Thursday Evening Devotion

The Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude

Psalm 116.10-16

I believed, and therefore will I speak; but I was sore troubled *

 I said in my haste, All men are liars.

  What reward shall I give unto the Lord *

 for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?

  I will receive the cup of salvation *

 and call upon the Name of the Lord.

  I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people *

 right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

  Behold, O Lord, how that I am thy servant *

 I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid; thou hast broken my bonds in sunder.

  I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving *

 and will call upon the Name of the Lord.

  I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all his people *

 in the courts of the Lord’s house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.

(Translation: Coverdale)

A Reading

(Ephesians 4:1-16)

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

(Translation: Authorized Version)

A period of silence may follow.

Canticle

Te Deum laudamus 

We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.

To thee all Angels cry aloud,

the Heavens and all the Powers therein.

To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:

    Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

    Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.

The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.

The noble army of martyrs praise thee.

The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee,

    the Father, of an infinite majesty,

    thine adorable, true, and only Son,

    also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.

Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.

Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.

When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,

thou didst humble thyself to be born of a Virgin.

When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,

thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.

We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.

    We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,

    whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

    Make them to be numbered with thy saints,

    in glory everlasting.

Prayers for Ourselves and Neighbors

Everlasting God, I pray for my own needs and those of others:

Silence or add individual intentions here

I confess to Almighty God that I have sinned by my own fault in thought, word, and deed, in things done and left undone; especially these sins which I have committed today:

Silence or add individual intentions here

For these and all other sins which I cannot now remember, I am truly sorry. I pray God to have mercy upon me. I firmly intend amendment of life, and I humbly beg forgiveness of God and his Church.

+May the Almighty God grant me forgiveness of all my sins, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Holy Trinity, One God, Thou art the bearer of good things, grant unto me a grateful heart that I may go forth with thanksgiving for all thy blessings:

Silence or add individual intentions here

And now, I gather my all prayers in the words Thy Son hath taught us:

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,

    for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Mission

O God, who dost manifest in thy servants the signs of thy presence:  Send forth upon us the Spirit of love, that in companionship with one another thine abounding grace may increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

+The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless me and keep me. Amen.