they and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Him. 33So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me. 34You will look for Me, but you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
35At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36What does He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’ and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
Silence may be kept after each Reading.
The Song of Simeon
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
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.
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, *
according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, *
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, *
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
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.
The Apostles’ Creed
Officiant and People together, all standing
ALL
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.
ALL
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
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
The Lord be with you.
PEOPLE
And with thy spirit.
OFFICIANT
Let us 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.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
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, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
OFFICIANT
That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
PEOPLE
We entreat you, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
PEOPLE
We entreat you, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
PEOPLE
We entreat you, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world,
PEOPLE
We entreat you, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
PEOPLE
We entreat you, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
PEOPLE
We entreat you, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
PEOPLE
We entreat thee, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That thy holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
PEOPLE
We entreat thee, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
PEOPLE
We entreat thee, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That there may be peace to thy Church and to the whole world,
PEOPLE
We entreat thee, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That we may depart this life in thy faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
PEOPLE
We entreat thee, O Lord.
OFFICIANT
That we may be bound together by thy Holy Spirit in the communion of all thy saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
PEOPLE
We entreat thee, O Lord.
The Collect of the Day
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Peace
OFFICIANT
Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.
OFFICIANT
O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of all enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
A Prayer for Mission
OFFICIANT
O God, you manifest in your servants the signs of your presence: Send forth upon us the spirit of love, that in companionship with one another your abounding grace may increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
OFFICIANT
O God, who dost manifest in thy servants the signs of thy presence: Send forth upon us the Spirit of love, that in companionship with one another thine abounding grace may increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here may be sung a hymn or anthem.
Authorized intercessions and thanksgivings may follow.
The General Thanksgiving
ALL
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.
ALL
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable 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 beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
Dismissal
OFFICIANT
Let us bless the Lord.
PEOPLE
Thanks be to God.
OFFICIANT
Let us bless the Lord.
PEOPLE
Thanks be to God.
OFFICIANT
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
OFFICIANT
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.
Text from the Book of Common Prayer (1979), The Episcopal Church.
The Psalter from the Book of Common Prayer (1979), The Episcopal Church.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain.