Australian Daily Prayer

4th Friday before Lent

1
Through Christ let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,
the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Hebrews 13:15
Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of God's Grace
We have complete freedom:
to go into the most holy place by means of the death of Jesus
He opened for us a new way, a living way:
through the curtain, through his own body.
Since we have a great high priest
set over the household of God:
let us draw near with a sincere heart and a sure faith,
With hearts that have been made clean
from a guilty conscience:
and bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:19-22
3 The Opening Prayer
The night has passed and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence may be kept
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever. Amen.
4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.
1  In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
      let me never be put to shame; 
   deliver me in your righteousness.
2  Incline your ear to me; 
   make haste to deliver me.
3  Be my strong rock, a fortress to save me,
      for you are my rock and my stronghold; 
   guide me, and lead me for your name’s sake.
4  Take me out of the net
      that they have laid secretly for me, 
   for you are my strength.
5  Into your hands I commend my spirit, 
   for you have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
6  I hate those who cling to worthless idols; 
   I put my trust in the Lord.
7  I will be glad and rejoice in your mercy, 
   for you have seen my affliction
      and known my soul in adversity.
8  You have not shut me up in the hand of the enemy; 
   you have set my feet in an open place.
9  Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in trouble; 
   my eye is consumed with sorrow,
      my soul and my body also.
10  For my life is wasted with grief,
      and my years with sighing; 
   my strength fails me because of my affliction,
      and my bones are consumed.
11  I have become a reproach to all my enemies
      and even to my neighbours,
      an object of dread to my acquaintances; 
   when they see me in the street they flee from me.
12  I am forgotten like one that is dead, out of mind; 
   I have become like a broken vessel.
13  For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;
      fear is on every side; 
   they scheme together against me,
      and plot to take my life.
14  But my trust is in you, O Lord. 
   I have said, ‘You are my God.
15  ‘My times are in your hand; 
   deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
      and from those who persecute me.
16  ‘Make your face to shine upon your servant, 
   and save me for your mercy’s sake.’
17  Lord, let me not be confounded
      for I have called upon you; 
   but let the wicked be put to shame;
      let them be silent in the grave.
18  Let the lying lips be put to silence 
   that speak against the righteous
      with arrogance, disdain and contempt.
19  How abundant is your goodness, O Lord,
      which you have laid up for those who fear you; 
   which you have prepared in the sight of all
      for those who put their trust in you.
20  You hide them in the shelter of your presence
      from those who slander them; 
   you keep them safe in your refuge from the strife of tongues.
21  Blessed be the Lord! 
   For he has shown me his steadfast love
      when I was as a city besieged.
22  I had said in my alarm,
      ‘I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes.’ 
   Nevertheless, you heard the voice of my prayer
      when I cried out to you.
23  Love the Lord, all you his servants; 
   for the Lord protects the faithful,
      but repays to the full the proud.
24  Be strong and let your heart take courage, 
   all you who wait in hope for the Lord.
5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow
Holy God, through your beloved Son you reconciled all things to yourself, making peace by the blood of his cross: fill us and those for whom we pray with your peace and joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed
The reading may be followed by a period of silence for reflection, a hymn or
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
7 The Canticle, Saviour of the World
Jesus, Saviour of the world,
come to us in your mercy:
we look to you to save and help us.
By your cross and your life laid down,
you set your people free:
we look to you to save and help us.
When they were ready to perish,
you saved your disciples:
we looked to you to come to our help.
In the greatness of your mercy,
loose us from our chains:
forgive the sins of all your people.
Make yourself known as our saviour
and mighty deliverer:
save and help us that we may praise you.
come now and dwell with us, Lord Christ Jesus:
hear our prayers and be with us always.
And when you come in your glory:
make us to be one with you
and to share the life of your kingdom.
8 The Apostles' Creed may be said
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come 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.
9 The Prayers
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy Lord have mercy.
10 The Lord's Prayer and the Collect of the Day
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.

