MORNING PRAYER 1 – 22 March 2020
The FOURTH Sunday in Lent

Opening Hymn: T&P 162 “When peace like a river”
Listen to and sing along with this hymn at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmvnE6erj6I

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea-billows, roll,
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control:
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and has shed his own blood for my soul. 

My sin - O the bliss of this glorious thought! -
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to his cross, and I bear it no more:
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! 

For me be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live;
if Jordan above me shall roll,
no pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
thou wilt whisper thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ‘tis for thee, for thy coming, we wait;
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
O trump of the angel! O voice of the Lord –
blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
Horatio Gates Spafford (1828-1888)

SENTENCE OF SCRIPTURE
To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws, which he set before us.
				   								Daniel 9: 9-10
Let us humbly confess our sins unto almighty God.
Kneel
A GENERAL CONFESSION
Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
THE LORD'S PRAYER
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.
O Lord, open thou our lips
and our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Stand
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord's name be praised.
FIRST CANTICLE
VENITE Psalm 95

The Canticle may be said, or an audio version listened to and sung along with at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hok3yG9pvNo

1 O come, let us sing unto the Lord:
   let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving
and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms.

3 For the Lord is a great God
and a great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are all the corners of the earth
and the strength of the hills is his also.

5 The sea is his, and he made it,
and his hands prepared the dry land.

6 O come, let us worship and fall down
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

7 For he is the Lord our God;
and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

8 To-day if ye will hear his voice:
harden not your hearts, as in the provocation
and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness;

9 When your fathers tempted me,
provèd me, and saw my works.

10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said,
It is a people that do err in their hearts,
for they have not known my ways;

11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath,
that they should not enter into my rest.
	
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
	As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

A LESSON
from the Old Testament 
1 Samuel 16: 1-13
The reading below may be read, or an audio version listened to at:

https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/1-samuel/16/

The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah. 
After the reading silence may be kept.

THE PSALM
Hymn 21: “The Lord’s my shepherd” (Psalm 23)

Listen to and sing along with this hymn at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4TKvnYafes

The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want,
he makes me down to lie
in pastures green; he leadeth me
the quiet waters by.

My soul he doth restore again
and me to walk doth make
within the paths of righteousness,
e’en for his own name's sake.

Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale,
yet will I fear no ill:
for thou art with me, and thy rod
and staff me comfort still.

My table thou hast furnished
in presence of my foes;
my head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me;
and in God's house for evermore
my dwelling-place shall be.

William Whittingham (1524-79) altd.
Old Scottish metrical version 

A LESSON
from the New Testament 
Ephesians 5: 8-14
The reading below may be read, or an audio version listened to at:
https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/ephesians/5/

For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
‘Sleeper, awake!
   Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’
 
After the reading silence may be kept.
SECOND CANTICLE
CANTATE DOMINO 	  Psalm 98  

The Canticle may be said, or an audio version listened to and sung along with at: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3O57yufJqE

1   O sing unto the Lord a | new | song;   
for | he hath · done | marvel·lous | things. 
2   With his own right hand, and with his | holy | arm  
hath he | gotten · him|self  the | victory. 
3   The Lord declared | his sal|vation;   
his righteousness 
hath he openly | showed · in the | sight of  · the | heathen. 
4   He hath remembered his mercy and truth 
towards the | house of  | Israel,  
and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation | of our | God. 
5   Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, | all ye | lands:   
sing, re|joice and | give | thanks. 

6   Praise the Lord up|on the | harp:  
sing to the | harp · with a | psalm of  | thanksgiving. 
7   With trumpets | also · and | shawms,  
O show yourselves joyful be|fore the | Lord the | King. 
8   Let the sea make a noise, and all that | therein | is;  
the round world, and | they that | dwell there|in. 
9   Let the floods clap their hands, 
and let the hills be joyful together be|fore the | Lord;  
for he | cometh to | judge the | earth. 
10With righteousness shall he | judge the | world,  
and the | people | with | equity.
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.

A LESSON
from the Gospels 
John 9: 1-41 
The reading below may be read, or an audio version listened to at:

https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/john/9/

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ 
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’ 
The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’ 
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’ He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out. 
Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him. Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains.

