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| Feeding the Five Thousand |
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Morning Prayer
Lord, give me the strength to greet the coming day in peace. Help me in all things to rely on Your holy will. Reveal Your will to me every hour of the day. Bless my dealings with all people. Teach me to treat all people who come to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings. In unexpected events, let me not forget that all are sent by you.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me the physical strength to bear the labors of this day. Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray in me. Amen.
Confession and Forgiveness
Lord Christ, I have betrayed you by following my own way, and I have denied you by fearing to follow yours. I have mocked you by forgetting the agony and importance of your death. I am lost, O Jesus: Let your forgiveness find me. Hold me in your strong arms and give me your new life. Live in me and with me day by day, that my heart may be made anew within me, and that together we may show the world a new and better path. Amen.
Today's Readings
The First Reading is taken from 2 Samuel 3:6-21
While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?" The words of Ishbaal made Abner very angry; he said, "Am I a dog's head for Judah? Today I keep showing loyalty to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me now with a crime concerning this woman. So may God do to Abner and so may he add to it! For just what the LORD has sworn to David, that will I accomplish for him, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba." And Ishbaal could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him. Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron, saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and I will give you my support to bring all Israel over to you." He said, "Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall never appear in my presence unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal when you come to see me." Then David sent messengers to Saul's son Ishbaal, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I became engaged at the price of one hundred foreskins of the Philistines." Ishbaal sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. But her husband went with her, weeping as he walked behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back home!" So he went back. Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. Now then bring it about; for the LORD has promised David: Through my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from all their enemies." Abner also spoke directly to the Benjaminites; then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin were ready to do. When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. Abner said to David, "Let me go and rally all Israel to my lord the king, in order that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires." So David dismissed Abner, and he went away in peace.
The Second Reading is taken from Acts 16:6-15
They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us.
The Holy Gospel is written in Mark 6:30-46
[Feeding the Five Thousand] The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat." But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?" And he said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." When they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish." Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men. Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
Morning Psalms
Psalm 61 Exaudi, Deus
1 Hear my cry, O God, and listen to my prayer.
2 I call upon you from the ends of the earth with heaviness in my heart; set me upon the rock that is higher than I.
3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.
4 I will dwell in your house for ever; I will take refuge under the cover of your wings.
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have granted me the heritage of those who fear your Name.
6 Add length of days to the king's life; let his years extend over many generations.
7 Let him sit enthroned before God for ever; bid love and faithfulness watch over him.
8 So will I always sing the praise of your Name, and day by day I will fulfill my vows.
Psalm 62 Nonne Deo?
1 For God alone my soul in silence waits; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold, so that I shall not be greatly shaken.
3 How long will you assail me to crush me, all of you together, as if you were a leaning fence, a toppling wall?
4 They seek only to bring me down from my place of honor; lies are their chief delight.
5 They bless with their lips, but in their hearts they curse.
6 For God alone my soul in silence waits; truly, my hope is in him.
7 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.
8 In God is my safety and my honor; God is my strong rock and my refuge.
9 Put your trust in him always, O people, pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.
10 Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, even those of low estate cannot be trusted.
11 On the scales they are lighter than a breath, all of them together.
12 Put no trust in extortion; in robbery take no empty pride; though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.
13 God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, that power belongs to God.
14 Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, for you repay everyone according to his deeds.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 68 Exsurgat Deus
1 Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him.
2 Let them vanish like smoke when the wind drives it away; as the wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; let them also be merry and joyful.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his Name; exalt him who rides upon the heavens; YAHWEH is his Name, rejoice before him!
5 Father of orphans, defender of widows, God in his holy habitation!
6 God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners into freedom; but the rebels shall live in dry places.
7 O God, when you went forth before your people, when you marched through the wilderness,
8 The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain, at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; you refreshed the land when it was weary.
10 Your people found their home in it; in your goodness, O God, you have made provision for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word; great was the company of women who bore the tidings:
12 Kings with their armies are fleeing away; the women at home are dividing the spoils.
13 Though you lingered among the sheepfolds, you shall be like a dove whose wings are covered with silver, whose feathers are like green gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings, it was like snow falling in Zalmon.
15 O mighty mountain, O hill of Bashan! O rugged mountain, O hill of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountain, at the hill which God chose for his resting place? truly, the LORD will dwell there for ever.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; the Lord comes in holiness from Sinai.
18 You have gone up on high and led captivity captive; you have received gifts even from your enemies, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
19 Blessed be the Lord day by day, the God of our salvation, who bears our burdens.
20 He is our God, the God of our salvation; God is the LORD, by whom we escape death.
21 God shall crush the heads of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of those who go on still in their wickedness.
22 The Lord has said, "I will bring them back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea;
23 That your foot may be dipped in blood, the tongues of your dogs in the blood of your enemies."
24 They see your procession, O God, your procession into the sanctuary, my God and my King.
25 The singers go before, musicians follow after, in the midst of maidens playing upon the hand-drums.
26 Bless God in the congregation; bless the LORD, you that are of the fountain of Israel.
27 There is Benjamin, least of the tribes, at the head; the princes of Judah in a company; and the princes of Zebulon and Naphtali.
28 Send forth your strength, O God; establish, O God, what you have wrought for us.
29 Kings shall bring gifts to you, for your temple's sake at Jerusalem.
30 Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, and the peoples, a herd of wild bulls with its calves.
31 Trample down those who lust after silver; scatter the peoples that delight in war.
32 Let tribute be brought out of Egypt; let Ethiopia stretch out her hands to God.
33 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord.
34 He rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; he sends forth his voice, his mighty voice.
35 Ascribe power to God; his majesty is over Israel; his strength is in the skies.
36 How wonderful is God in his holy places! the God of Israel giving strength and power to his people! Blessed be God!
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Day
O Lord, how lovely it is to be Thy guest. Breeze full of scents; mountains reaching to the skies; waters like boundless mirrors, reflecting the sun's golden rays and the scudding clouds. All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing the depth of tenderness. Birds and beasts of the forest bear the imprint of Thy love.
Blessed art thou, mother earth, in thy fleeting loveliness, which wakens our yearning for happiness that will last for ever, in the land where, amid beauty that grows not old, the cry rings out: Alleluia! Amen.
A Prayer for Peace
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for Mission
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.
Luciano Pavarotti | Ave Maria
Alleluia! Christ has risen.
Christ has risen indeed. Alleluia!
Christ has risen indeed. Alleluia!
Closing Prayer
God of mercy, swift to help: as my lips pour forth your praise, fill my heart with the peace you give to those who wait for your salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
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