Morning Prayer, the Annunciation of our Lord — Saturday, March 25, 2017

Opening

O Lord, open my lips,
     and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. (Psalm 51:15)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son
     and to the Holy Spirit:
     as it was in the beginning, is now,
     and will be forever. Amen.

Invitatory

The Sun of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings. (Malachi 4:2)
Oh, come, let us worship and praise.

Psalm 95:1-7

Come, let us sing to the Lord:
     let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving
     and raise a loud shout to the Lord with psalms.
For you, Lord, are a great God,
     and a great ruler above all gods.
Come, let us sing to the Lord:
     let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
In your hand are the caverns of the earth;
     the heights of the hills are also yours.
The sea is yours, for you made it;
     and your hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us sing to the Lord:
     let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
Come, let us worship and bow down;
     let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
For the Lord is our God,
and we are the people of God’s pasture
and the sheep of God’s hand.
Come, let us sing to the Lord:
     let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.

Invitatory

The Sun of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings.
Oh, come, let us worship and praise.

Psalm 45
I will make your name to be remembered from one generation to another. (Ps. 45:17)

My heart is stirring with a noble song; let me recite what I have fashioned for the king;
    my tongue shall be the pen of a skillful writer.
You are the noblest among the people;
    grace flows from your lips, because God has blessed you forever.
Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior,
    in your pride and in your majesty.
Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth and for the sake of justice.
    Your right hand will show you marvelous things.
Your arrows have been sharpened; people fall under you;
    and the enemies of the king lose heart.
Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever,
    a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. (Refrain.)

You love righteousness and hate iniquity;
    therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.
All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia,
    and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.
Kings’ daughters stand among the ladies of the court;
    on your right hand is the queen, adorned with the gold of Ophir.
“Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely;
    forget your people and your father’s house.
The king will desire your beauty;
    he is your master, so bow before him.
The city of Tyre brings tribute;
    the wealthiest of the people seek your favor.” (Refrain.)

All glorious is the princess as she enters;
    her gown is cloth-of-gold.
In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king;
    after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.
With joy and gladness they are brought,
    and enter into the palace of the king.
“In place of ancestors, O king, you shall have sons;
    you shall make them princes over all the earth.
I will make your name to be remembered from one generation to another;
    therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.” (Refrain.)

Pour your grace into our hearts, O God, that we who have known the incarnation of your Son, Jesus Christ, announced by an angel, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; for he lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Song  “The Only Son from Heaven” (ELW 309)

1  The only Son from heaven,
    foretold by ancient seers,
    by God the Father given,
    in human form appears.
    No sphere his light confining,
    no star so brightly shining
    as he, our Morning Star.

2  Oh, time of God appointed,
    oh, bright and holy morn!
    He comes, the king anointed,
    the Christ, the virgin-born,
    grim death to vanquish for us,
    to open heav'n before us
    and bring us life again.

3  Awaken, Lord, our spirit
    to know and love you more,
    in faith to stand unshaken,
    in spirit to adore,
    that we, through this world moving,
    each glimpse of heaven proving,
    may reap its fullness there.

4  O Father, here before you
    with God the Holy Ghost,
    and Jesus, we adore you,
    O pride of angel-host:
    before you mortals lowly
    cry, "Holy, holy, holy,
    O blessed Trinity!"

Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel announces that the love of God for humanity will take shape in the body of the blessed virgin Mary. In Christ — Immanu-el, God-with-us — humanity has been hallowed ‘through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.’ (Heb. 10:10). That God would take on human form, offer his life for ours, and keep company with us our whole life long overshadows any other love. This is an announcement to celebrate.

A reading from Luke.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

The word of the Lord.  Thanks be to God.

Reflection - “Ode an die Freude” (Ode to Joy), Beethoven Symphony No. 9

As the Israelites went through shit with Egypt, and the followers of Jesus (Hellenist and Jewish alike) went through shit under the mighty oppressing hand of Rome, we have been through some shit. The shit’s not yet over. There’s more shit to go through yet. Whatever that shit is for you, we journey through this shit together! Where are we going? A place of cleansing and renewal, hope and nourishment, reconciliation and redemption.

Ode to joy. Yep, Jesus’s birth is announced. By his cross and resurrection, Jesus will bring us to Easter. “I believe, Lord help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

     Flash Mob in Odessa, Ukraine - “Ode to Joy” 
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwBizawuIDw

     Flash Mob in Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain  - “Ode to Joy”
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbJcQYVtZMo

Beethoven was completely deaf as he wrote and conducted the premiere of Symphony No. 9. Beethoven also wrote at a time when "the winds of empire" to dominate were strong, and the poor and middle classes struggled for equal human rights and dignity. Don’t let imperfection get in the way of proclaiming truth and putting forth your very best self for God’s good will of love and peaceful justice and advocacy in behalf of the most vulnerable in the world, 'the least of these' (Matthew 25:40). 

     Sara Bareilles - “Brave” from the album, The Blessed Unrest (2013 Epic Records)
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4

Through the living and abiding Word of God, Jesus Christ, bring us to Easter, Lord. Give us grace. Renew us in strength through the living and abiding Living Bread and Living Water, our Morning Star, Jesus the Christ.  Amen.

Scriptural Dialogue

Greetings, O favored one! The Lord is with you.
     The Holy Spirit will come upon you. (Luke 1:28, 35)

Gospel Canticle “Song of Zechariah”

In the tender compassion of our God
     the dawn from on high shall break upon us.

Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel,
     you have come to your people and set them free.
You have raised up for us a mighty Savior,
     born of the house of your servant David.
In the tender compassion of our God
     the dawn from on high shall break upon us.

Through your holy prophets, you promised of old
     to save us from our enemies,
     from the hands of all who hate us,
to show mercy to our forebears,
     and to remember your holy covenant.
This was the oath you swore to our father Abraham:
     to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship you without fear, holy and righteous
     before you, all the days of our life.
In the tender compassion of our God
     the dawn from on high shall break upon us.

And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
     for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
to give God's people knowledge of salvation
     by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
     the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
     and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
In the tender compassion of our God
     the dawn from on high shall break upon us.

Prayers

The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us pray. We give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have protected us through the night from all harm and danger. We ask that you would also protect us today from sin and all evil, so that our life and actions may please you. Into your hands we commend ourselves: our bodies, our souls, and all that is ours. Let your holy angels be with us, so that the wicked foe may have no power over us. Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

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 sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Blessing

May God who has called us forth from the dust of the earth, and claimed us as children of the light, strengthen you on your journey into life renewed. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord’s face shine upon you with grace and mercy. The Lord look upon you with favor
and give you + peace. Amen.

Song - all of Beethoven Symphony No. 9 
London Symphony Orchestra, cond. Josef Krips, soloists: Jennifer Vyvyan, Soprano; Shirley Verret, Mezzo-Soprano; Rudolph Petrak, Tenor; Donaldson Bell, Bass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3217H8JppI

A greeting of peace may be shared by all.

Copyright © 2017 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS011448. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. “The Only Son from Heaven” (ELW 309) Text: Elizabeth Cruciger, 1500-1535; tr. Arthur T. Russell, 1806-1874, alt.