Holy Eucharist for The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
23 February 2025
according to the Book of Common Prayer (p. 355ff.)
Share These Prayers
Invite someone to scan this QR code to pray with you.
We Gather in God’s Name
Entrance Hymn: If I have wounded any soul today (LEVAS 176)
BCP 355
The people stand as able.
Greeting
Officiant:
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People:
And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
The Collect for Purity
Officiant:
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Song of Praise: Officiant’s Choice
Trishagion
BCP 356
Officiant:
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
People:
Have mercy upon us.
or
Peruvian Alleluia
Call and response:
Alleluia Amen. Alleluia Amen.
Alleluia Amen. Alleluia Amen.
Alleluia Amen. Alleluia Amen.
Glory to God, glory to God, glory in the highest.
Glory to God, glory to God, glory in the highest.
To God be glory forever.
To God be glory forever.
Alleluia Amen. Alleluia Amen.
Alleluia Amen. Alleluia Amen.
Alleluia Amen. Alleluia Amen.
Gloria a Dios, gloria a Dios, gloria en los cielos.
Gloria a Dios, gloria a Dios, gloria en los cielos.
A Dios la gloria por siempre.
A Dios la gloria por siempre.
Alleluia Amen. Alleluia Amen.
Alleluia Amen. Alleluia Amen.
Alleluia Amen. Alleluia Amen.
The Collect of the Day
Officiant:
The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you.
Officiant:
Let us pray.
O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
People:
Amen.
The people are seated.
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson: Genesis 45:3-11,15
Lector:
A reading from the book of Genesis.
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there–since there are five more years of famine to come–so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’”
And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.
Lector:
The word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 37:1-12,41-42
Noli aemulari
1
Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; *
do not be jealous of those who do wrong.
2
For they shall soon wither like the grass, *
and like the green grass fade away.
3
Put your trust in the LORD and do good; *
dwell in the land and feed on its riches.
4
Take delight in the LORD, *
and he shall give you your heart’s desire.
5
Commit your way to the LORD and put your trust in him, *
and he will bring it to pass.
6
He will make your righteousness as clear as the light *
and your just dealing as the noonday.
7
Be still before the LORD *
and wait patiently for him.
8
Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *
the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
9
Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *
do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.
10
For evildoers shall be cut off, *
but those who wait upon the LORD shall possess the land.
11
In a little while the wicked shall be no more; *
you shall search out their place, but they will not be there.
12
But the lowly shall possess the land; *
they will delight in abundance of peace.
41
But the deliverance of the righteous comes from the LORD; *
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
42
The LORD will help them and rescue them; *
he will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them,
because they seek refuge in him.
The Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15:35-38,42-50
Lector:
A reading from Paul’s first epistle to the church in Corinth.
Someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.
So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Lector:
The word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn: Don’t be discouraged when trouble’s in your life (LEVAS 208)
The people stand as able.
The Holy Gospel: Luke 6:27-38
Deacon:
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
People:
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Deacon:
Jesus said, “I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
Deacon:
The Gospel of the Lord.
People:
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The people are seated.
A brief homily, spiritual conversation, or moment of silence may be placed here.
Silence follows the homily.
We Respond in Faith
BCP 358
The Nicene Creed
The people stand as able.
Officiant and People:
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God,
Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
Today the response to the prompt, “let us pray” is, “Lord, have mercy.” The final verse and response, as we “offer ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ,” is “To you, O Lord.”
Silence
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
BCP 360
Confession of Sin
Deacon:
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
The people kneel or stand as able. Silence may be kept. Officiant and People:
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Priest:
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.
People:
Amen.
The Peace
Presider:
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People:
And also with you.
We greet one another in the name of the Lord.
The people are seated.
The Announcements
We Offer Ourselves To God
The altar is prepared
The people stand as able.
Hymn: Offertory
BCP 369
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer C
Celebrant:
The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you.
Celebrant:
Lift up your hearts.
People:
We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant:
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People:
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
The Celebrant continues:
God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of
glory and praise.
People:
Glory to you for ever and ever.
Celebrant:
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home.
People:
By your will they were created and have their being.
Celebrant:
From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed your trust; and we turned against one another.
People:
Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight.
Celebrant:
Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the fullness of time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace.
People:
By his blood, he reconciled us.
By his wounds, we are healed.
Celebrant:
And therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with all those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:
LEVAS 255
Sanctus
Celebrant and People:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The Celebrant continues:
And so, Father, we who have been redeemed by him, and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring before you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
On the night he was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper, he took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Remembering now his work of redemption, and offering to you this sacrifice of thanksgiving,
Celebrant and People:
We celebrate his death and resurrection,
as we await the day of his coming.
The Celebrant continues:
Lord God of our Fathers; God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us. Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the
world in his name.
People:
Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread.
Celebrant:
Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus Christ our great High Priest, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory, and worship, from generation to generation.
People:
AMEN.
LEVAS 264
BCP 364
The Lord’s Prayer
Presider:
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
Officiant and People:
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.
LEVAS 269
The Breaking of the Bread
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: grant us your peace.
Presider:
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
pb
We Receive the Gift of God
“If a person desires to receive the Sacrament, but, by reason of extreme sickness or physical disability, is unable to eat and drink the Bread and Wine, the Celebrant is to assure that person that all the benefits of Communion are received, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.” (BCP, 457)
The ministers receive the Sacrament in both kinds, and then immediately deliver it to the people. All are welcome to receive at Christ’s table. If you would prefer to receive a verbal blessing instead of communion, cross your arms over your chest to indicate this.
Hymn: Communion
BCP 366
The Post-communion Prayer
Presider:
Let us pray.
People:
Almighty and everliving God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
The Blessing
Hymn: Processional
BCP 366
The Dismissal
Deacon:
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.