Opening Sentences
The Officiant begins the service with one or more of the following sentences of Scripture, or of those on pages 37-40; or with the Service of Light on pages 109-112, and continuing with the appointed Psalmody; or with the versicle "O God, make speed to save us" on page 63.
Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
Confession of Sin
The following Confession of Sin may then be said; or the Office may continue at once with "O God, make speed to save us."
Dear friends in Christ, here in the presence of Almighty God, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, so that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
Silence may be kept.
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, we have offended against thy holy laws, we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, spare thou those who confess their faults, restore thou those who are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord; and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitatory
All stand
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Alleluia may be added.
O Gracious Light (Phos hilaron)
O gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing thy praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thou art worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.
Psalms
Psalm 134, 135
1Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
2Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD!
3May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!
1Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,
2who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!
3Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
4For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession.
5For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
6Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.
7He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
8He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;
9who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,
11Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel.
13Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.
14For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.
15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
16They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;
17they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them.
19O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
20O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
21Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD!
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Lessons
One or two Lessons, as appointed, are read, the Reader first saying
A Reading (Lesson) from Luke 7:36-50.
36One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
37And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
38and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
40And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
41“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
44Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.
46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven — for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
48And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
50And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
11 The Third Song of Isaiah (Surge, illuminare)
Arise, shine, for your light has come, * and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you. For behold, darkness covers the land; * deep gloom enshrouds the peoples. But over you the Lord will rise, * and his glory will appear upon you. Nations will stream to your light, * and kings to the brightness of your dawning. Your gates will always be open; * by day or night they will never be shut. They will call you, The City of the Lord, * The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Violence will no more be heard in your land, * ruin or destruction within your borders. You will call your walls, Salvation, * and all your portals, Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day; * by night you will not need the brightness of the moon. The Lord will be your everlasting light, * and your God will be your glory. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Song of Mary (Magnificat)
My soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me, * and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, * as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Apostles' Creed
Officiant and People together, all standing
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Prayers
The people stand or kneel
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Officiant and People
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
O Lord, show thy mercy upon us;
And grant us thy salvation.
Endue thy ministers with righteousness;
And make thy chosen people joyful.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in thee can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under thy care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let thy way be known upon earth;
Thy saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with thy Holy Spirit.
Collects
The Officiant then says one or more of the following Collects
Collect of the Day
Thursday after the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for the Presence of Christ
Thursday
Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know thee as thou art revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of thy love. Amen.
Prayer for Mission
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give thine angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for thy love's sake. Amen.
The General Thanksgiving
Officiant and People
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee, and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
Conclusion
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20, 21