Holy One, open our lips:
and we shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to God, Source of all being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
OPENING
Tuesdays: From Psalm 19, Cæli enarrant
The heavens declare the glory of God, *
and the firmament shows the handiwork of the Lord.
One day tells its tale to another, *
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
Although they have no words or language, *
and their voices are not heard,
their sound has gone out into all lands, *
and their message to the ends of the world.
In the deep has God set a pavilion for the sun; *
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; *
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul; *
the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.
The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart; *
the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; *
the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, *
more than much fine gold, sweeter far than honey, *
than honey in the comb.
By them also is your servant enlightened, *
and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can tell how often they offend? *
Cleanse me from my secret faults.
Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; *
then shall I be innocent of a great offense.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable in your sight; * O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
CLOSING
Isaiah 5.14-25
Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite
and opened its mouth beyond measure;
the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude go down,
her throng and all who exult in her.
People are bowed down, everyone is brought low,
and the eyes of the haughty are humbled.
But the Lord of hosts is exalted by justice,
and the Holy God shows himself holy by righteousness.
Then the lambs shall graze as in their pasture,
fatlings and kids shall feed among the ruins.
Ah, you who drag iniquity along with cords of falsehood,
who drag sin along as with cart-ropes,
who say, ‘Let him make haste,
let him speed his work
that we may see it;
let the plan of the Holy One of Israel hasten to fulfilment,
that we may know it!’
Ah, you who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!
Ah, you who are wise in your own eyes,
and shrewd in your own sight!
Ah, you who are heroes in drinking wine
and valiant at mixing drink,
who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
and deprive the innocent of their rights!
Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble,
and as dry grass sinks down in the flame,
so their root will become rotten,
and their blossom go up like dust;
for they have rejected the instruction of the Lord of hosts,
and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people,
and he stretched out his hand against them and struck them;
the mountains quaked,
and their corpses were like refuse
in the streets.
For all this his anger has not turned away,
and his hand is stretched out still.
Silence
BENEDICTUS
Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all 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.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
PRAYERS
We have been afraid of the fierceness of your love, which sears our hearts as with a laser. Lord, have mercy upon us.
We have refused to believe that you are gentle in judgment, that your hands loosen the knots of our bitterness. Christ, have mercy upon us.
We have failed to see that your eyes are wise in discernment, that your justice restores us and heals. Lord, have mercy upon us.
TUESDAYS:
We give you thanks, O God, for revealing your love in creation,
We bless your holy name.
For human beings made in your image and called to live in your communion,
We bless your holy name.
For the promise of your reign in justice and peace, in holiness and charity,
We bless your holy name.
For the revelation of your Kingdom in our midst through your Son, Jesus Christ,
We bless your holy name.
For his humble birth and his holy life, for his words and his miracles,
We bless your holy name.
For his sufferings and his death, for his resurrection and his entry into glory,
We bless your holy name.
For your Church, called to be a place of communion for every human being,
We bless your holy name.
For the coming of your Kingdom within us by the gift of the Holy Spirit,
We bless your holy name.
By the coming of your Kingdom at the end of time, when you will be all in all,
We bless your holy name.
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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
COLLECTS
Almighty God, who looked with favour on your servant Mary and called her to be the mother of your Son: grant us, we pray, the humility which found favour in your sight; that we, with her, may proclaim the greatness of your name, and find the mercy shown to those who stand in awe of you; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil; and bring us to life eternal. Amen.
St Ternans Banchory 