Topic: Morning Prayer Epiphany 4
Time: Jan 31, 2021 11:00 AM Dublin
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KILLISKEY PARISH
MORNING PRAYER FOR USE ON SUNDAY – 31 JANUARY 2021
THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
The Gathering of God’s People
THE GREETING
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all
and also with you.
SENTENCE OF SCRIPTURE
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 124: 8
Opening Hymn: CH514 “We cannot measure how you heal”
We cannot measure how you heal
or answer every sufferer’s prayer,
yet we believe your grace responds
where faith and doubt unite to care.
Your hands, though bloodied on the cross,
survive to hold and heal and warn,
to carry all through death to life
and cradle children yet unborn.
The pain that will not go away,
the guilt that clings from things long past,
the fear of what the future holds,
are present as if meant to last.
But present too is love which tends
the hurt we never hoped to find,
the private agonies inside,
the memories that haunt the mind.
So some have come who need your help
and some have come to make amends,
as hands which shaped and saved the world
are present in the touch of friends.
Lord, let your Spirit meet us here
to mend the body, mind and soul,
to disentangle peace from pain,
and make your broken people whole.
John L Bell (b. 1949)
and Graham Maule (1958-2019)
INTRODUCTION
We have come together in the name of Christ
to offer our praise and thanksgiving,
to hear and receive God’s holy word,
to seek the forgiveness of our sins,
and to pray for the needs of the world,
that by the power of the Holy Spirit
we may give ourselves to the service of God.
O Lord, open our lips,
and our mouth will proclaim your praise.
Let us worship the Lord.
All praise to his name.
Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
king of the nations,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
your name is proclaimed in all the world.
As the sun of righteousness dawns in our hearts
anoint our lips with the seal of your Spirit
that we may witness to your gospel
and sing your praise in all the earth.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
PENITENCE
The grace of God has dawned upon the world
through our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who sacrificed himself for us to purify a people as his own.
Let us turn to the Lord and renew our faith in his promises
by confessing our sins in penitence.
O God, our loving Father in heaven,
we confess that we have sinned against you;
we have broken your commandments;
we have often been selfish,
and we have not loved you as we should.
For these, and all our sins, forgive us, we pray:
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
May the Father of all mercies
cleanse you from your sins,
and restore you in his image
to the praise and glory of his name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SENTENCES OF SCRIPTURE
Your word is a lantern to my feet
and a light upon our path. cf Psalm 119:105
O Lord, your word is everlasting:
it stands firm for ever in the heavens. cf Psalm 119: 89
Let us then receive the word of the Lord:
so may the light of your presence shine into our hearts.
Proclaiming and Receiving the Word
The First Reading: Deuteronomy 18: 15-20
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed
such a prophet. This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly
when you said: ‘If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will
die.’ Then the Lord replied to me: ‘They are right in what they have said. I will raise up for them a
prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who
shall speak to them everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet
shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. But any prophet who speaks in the name of other
gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—
that prophet shall die.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Psalm: Psalm 111
1 I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart : secretly among the faithful, and in the
congregation.
2 The works of the Lord are great : sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3 His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour : and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works; that they ought to be had in
remembrance.
5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him : he shall ever be mindful of his covenant.
6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works : that he may give them the heritage of the
heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgement : all his commandments are true.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever : and are done in truth and equity.
9 He sent redemption unto his people : he hath commanded his covenant for ever : holy and
reverend is his Name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom : a good understanding have all they that do
thereafter; the praise of it endureth for ever.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 8: 1-13
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ Knowledge puffs
up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary
knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him.
Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘no idol in the world really exists’, and that
‘there is no God but one.’ Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in
fact there are many gods and many lords— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all
things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through
whom we exist.
It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols
until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak,
is defiled. ‘Food will not bring us close to God.’ We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if
we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling-block to the weak.
For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their
conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge
those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your
family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause
of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn before the Gospel: Thanks & Praise 71 “Jesus Christ is waiting”
Jesus Christ is waiting,
waiting in the streets;
no one is his neighbour,
all alone he eats.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I am lonely too.
