The Community Catholic
 Church of Canada

Morning Prayer for Monday

We greet the Day

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

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

Hear, O Israel

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

This is the first and the great commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself.  There is no commandment greater than these.

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

Collect
Gracious God, we give you thanks for the gift of this new day. May we know your loving presence in this time of prayer and throughout the day. We ask for your blessing in our lives, and your peace in our hearts. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Venite

1 O come let us sing out to the Lord,*
let us shout in triumph to the rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before his face with thanksgiving*
and cry out to him joyfully in psalms.

3 For the Lord is a great God,*
and a great king above all gods.

4 In his hands are the depths of the earth,*
and the peaks of the mountains are his also.

5 The sea is his and he made it;*
his hands moulded dry land.

6 Come let us worship and bow down,*
and kneel before the Lord our maker.

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

8 Today if only you would hear his voice:*
‘Do not harden your hearts as Israel did in the wilderness;

9 when your fathers tested me;*
put me to proof though they had seen my works.

10 Of whom I swore in my wrath:*
“They shall not enter my rest.”’

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

Reading Mark 1: 1-8 (NIV)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah the Son of God.  as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you,     who will prepare your way”   “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,   make straight paths for him.’”

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Psalm 1 Happiness

Happy are they who know good and do good.
Their love for the good feeds them continually.
They are like trees planted near the river,
whose roots go deep and wide.
They thrive, bear fruit in season, and
weather drought without wilting.
Those who are not so grounded
will blow around like dry leaves in the wind.
Root yourself in Good, and live.
-- An interpretation by Christine Robinson

Reflective Prayer
Breathe in me O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Guard me then O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.
--St Augustine

Intercessory Prayers
We offer to God the prayers of our hearts-

Gracious God source of all love and fount of all blessing, your Son Jesus Christ promised that you will hear us when we ask in faith. Confident in his word, we offer you our prayers.

We pray for our world, for the leaders of nations and all in authority, that everyone may live in peace and mutual trust, sharing with justice the resources of the earth. May your love guide each heart.
(offer personal prayers for the world, leaders, the planet)

We give thanks for our church and every faith community across the world. Encourage clergy and religious leaders to lead with compassion, mirroring your love and grace by their lives and teaching.

We offer to your care, merciful God, all who are in sorrow, sickness, discouragement or any other trouble. Give them patience and a firm trust in your goodness. Change lives today through your mighty healing touch and bring to know your loving presence at work in their lives.
(offer the names of those whom you hold in your heart....).

We pray for our own needs and concerns, giving thanks that answers and resolution are already on their way to us. Especially, we offer these concerns to you.......

We give thanks for those who have died and for those who mourn their passing. May they find comfort and hope in the joy of your promise that you will greet us at the last and take us to your Father's house.

Hear us, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 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 today our daily bread. 
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, 
now and for ever. 
Amen.

Lord Jesus, hallow this new day
I give thanks for your peace, wisdom and strength in my heart.

Help me to look at the world with eyes of love.
Help me to be patient, understanding, 
humble, gentle and good.

Please let me see others as you see them,
that I may look past appearances,
and appreciate the goodness in everyone.

Close my ears to all of the gossip,
and save my tongue from speaking evil of others.
Please let only thoughts that bless remain in me.

Today I want to be well-intentioned and fair,
that everybody that who comes to me might feel your presence.

Loving God, clothe me in your kindness,
that throughout this day I might be a reflection of you. Amen.

May the God of peace enable us to do his will in every kind of goodness, working in us what pleases him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

Night Prayer for MONDAY

Our help is in the name of the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

O God, come to our aid. 
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 ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.

O Gracious Light
O gracious light pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds. 

A period of silence for reflection on the past day may follow.

Most merciful God,
I confess to you,
before the whole company of heaven,
that I have sinned in thought, word and deed
and in what I have failed to do.
Forgive me and free me from my sins,
heal me by your Spirit
and raise me to new life in Christ. Amen.

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us and on all people of the world.

The Word of God

1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 be gracious to me, O Lord,
    for to you do I cry all day long.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
    for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
    abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
    listen to my cry of supplication.
7 In the day of my trouble I call on you,
    for you will answer me.

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
    nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come
    and bow down before you, O Lord,
    and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things;
    you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
    that I may walk in your truth;
    give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
    and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
    you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14 O God, the insolent rise up against me;
    a band of ruffians seeks my life,
    and they do not set you before them.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;
    give your strength to your servant;
    save the child of your serving girl.
17 Show me a sign of your favor,
    so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame,
    because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
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.