Morning Prayer (Matins) in Contemporary Language

Blessed are you, sovereign God,
creator of heaven and earth,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your living Word, eternal in heaven,
assumed the frailty of our mortal flesh,
may the light of your love be born in us
to fill our hearts with joy as we sing:
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

a suitable hymn, or A Song of the Bride

1I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, ♦
my soul shall exult in my God;

2Who has clothed me with the garments of salvation, ♦
and has covered me with the cloak of integrity,

3As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, ♦
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

4For as the earth puts forth her blossom, ♦
and as seeds in the garden spring up,

5So shall God make righteousness and praise ♦
blossom before all the nations.

6For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, ♦
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest

7Until her deliverance shines out like the dawn, ♦
and her salvation as a burning torch.

8The nations shall see your deliverance, ♦
and all rulers shall see your glory;

9Then you shall be called by a new name ♦
which the mouth of God will give.

10You shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, ♦
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Isaiah 61.10,11; 62.1-3

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 Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 127

Refrain: The Lord shall keep watch over your going out
and your coming in.

1 Unless the Lord builds the house, ♦
those who build it labour in vain.

2 Unless the Lord keeps the city, ♦
the guard keeps watch in vain.

3 It is in vain that you hasten to rise up early
and go so late to rest, eating the bread of toil, ♦
for he gives his beloved sleep. R

4 Children are a heritage from the Lord ♦
and the fruit of the womb is his gift.

5 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, ♦
so are the children of one’s youth.

6 Happy are those who have their quiver full of them: ♦
they shall not be put to shame
when they dispute with their enemies in the gate.

Refrain: The Lord shall keep watch over your going out
and your coming in.

Lord, you are ever watchful
and bless us with your gifts;
as you provide for all our needs,
so help us to build only what pleases you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 128

Refrain: How abundant is your goodness, O Lord.

1 Blessed are all those who fear the Lord, ♦
and walk in his ways.

2 You shall eat the fruit of the toil of your hands; ♦
it shall go well with you, and happy shall you be. R

3 Your wife within your house
shall be like a fruitful vine; ♦
your children round your table,
like fresh olive branches.

4 Thus shall the one be blest ♦
who fears the Lord. R

5 The Lord from out of Zion bless you, ♦
that you may see Jerusalem in prosperity
all the days of your life.

6 May you see your children’s children, ♦
and may there be peace upon Israel.

Refrain: How abundant is your goodness, O Lord.

O Christ, our true vine,
may we your branches
be ever fruitful in your service
and share your love and peace with all your children,
in the power of the Spirit and to the glory of the Father.

Psalm 131

Refrain: O Israel, trust in the Lord.

1 O Lord, my heart is not proud; ♦
my eyes are not raised in haughty looks.

2 I do not occupy myself with great matters, ♦
with things that are too high for me.

3 But I have quieted and stilled my soul,
like a weaned child on its mother’s breast; ♦
so my soul is quieted within me.

4 O Israel, trust in the Lord, ♦
from this time forth for evermore.

Refrain: O Israel, trust in the Lord.

Eternal God,
calm and quieten our souls;
keep us humble and full of wonder
and trusting as we live in your love;
through 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.

Ruth 2

Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, a prominent rich man, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favour.’ She said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’ So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, ‘The Lord be with you.’ They answered, ‘The Lord bless you.’ Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, ‘To whom does this young woman belong?’ The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, ‘She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, “Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.” So she came, and she has been on her feet from early this morning until now, without resting even for a moment.’

Then Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.’ Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, ‘Why have I found favour in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?’ But Boaz answered her, ‘All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!’ Then she said, ‘May I continue to find favour in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.’

At mealtime Boaz said to her, ‘Come here, and eat some of this bread, and dip your morsel in the sour wine.’ So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she got up to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, ‘Let her glean even among the standing sheaves, and do not reproach her. You must also pull out some handfuls for her from the bundles, and leave them for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.’

So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. She picked it up and came into the town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gleaned. Then she took out and gave her what was left over after she herself had been satisfied. Her mother-in-law said to her, ‘Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.’ So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, ‘The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.’ Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘Blessed be he by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!’ Naomi also said to her, ‘The man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin.’ Then Ruth the Moabite said, ‘He even said to me, “Stay close by my servants, until they have finished all my harvest.” ’ Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, ‘It is better, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, otherwise you might be bothered in another field.’ So she stayed close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests; and she lived with her mother-in-law.

Canticle

A Song of the Messiah, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 21 (page 572) or number 26 (page 577), may be said

Refrain:

AllTo us a child is born,
to us a son is given. Alleluia.

1The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; ♦
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
upon them the light has dawned.

2You have increased their joy and given them great gladness; ♦
they rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest.

3For you have shattered the yoke that burdened them; ♦
the collar that lay heavy on their shoulders.

4For to us a child is born and to us a son is given, ♦
and the government will be upon his shoulder.

5And his name will be called: Wonderful Counsellor;
the Mighty God; ♦
the Everlasting Father; the Prince of Peace.

6Of the increase of his government and of peace ♦
there will be no end,

7Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, ♦
to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness.

8From this time forth and for evermore; ♦
the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9.2, 3b, 4a, 6, 7

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.

AllTo us a child is born,
to us a son is given. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

Colossians 3.1-11

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

The Word of life which was from the beginning
Allwe proclaim to you.
The darkness is passing away
and the true light is already shining;
Allthe Word of life which was from the beginning.
That which we heard, which we saw with our eyes,
and touched with our hands,
Allwe proclaim to you.
For our fellowship is with the Father,
and with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
AllThe Word of life which was from the beginning
we proclaim to you.

from 1 John 1

Gospel Canticle

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said, or Gloria in Excelsis (A Song of God’s Glory) (page 635) may be said

Refrain:

AllTo us is born a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,
and all the heavenly hosts now sing,
Glory to God in the highest.

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:

AllTo us is born a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,
and all the heavenly hosts now sing,
Glory to God in the highest.

Prayers

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 364–365

¶ The Church, especially in places of conflict
¶ The Holy Land, for peace with justice, and reconciliation
¶ Refugees and asylum seekers
¶ Homeless people
¶ Families with young children

A form of prayer found on page 378 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

Almighty God,
who wonderfully created us in your own image
and yet more wonderfully restored us
through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share in our humanity,
so we may share the life of his divinity;
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

Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
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)

Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
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 Conclusion

May God, who has called us out of darkness
into his marvellous light,
bless us and fill us with peace.
AllAmen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.