SEC Daily Prayer

Incarnation

O God, make speed to save us;

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be 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.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,*

as we have put our trust in you.

Opening - From Psalm 33
The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him*

on those who wait upon his love.

To pluck their lives from death,*

and to feed them in time of famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord;*

he is our help and our shield.

Indeed, our heart rejoices in him,*

for in his holy name we put our trust.

Glory be to the Father…

Psalm 145
I will exalt you, O God my King,*
and bless your name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless you*
and praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;*
there is no end to his greatness.
One generation shall praise your works to another*
and shall declare your power.
I will ponder the glorious splendour of your majesty*
and all your marvellous works.
They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts,*
and I will tell of your greatness.
They shall publish the remembrance of your great goodness;*
they shall sing of your righteous deeds.
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,*
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The Lord is loving to everyone*
and his compassion is over all his works.
All your works praise you, O Lord,*
and your faithful servants bless you.
They make known the glory of your kingdom*
and speak of your power;
That the peoples may know of your power*
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.
The Lord is faithful in all his words*
and merciful in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all those who fall;*
he lifts up those who are bowed down.
The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord,*
and you give them their food in due season.
You open wide your hand*
and satisfy the needs of every living creature.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways*
and loving in all his works.
The Lord is near to those who call upon him,*
to all who call upon him faithfully.
He fulfils the desire of those who fear him,*
he hears their cry and helps them.
The Lord preserves all those who love him,*
but he destroys all the wicked.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord;*
let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Glory be to the Father . . .

Almighty God, give us grace to know you more and more, that knowing we may love and loving we may praise, that the whole world may hear your name and worship you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Conclusion (from Philippians 2)
Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus:*

the divine nature was his from the first:

Yet he did not grasp at equality with God;*

he emptied himself and became like a slave.

Taking the nature of man he was revealed in human form;*

he humbled himself and became obedient even to death,

death on a cross.

Therefore God has raised him on high,*

and has given him a name above every other name;

So that in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,*

in heaven, on earth, and in the depths;

And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord;*

to the glory of God the Father.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,

as we have put our trust in you.

READINGS

Isaiah 44: 1-8
But now hear, O Jacob my servant,
Israel whom I have chosen!
Thus says the Lord who made you,
who formed you in the womb and will help you:
Do not fear, O Jacob my servant,
Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my spirit upon your descendants,
and my blessing on your offspring.
They shall spring up like a green tamarisk,
like willows by flowing streams.
This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’,
another will be called by the name of Jacob,
yet another will write on the hand, ‘The Lord’s’,
and adopt the name of Israel.

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god.
Who is like me? Let them proclaim it,
let them declare and set it forth before me.
Who has announced from of old the things to come?
Let them tell us what is yet to be.
Do not fear, or be afraid;
have I not told you from of old and declared it?
You are my witnesses!
Is there any god besides me?
There is no other rock; I know not one.

1 John 5: 1-12

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. There are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Silence

Response (Ps.89.27)
V. I will make him my first-born.

R. I will make him my first-born.

V. Higher than the kings of the earth.

R. My first-born.

V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

R. I will make him my first-born.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: To us is born this day a Saviour,*

Christ the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*

my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;

for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*

from this day all generations will call me blessed.

The Almighty has done great things for me*

and holy is his name.

He has mercy on those who fear him*

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm;*

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,*

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our forbears,*

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father.

Magnificat Antiphon: To us is born this day a Saviour,*

Christ the Lord

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

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
Shed upon your Church, O Lord, the brightness of your light, that we, being illumined by the teaching of your apostle and evangelist John, may walk in the light of your truth and come at last to the fullness of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:

Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:

through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.