Commemoration of William Wilberforce
blended English/Spanish (as is our Thursday tradition)

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William Wilberforce (1759-1833) was a British parliamentarian, social reformer, and leading abolitionist whose passion for social justice was grounded in his evangelical faith and commitment to the Gospel. He is best remembered for his decades-long crusade in Parliament against slavery that led to major legislative victories: first, the abolition of the slave trade, and then—shortly before his death—the abolition of slavery itself throughout the British Empire. A person of wide-ranging interests, Wilberforce also promoted overseas missions, public education, and public morality; co-founded the SPCA; and financially supported churches and hospitals. He is buried in Westminster Abbey and is commemorated today in the Church of England as well as in the Episcopal Church. However, the Church of England additionally recognizes two others today who were key to the abolitionist movement: Thomas Clarkson, a deacon, and Olaudah Equiano, a formerly enslaved individual. Next year, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church will consider a resolution that would likewise add Clarkson and Equiano to the commemoration for Wilberforce.
Gracia y paz a ustedes de parte de Dios nuestro Padre y del Señor Jesucristo. Filipenses 1:2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2
Señor, ábrenos los labios.
Y nuestra boca proclamará tu alabanza.
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 35:23-38
23 Awake, arise, to my cause! *
to my defense, my God and my Lord!
24 Give me justice, O Lord my God,
according to your righteousness; *
do not let them triumph over me.
25 Do not let them say in their hearts,
“Aha! just what we want!” *
Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let all who rejoice at my ruin be ashamed and disgraced; *
let those who boast against me be clothed with
dismay and shame.
27 Let those who favor my cause sing out with joy and be glad; *
let them say always, “Great is the Lord,
who desires the prosperity of his servant.”
28 And my tongue shall be talking of your righteousness *
and of your praise 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.
2 Samuel 12:1-10
The Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meagre fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveller to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”
Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.”
Canticle 9 The First Song of Isaiah Ecce, Deus
Isaiah 12:2-6
Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
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 20:1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Canticle 15 The Song of Mary Magnificat
Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
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.
Credo de los Apóstoles
Creo en Dios Padre todopoderoso,
creador del cielo y de la tierra.
Creo en Jesucristo, su único Hijo, nuestro Señor.
Fue concebido por obra y gracia del Espíritu Santo
y nació de la Virgen María.
Padeció bajo el poder de Poncio Pilato.
Fue crucificado, muerto y sepultado.
Descendió a los infiernos.
Al tercer día resucitó de entre los muertos.
Subió a los cielos,
y está sentado a la diestra de Dios Padre.
Desde allí ha de venir a juzgar a vivos y muertos.
Creo en el Espíritu Santo,
la santa Iglesia católica,
la comunión de los santos,
el perdón de los pecados,
la resurrección de los muertos,
y la vida eterna. Amén.
El Señor esté con ustedes.
Y también contigo.
Oremos.
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
Let your continual mercy, O Lord, kindle in your Church the never-failing gift of love; that, following the example of your servant William Wilberforce, we may have grace to defend the poor, and maintain the cause of those who have no helper; for the sake of him who gave his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. 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
Dear friends, let us raise up our petitions and thanksgivings to our God, with confidence in God’s love and mercy.
~Petitions may be offered silently or aloud~
Accept, O Lord, these prayers of your servants, and grant them as you deem best for us. Amen.
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.
Bendigamos al Señor.
Demos gracias a Dios.
La gracia de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, el amor de Dios y la comunión del Espíritu Santo sean con todos nosotros, ahora y siempre. Amén. 2 Corintios 13:14
Morning Prayer for the Commemoration of William Wilberforce was prepared by Deacon Mary Cushing, St. Phoebe School aluma
