"Our Great God and Savior" - Vespers 8 November 2020

 

O Lord Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior, your mercies and loving-kindnesses are new every morning. In your incarnation you united our humanity to divinity; you became the Son of Man that we might become sons of God; you brought us life and immortality to consume our death and mortality; and as our great High Priest you regard the humble prayers of all who call upon you, who call upon you in truth. Incline your ear and hear. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

Remember your Holy Universal Church, which you have liberated and laundered with your precious blood, including this congregation. Strengthen, O Lord, and have mercy upon all the ministers, pastors, elders, and overseers of your Church: guide us to feed your flock with the true Gospel, the whole counsel of God, sound doctrine, and rightly administered sacraments. May we pay careful attention to ourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made us overseers, to care for the church of God, which you obtained with your own blood (Acts 20:28). Approve and improve your Church, increase and expand her, and keep her in tranquility and harmony. Heal the splits of the churches, extinguish the furious fumings of the anti-Christians, promptly negate and eradicate all heterodoxy by the power of your Holy Spirit, and beat down Satan under our feet. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

Save, O Lord, and have mercy upon those who resent and insult us, those who seek to harm or harass us (…). Forgive them, turn their hearts, and through Jesus Christ bring them and us into your gates with thanksgiving, and into your courts with praise. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

Act, O Lord, and have mercy upon all world rulers, on our president and president-elect, on all our civil authorities, and all the people of this land. Reign supreme, rule over and when necessary over rule our aims and ambitions. May all peoples in all places come to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly before you! O Lord, hear our prayer. 

Revive, O Lord, and have mercy upon all trekking through trouble or trial, strife or suffering (…). Remember them, draw near to them to hold their heads above water, and by your command and compassion speedily grant them relief, freedom, and deliverance. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

And so, Lord Jesus, what we have here faithfully asked may we, please, effectively obtain for the honor of your name! Amen.