And now we follow you with our whole heart

 

Morning prayer, Tuesday 25 June 2024

Canticle: Daniel 3: 26, 27, 29, 34-41
Azariah’s Prayer in the furnace

With your whole hearts turn to God and he will blot out all your sins (Acts 3:19).

Blessed are you, and praiseworthy, †
O Lord, the God of our fathers, *
and glorious forever is your name.

For you are just in all you have done; †
all your deeds are faultless, all your ways right, *
and all your judgments proper.

For we have sinned and transgressed †
by departing from you, *
and we have done every kind of evil.

For your name’s sake, do not deliver us up forever, *
or make void your covenant.

Do not take away your mercy from us, †
for the sake of Abraham, your beloved, *
Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,

to whom you promised to multiply their offspring †
like the stars of heaven, *
or the sand on the shore of the sea.

For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, †
brought low everywhere in the world this day *
because of our sins.

We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, †
no holocaust, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, *
no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.

But with contrite heart and humble spirit *
let us be received;
as though it were holocausts of rams and bullocks, *
or thousands of fat lambs,
so let our sacrifice be in your presence today †
as we follow you unreservedly; *
for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.

And now we follow you with our whole heart, *
we fear you and we pray to you.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, do not withhold your compassion from us.