Said or sung all together except for the sentences marked ‘Call’ which are for the Leader only.
+ indicates that you may make the sign of the cross.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.
Call: Who is it that you seek?
Response: We seek the Lord our God.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your heart?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your soul?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your mind?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your strength?
Response: Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Declaration of faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that You are the Holy One of God.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.
Today’s Scripture Reading
27 March
Psalm 137:1-3 By the rivers of Babylon – there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. 2 On the willows there we hung up our harps. 3 For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’
Genesis 27:41-44; 28:10-11 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, ‘The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’ 42 But the words of her elder son Esau were told to Rebekah; so she sent and called her younger son Jacob and said to him, ‘Your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you.43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran, 44 and stay with him for a while, until your brother’s fury turns away-’ 28 10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went towards Haran. 11 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.
Luke 15:11-14, 17-19 Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 17 But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’”
These scripture readings relate to the Colman readings (A Celtic Inheritance) in Celtic Daily Prayer Book 2.
Today’s Meditation
The songs of prayer
The songs of prayer lodge in our mouths.
Let us sing through the snow.
At the dinner table.
On the rooftop where we dance.
May these sounds heal our ears
and those distant ears that hear.
Hawksley Workman
Prayers for others
Canticle
Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
For permission to use Northumbria Community liturgy please check our Daily Office Copyright statement
Said or sung all together.
+ indicates that you may make the sign of the cross.
ff
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
ff
Opening Sentences
Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.
Establish Thou the work of our hands;
establish Thou the work of our hands.
ff
The Lord’s Prayer
Our 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. Amen
ff
Declaration of faith
We believe and trust in God the Father Almighty.
We believe and trust in Jesus Christ His Son.
We believe and trust in the Holy Spirit.
We believe and trust in the Three in One.
ff
Canticle
Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days;
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy,
that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;
and establish Thou the work of our hands.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;
and establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord.
ff
Blessing
Let nothing disturb thee,
nothing affright thee;
all things are passing,
God never changeth!
Patient endurance attaineth to all things;
who God possesseth
in nothing is wanting;
alone God sufficeth.
ff
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
For permission to use Northumbria Community liturgy please check our Daily Office Copyright statement
Said or sung all together except for the sentences marked ‘Call’ which are for the Leader only.
+ indicates that you may make the sign of the cross.
ff
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
ff
Opening sentences
My soul waits for the Lord
more than those
who watch for the morning,
more than those
who watch for the morning.
ff
Call: Out of the depths I have cried to You.
Response: O Lord, hear my voice.
Call: With my whole heart I want to praise You.
Response: O Lord, hear my voice.
Call: If you, Lord, should mark iniquities:
Response: Who could stand? who could stand?
ff
I will wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in His word do I hope.
ff
Expressions of faith
Lord, You have always given
bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always given
strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always given
peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always kept
me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always marked
the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always lightened
this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here,
today I believe.
ff
Lord, You have always spoken
when time was ripe;
and though you be silent now,
today I believe.
ff
Today’s Scripture Reading
27 March
Psalm 137:1-3 By the rivers of Babylon – there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. 2 On the willows there we hung up our harps. 3 For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’
Genesis 27:41-44; 28:10-11 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, ‘The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’ 42 But the words of her elder son Esau were told to Rebekah; so she sent and called her younger son Jacob and said to him, ‘Your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you.43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran, 44 and stay with him for a while, until your brother’s fury turns away-’ 28 10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went towards Haran. 11 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.
Luke 15:11-14, 17-19 Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 17 But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’”
These scripture readings relate to the Colman readings (A Celtic Inheritance) in Celtic Daily Prayer Book 2.
Today’s Meditation
The songs of prayer
The songs of prayer lodge in our mouths.
Let us sing through the snow.
At the dinner table.
On the rooftop where we dance.
May these sounds heal our ears
and those distant ears that hear.
Hawksley Workman
Prayers for others
ff
Canticle
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
ff
The Lord is my light, my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
ff
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
One thing I ask of the Lord,
one thing I seek;
to dwell in the presence of my God,
to gaze on Your holy place.
ff
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
ff
I believe I shall see the goodness
of the Lord in the land of the living.
O wait for the Lord!
Have courage and wait,
wait for the Lord.
ff
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
ff
Blessing
See that ye be at peace among yourselves, my children,
and love one another.
Follow the example of the wise and good
and God will comfort you and help you,
both in this world
and in the world which is to come.
ff
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
For permission to use Northumbria Community liturgy please check our Daily Office Copyright statement
Friday – The Boisil Compline
Boisil, Prior of Melrose Abbey, died in 661. Bede described him as a ‘priest of great virtue and prophetic spirit.’ Boisil, on his first meeting with Cuthbert, who was to be his pupil, exclaimed, ‘Behold, the servant of the Lord!’ – recognizing the call of God on the young man’s life.
If this Compline is being used in a group setting the:
* notation indicates a change of reader; words in bold are said all together; words in bold italic are said by each person in turn; and
+ indicates where you might make the sign of the cross.
+ (silently)
* O Lord, You will keep us safe
and protect us forever.
I am placing my soul and my body
in Thy safe keeping this night, O God,
in Thy safe keeping, O Jesus Christ,
in Thy safe keeping, O Spirit of perfect truth.
The Three who would defend my cause
be keeping me this night from harm.
* I call on You, O God,
for You will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.
* Show the wonder of Your great love,
You who save by Your right hand
those who take refuge in You from their foes.
* Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
Lighten my darkness, Lord.
Let the light of Your presence
dispel the shadows of night.
* Christ with me sleeping,
Christ with me waking,
Christ with me watching,
each day and each night.
* Save us, Lord, while we are awake,
guard us while we are asleep;
that, awake, we may watch with Christ,
and, asleep, may rest in His peace.
God with me protecting,
the Lord with me directing,
the Spirit with me strengthening
for ever and for evermore.
* In the name of the Father precious,
and of the Spirit of healing balm.
In the name of the Lord Jesus,
I lay me down to rest.
The peace of all peace
be mine this night
+ in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
For permission to use Northumbria Community liturgy please check our Daily Office Copyright statement