Morning Prayer
Second Sunday before Advent
Sunday, 16 November 2025
Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
All and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Your faithful servants bless you.
All They make known the glory of your kingdom.
Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
ruler and judge of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
In the darkness of this age that is passing away
may the light of your presence which the saints enjoy
surround our steps as we journey on.
May we reflect your glory this day
and so be made ready to see your face
in the heavenly city where night shall be no more.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
All Blessed be God for ever.
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
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.
All Amen.
The Word of God
Psalm 98
Praise the Judge of the World
A Psalm.
1 O sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvellous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
have gained him victory.
2 The Lord has made known his victory;
he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
8 Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy
9 at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
All 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.
Old Testament Reading
Malachi 4:1-2
The Great Day of the Lord
4 See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
Canticle
All I will make a way in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert.
1‘I am the Lord, your Holy One, ♦
the Creator of Israel, your King.’
2Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, ♦
a path in the mighty waters,
3‘Remember not the former things, ♦
nor consider the things of old.
4‘Behold, I am doing a new thing; ♦
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
5‘I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert, ♦
to give drink to my chosen people,
6‘The people whom I formed for myself, ♦
that they might declare my praise.’ Isaiah 43.15, 16, 18, 19, 20c, 21
All 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.
All I will make a way in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert.
New Testament Reading
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Warning against Idleness
6 Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labour we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.
Gospel Reading
Luke 21:5-19
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, 6 ‘As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.’
Signs and Persecutions
7 They asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?’ 8 And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and, “The time is near!” Do not go after them.
9 ‘When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.’ 10 Then he said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.
12 ‘But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defence in advance; 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord,
All my lips shall proclaim your faithfulness.
The heavens bear witness to your wonders;
All I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
The assembly of your saints proclaims your truth;
All my lips shall proclaim your faithfulness.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
All I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord,
my lips shall proclaim your faithfulness. from Psalm 89
Gospel Canticle
Refrain:
All You will guide us with your counsel, O God,
and afterwards receive us with glory.
1Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, ♦
who has come to his people and set them free.
2He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, ♦
born of the house of his servant David.
3Through his holy prophets God promised of old ♦
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,
4To show mercy to our ancestors, ♦
and to remember his holy covenant.
5This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: ♦
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6Free to worship him without fear, ♦
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
7And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, ♦
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8To give his people knowledge of salvation ♦
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9In the tender compassion of our God ♦
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, ♦
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1.68-79
All 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.
Refrain:
All You will guide us with your counsel, O God,
and afterwards receive us with glory.
Prayers
Collect for this Sunday
Heavenly Father,
whose blessed Son was revealed
to destroy the works of the devil
and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life:
grant that we, having this hope,
may purify ourselves even as he is pure;
that when he shall appear in power and great glory
we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom;
where he is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Prayer During Transition
Dear Lord, our God and Father,
in this time of transition,
give us eyes to see Your presence
in our lives,
ears to listen to Your will,
lips to speak Your words,
and hands to do Your work.
Grant us grace and go before us,
as we seek Your Holy Spirit’s counsel,
as we live in community during this time,
and as we prepare for the arrival
of a new priest in our midst.
We pray this through Jesus Christ,
and for the sake of his kingdom,
in sure and certain hope of
Your promises to us.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
The Conclusion
May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory.
All Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.