Make me, friend or stranger,
fit to wait on you.
Jesus Christ is raging,
raging in the streets,
where injustice spirals
and real hope retreats.
Listen, Lord Jesus
I am angry too.
In the Kingdom’s causes
let me rage with you.
Jesus Christ is healing,
healing in the streets;
curing those who suffer,
touching those he greets.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I have pity too.
Let my care be active,
healing, just like you.
Jesus Christ is dancing,
dancing in the streets,
where each sign of hatred
he, with love, defeats.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I should triumph too.
Where good conquers evil
let me dance with you.
Jesus Christ is calling,
calling in the streets,
”Who will join my journey?
I will guide their feet.”
Listen, Lord Jesus,
let my fears be few.
Walk one step before me;
I will follow you.
John L Bell (b. 1949)
and Graham Maule (1958-2019)
The Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 21-28
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were
astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then
there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us,
Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus
rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit, throwing him into
convulsions and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on
asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean
spirits, and they obey him.’ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of
Galilee.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
THE SERMON
COLLECT OF THE WORD
God of compassion,
you have shown us in Christ,
that your love is never ending:
enable us both to love you with all our heart
and to love one another as Christ loved us.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Response to God’s Word
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Let us worship the Saviour with joy
and make our prayer to our heavenly Father.
The magi came from the east to worship your Son:
Father, grant to Christians everywhere
the spirit of adoration …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
The infant Christ received gifts of gold, incense and myrrh:
Father, accept the offering of our hearts and minds …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
The kingdoms of this world have become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ:
Father, grant an abundance of peace to your world …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
The Holy Family lived in exile and in the shadow of death:
Father, look in mercy on all who are poor and powerless,
and all who suffer …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
Your Son shared the life of his home and family at Nazareth:
Father, protect in your love our neighbours,
our families and this community of which we are part …
Lord of glory,
hear our prayer.
Silence is kept.
Father, we rejoice in our fellowship
with the shepherds, the angels, the magi,
the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and all the faithful departed.
In your unfailing love for us and for all people,
hear and answer our prayers through your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
Creator God,
who in the beginning
commanded the light to shine out of darkness:
We pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
may dispel the darkness of ignorance and unbelief,
shine into the hearts of all your people,
and reveal the knowledge of your glory
in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, we are bold to pray:
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.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory
for ever and ever. Amen.
Closing Hymn: CH513 “O Christ the Healer, we have come”
O Christ, the Healer, we have come
to pray for health, to plead for friends.
How can we fail to be restored,
when reached by love that never ends?
From every ailment flesh endures
our bodies clamour to be freed;
yet in our hearts we would confess
that wholeness is our deepest need.
How strong, O Lord, are our desires,
how weak our knowledge of ourselves!
Release in us those healing truths
unconscious pride resists or shelves.
In conflicts that destroy our health,
we diagnose the world’s disease;
our common life declares our ills:
is there no cure, O Christ, for these?
Grant that we all, made one in faith,
in your community may find
the wholeness that, enriching us,
shall reach and prosper humankind.
F Pratt Green (b. 1903)
Going out as God’s People
A THANKSGIVING
Blessed are you, Holy God,
creator, redeemer and life-giver;
you have spoken the world into being
and filled it with wonder and beauty.
For every blessing we have received
we give you thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Holy God,
for people of every language and culture
and for the rich variety you give to life.
For every blessing we have received
we give you thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Holy God,
for Jesus Christ our Saviour,
truly divine and truly human,
living and dying for us,
and going before us into heaven.
For every blessing we have received
we give you thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Holy God,
for your Spirit, the fire of love burning in our hearts,
bringing us to faith, and calling us to holiness
in the Church and in the world.
For every blessing we have received
we give you thanks and praise.
We go into the world
to walk in God’s light,
to rejoice in God’s love
and to reflect God’s glory.
THE BLESSING
Christ the Son be manifest to you,
that your lives may be a light to the world:
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be with you and remain with you always. Amen.
THE DISMISSAL
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.