Tuesday Morning Prayer – 5th December 2023

Tuesday Morning Prayer – 5th December 2023 Readings: Psalm 82; 84; Isaiah 40.18–31; 1 Thessalonians 2.1–12

Led by Felicity Scott, Liturgical Assistant at St John the Baptist Anglican Church Bulimba, QLD, Australia.

The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website.

https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com

Welcome to Tuesday morning prayer from the Anglican ‘A prayer book for Australia’.

We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ:

GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever.

Let us Pray..

 

1

We will proclaim the name of the Lord

Ascribe greatness to our God

  

 

Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit: 

as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen. 

  

2 The Opening Canticle,

God who is rich in mercy

out of the great love with which he loved us,

even when we were dead through our trespasses

made us alive together with Christ,

and raised us up with him:

and made us sit with him

in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

that he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace:

 in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2.4-7

 

3 The Opening Prayer

The night has passed and the day lies open before us; 

let us pray with one heart and mind. 

 

Silence may be kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, 
so may the light of your presence, O God, 
set our hearts on fire with love for you; 
now and for ever. 

Amen.

 

4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.

Psalm 82; 84

82

1 God has stood up in the council of heaven:

in the midst of the gods he gives judgement.

2 ‘How long will you judge unjustly:

and favour the cause of the wicked?

3 ‘Judge for the poor and fatherless:

vindicate the afflicted and oppressed.

4 ‘Rescue the poor and needy:

and save them from the hands of the wicked.

5 ‘They do not know, they do not understand,

they walk about in darkness:

all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6 ‘Therefore I say, “Though you are gods:

and all of you children of the Most High,

7 ‘“Nevertheless you shall die like a mortal:

and fall like one of the princes.”’

8 Arise, O God, and judge the earth:

for you shall take all nations as your possession.

84

1 How lovely is your dwelling-place:

O Lord God of hosts!

2 My soul has a desire and longing

to enter the courts of the Lord:

my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.

3 The sparrow has found her a home,

and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young:

even your altar, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house:

they will always be praising you.

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you:

in whose heart are the highways to Zion;

6 Who, going through the valley of dryness,

find there a spring from which to drink:

till the autumn rain shall clothe it with blessings.

7 They go from strength to strength:

they appear, every one of them,

before the God of gods in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer:

give ear, O God of Jacob.

9 Behold, O God, him who reigns over us:

and look upon the face of your anointed.

10 One day in your courts is better than a thousand:

I would rather stand at the threshold

of the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of ungodliness.

11 For the Lord God is a light and a shield,

the Lord gives favour and honour:

and no good thing will he withhold

from those who walk in innocence.

12 O Lord God of hosts:

blessed are those who put their trust in you.

 

5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow;

Lord our God, our Creator, redeemer, and sanctifier:

we ask you to cleanse us from all hypocrisy,

to unite us to our fellow men and women

by the bonds of peace and love

and to confirm us in holiness; now and for ever. 

Amen.

 

6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.

 

1st Reading

Isaiah 40.18–31

18 To whom then will you liken God,
     or what likeness compare with him? 
19 An idol? —A workman casts it,
     and a goldsmith overlays it with gold,
     and casts for it silver chains. 
20 As a gift one chooses mulberry wood
     —wood that will not rot—
then seeks out a skilled artisan
     to set up an image that will not topple. 
21 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
     Has it not been told you from the beginning?
     Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 
22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
     and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
     and spreads them like a tent to live in; 
23 who brings princes to naught,
     and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. 
24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
     scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows upon them, and they wither,
     and the tempest carries them off like stubble. 
25 To whom then will you compare me,
     or who is my equal? says the Holy One. 
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:
     Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
     calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
     mighty in power,
     not one is missing. 
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
     and speak, O Israel,
‘My way is hidden from the Lord ,
     and my right is disregarded by my God’? 
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
     the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
     his understanding is unsearchable. 
29 He gives power to the faint,
     and strengthens the powerless. 
30 Even youths will faint and be weary,
     and the young will fall exhausted; 
31 but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
     they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
     they shall walk and not faint.

2nd Reading

1 Thessalonians 2.1–12

1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully maltreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. 3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; 6 nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, 7 though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. 8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us. 9 You remember our labour and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was towards you believers. 11 As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, 12 urging and encouraging you and pleading that you should lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

 

The readings may be followed by a period of silence for reflection, a hymn or

May your word live in us 

and bear much fruit to your glory.

 

 

7 The Canticle, A Song of Isaiah

Blessed are the poor in spirit:

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn:

For they shall be comforted

Blessed are the meek:

For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right:

For they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful:

For mercy shall be shown to them.

Blessed are the pure in heart:

For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers:

For they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake:

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

                                                      Matt.5.3-10  

 

8 The Apostles’ Creed may be said.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, 
creator of heaven and earth. 
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, 
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, 
born of the virgin Mary, 
suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
was crucified, died, and was buried; 
he descended to the dead. 
On the third day he rose from the dead; 
he ascended into heaven, 
and is seated at the right hand of the Father; 
from there he will come 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. 

  

 

9 The Prayers

Lord have mercy. 

Christ have mercy. 

Lord have mercy. 

  

 

10 The Lord’s Prayer and the Collect of the Day

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. 

 

Prayer of the Week

Almighty God,

give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness

and put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life

in which your Son 

Jesus Christ came among us in great humility,

that on the last day,

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty

to judge the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need.

Let us pray

 

Merciful Lord, we ask for your mercy to be given to the country of Ukraine. We ask for your intervention, to impart peace as an initiative in the minds of all those at war across the world. We ask this in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen

 

Almighty God, we thank you for your church and its place in our world and ask that you bless the whole church. Bless our bishops, ministers, parish ministry teams, and their volunteers and lay people, give us all courage to proclaim the good news of Christ in our schools, workplaces and homes.

God of Grace.      Hear our Prayer

 

God, we ask your blessing for those listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer:

• The Diocese of Bari – The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
• The Diocese of Ballarat: †Garry Weatherill; Clergy and People
• The Parish of Tara:
• Coomera Anglican College, Coomera: Principal – Patrick Innes-Hill; Lay Chaplaincy Team: Dom Fay and Rachael Stelzer; Chair of School Council – Mary-Anne Rulfs; members of College Council; staff & students
• All Parishes seeking new incumbents.
• All Anglican schools seeking new chaplains.
• All Prison ministry chaplaincy teams

God of Grace; Hear our prayer

 

 

12 The Morning Collect

Lord and heavenly father, you have brought us safely to this new day:

Keep us by your mighty power, protect us from sin, guard us from every kind of danger, and in all we do this day direct us in the fulfilling of your purpose,

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

  

13

The Lord be with you.

And also with you. 

Let us praise the Lord. 

Thanks be to God. 

 

May the Lord bless us and keep us and make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious to us; the Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace. 

Amen.

Numbers 6.24–26