Daily Morning Prayer for Thursday, December 19

Morning Prayer (blended English/Spanish)

Join us to pray live via Zoom videoconference at 8:00 a.m. ET using the following link:  Zoom Link for Daily Morning Prayer

In Advent, our daily prayers will hold more space for silence and listening. Designated and invited readers will lead the office with a single voice through the psalms, readings and canticles. We will invite everyone to unmute and join their voices together beginning with the Lord’s Prayer.


Preparen camino al Señor; enderezen calzada en la soledad a nuestro Dios.  Isaías 40:3

Confesemos nuestros pecados contra Dios y contra nuestro prójimo

Dios de misericordia,
confesamos que hemos pecado contra ti
por pensamiento, palabra y obra,
por lo que hemos hecho
y lo que hemos dejado de hacer.
No te hemos amado con todo el corazón;
no hemos amado a nuestro prójimo
como a nosotros mismos.
Sincera y humildemente nos arrepentimos.
Por amor de tu Hijo Jesucristo,
ten piedad de nosotros y perdónanos;
así tu voluntad será nuestra alegría
y andaremos por tus caminos,
para gloria de tu Nombre. Amén.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

O God, let our mouth proclaim your praise.
And your glory all the day long.

Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo: *
como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

¡Aleluya!

Venite  Salmo 95:1-7

Vengan, cantemos alegremente al Señor; *
aclamemos con júbilo a la Roca que nos salva.
Lleguemos ante su presencia con alabanza, *
vitoreándole con cánticos;
Porque el Señor es Dios grande, *
y Rey grande sobre todos los dioses.
En su mano están las profundidades de la tierra, *
y las alturas de los montes son suyas.
Suyo el mar, pues él lo hizo, *
y sus manos formaron la tierra seca.
Vengan, adoremos y postrémonos; *
arrodillémosnos delante del Señor nuestro Hacedor;
Porque él es nuestro Dios;
nosotros el pueblo de su dehesa, y ovejas de su mano. *
¡Ojalá escuchen hoy su voz!

Psalm 50 Deus deorum

1 The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken; *
he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

2 Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, *
God reveals himself in glory.

3 Our God will come and will not keep silence; *
before him there is a consuming flame,
and round about him a raging storm.

4 He calls the heavens and the earth from above *
to witness the judgment of his people.

5 “Gather before me my loyal followers, *
those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it with sacrifice.”

6 Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause; *
for God himself is judge.

7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak:
“O Israel, I will bear witness against you; *
for I am God, your God.

8 I do not accuse you because of your sacrifices; *
your offerings are always before me.

9 I will take no bull-calf from your stalls, *
nor he-goats out of your pens;

10 For all the beasts of the forest are mine, *
the herds in their thousands upon the hills.

11 I know every bird in the sky, *
and the creatures of the fields are in my sight.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, *
for the whole world is mine and all that is in it.

13 Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, *
or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and make good your vows to the Most High.

15 Call upon me in the day of trouble; *
I will deliver you, and you shall honor me.”

16 But to the wicked God says: *
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and take my covenant upon your lips;

17 Since you refuse discipline, *
and toss my words behind your back?

18 When you see a thief, you make him your friend, *
and you cast in your lot with adulterers.

19 You have loosed your lips for evil, *
and harnessed your tongue to a lie.

20 You are always speaking evil of your brother *
and slandering your own mother’s son.

21 These things you have done, and I kept still, *
and you thought that I am like you.”

22 “I have made my accusation; *
I have put my case in order before your eyes.

23 Consider this well, you who forget God, *
lest I rend you and there be none to deliver you.

24 Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me; *
but to those who keep in my way will I show the salvation of God.”

Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo: *
como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

Isaiah 9:18-10:4

For wickedness burned like a fire,
   consuming briers and thorns;
it kindled the thickets of the forest,
   and they swirled upwards in a column of smoke.
Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts
   the land was burned,
and the people became like fuel for the fire;
   no one spared another.
They gorged on the right, but still were hungry,
   and they devoured on the left, but were not satisfied;
they devoured the flesh of their own kindred;
Manasseh devoured Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh,
   and together they were against Judah.
For all this, his anger has not turned away;
   his hand is stretched out still.

Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees,
   who write oppressive statutes,
to turn aside the needy from justice
   and to rob the poor of my people of their right,
that widows may be your spoil,
   and that you may make the orphans your prey!
What will you do on the day of punishment,
   in the calamity that will come from far away?
To whom will you flee for help,
   and where will you leave your wealth,
so as not to crouch among the prisoners
   or fall among the slain?
For all this, his anger has not turned away;
   his hand is stretched out still.

Canticle H
A Song of Hosea
Hosea 6:1-3

Come, let us return to our God, *
who has torn us and will heal us.
God has struck us and will bind up our wounds, *
after two days revive us,
On the third day restore us, *
that in God’s presence we may live.
Let us humble ourselves, let us strive to know the Lord, *
whose justice dawns like morning light,
its dawning as sure as the sunrise.
God’s justice will come to us like a shower, *
like spring rains that water the earth.

Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo: *
como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
   make his paths straight.” ’
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

Canticle P
A Song of the Spirit
Revelation 22:12-17

“Behold, I am coming soon,” says the Lord,
“and bringing my reward with me, *
to give to everyone according to their deeds.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, *
the beginning and the end.”
Blessed are those who do God’s commandments,
that they may have the right to the tree of life, *
and may enter the city through the gates.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you, *
with this testimony for all the churches.
“I am the root and the offspring of David, *
I am the bright morning star.”
“Come!” say the Spirit and the Bride; *
“Come!” let each hearer reply!
Come forward, you who are thirsty, *
let those who desire take the water of life as a gift.

Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo: *
como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

[we invite everyone to “unmute” and encourage all voices to join together at this point]

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.

Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo,
santificado sea tu Nombre,
venga tu reino,
hágase tu voluntad,
en la tierra como en el cielo.
Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.
Perdona nuestras ofensas,
como también nosotros perdonamos
a los que nos ofenden.
No nos dejes caer en tentación
y líbranos del mal.
Porque tuyo es el reino,
tuyo es el poder,
y tuya es la gloria,
ahora y por siempre. Amén.

Sufragios B

V. Señor, salva a tu pueblo, y bendice a tu heredad;
R. Sostennos y guíanos ahora y siempre.
V. Día a día te bendecimos;
R. Y alabamos tu nombre eternamente.
V. De todo pecado guárdanos hoy;
R. Ten piedad de nosotros.
V. Muéstranos tu amor y tu misericordia;
R. Porque en ti ponemos la confianza.
V. En ti, Señor, está nuestra esperanza;
R. No dejes que esperemos en vano

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Intercessions

We name our prayers and intercessions, either silently or aloud

Christ in the Rubble (icon by Kelly Latimore)

We offer our prayers on behalf of our neighbors whose needs are known to us, and those whose needs are known to God alone.

Invisible God, by the power of your love you make present the bodies of the invisible, the poor farmworker, the foreigner, the refugee, the dead. Show us such a presence, as through them you promise to give us your presence. Make us visible; make us real. Make us capable of feeling so we may think make us capable of tears so we may laugh. Make us your visible people, your light, your joy. Amen (Kelly Lattimore)

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom:

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21