The Minister reads one or more of these sentences of Scripture:
The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
Psalm 51.17
Beloved in Christ, we are here in the presence of the living God and of the whole company of heaven, to offer to him, through our Lord Jesus Christ, our worship and praise and thanksgiving; that we may know more truly the greatness of his love, and that his grace may bear fruit in our lives. We have come to hear and receive God’s holy Word, to seek the strengthening power of the Holy Spirit, and to pray for ourselves and all mankind that we may be given those things which are necessary for our true well-being. But first let us confess our sins, and seek our Father’s pardon and peace:
KNEEL
We confess to God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed. 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. Wherefore we pray God to have mercy upon us. Almighty God have mercy upon us, forgive us all our sins and deliver us from evil, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to life everlasting. Amen.
The Minister (if a Priest) says:
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE OFFICE — STAND
O Lord, open thou our lips;
And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
O God, make speed to save us;
O Lord, make haste to help us.
STAND
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
Praise ye the Lord;
The Lord’s Name be praised.
Psalm 145
1I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
2Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.
3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
4One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.
5On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.
7They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
10All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you!
11They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,
12to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]
14The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.
16You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.
18The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
19He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.
20The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
21My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
The first lesson is read from the Old Testament or the Apocrypha.
1 Maccabees 3:1-26
The reader names the book, the chapter, and the verse. After each lesson the reader says: Here ends the first (or second) lesson.
1Then his son Judas, called Maccabeus, rose up in his stead.
2And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.
3So he gat his people great honour, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike harness about him, and he made battles, protecting the host with his sword.
4In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion’s whelp roaring for his prey.
5For He pursued the wicked, and sought them out, and burnt up those that vexed his people.
6Wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, because salvation prospered in his hand.
7He grieved also many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever.
8Moreover he went through the cities of Juda, destroying the ungodly out of them, and turning away wrath from Israel:
9So that he was renowned unto the utmost part of the earth, and he received unto him such as were ready to perish.
10Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host out of Samaria, to fight against Israel.
11Which thing when Judas perceived, he went forth to meet him, and so he smote him, and slew him: many also fell down slain, but the rest fled.
12Wherefore Judas took their spoils, and Apollonius’ sword also, and therewith he fought all his life long.
13Now when Seron, a prince of the army of Syria, heard say that Judas had gathered unto him a multitude and company of the faithful to go out with him to war;
14He said, I will get me a name and honour in the kingdom; for I will go fight with Judas and them that are with him, who despise the king’s commandment.
15So he made him ready to go up, and there went with him a mighty host of the ungodly to help him, and to be avenged of the children of Israel.
16And when he came near to the going up of Bethhoron, Judas went forth to meet him with a small company:
17Who, when they saw the host coming to meet them, said unto Judas, How shall we be able, being so few, to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, seeing we are ready to faint with fasting all this day?
18Unto whom Judas answered, It is no hard matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with the God of heaven it is all one, to deliver with a great multitude, or a small company:
19For the victory of battle standeth not in the multitude of an host; but strength cometh from heaven.
20They come against us in much pride and iniquity to destroy us, and our wives and children, and to spoil us:
21But we fight for our lives and our laws.
22Wherefore the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: and as for you, be ye not afraid of them.
23Now as soon as he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly upon them, and so Seron and his host was overthrown before him.
24And they pursued them from the going down of Bethhoron unto the plain, where were slain about eight hundred men of them; and the residue fled into the land of the Philistines.
25Then began the fear of Judas and his brethren, and an exceeding great dread, to fall upon the nations round about them:
26Insomuch as his fame came unto the king, and all nations talked of the battles of Judas.
Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 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 be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Spirit; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
The second lesson is read from the New Testament.
John 13:1-20
The reader names the book, the chapter, and the verse. After each lesson the reader says: Here ends the first (or second) lesson.
1Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,
3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,
4rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.
5Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
7Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
8Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
10Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”
11For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?
13You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.
14If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
15For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
16Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
18I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’
19I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.
20Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
Nunc dimittis
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation; Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Spirit; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED — STAND
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 Spirit, 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 is seated at 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 Spirit; the Holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
KNEEL. Let us pray.
The Lord be with you;
And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.
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. Amen.
The Versicles and Responses
O Lord, show thy mercy upon us;
And grant us thy salvation.
Endue thy ministers with righteousness;
And make thy chosen people joyful.
O Lord, save thy people;
And bless thine inheritance.
O Lord, save the Queen;
And give her counsellors wisdom.
Give peace in our time, O Lord;
And evermore mightily defend us.
Make clean our hearts, O God;
And renew a right spirit within us.
Collect of the Day
Wednesday after the 18th Sunday after Trinity
God, who declares thy almighty power most chiefly in showing mercy and pity: mercifully grant us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Second Collect, for Peace
Almighty God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and that, being defended by thee from the fear of our enemies, we may pass our time in rest and quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Third Collect, for Aid against all Perils
Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Grace
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.