Said or sung all together except for the sentences marked ‘Call’ which are for the Leader only.
+ indicates that you may make the sign of the cross.
ff
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
ff
Opening sentences
My soul waits for the Lord
more than those
who watch for the morning,
more than those
who watch for the morning.
ff
Call: Out of the depths I have cried to You.
Response: O Lord, hear my voice.
Call: With my whole heart I want to praise You.
Response: O Lord, hear my voice.
Call: If you, Lord, should mark iniquities:
Response: Who could stand? who could stand?
ff
I will wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in His word do I hope.
ff
Expressions of faith
Lord, You have always given
bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always given
strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always given
peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always kept
me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always marked
the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always lightened
this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always spoken
when time was ripe;
and though you be silent now,
today I believe.
ff

Today’s Scripture Reading

1 September

Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Joshua 2:1-6 Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho.’ So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there. The king of Jericho was told, ‘Some Israelites have come here tonight to search out the land.’ Then the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, ‘Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come only to search out the whole land.’ But the woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, ‘True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they came from. And when it was time to close the gate at dark, the men went out. Where the men went I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you can overtake them.’ She had, however, brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on the roof.

Luke 14:16-24 Then Jesus said to him, ‘Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, “Come; for everything is ready now.” But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my apologies.” 19 Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my apologies.” 20 Another said, “I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.” 21 So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” 22 And the slave said, “Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.” 23 Then the master said to the slave, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.”’

These Scripture Readings relate to the Colman Readings (Hospitality) in Celtic Daily Prayer, Book 2.

Today’s Meditation

In the present moment

Hurry is an unpleasant thing in itself, but also very unpleasant for whoever is around it. Some people came into my room and rushed in and rushed out and even when they were there they were not there – they were in the moment ahead or the moment behind. Some people who came in just for a moment were all there, completely in that moment.

Live from day to day, just from day to day. If you do so, you worry less and live more richly. If you let yourself be absorbed completely, if you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

 

Prayers for others

ff
Canticle
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
ff
The Lord is my light, my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
ff
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
One thing I ask of the Lord,
one thing I seek;
to dwell in the presence of my God,
to gaze on Your holy place.
ff
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
ff
I believe I shall see the goodness
of the Lord in the land of the living.
O wait for the Lord!
Have courage and wait,
wait for the Lord.
ff
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
ff
Blessing
See that ye be at peace among yourselves, my children,
and love one another.
Follow the example of the wise and good
and God will comfort you and help you,
both in this world
and in the world which is to come.
ff

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

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