Morning Prayer, Tuesday after Third Sunday in Lent — March 21, 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.

Isaiah 54:9-14

This is like the days of Noah to me:
 Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
 would never again go over the earth,
 so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
 and will not rebuke you.
 For the mountains may depart
 and the hills be removed,
 but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
 and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
 says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
 O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
 I am about to set your stones in antimony,
 and lay your foundations with sapphires.
 I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
 your gates of jewels,
 and all your wall of precious stones.
 All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
 and great shall be the prosperity of your children.
 In righteousness you shall be established;
 you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
 and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

God of our salvation, you continue to fulfill your covenant promise to redeem the world from slavery and to lead your people into the promised land. Grant us living water from the rock and bread from heaven, that we may survive our desert pilgrimage and praise you forever, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Song  “I heard the voice of Jesus say” (ELW 332)

2   I heard the voice of Jesus say,
    "Behold, I freely give
    the living water, thirsty one;
    stoop down and drink and live."
    I came to Jesus, and I drank
    of that life-giving stream;
    my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
    and now I live in him.

Romans 5:1-11

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But it is proof of God’s own love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Reflection — from Luther’s Small Catechism (1529), Apostles’ Creed

On Creation:  Was ist das?
I believe that God has created me together with all that exists. God has given me and still preserves my body and soul….  In addition, God daily and abundantly provides …all the necessities and nourishment for this body and life. God protects me.… And all this is done… without any merit or worthiness of mine at all!

On Redemption:  Was ist das?
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God… and also a true human being…has redeemed me, a lost and condemned human being. He has purchased and freed me… with his innocent suffering and death. He has done all this in order that I may…serve him.

On Being Made Holy:  Was ist das?
I believe that… I cannot believe in Jesus Christ… or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel…. This is most certainly true.

Scriptural Dialogue

One does not live by bread alone,
     but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

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.

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. “I heard the voice of Jesus say” (ELW 332) Text: Horatius Bonar.