Morning Prayer
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11.57am on Wednesday 15 October 2025
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Please note: Daily Prayer provided by the official Church of England web site, © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2004.
O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall
proclaim your praise.
The Acclamation of Christ at the Dawning of the Day (page 108) may replace the Preparation as the start of Morning Prayer on any occasion.
One or more of the following is said or sung:
One of these prayers of thanksgiving (page 109),
Blessed are you, Sovereign God, creator of all,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
You founded the earth in the beginning
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
In the fullness of time you made us in your image,
and in these last days you have spoken to us
in your Son Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.
As we rejoice in the gift of your presence among us
let the light of your love always shine in our hearts,
your Spirit ever renew our lives
and your praises ever be on our lips.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.
(or)
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.
after Lancelot Andrewes (1626)
or a suitable hymn,
or A Song of God’s Glorious Name
1O Lord our governor,
♦
how glorious is your name in all the world!
2Your majesty above the
heavens is praised ♦
out of the mouths of babes at the breast.
3You have founded a stronghold
against your foes, ♦
that you might still the enemy and the avenger.
4When I consider your
heavens, the work of your fingers, ♦
the moon and the stars that you have ordained,
5What are mortals, that
you should be mindful of them; ♦
mere human beings, that you should seek them out?
6You have made them little
lower than the angels ♦
and crown them with glory and honour.
7You have given them
dominion over the works of your hands ♦
and put all things under their feet,
8All sheep and oxen,
♦
even the wild beasts of the field,
9The birds of the air,
the fish of the sea ♦
and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea.
10O Lord our governor,
♦
how glorious is your name in all the world!
Psalm 8
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
This opening prayer may be said
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The appointed psalmody is said.
Refrain: In the day of my trouble I have sought the Lord.
1 I cry aloud to God; ♦
I cry aloud to God and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I have sought the Lord; ♦
by night my hand is stretched out and does not tire;
my soul refuses comfort.
3 I think upon God and I groan; ♦
I ponder, and my spirit faints.
4 You will not let my eyelids close; ♦
I am so troubled that I cannot speak. R
5 I consider the days of old; ♦
I remember the years long past;
6 I commune with my heart in the night; ♦
my spirit searches for understanding.
7 Will the Lord cast us off for ever? ♦
Will he no more show us his favour?
8 Has his loving mercy clean gone for ever? ♦
Has his promise come to an end for evermore?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? ♦
Has he shut up his compassion in displeasure?
10 And I said, My grief is this: ♦
that the right hand of the Most High has lost its strength. R
11 I will remember the works of the Lord ♦
and call to mind your wonders of old time.
12 I will meditate on all your works ♦
and ponder your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy; ♦
who is so great a god as our God?
14 You are the God who worked wonders ♦
and declared your power among the peoples.
15 With a mighty arm you redeemed your people, ♦
the children of Jacob and Joseph. R
16 The waters saw you, O God;
the waters saw you and were afraid; ♦
the depths also were troubled.
17 The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered; ♦
your arrows flashed on every side;
18 The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lit up the ground; ♦
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was in the sea, and your paths in the great waters, ♦
but your footsteps were not known.
20 You led your people like sheep ♦
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Refrain: In the day of my trouble I have sought the Lord.
God our shepherd,
you led us and saved us in times of old;
do not forget your people in their troubles,
but raise up your power
to sustain the poor and helpless;
for the honour of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Each psalm or group of psalms may end with
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.
Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, and that all should give up their particular customs. All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, to forbid burnt-offerings and sacrifices and drink-offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, to defile the sanctuary and the priests, to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. He added, And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.
In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town. Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt-offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah, and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant, or anyone who adhered to the law, was condemned to death by decree of the king. They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt-offering. In accordance with the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers necks.
But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Very great wrath came upon Israel.
A Song of the Word of the Lord, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 35 (page 586), may be said
Refrain:
AllReturn to the Lord, who
will have mercy,
to our God, who will richly pardon. Alleluia.
1Seek the Lord while
he may be found, ♦
call upon him while he is near;
2Let the wicked abandon
their ways, ♦
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
3Return to the Lord,
who will have mercy; ♦
to our God, who will richly pardon.
4‘For my thoughts
are not your thoughts, ♦
neither are your ways my ways,’ says the Lord.
5‘For as the heavens
are higher than the earth, ♦
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
6‘As the rain and
the snow come down from above, ♦
and return not again but water the earth,
7‘Bringing forth
life and giving growth, ♦
seed for sowing and bread to eat,
8‘So is my word
that goes forth from my mouth; ♦
it will not return to me fruitless,
9‘But it will accomplish
that which I purpose, ♦
and succeed in the task I gave it.’
Isaiah 55.6-11
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllReturn to the Lord, who
will have mercy,
to our God, who will richly pardon. Alleluia.
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
And Jesus said to them, You will all become deserters; for it is written,
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.
But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.
Peter said to him, Even though all become deserters, I will not.
Jesus said to him, Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.
But he said vehemently, Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you. And all of them said the same.
They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, Sit here while I pray. He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake. And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want. He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. He came a third time and said to them, Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Lord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
For I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
AllAnd afterwards receive
me with glory.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
from Psalm 73
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)
is normally said,
or A Song of Redemption (page 620)
may be said
Refrain:
All
Those who are wise will shine as brightly as the heavens,
and those who have instructed many in virtue will shine like stars
for all eternity. Alleluia.
1Blessed be the Lord
the God of Israel, ♦
who has come to his people and set them free.
2He has raised up for
us a mighty Saviour, ♦
born of the house of his servant David.
3Through his holy prophets
God promised of old ♦
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,
4To show mercy to our
ancestors, ♦
and to remember his holy covenant.
5This was the oath God
swore to our father Abraham: ♦
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6Free to worship him
without fear, ♦
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
7And you, child, shall
be called the prophet of the Most High, ♦
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8To give his people knowledge
of salvation ♦
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9In the tender compassion
of our God ♦
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10To shine on those who
dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, ♦
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1.68-79
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Refrain:
All
Those who are wise will shine as brightly as the heavens,
and those who have instructed many in virtue will shine like stars
for all eternity. Alleluia.
Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life
Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363
¶ The social services
¶ All who work in the criminal justice system
¶ Victims and perpetrators of crime
¶ The work of aid agencies throughout the world
¶ Those living in poverty or under oppression
One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.
These responses may be used
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
(or)
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Silence may be kept.
The Collect of the day is said
Merciful God,
who by your Spirit raised up your servant Teresa of Avila
to reveal to your Church the way of perfection:
grant that her teaching
may awaken in us a longing for holiness,
until we attain to the perfect union of love
in Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The Lord’s Prayer is said
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray
AllOur Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
(or)
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
AllOur 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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
AllAmen.
Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
©
The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000–2005
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