MORNING PRAYER 2 – 22 March 2020
The FOURTH Sunday in Lent
The Gathering of God's People
SENTENCES 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
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)

We come to offer to Almighty God
our worship and praise and thanksgiving,
to confess our sins and to receive God's forgiveness,
to hear his holy word proclaimed,
to bring before him our needs and the needs of the world,
and to pray that in the power of his Spirit
we may serve him and know the greatness of his love.
Let us confess our sins to God our Father.
Kneel. Silence is kept.

Heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault;
by what we have done
and by what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Proclaiming and Receiving the Word
AT MORNING PRAYER
Stand
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth will proclaim your praise.
God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
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.
Praise the Lord.
The Lord s name be praised.
FIRST CANTICLE
VENITE Psalm 95
Listen to and sing along with this canticle 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.

FIRST READING
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.
PSALM
Hymn: CH21 “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 

SECOND READING
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  
Listen to and sing along with this canticle 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.

Gradual Hymn: CH101 “Jesus, the very thought of thee” (vs. 1-3, 6)
Listen to and sing along with this hymn at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62J434N0w1c

Jesus, the very thought of thee 
with sweetness fills the breast; 
but sweeter far thy face to see, 
and in thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than thy blessed name,
O Saviour of mankind!

O hope of every contrite heart, 
O joy of all the meek, 
to those who fall, how kind thou art,
how good to those who seek!

Jesus, our only joy be thou, 
as thou our prize wilt be; 
Jesus, be thou our glory now, 
and through eternity.

THIRD READING
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.
THIRD CANTICLE
BENEDICTUS The Song of Zechariah Luke 1: 68-79
The Canticle may be said, or an audio version listened to and sung along with at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rYw41Tkk_c

1	Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,
who has come to his people and set them free.
2 	The Lord has raised up for us a mighty saviour,
born of the house of· his servant David.
3 	Through the holy prophets God promised of old
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of those who hate us,
4 	to show mercy to our forebears,
and to remember his holy covenant.
5 	This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of· our enemies.
6 	Free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous before him all the days of· our life.
7 	And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord· to prepare his way,
8 	To give his people knowledge of salivation
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9 	In the tender compassion of our God.
the dawn from on high shall break upon us.
10	To shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

THE SERMON
Scott Evans has prepared a sermon podcast which you may listen to at:
https://www.dublinandglendaloughsermons.com/sermons/john-9-scott-evans

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
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Kneel
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
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.

Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Show us your mercy, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
O Lord, guide and defend our rulers
and grant our government wisdom.
Let your ministers be clothed with righteousness
and let your servants shout for joy.
O Lord, save your people
and bless those whom you have chosen.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
O God, make clean our hearts within us
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.
THE COLLECTS
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
Lord God 
whose blessed Son our Saviour 
gave his back to the smiters 
and did not hide his face from shame: 
Give us grace to endure the sufferings of this present time 
with sure confidence in the glory that shall be revealed; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE COLLECT OF THE SEASON OF LENT
Merciful Lord, 
Grant your people grace to withstand the temptations 
of the world, the flesh and the devil 
and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Almighty and everlasting God, 
you hate nothing that you have made 
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: 
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts 
that we, worthily lamenting our sins 
and acknowledging our wretchedness, 
may receive from you, the God of all mercy, 
perfect remission and forgiveness; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
AT MORNING PRAYER
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord,
to know you is eternal life, and to serve you is perfect freedom:
Defend us in all assaults of our enemies,
that we, surely trusting in your protection,
may not fear the power of any adversaries;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Go before us, Lord, in all our doings, with your most gracious favour,
and further us with your continual help;
that in all our works begun, continued and ended in you,
we may glorify your holy name,
and finally by your mercy attain everlasting life;
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)

Going Out as God's People
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
To God, who by the power at work within us,
is able to do far more abundantly
than all we ask or think,
to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations for ever and ever. Amen. 	Ephesians 3: 20