❖ Prayer for Illumination

O heavenly Father, whose law is perfect, converting the soul; a sure testimony, giving wisdom to the unlearned, and enlightening the eyes—we humbly implore you, through your boundless goodness, to enlighten our blind intellect by your Holy Spirit, so that we may truly understand and profess your law and live according to it. Since it has pleased you, most merciful Father, to reveal the mysteries of your will only to the little ones; and since you look to him alone who is of a humble and contrite spirit, who has reverence for your Word, grant us a humble spirit and keep us from all fleshly wisdom, which is enmity against you. Bring to the right way those who stray from the truth, so that we all may unanimously serve you in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life. We ask this from you, most merciful Father, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

[Martin Micronius]

❖ Catechism

Westminster Shorter Catechism

Question 19

❖ Praise

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.

[Gloria Patri]

❖ Athanasian Creed, Part 3

Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic faith. Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally. Now this is the catholic faith:

that we worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confounding their persons nor dividing the essence…

But it is necessary for eternal salvation that one also believe in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully.

Now this is the true faith:

that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son,

is both God and man, equally.

He is God from the essence of the Father, begotten before time;

and he is man from the essence of his mother, born in time;

completely God, completely man, with a rational soul and human flesh;

equal to the Father as regards divinity,

less than the Father as regards humanity.

Although he is God and man, yet Christ is not two, but one.

He is one, however, not by his divinity being turned into flesh,

but by God’s taking humanity to himself.

He is one, certainly not by the blending of his essence,

but by the unity of his person.

For just as one man is both rational soul and flesh,

so too the one Christ is both God and man.

He suffered for our salvation;

he descended to hell;

he arose from the dead on the third day;

he ascended to heaven;

he is seated at the Father’s right hand;

from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

At his coming all people will arise bodily and give an accounting of their own deeds.

Those who have done good will enter eternal life,

and those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.

This is the catholic faith: that one cannot be saved without believing it firmly and faithfully.

❖ Assurance of Pardon

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

[1 Corinthians 15:3–4]

❖ Confession of Sin

Almighty, everlasting God and Father, we acknowledge and confess that we indeed were conceived and born in sin and, therefore, inclined to all evil and slow to all good; that we unceasingly transgress your holy commandments, and corrupt ourselves more and more. But we are sorry for this and desire your grace and help. Therefore, have mercy upon us, most gracious and merciful God and Father, through your Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant to us and increase in us your Holy Spirit, so that we may recognize our sin and unrighteousness from the depth of our heart, feel true contrition and grief for them, die to them completely, and please you wholly in a new, godly life. Amen.

[Martin Bucer]

❖ Reading of the Law

Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven… You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect… Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven… Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you... So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

[Matthew 5:20, 48; 6:1, 33; 7:12]

❖ Adoration

You, Lord, have become my hope, my comfort, my strength, my all! In you does my soul rejoice. The darkness vanished from before my eyes, and I beheld you, the sun of righteousness. When I loved darkness, I knew you not, but wandered on from night to night. But you led me out of that blindness; you took me by the hand and called me to yourself, and now I can thank you, and your mighty voice which has penetrated to my inmost heart. Amen.

[Augustine]

❖ Call to Worship

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

to declare your steadfast love in the morning,

and your faithfulness by night,

to the music of the lute and the harp,

to the melody of the lyre.

For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;

at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

[Psalm 92:1–4]

❖ Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name;

your kingdom come;

your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen.

❖ Prayer of Intercession

O blessed Lord and Savior, you have commanded us to love one another—grant us grace that, having received your undeserved bounty, we may love every man in you and for you. We ask your blessing for all; but especially for the friends whom your love has given to us. Love them, O fountain of love, and make them to love you with all their heart, with all their mind, and with all their soul, that those things only which are pleasing to you they may will, and speak, and do. And though our prayer is cold, because our charity is so little fervent, yet you are so rich in mercy. Measure not to them your goodness by the dullness of our devotion; but as your kindness surpasses all human affection, so let your hearing transcend our prayer. Do to them what is expedient for them, according to your will, that they, being always and everywhere ruled and protected by you, may attain in the end to everlasting life. Amen.

[Anselm]

❖ Scripture Reading

• Exodus 2

• Luke 5

• Job 19

• 1 Corinthians 6

❖ Prayer for Illumination

Divine Spirit, illumine to me the words of the Lord.

Show me the wealth of glory that lies beneath the old familiar stories.

Teach me the depths of meaning hidden in the songs of Zion.

Raise me to the heights of aspiration that is reached by the wings of the prophet.

Lift me to the summit of faith that is trod by the feet of the apostle.

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. Amen.

[George Matheson]

❖ Catechism

Westminster Shorter Catechism

Question 18

❖ Praise

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.

[Gloria Patri]

❖ Athanasian Creed, Part 2

Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic faith. Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally. Now this is the catholic faith:

that we worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confounding their persons nor dividing the essence…

The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone.

The Son was neither made nor created; he was begotten from the Father alone.

The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten;

he proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Accordingly, there is one Father, not three fathers;

there is one Son, not three sons;

there is one Holy Spirit, not three holy spirits.

None in this Trinity is before or after, none is greater or smaller;

in their entirety the three persons are coeternal and coequal with each other.

So in everything, as was said earlier, the unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in unity, is to be worshiped.

Anyone then who desires to be saved should think thus about the Trinity.

❖ Assurance of Pardon

When my life was fainting away,

I remembered the Lord,

and my prayer came to you,

into your holy temple.

Those who pay regard to vain idols

forsake their hope of steadfast love.

But I with the voice of thanksgiving

will sacrifice to you;

what I have vowed I will pay.

Salvation belongs to the Lord!

[Jonah 2:7–9]

❖ Confession of Sin

Almighty, eternal God! Forgive us our sin and lead us to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Ulrich Zwingli]

❖ Reading of the Law

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

[John 15:9–12]