Give us today 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 for ever. Amen.
11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need.
12 The Morning Collect
Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and by whose love we are redeemed; guide and strengthen us by your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service, and live this day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
13
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Peace be to us all, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Ephesians 6:23
1
Peace to those who are far off.
Peace to those who are near.
Ephesians 2:17
Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
2 The Opening Canticle, The Lord's Servant
He was despised; he was rejected:
a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.
As one from whom people hide their faces:
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Ours were the sufferings he bore:
ours the torments he endured,
While we thought he was being punished:
struck by God and brought low.
He was pierced for our sins:
bruised for no fault but ours.
His punishment has won our peace:
and by his wounds we are healed.
We had all strayed like sheep:
all taking our own way;
But the Lord laid on him:
the guilt of us all.
Isaiah 53:3-6
3 The Opening Prayer
The day is now passed and the night is at hand.
Let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence may be kept
Father of lights, receive the prayer and praise we offer you as our evening sacrifice; make us a light for all the world, delivered by your goodness from all the works of darkness; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each
1  Contend, O Lord, with those that contend with me; 
   fight against those that fight against me.
2  Take up shield and buckler 
   and rise up to help me.
3  Draw the spear and bar the way
      against those who pursue me; 
   say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.’
4  Let those who seek after my life be shamed and disgraced; 
   let those who plot my ruin fall back and be put to confusion.
5  Let them be as chaff before the wind, 
   with the angel of the Lord thrusting them down.
6  Let their way be dark and slippery, 
   with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7  For they have secretly spread a net for me without a cause; 
   without any cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
8  Let ruin come upon them unawares; 
   let them be caught in the net they laid;
      let them fall in it to their destruction.
9  Then will my soul be joyful in the Lord 
   and glory in his salvation.
10  My very bones will say, ‘Lord, who is like you? 
   You deliver the poor from those that are too strong for them,
      the poor and needy from those who would despoil them.’
11  False witnesses rose up against me; 
   they charged me with things I knew not.
12  They rewarded me evil for good, 
   to the desolation of my soul.
13  But as for me, when they were sick I put on sackcloth 
   and humbled myself with fasting;
14  When my prayer returned empty to my bosom, 
   it was as though I grieved for my friend or brother;
15  I behaved as one who mourns for his mother, 
   bowed down and brought very low.
16  But when I stumbled, they gathered in delight;
      they gathered together against me; 
   as if they were strangers I did not know
      they tore at me without ceasing.
17  When I fell they mocked me; 
   they gnashed at me with their teeth.
18  O Lord, how long will you look on? 
   Rescue my soul from their ravages,
      and my poor life from the young lions.
19  I will give you thanks in the great congregation; 
   I will praise you in the mighty throng.
20  Do not let my treacherous foes rejoice over me, 
   or those who hate me without a cause
      mock me with their glances.
21  For they do not speak of peace, 
   but invent deceitful schemes against those that are quiet in the land.
22  They opened wide their mouths and derided me, saying 
   ‘We have seen it with our very eyes.’
23  This you have seen, O Lord; do not keep silent; 
   go not far from me, O Lord.
24  Awake, arise, to my cause, 
   to my defence, my God and my Lord!
25  Give me justice, O Lord my God,
      according to your righteousness; 
   let them not triumph over me.
26  Let them not say to themselves,
      ‘Our heart’s desire!’ 
   Let them not say, ‘We have swallowed him up.’
27  Let all who rejoice at my trouble be put to shame and confusion; 
   let those who boast against me
      be clothed with shame and dishonour.
28  Let those who favour my cause rejoice and be glad; 
   let them say always,
      ‘Great is the Lord, who delights in his servant’s well-being.’
29  So shall my tongue be talking of your righteousness 
   and of your praise all the day long.
5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow
Holy Spirit, sanctifier, cleans us from all hypocrisy, unite us to one another in the bonds of peace and love, and confirm us in holiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed
The reading may be followed by a period of silence for reflection, a hymn or
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
7 The Canticle, A Song to the Lamb
You are worthy, our Lord and God:
to receive glory and honour and power.
For you have created all things:
and by your will they have their being.
You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain:
and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God:
and they will reign with you on earth.
To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 4:11; 5:9b-10
8 The Prayers
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy Lord have mercy.
9 The Lord's Prayer and the Collect of the Day
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.

Give us today 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 for ever. Amen.
10 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need.
11 The Evening Collect
Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray: and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
12
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the God of all grace, who has called us to eternal glory in Christ, restore, establish, strengthen us. To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:10-11