Daily Prayer

THE SEASON OF EASTER

Wednesday

CALL TO WORSHIP AND OPENING PRAYER

The Lord is risen. Alleluia!

Come, let us worship.

 

Give praise to the Father almighty,

to his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord,

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever. Amen.

 

Blessed and praised are you, God our Father,

for raising Christ our Lord from the dead

and giving us the hope of immortality.

     words of gratitude and adoration may be said here

The joy of the resurrection renews the whole world:

a new age has dawned,

the reign of sin is ended,

a broken world is being renewed,

and humanity is once again made whole.

Blessed be God for ever!

PSALM, AND SCRIPTURE SONG

psalm 124

1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side
   —let Israel now say—

2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
   when our enemies attacked us,

3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
   when their anger was kindled against us;

4 then the flood would have swept us away,
   the torrent would have gone over us;

5 then over us would have gone
   the raging waters.

6 Blessed be the Lord,
   who has not given us
   as prey to their teeth.

7 We have escaped like a bird
   from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
   and we have escaped.

8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
   who made heaven and earth.

 

Give praise to the Father almighty;

to his Son, Jesus Christ the Lord;

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever. Amen.

 

A Song of the Bride

[Isaiah 61.10-62.3]

 

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,

my soul shall exult in my God;

who has clothed me with the garments of salvation

and has covered me with the cloak of integrity,

as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

 

For as the earth puts forth her blossom,

and as seeds in the garden spring up,

so shall God make righteousness and praise

blossom before all the nations.

 

For Zion’s sake, I will not keep silent,

and for Jerusalem’s sake, I will not rest,

until her deliverance shines out like the dawn

and her salvation as a burning torch.

 

The nations shall see your deliverance

and all rulers shall see your glory;

then you shall be called by a new name

which the mouth of God will give.

 

You shall be a crown of glory

in the hand of the Lord,

a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

 

Give praise to the Father almighty,

to his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord,

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever. Amen.

SHORT READING

John 7.37-39

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” ’ Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

a time for reflection on the scriptures …

 

… completed with:

 

You have been born anew, through the living word of God.

Not of perishable, but of imperishable seed; through the living word of God.

[1 Peter 1.23]

CANTICLE OF THE SEASON

A Song of the Church

(Te Deum)

 

We praise you, O God,

we acclaim you as Lord;

all creation worships you,

the Father everlasting.

To you all angels,

all the powers of heaven,

the cherubim and seraphim,

sing in endless praise:

 

Holy, holy, holy lord,

God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

 

The glorious company of apostles praise you.

The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.

The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:

 

Father, of majesty unbounded,

your true and only Son, worthy of all praise,

the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

 

You, Christ, are the king of glory,

the eternal Son of the Father.

When you took our flesh to set us free

you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.

You overcame the sting of death

and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.

We believe that you will come to be our judge.

 

Come then, Lord, and help your people,

bought with the price of your own blood,

and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.

THE LORD'S PRAYER,

thanksgiving, petition, intercession

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.

 

a time for personal prayer and intercession …

 

… you may include this ‘Prayer for the Earth’:

God so present yet unseen,

we ask for the wisdom of the Holy Spirit

to know our place in the universe

and to play our part in the work of creation.

May the Spirit of truth inspire us to speak the truth

about the earth and its creatures.

Help those who work in environmental education

to foster a deeper engagement with the living world.

 

… and sum up your own prayers with these responses:

 

Give thanks to the Lord for he is gracious;

he has loved us from all eternity.

 

By his cross and resurrection he has redeemed the world,

and has washed us from our sins in his blood.

 

On the third day he rose again,

and has given us the victory.

 

He ascended into heaven,

and opened for us the gate to everlasting life.

 

He is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and lives for ever to intercede for us.

A CONCLUDING PRAYER, AND ENDING

 

Risen Christ,

you filled your disciples

with boldness and fresh hope:

strengthen us to proclaim

your risen life

and fill us with your peace,

to the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

 

 

 

May Christ, who out of defeat has brought us hope,

fill us with new life. Amen.