My brothers and sisters, our help is in the name of the eternal God,who is making the heavens and the earth. Eternal Spirit, flow through our being and open our lips,that our mouths may proclaim your praise.
Silence
Let us worship the God of love.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Psalm
The following psalm is said.
Wednesday - Trusting in God’s purpose
Dear God, your eternal word of loveendures for ever in the universe.Your truth stands fast from one generation to another.You have laid the foundations of the earth, and it abides.In fulfilment of your purpose it continues to this very day,for all things serve you.If my delight had not been in your wisdom,I should have perished in my trouble. I shall never forget your truths,for with them you have given me life.I belong to you: save me;for I have sought your counsel.The ungodly laid wait for me to destroy me,but I will meditate on your law.I see that all things come to an end,but your commandment is exceeding broad.(Psalm 119:89-96)
Reading
Silence may follow the reading.
Wednesday
As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labours, watching, hunger;by purity, knowledge, forbearance,kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God;with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute.We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;as unknown, and yet well known;as dying, and behold we live;as punished, and yet not killed;as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;as poor, yet making many rich;as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.(2 Corinthians 6:4-10)
Canticle
1 A Hymn for Midday
O God, creation’s secret force,Thyself unmoved, all motion’s source;Who, from the morn till evening’s ray,Through all its changes guid’st the day. Come, Holy Ghost, with God the Son,And God the Father ever one;Shed forth thy grace within our breast,And dwell with us a ready guest. By every power, by heart and tongue,By act and deed thy praise be sung;Inflame with perfect love each senseThat others’ souls may kindle thence. O Father, that we ask be doneThrough Jesus Christ thine only Son.Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,Doth live and reign eternally. Amen.
2 St Patrick’s Breastplate
Verses may be selected
I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity.By invocation of the same,the Three in One, and One in Three. I bind this day to me for ever,by power of faith,Christ’s incarnation;His baptism in the Jordan river;his death on cross for my salvation.His bursting from the spiced tomb;his riding up the heavenly way;His coming at the day of doom:I bind unto myself today. I bind unto myself todaythe virtues of the star-lit heaven,The glorious sun’s lifegiving ray,the whiteness of the moon at even,The flashing of the lightning free,the whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,The stable earth, the deep salt sea around the old eternal rocks. I bind unto myself todaythe power of God to hold and lead,His eye to watch,his might to stay,his ear to hearken to my need;The wisdom of my God to teach,his hand to guide,his shield to ward,The word of God to give me speech,his heavenly host to be my guard. Christ be with me,Christ within me,Christ behind me,Christ before me,Christ beside me,Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me,Christ beneath me,Christ above me,Christ in quiet,Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me,Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. I bind unto myself the name,the strong name of the Trinity,By invocation of the same,the Three in One,and One in Three, Of whom all nature hath creation,eternal Father, Spirit, Word.Praise to the Lord of my salvation:salvation is of Christ the Lord.
3 Song to the Lord God - James K. Baxter
Lord God, you are above and beyond all things,Your nature is to love,You put us in the furnace of the worldTo learn to love you and love one another.Father, we sing to you in the furnace Like the three Jewish children.The hope and the doom of the love of friends Is eating up the marrow of our bones.Lord Christ, you are the house in whom we live,The house in which we share the cup of peace,The house of your body that was broken on the cross,The house you have built for us beyond the stars.Lord, Holy Spirit, beyond, within, above,Beneath all things, you give us life.Blaze in our hearts, you who areLove himself, Till we shine like the noonday sun.Lord God, we are the little children,The feeble ones of the world.Carry us for ever in your breast,Lord God, Give us the power by love to be your holy ones.
4 The Song of the Women - T. S. Eliot
We praise thee, O God,for thy glory displayed in all the creatures of the earth,In the snow, in the rain, in the wind, in the storm;in all of thy creatures, both the hunters and the hunted.For all things exist only as seen by thee, only as known by thee,all things exist Only in thy light,and thy glory is declared even in that which denies thee;the darkness declares the glory of light.Those who deny thee could not deny,if thou didst not exist; and their denial is never complete,for if it were so, they would not exist.They affirm thee in living; all things affirm thee in living;the bird in the air, both the hawk and the finch;the beast on the earth, both the wolf and the lamb.Therefore we, whom thou hast made to be conscious of thee,must consciously praise thee, in thought and in word and in deed.
Prayers
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Select one of the three sections, ending with the Collect for Midday and The Lord’s Prayer.
1 O God of many names,lover of all peoples;we pray for peace in our hearts and homes,in our nations and our world;the peace of your will,the peace of our need. Dear Christ, our friend and our guide,pioneer through the shadow of death,passing through darkness to make it light,be our companion that we may fear no evil,and bring us to life and to glory. O God of peace and justice,of holiness and love;knit us together in mind and flesh,in feeling and in spirit, and make us one,ready for that great day;the fulfilment of all our hopes,and the glory of Jesus Christ. Keep us in the spirit of joy and simplicity and mercy.Bless us and those you have entrusted to us,in and through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
2 For the hungry and the overfed May we have enough.
For the mourners and the mockers May we laugh together.
For the victims and the oppressors May we share power wisely.
For the peacemakers and the warmongers May clear truth and stern love lead us to harmony.
For the silenced and the propagandists May we speak our own words in truth.
For the unemployed and the overworked May our impress on the earth be kindly and creative.
For the troubled and the sleek May we live together as wounded healers.
For the homeless and the cosseted May our homes be simple, warm and welcoming.
For the vibrant and the dying May we all die to live.
3
Let us be at peace within ourselves.Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe
Silence
Let us accept that we are profoundly loved and need never be afraid.Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe
Silence
Let us be aware of the source of being that is common to us all and to all living creatures.Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe
Silence
Let us be filled with the presence of the great compassion towards ourselves and towards all living beings.Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe
Silence
Realising that we are all nourished from the same source of life, may we so live that others be not deprived of air, food, water, shelter, or the chance to live.Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe Silence Let us pray that we ourselves cease to be a cause of suffering to one another.Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe
Silence
With humility let us pray for the establishment of peace in our hearts and on earth.Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe
Silence
May God kindle in us the fire of love to bring us alive and give warmth to the world.Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe
Lead me from death to life, from falsehood to truth; lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust; lead me from hate to love, from war to peace.
Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe. Amen
COLLECT FOR MIDDAY
Blessed Saviour, at this hour you hung upon the cross,stretching out your loving arms;grant that all the peoples of the earth may bedrawn to your uplifted love; for your kingdom’s sake. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Jesus, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray Our 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 sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Save us from the time of trialand deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Blessing
( deacon or layperson says ‘us’ instead of ‘you’.)May the Creator bless you and keep you;may the beloved companion face you and have mercy upon you;may the eternal Spirit’s countenance be turned to you and give you peace;may the Three in One bless you.
Silence
The service concludes
The divine Spirit dwells in us.
Thanks be to God.