The watchword for the week:
I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long. Psalm146:2
May the love of the Lord our God be upon us.
Christ, inspire the work of our hands;
May the mercy of the Lord our God be upon us.
Christ, strengthen the work of our hands.
May the grace of the Lord our God be upon us.
Christ, empower the work of our hands.
Psalm 146
Praise be to God!
Praise God, O my soul!
I will praise God as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
Do not put your trust in nobles,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Sovereign their God,
who made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
God sets the prisoners free;
God opens the eyes of those who cannot see.
God lifts up those who are bowed down;
God loves the righteous.
God watches over the strangers
and upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked God brings to ruin.
The Sovereign will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise be to God!
Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Almighty and most merciful Father, like lost sheep we have strayed from your holy ways, we have followed the devices and desires of our own hearts as we have disregarded your 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 you, O Lord, have mercy upon us, as we know that you forgive those who humbly confess their faults and restore those who are penitent. Grant to us, O most merciful God, that from this day forward, we live a godly and righteous life, giving praise to the Lord as long as we live. Amen.
May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us absolution and remission of all our sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit. If anyone is in Christ they are a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Amen.
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.
Take time to read today’s Daily Texts. God speaks to us through the inspiration of scripture, so approach the opportunity to read the texts as a privilege, eagerly anticipating what might be spoken to you today. How might today’s Word make a part of your life new again? If you do not have a copy of the Daily Texts, you will find today’s texts posted in the margin on your page’s right side (at the bottom of the page if you are on a mobile phone). When you have finished praying, continue as follows.
O Lord, hear us now as we, brothers and sisters in Christ, pray together.
Our Father in heaven, praise be your name; your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
Lord, keep our Church under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your 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 by your Holy Spirit.
Shout for joy, all people of God, rejoice all the earth! The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Praise be the name of the Lord in whom we live, labor, and love. Amen.