Today Is: Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Collect for: Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Old Testament
Isaiah 6:1-8

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!' 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: 'Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.' 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.' 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'

Officiant: The Word of the Lord.
The People: Thanks be to God.

Psalm
Psalm 138

1 I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You. 2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. 3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.
The LORD desires that we share His grace.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, When they hear the words of Your mouth. 5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, For great is the glory of the LORD. 6 Though the LORD is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.
The LORD desires that we share His grace.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. 8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
The LORD desires that we share His grace.

*At the end of the Psalms this is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

New Testament
1 Corinthians 15:1-2, 12-20

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain.

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up -- if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Officiant: The Word of the Lord.
The People: Thanks be to God.

Gospel
Luke 5:1-11

Introduction to the Gospel:
Deacon:The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you. Or And with your spirit
Deacon: May the Lord be on our minds, on our lips, and on our hearts as we hear His Holy Gospel. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke.
People: Glory to You, Lord Christ.
Deacon: We are reading from Luke's Gospel chapter 5, beginning at verse 1.

1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, 'Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.' 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, 'Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.' 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!' 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.' 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

After the Gospel reading, the deacon elevates the book and says:
Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, Lord Christ.

Prayers of the People

Prayers of the People for: Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Brothers and sisters, Jesus intercedes before the Father for us. Therefore, we can approach His throne with great confidence for our needs and those of the whole world.

That all who preach God's Word will express, with conviction and clarity, that Christ has died, Christ has Risen and Christ will come again.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That many will answer God's call to serve as priests, deacons, and in other leadership positions in God's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That all who seek public office will acknowledge the law of God is above any human law or court.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That we will see Christ in the poor, the homeless, the imprisoned and the unwanted child.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That all who are sick will find their healing from God and their comfort from family and friends.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That estranged husbands and wives; brothers and sisters; parents and children will humble themselves and be reconciled to one another just as God reconciled the world unto Himself in Christ Jesus.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That those who have lost loved ones will find comfort in the promises of the Risen Christ.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

Father of mercy, despite our unworthiness, You call us to be Your very own. Hear our prayer and give us the grace to be faithful to Your call. We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN