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.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than those
who watch for the morning,
more than those
who watch for the morning.
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?
and in His word do I hope.
Lord, You have always given
bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor,
today I believe.
strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak,
today I believe.
peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart,
today I believe.
me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am,
today I believe.
the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden,
today I believe.
this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here,
today I believe.
when time was ripe;
and though you be silent now,
today I believe.
Today’s Scripture Reading
21 September
Psalm 139:1-2, 12 O Lord, you have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Isaiah 55:8-13 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Acts 17:19-28 So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, ‘May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.’ 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new. 22 Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 23 For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 26 From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.28 For “In him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said, “For we too are his offspring.”
These Scripture Readings relate to the Colman Readings (Hospitality) in Celtic Daily Prayer, Book 2.
Today’s Meditation
Listen to your life.
See it for the fathomless mystery that it is.
In the boredom and pain of it
no less than in the excitement and gladness:
touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it
because in the last analysis all moments are key moments,
and life itself is grace.
Frederick Buechner
Prayers for others
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
one thing I seek;
to dwell in the presence of my God,
to gaze on Your holy place.
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
of the Lord in the land of the living.
O wait for the Lord!
Have courage and wait,
wait for the Lord.
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
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.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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