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.
PSALMODY
O Come, O Come, thou healing host
around whose table none can boast,
who welcomed home the stigmatized,
their rightful place now realized.
Rejoice! Rejoice! By touching hand
together all in God shall stand.
OPENING
From Psalm 43, Judica Me, Domine
Give judgement for me, O God, and defend my cause
against an un-|godly people; *
deliver me from the deceitful |and the wicked.
For you are the God |of my strength; *
why have you put |me from you?
And why do I |go so heavily * while the enemy op-|presses me?
Send out your light and your truth, that |they may lead me, *
and bring me to your holy hill and |to your dwelling;
that I may go to the altar of God, to the God of my |joy and gladness;
and on the harp I will give thanks to you, O |God my God.
Why are you so full of heaviness, |O my soul, *
and why are you so disquiet-|ed within me?
Put your |trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to the Holy One,
who is the help of my countenance, |and my God.
Send out your light and your truth, that |they may lead me, *
and bring me to your holy hill and |to your dwelling.
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.
Closing
Reading – Revalation 1.17-2.7
‘To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this is to your credit: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.
SILENCE
Responsory
There is a longing, deep within us,
to be with you, O God.
We are expectant
of your coming to walk the earth.
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
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
On this day, lift into the blessing of God’s compassionate gaze:
those who work so hard to be good that they forget how to love;
all who work in hospitality,
all who eat only through the generosity of others. Amen.
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.
Collect
Gracious God,
as we listen once more to your messengers the prophets
turning us around and preparing us to receive our liberation:
give us the humility, insight, and grace to listen to their warnings,
and to heed the still small voice that whispers in our hearts,
that we may look once more upon your face
and greet your every coming with joy. Amen.
Blessing
As we go from this place,
help us to remember that we are cradled in your loving hand,
developing alongside our brother, Jesus
and gifted with life by your Holy breath. Amen.
St Ternans Banchory 