After the reading silence may be kept.

BENEDICTUS
The Canticle may be said, or an audio version listened to and sung along with at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rYw41Tkk_c
The Song of Zechariah    Luke 1: 68-79
1	Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
2	And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us
in the house of his servant David;
3	As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets
which have been since the world began;
4	That we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hands of all that hate us,
5	To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers,
and to remember his holy covenant;
6	To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham:
that he would give us,
7	That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies
might serve him without fear,
8	In holiness and righteousness before him
all the days of our life.
9	And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest,:
for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
10	To give knowledge of salvation unto his people,
for the remission of their sins,
11	Through the tender mercy of our God
whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us,
12	To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
	Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
	As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
THE APOSTLES' CREED
is said 
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From thence he shall come to judge the quick 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.
Kneel
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
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. Amen.
O Lord, show thy mercy upon us
and grant us thy salvation.
O Lord, guide and defend our rulers
and mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Endue thy ministers with righteousness
and make thy chosen people joyful.
O Lord, save thy people
and bless thine inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
O God, make clean our hearts within us
and take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
THE COLLECTS
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, 
that we, who for our evil deeds 
do worthily deserve to be punished, 
by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; 
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE COLLECT OF THE SEASON OF LENT
Almighty and everlasting God, 
you hatest nothing that thou hast made 
and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent: 
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, 
that we, worthily lamenting our sins 
and acknowledging our wretchedness, 
may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, 
perfect remission and forgiveness; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE SECOND COLLECT For Peace
O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE THIRD COLLECT For Grace
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ARCHBISHOP’S PRAYER IN THE TIME OF THE CORONAVIRUS
Almighty and All-loving God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we pray to you through Christ the Healer
for those who suffer from the Coronavirus Covid-19
in Ireland and across the world.
We pray for all who reach out to those who mourn the loss
of each and every person who has died as a result of contracting the disease.
Give wisdom to policymakers,
skill to researchers,
comfort to everyone in distress
and a sense of calm to us all in these days of uncertainty and distress.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord
who showed compassion to the outcast,
acceptance to the rejected
and love to those to whom no love is shown. Amen.

Prayers and thanksgivings may be said.
Closing Hymn: CH 590 “My faith looks up to thee”

Listen to and sing along with this hymn at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeMcpnYLwJg

My faith looks up to thee,
thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine:
now hear me while I pray,
take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day
be wholly thine.

May thy rich grace impart
strength to my fainting heart,
my zeal inspire;
as thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
pure, warm, and changeless be,
a living fire.

When life’s dark maze I tread
And griefs around me spread,
be thou my guide;
bid darkness turn to day,
wipe sorrows tears away,
nor let me ever stray
from thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream,
when death's cold, sullen stream
shall o'er me roll,
blest Saviour, then, in love,
fear and distrust remove;
O, bear me safe above,
a ransomed soul. 									Ray Palmer (1808-87)

Prayers
A prayer for the President and all in authority
Almighty God, who rulest over the kingdoms of the world; We commend to thy merciful care the people of this land, that being guarded by thy providence, they may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to the President of this State and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, that they may serve thy people faithfully to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer for the Houses of the Oireachtas
Almighty God, source of all authority and wisdom: guide by your Spirit those who represent us in Dáil and Seanad. As representatives of the people keep them humble, as legislators make them compassionate, and as politicians defend their integrity. So may the proceedings of the Oireachtas serve the truth and promote the common good. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the servant Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for the Clergy and People
Almighty and everlasting God, who alone workest great marvels: Send down upon our Bishops and Clergy, and all People committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.
O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially, we pray for the good estate of the Catholic Church; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; [* especially those for whom our prayers are desired]; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
A General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, We thine unworthy servants Do give thee most humble and hearty thanks For all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation and all the blessings of this life: But above all, for thine inestimable love In the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; For the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, That our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, And that we show forth thy praise, Not only with our lips but in our lives; By giving up ourselves to thy service, And by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, To whom with thee and the Holy Spirit Be all honour and glory, World without end. Amen.

A Prayer of Saint Chrysostom
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.	2 Corinthians 13: 13