Daily Readings—Book of Alternative Services
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Holy Eucharist
Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, you ministers of his who do his will. Psalm 103:21
Eternal God,
you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order
the ministries of angels and mortals.
Grant that as your holy angels stand before you in heaven,
so at your command
they may help and defend us here on earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
You will not always accuse us, *
nor will you keep your anger for ever.
You have not dealt with us according to our sins, *
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, *
so is your mercy great upon those who fear you.
As far as the east is from the west, *
so far have you removed our sins from us.
As parents care for their children, *
so do you, O Lord, care for those who fear you.
For you yourself know whereof we are made; *
you remember that we are but dust.
Our days are like the grass; *
we flourish like a flower of the field;
when the wind goes over it, it is gone, *
and its place shall know it no more.
But your merciful goodness endures for ever on those who fear you, *
and your righteousness on children’s children;
on those who keep the covenant *
and remember the commandments and do them.
The Lord is enthroned in heaven, *
and has dominion over all.
Bless the Lord, you angels,
you mighty ones who do the bidding of God, *
and hearken to the voice of the word of the Lord.
Bless the Lord, all you hosts, *
you ministers who do the will of God.
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
in all places of the dominion of the Lord; *
bless the Lord, O my soul.
And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Messiah,
for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,
who accuses them day and night before our God.
But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.
Rejoice then, you heavens
and those who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
for the devil has come down to you
with great wrath,
because he knows that his time is short!”
When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
God of glory,
as you have appointed angels to minister in your presence,
so may all our worship bring you worthy praise.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Eternal God,
you have fed us with the bread of angels.
May we who come under their protection,
like them give you continual service and praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Alternative Collects and Prayer after Communion
Alternative RCL Daily Prayer
As the deer longs for the water-brooks, *
so longs my soul for you, O God.
My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; *
when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
My tears have been my food day and night, *
while all day long they say to me, “Where now is your God?”
I pour out my soul when I think on these things: *
how I went with the multitude
and led them into the house of God, with the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *
among those who keep holy-day.
Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, *
and why are you so disquieted within me?
Put your trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to the Holy One
who is the help of my countenance and my God.
My soul is heavy within me; *
therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,
and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.
One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts; *
all your rapids and floods have gone over me.
The Lord grants loving-kindness in the daytime; *
in the night season a song of God is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
I will say to the God of my strength, *
“Why have you forgotten me
and why do I go so heavily *
while the enemy oppresses me?”
While my bones are being broken, *
my enemies mock me to my face;
all day long they mock me and say to me, *
“Where now is your God?”
Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, *
and why are you so disquieted within me?
Put your trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to the Holy One
who is the help of my countenance and my God.
The next day Moses sat as judge for the people, while the people stood around him from morning until evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make known to them the statutes and instructions of God.” Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases before God; teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do. You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set such men over them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their home in peace.”
So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. Moses chose able men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. And they judged the people at all times; hard cases they brought to Moses, but any minor case they decided themselves. Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went off to his own country.
Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance. It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
Morning Prayer
Psalm 8
O Lord our governor, *
how exalted is your name in all the world!
Out of the mouths of infants and children *
your majesty is praised above the heavens.
You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *
to quell the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
what are mortals that you should be mindful of them, *
their children that you should seek them out?
You have made them but little lower than the angels; *
you adorn them with glory and honour;
you give them mastery over the works of your hands; *
you put all things under their feet;
all sheep and oxen, *
even the wild beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *
and all that walks in the paths of the sea.
O Lord our governor, *
how exalted is your name in all the world!
Psalm 148
Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
praise God in the heights.
Praise the Lord all you angels; *
sing praises, all you heavenly host.
Praise the Lord, sun and moon; *
sing praises, all you shining stars.
Praise the Lord, heaven of heavens, *
sing praises, you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord; *
who gave the command and they were created,
who made them stand fast for ever and ever, *
who gave them a law which shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth, *
you sea-monsters and all deeps;
fire and hail, snow and fog, *
tempestuous wind, doing God’s will;
mountains and all hills, *
fruit trees and all cedars;
wild beasts and all cattle, *
creeping things and wingèd birds;
sovereigns of the earth and all peoples, *
princes and all rulers of the world;
young men and young women, *
old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, *
whose name only is exalted,
whose splendour is over earth and heaven.
The Lord has raised up strength for this people *
and praise for all loyal servants,
the children of Israel, *
a people who are near to the Lord. Hallelujah!
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone
when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”?
And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his servants flames of fire.”
But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
And,
“In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like clothing;
like a cloak you will roll them up,
and like clothing they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will never end.”
But to which of the angels has he ever said,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
Evening Prayer
Bless the Lord, O my soul; *
O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!
You are clothed with majesty and splendour.
You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak *
and spread out the heavens like a curtain.
You lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above; *
you make the clouds your chariot;
you ride on the wings of the wind.
You make the winds your messengers *
and flames of fire your servants.
You have set the earth upon its foundations, *
so that it never shall move at any time.
You covered it with the deep as with a mantle; *
the waters stood higher than the mountains.
At your rebuke they fled; *
at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.
They went up into the hills and down to the valleys beneath, *
to the places you had appointed for them.
You set the limits that they should not pass; *
they shall not again cover the earth.
You send the springs into the valleys; *
they flow between the mountains.
All the beasts of the field drink their fill from them, *
and the wild asses quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the air make their nests *
and sing among the branches.
You water the mountains from your dwelling on high; *
the earth is fully satisfied by the fruit of your works.
You make grass grow for flocks and herds *
and plants to serve human beings
that they may bring forth food from the earth, *
wine to gladden our hearts, oil to make a cheerful countenance, *
and bread to strengthen the heart.
The trees of the Lord are full of sap, *
the cedars of Lebanon which you planted,
in which the birds build their nests, *
and in whose tops the stork makes its dwelling.
The high hills are a refuge for the mountain goats, *
and the stony cliffs for the rock badgers.
You appointed the moon to mark the seasons, *
and the sun knows the time of its setting.
You make darkness that it may be night, *
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.
The lions roar after their prey *
and seek their food from God.
The sun rises, and they slip away *
and lay themselves down in their dens.
Mortals goes forth to their work *
and to their labour until the evening.
O Lord, how manifold are your works! *
In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
creatures both small and great.
There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, *
which you have made for the sport of it.
All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.
You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand,
and they are filled with good things.
You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.
You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.
May your glory, O Lord, endure for ever; *
may you rejoice in all your works;
you look at the earth and it trembles; *
you touch the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.
May these words of mine please you; *
I will rejoice in the Lord.
Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, and the wicked be no more. *
Bless the Lord, O my soul. Hallelujah!
Once when the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he took counsel with his officers. He said, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.” But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Take care not to pass this place, because the Arameans are going down there.” The king of Israel sent word to the place of which the man of God spoke. More than once or twice he warned such a place so that it was on the alert.
The mind of the king of Aram was greatly perturbed because of this; he called his officers and said to them, “Now tell me who among us sides with the king of Israel?” Then one of his officers said, “No one, my lord king. It is Elisha, the prophet in Israel, who tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber.” He said, “Go and find where he is; I will send and seize him.” He was told, “He is in Dothan.” So he sent horses and chariots there and a great army; they came by night, and surrounded the city.
When an attendant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. His servant said, “Alas, master! What shall we do?” He replied, “Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them.” Then Elisha prayed: “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw; the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sing a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and people and nation;
you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God,
and they will reign on earth.”
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!”
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
“But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.