Daily Office - Aug 22

Psalm 113
Alleluia.
Give praise, you servants of the Lord, O praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore.
From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the Lord be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God, that has his throne so high,
yet humbles himself to behold the things of heaven and earth?
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ashes,
To set them with princes, with the princes of his people.
He gives the barren woman a place in the house
and makes her a joyful mother of children.
Alleluia.

Psalm 115
Not to us, Lord, not to us,
but to your name give the glory,
for the sake of your loving mercy and truth.
Why should the nations say,
‘Where is now their God?’

As for our God, he is in heaven;
he does whatever he pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but cannot speak;
eyes have they, but cannot see;
They have ears, but cannot hear;
noses have they, but cannot smell;
They have hands, but cannot feel;
feet have they, but cannot walk;
not a whisper do they make from their throats.
Those who make them shall become like them
and so will all who put their trust in them.
But you, Israel, put your trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
House of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
You that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
The Lord has been mindful of us and he will bless us;
may he bless the house of Israel;
may he bless the house of Aaron;
May he bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great together.
May the Lord increase you more and more, you and your children after you.
May you be blest by the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

The heavens are the heavens of the Lord,
but the earth he has entrusted to his children.
The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor those gone down into silence;
But we will bless the Lord,
from this time forth for evermore.
Alleluia.

Proverbs 20.1-22
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
   and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion;
   anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.
It is honourable to refrain from strife,
   but every fool is quick to quarrel.
The lazy person does not plough in season;
   harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.
The purposes in the human mind are like deep water,
   but the intelligent will draw them out.
Many proclaim themselves loyal,
   but who can find one worthy of trust?
The righteous walk in integrity—
   happy are the children who follow them!
A king who sits on the throne of judgement
   winnows all evil with his eyes.
Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean;
   I am pure from my sin’?
Diverse weights and diverse measures
   are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
Even children make themselves known by their acts,
   by whether what they do is pure and right.
The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
   the Lord has made them both.
Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty;
   open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
‘Bad, bad’, says the buyer,
   then goes away and boasts.
There is gold, and abundance of costly stones;
   but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.
Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;
   seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.
Bread gained by deceit is sweet,
   but afterwards the mouth will be full of gravel.
Plans are established by taking advice;
   wage war by following wise guidance.
A gossip reveals secrets;
   therefore do not associate with a babbler.
If you curse father or mother,
   your lamp will go out in utter darkness.
An estate quickly acquired in the beginning
   will not be blessed in the end.
Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’;
   wait for the Lord, and he will help you.

Mark 7.24-30
From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,
you are always more ready to hear than we to pray
and to give more than either we desire or deserve:
pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid
and giving us those good things
      which we are not worthy to ask
but through the merits and mediation
of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.