Here is Paul’s homily, if you missed it:
Morning Prayer, Rite II
The service printed here is from The Book of Common Prayer (BCP).
Introit “Comfort, comfort ye, my people” all are invited to sing along
Comfort, comfort ye my people, speak ye peace, thus saith our God; Comfort those who sit in darkness mourning ’neath their sorrows’ load. Speak ye to Jerusalem of the peace that waits for them; tell her that her sins I cover, and her warfare now is over.
Hark, the voice of one that crieth in the desert far and near, calling us to new repentance since the kingdom now is here. Oh, that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way; Let the valleys rise to meet him and the hills bow down to greet him.
Make ye straight what long was crooked, make the rougher places plain; let your hearts be true and humble, as befits his holy reign. For the glory of the Lord now o’er earth is shed abroad, and all flesh shall see the token that the word is never broken.
Words: Johann G. Olearius (1611–1684); tr. Catherine Winkworth (1827–1878), alt.
Music: Psalm 42, melody and bass Claude Goudimel (1514–1572)
Opening Sentence: The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
The Confession of Sin
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Absolution
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
Officiant: Lord, open our lips.
People: And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
All: 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!
Jubilate “Be joyful in the Lord” sung by all; St. Stephen
Be joyful in the Lord, you lands, and serve God all your days; Come now and stand before the Lord with songs of love and praise.
Know this: the Lord is truly God and made us all to keep; We are God’s people, God’s alone, God’s people and God’s sheep.
Approach God’s courts with thankfulness; go through the gates with praise; Give thanks to God and humbly call upon God’s Name always.
Lord, you are good; your mercy stands forever strong and true, And so your faithfulness endures, age-old and ever new.
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 chanted by the cantor
You have been gracious to your land, O Lord, you have restored the good fortune of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of your people and blotted out all their sins. I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him. Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring up from the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness shall go before him, and peace shall be a pathway for his feet. Gloria Patri
The First Lesson Isaiah 40:1-11
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.
Canticle 11 Third Song of Isaiah (metrical); sung by all; Winchester New
Arise, now, shine, your light has come, God’s glory rises like the sun; Though darkness still enshrouds the land, Deep gloom remains on every hand.
The Lord will rise above his own, His glory rest on you alone; The nations will stream to your light, And kings come to your dawning bright.
Your gates will always be unbarred, Your portals open night and day; Your name, the City of the Lord, Zion, on whom his love is poured.
Here violence will be no more, Within your borders peace is sure; Your walls will bear Salvation’s name, Your gates the name of Praise shall claim.
You will not need the sun by day, Nor yet by night the moon’s bright ray; The Lord will be your shining light And God your glory day and night.
The Second Lesson 2 Peter 3:8-15a
Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.
Hymn 444 (Song of Zechariah) “Blessed be the God of Israel” Thornbury
Blessed be the God of Israel, who comes to set us free; he visits and redeems us, he grants us liberty. The prophets spoke of mercy, of freedom and release; God shall fulfill his promise and bring his people peace.
He from the house of David a child of grace has given; a Savior comes among us to raise us up to heaven. Before him goes his herald, forerunner in the way, the prophet of salvation, the harbinger of Day.
On prisoners of darkness the sun begins to rise, the dawning of forgiveness upon the sinner’s eyes. He guides the feet of pilgrims along the paths of peace. O bless our God and Savior, with songs that never cease.
Spoken by all: 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.
The Third Lesson Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.
Homily The Rev. Paul A. Bennett
Announcements
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living 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.
The Prayers
The Salutation
Officiant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Officiant: Let us pray.
The Lord’s Prayer Traditional
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.
Suffrages A
Officiant: Show us your mercy, O Lord;
People: And grant us your salvation.
Officiant: Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
People: Let your people sing with joy.
Officiant: Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
People: For only in you can we live in safety.
Officiant: Lord, keep this nation under your care;
People: And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Officiant: Let your way be known upon earth;
People: Your saving health among all nations.
Officiant: Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
People: Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Officiant: Create in us clean hearts, O God;
People: And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
The Collect of the Day
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Office Hymn “There’s a voice in the wilderness crying” sung by all; Ascension
There’s a voice in the wilderness crying, a call from the ways untrod: Prepare in the desert a highway, a highway for our God! The valleys shall be exalted, the lofty hills brought low; make straight all the crooked places where the Lord our God may go!
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up to the heights and sing! Proclaim to a desolate people the coming of their King. Like the flowers of the field they perish, like grass our works decay, the power and pomp of nations shall pass like a dream away;
But the word of our God endureth, the arm of the Lord is strong; he stands in the midst of nations, and he will right the wrong. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, the lambs he’ll gently hold; to pastures of peace he’ll lead them, and bring them safe to his fold.
Prayers of the People Form III
I ask your prayers for God’s people throughout the world; for our Bishop; for this gathering; and for all ministers and people. Pray for the Church. Silence
I ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well-being of all people. Pray for justice and peace. Silence
I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison.
Pray for those in any need or trouble. Silence
I ask your prayers for all who seek God, or a deeper knowledge of him. Pray that they may find and be found by him. Silence
I ask your prayers for the departed. Pray for those who have died. Silence
[Members of the congregation may ask the prayers or the thanksgivings of those present. Silence]
Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored. Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day. Silence
The General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable 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 pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
The Dismissal and Grace
Officiant: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
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