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Saturday, March 20, 2027

Morning Prayer

Lent

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OFFICIANT

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:8, 9

OFFICIANT

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:8, 9

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

Lord, open our lips.

PEOPLE

And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

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 Lord, open thou our lips.

PEOPLE

And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.

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.

Venite

ALL

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.

ALL

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: O come, let us adore him.

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!

O come, let us sing unto the Lord; *

let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *

and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *

and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are all the corners of the earth, *

and the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it, *

and his hands prepared the dry land.

O come, let us worship and fall down, *

and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is the Lord our God, *

and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; *

let the whole earth stand in awe of him.

For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth, *

and with righteousness to judge the world and the peoples with his truth.

ALL

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.

ALL

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: O come, let us adore him.

Psalms 137:1-6(7-9), 144

Psalm 137Super flumina

1

By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, *

when we remembered you, O Zion.

2

As for our harps, we hung them up *

on the trees in the midst of that land.

3

For those who led us away captive asked us for a song,

and our oppressors called for mirth: *

"Sing us one of the songs of Zion."

4

How shall we sing the LORD'S song *

upon an alien soil?

5

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, *

let my right hand forget its skill.

6

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth

if I do not remember you, *

if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

7

Remember the day of Jerusalem, O LORD,

against the people of Edom, *

who said, "Down with it! down with it!

even to the ground!"

8

O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, *

happy the one who pays you back

for what you have done to us!

9

Happy shall he be who takes your little ones, *

and dashes them against the rock!

Psalm 144Benedictus Dominus

1

Blessed be the LORD my rock! *

who trains my hands to fight and my fingers to battle;

2

My help and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, *

my shield in whom I trust,

who subdues the peoples under me.

3

O LORD, what are we that you should care for us? *

mere mortals that you should think of us?

4

We are like a puff of wind; *

our days are like a passing shadow.

5

Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down; *

touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

6

Hurl the lightning and scatter them; *

shoot out your arrows and rout them.

7

Stretch out your hand from on high; *

rescue me and deliver me from the great waters,

from the hand of foreign peoples,

8

Whose mouths speak deceitfully *

and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.

9

O God, I will sing to you a new song; *

I will play to you on a ten-stringed lyre.

10

You give victory to kings *

and have rescued David your servant.

11

Rescue me from the hurtful sword *

and deliver me from the hand of foreign peoples,

12

Whose mouths speak deceitfully *

and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.

13

May our sons be like plants well nurtured from their youth, *

and our daughters like sculptured corners of a palace.

14

May our barns be filled to overflowing with all manner of crops; *

may the flocks in our pastures increase by thousands and tens of thousands;

may our cattle be fat and sleek.

15

May there be no breaching of the walls, no going into exile, *

no wailing in the public squares.

16

Happy are the people of whom this is so! *

happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

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

27“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and of beast. 28Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, to demolish, destroy, and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD.

29“In those days, it will no longer be said:

‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,

and the teeth of the children are set on edge.’

30Instead, each will die for his own iniquity. If anyone eats the sour grapes, his own teeth will be set on edge.

31Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD,

when I will make a new covenant

with the house of Israel

and with the house of Judah.

32It will not be like the covenant

I made with their fathers

when I took them by the hand

to lead them out of the land of Egypt—

a covenant they broke,

though I was a husband to them,”

declares the LORD.

33“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel

after those days, declares the LORD.

I will put My law in their minds

and inscribe it on their hearts.

And I will be their God,

and they will be My people.

34No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother,

saying, ‘Know the LORD,’

because they will all know Me,

from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD.

For I will forgive their iniquities

and will remember their sins no more.”

Silence may be kept after each Reading.

A Song of Creation

Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, you angels and all powers of the Lord, *

O heavens and all waters above the heavens.

Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew, *

all winds and fire and heat.

Winter and Summer, glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold, *

drops of dew and flakes of snow.

Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O nights and days, *

O shining light and enfolding dark.

Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Let the earth glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills,

and all that grows upon the earth, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas, and streams, *

O whales and all that move in the waters.

All birds of the air, glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild, *

and all you flocks and herds.

O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Let the people of God glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O priests and servants of the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O spirits and souls of the righteous, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

You that are holy and humble of heart, glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Let us glorify the Lord: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, *

praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord; *

O ye waters that be above the firmament, bless ye the Lord;

O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord; *

O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord;

O ye showers and dew, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye winds of God, bless ye the Lord; *

O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord;

O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye dews and frosts, bless ye the Lord; *

O ye frost and cold, bless ye the Lord;

O ye ice and snow, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord; *

O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord;

O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O let the earth bless the Lord; *

O ye mountains and hills, bless ye the Lord;

O all ye green things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye wells, bless ye the Lord; *

O ye seas and floods, bless ye the Lord;

O ye whales and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord;

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord; *

O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord;

O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye people of God, bless ye the Lord; *

O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord;

O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord; *

O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord.

Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; *

praise him and magnify him for ever.

The Second Lesson

25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come from Zion;

He will remove godlessness from Jacob.

27And this is My covenant with them

when I take away their sins.”

28Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs. 29For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.

30Just as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience, 31so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you. 32For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.

33O, the depth of the riches

of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable are His judgments,

and untraceable His ways!

34“Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been His counselor?”

35“Who has first given to God,

that God should repay him?”

36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.

To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

Silence may be kept after each Reading.

The Song of the Redeemed

The Song of Zechariah

O ruler of the universe, Lord God,

great deeds are they that you have done, *

surpassing human understanding.

Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth, *

O King of all the ages.

Who can fail to do you homage, Lord,

and sing the praises of your Name? *

for you only are the Holy One.

All nations will draw near and fall down before you, *

because your just and holy works have been revealed.

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.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, *

for he hath visited and redeemed his people;

And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us *

in the house of his servant David,

As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, *

which have been since the world began:

That we should be saved from our enemies, *

and from the hand of all that hate us;

To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, *

and to remember his holy covenant;

To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, *

that he would give us,

That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies *

might serve him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before him, *

all the days of our life.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, *

for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people *

for the remission of their sins,

Through the tender mercy of our God, *

whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us;

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, *

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

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

Show us your mercy, O Lord;

PEOPLE

And grant us your salvation.

OFFICIANT

Clothe your ministers with righteousness;

PEOPLE

Let your people sing with joy.

OFFICIANT

Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;

PEOPLE

For only in you can we live in safety.

OFFICIANT

Lord, keep this nation under your care;

PEOPLE

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

OFFICIANT

Let your way be known upon earth;

PEOPLE

Your saving health among all nations.

OFFICIANT

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

PEOPLE

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

OFFICIANT

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

PEOPLE

And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

OFFICIANT

O Lord, show thy mercy upon us;

PEOPLE

And grant us thy salvation.

OFFICIANT

Endue thy ministers with righteousness;

PEOPLE

And make thy chosen people joyful.

OFFICIANT

Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;

PEOPLE

For only in thee can we live in safety.

OFFICIANT

Lord, keep this nation under thy care;

PEOPLE

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

OFFICIANT

Let thy way be known upon earth;

PEOPLE

Thy saving health among all nations.

OFFICIANT

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

PEOPLE

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

OFFICIANT

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

PEOPLE

And sustain us with thy Holy Spirit.

The Collect of the Day

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men: Grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Saturdays

OFFICIANT

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

OFFICIANT

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world didst rest from all thy works and sanctify a day of rest for all thy creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of thy sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to thy people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission

OFFICIANT

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

OFFICIANT

Lord Jesus Christ, who didst stretch out thine arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of thy saving embrace: So clothe us in thy Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know thee to the knowledge and love of thee; for the honor of thy Name. 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.

Why this Morning Prayer has these texts

The order is the same every day. Year One of the lectionary appoints the psalms and lessons; the season, the weekday, and the app’s defaults choose the rest.

This explains the Contemporary (Rite II) office. Traditional (Rite I) has the same psalms and lessons, with traditional-language canticles from those Rite I allows (pp. 47 and 65).

Today’s parts in order, each sized by its word count.
Words in the office by how often they change
The same every day24%644 words
Follows the season or feast13%338 words
Follows the weekday, or rotates25%646 words
Appointed for the day by the lectionary38%1,004 words
Opening sentence
John 1:8, 9 A sentence for Lent, taken in turn.
Lord, open our lips
Without “Alleluia,” as in Lent.
Invitatory antiphon
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him. The antiphon appointed “in Lent.”
Invitatory psalm
Venite The usual invitatory psalm. The Jubilate may be used instead.
The Psalms
Psalms 137:1-6(7-9), 144 Appointed for this day in Year One.
The First Lesson
Jeremiah 31:27-34 The day’s Old Testament reading, Year One.
Canticle after the first lesson
A Song of Creation The table’s canticle for Saturdays.
The Second Lesson
Romans 11:25-36 The day’s Epistle, Year One.
Canticle after the second lesson
The Song of the Redeemed The table’s canticle for Saturdays.
The Collect of the Day
The Collect for Fifth Sunday in Lent The collect of the Sunday before, said through the week.
A collect for the day
A Collect for Saturdays The app’s collect for Saturdays.
A prayer for mission
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on… One of the three, taken in turn.
Dismissal
Without Alleluias, which are added only in Easter Season.

Praying the Psalter by the month instead? Day 20 of the 30-day Psalter appoints Psalms 102, 103.

Every part of Morning Prayer, and the choices it allows

Every office, on your phone

Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline are in the app too.

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