The Lessons

Psalm Chapter 80

⁽¹⁾ Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth ⁽²⁾ before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Awaken your might; come and save us. ⁽³⁾ Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. ⁽⁴⁾ O LORD God Almighty, how long will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people?

⁽⁵⁾ You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful. ⁽⁶⁾ You have made us a source of contention to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us. ⁽⁷⁾ Restore us, O God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. ⁽⁸⁾ You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.

⁽⁹⁾ You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. ⁽¹⁰⁾ The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. ⁽¹¹⁾ It sent out its boughs to the Sea, its shoots as far as the River. ⁽¹²⁾ Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its grapes?

⁽¹³⁾ Boars from the forest ravage it and the creatures of the field feed on it. ⁽¹⁴⁾ Return to us, O God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine, ⁽¹⁵⁾ the root your right hand has planted, the son you have raised up for yourself. ⁽¹⁶⁾ Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish.

⁽¹⁷⁾ Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. ⁽¹⁹⁾ Restore us, O LORD God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

1 Samuel Chapter 16

⁽¹⁾ The LORD said to Samuel, 'How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.' ⁽²⁾ But Samuel said, 'How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.' The LORD said, 'Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' ⁽³⁾ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.' ⁽⁴⁾ Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, 'Do you come in peace?'

⁽⁵⁾ Samuel replied, 'Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.' Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. ⁽⁶⁾ When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, 'Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD.' ⁽⁷⁾ But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.' ⁽⁸⁾ Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, 'The LORD has not chosen this one either.'

⁽⁹⁾ Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, 'Nor has the LORD chosen this one.' ⁽¹⁰⁾ Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, 'The LORD has not chosen these.' ⁽¹¹⁾ So he asked Jesse, 'Are these all the sons you have?' 'There is still the youngest,' Jesse answered, 'but he is tending the sheep.' Samuel said, 'Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.' ⁽¹²⁾ So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, 'Rise and anoint him; he is the one.'

⁽¹³⁾ So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

1 John Chapter 2

⁽¹⁸⁾ Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. ⁽¹⁹⁾ They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. ⁽²⁰⁾ But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. ⁽²¹⁾ I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.

⁽²²⁾ Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist-- he denies the Father and the Son. ⁽²³⁾ No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

?A canticle is a hymn, or other Christian song of praise with lyrics taken from biblical texts

The Canticles

The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.
  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
  He 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, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
  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.

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,
  and the power, and the glory,
  forever and ever. Amen.

Our Father in heaven,
  hallowed be thy Name,
  your kingdom come, your will be done,
  on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
  Forgive us our sins,
  as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
  and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
  and the glory are yours,
  now and forever and ever. Amen.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us by your Holy Spirit.

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
Govern and uphold them, now and always.
Day by day we bless you;
We praise your name forever.
Lord, keep us from all sin today;
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope;
And we shall never hope in vain.

The General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable 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 pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

A Prayer of Saint Chrysostom
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.