Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 11

Opening Sentence
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil. i. 2.

Prayer From a Psalm of Ascent
V/ We will go into his tabernacle, * and fall low on our knees before his footstool.
R/ Amen! Thank you, Father, that Jesus gives us access to your Throne in time of need.
V/ Arise, O LORD, into thy resting-place; * thou, and the ark of thy strength.
R/ Amen! Thank you, Father, that Jesus has ascended to you, bearing our resurrection body.
V/ Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; * and let thy saints sing with joyfulness.
R/ Amen! Thank you, Father, that Jesus is our Great High Priest, ever interceding for us.
from the One Hundred Thirty Second Psalm, Book of Common Prayer 1928 (USA)

From the Morning Psalm
For I will not trust in my bow, * it is not my sword that shall help me;
But it is thou that savest us from our enemies, * and puttest them to confusion that hate us.
We make our boast of God all day long, * and will praise thy Name for ever.
But now thou art far off, and puttest us to confusion, * and goest not forth with our armies.
Thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies, * so that they which hate us spoil our goods.
Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep, * and hast scattered us among the heathen.
Thou sellest thy people for nought, * and takest no money for them.
Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours, * to be laughed to scorn, and had in derision of them that are round about us.
Thou makest us to be a by-word among the nations, * and that the peoples shake their heads at us.
My confusion is daily before me, * and the shame of my face hath covered me;
For the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer, * for the enemy and avenger.
And though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget thee, * nor behave ourselves frowardly in thy covenant.
Our heart is not turned back, * neither our steps gone out of thy way;
No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of dragons, * and covered us with the shadow of death.
From the Forty Fourth Psalm, Book of Common Prayer 1928 (USA)

Confession
Father, we walk in confusion and shame. Our Anglican Communion is scattered and many shake their heads at us. We confess that we have relied too much on our own "sword and bow" - our human wisdom and church inventions - instead of your perfect power and covenant in Jesus Christ.

But Father, we walk as pilgrims seeking your presence. "Our heart is not turned back, neither our steps gone out of the way." Though you have punished and scattered, we come to you for mercy. We come to you with pilgrim songs of praise and we boast in you all along the way.

V/ Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One,
R/ Have mercy upon us!

The Second Morning Lesson
Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.
In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
"Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.
Luke 4:31-41, NIV

Prayer
Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners!
We come to you from all over the world, seeking your healing hands for Anglican Christianity.
Rebuke our old, dead ways so that we can be amazed by your teaching and come under your authority. Silence our demons and send them away.
Let only news of you be heard.
Heal our infirmities.
Take away our limitations that we might serve others in your Name.
You are the Holy One of God. Amen.

Canticle
O LET Israel bless the Lord: * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Spirits and Souls of the Righteous, bless ye the Lord: * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye holy and humble Men of heart, bless ye the Lord: * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost: * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
From "Benedicite, omnia opera Domini." Book of Common Prayer, 1928 (USA)