Daily Prayer: Season of the Word made Flesh
TUESDAY
CALL TO WORSHIP, AND OPENING PRAYER
The Word was made flesh and lived among us:
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.
Alleluia!
Blessed are you, Christ our Lord,
our everlasting light
and redeemer of the world.
[a few words of praise and adoration may be said here]
By taking upon yourself our mortal nature
you saved humanity
and restored joy to the whole world.
Blessed be God for ever!
PSALM, AND SCRIPTURE SONG
Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise.
Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my
prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.
For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favour and honour.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.
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 Gospel of God
[verses from Romans chapters 11 and 1]
Who can measure
the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God?
How unsearchable are his judgements
and how inscrutable his ways!
For who had known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counsellor?
Who has given a gift to him,
to receive a gift in return?
The gospel of God,
which was promised beforehand through the prophets,
is the good news of the One
descended from David according to the flesh
and declared to be Son of God in power
by resurrection from the dead;
Jesus Christ our Lord,
through whom we have received grace
for the obedience of faith,
in whom we are called to be saints.
This gospel is the power of God for salvation
to everyone who has faith.
In it the righteousness of God is revealed;
by it, those who are righteous through faith will live.
SHORT READING
Philippians 2.5-7
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
a time for reflection on the scriptures …
… completed with:
The Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world.
Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of the world.
CANTICLE OF THE SEASON
The Song of Mary
[Luke 1.46-55]
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
who has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.
God has mercy on those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
The Lord has shown strength with his arm
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.
God has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
to remember the promise of mercy,
the promise made to our forebears,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
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.
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’:
Loving Lord,
we thank you for the precious waters of the earth,
from the mirror stillness of a lake
to the turbulence of a mighty flood,
from their crystal clarity to their murky depths.
Help us to remember that water is the essence of life itself
and that, through the waters of baptism,
we rise to new life in union with Christ.
… and sum up your own prayers with these responses:
Glory to God in the highest heaven;
goodwill to his people on earth.
Let the mountains be laden with peace,
and the hills with prosperity.
May righteousness flourish in our time.
Your dominion stretch from sea to sea.
O God give justice to the poor;
deliver the needy when they cry.
For you alone do great wonders.
Let the whole earth be filled with your glory.
CONCLUDING PRAYER, AND ENDING
Lord Jesus Christ,
light of the nations and glory of Israel:
make your home among us,
and present us pure and holy
to your heavenly Father,
your God, and our God.
May God, who has called us out of darkness into his wonderful light,
give us his peace and goodwill. Amen.
River Tyne in spate at Wylam Bridge