Morning Prayer on Monday — Monday, 22 June 2026 — Alban, first Martyr of Britain, c.250 [Lesser Festival]

Preparation

O Lord, open our lips and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

The Acclamation of Christ at the Dawning of the Day (page 108) may replace the Preparation as the start of Morning Prayer on any occasion.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

One of these prayers of thanksgiving (page 109),

Blessed are you, Sovereign God, creator of all, to you be glory and praise for ever. You founded the earth in the beginning and the heavens are the work of your hands. In the fullness of time you made us in your image, and in these last days you have spoken to us in your Son Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. As we rejoice in the gift of your presence among us let the light of your love always shine in our hearts, your Spirit ever renew our lives and your praises ever be on our lips. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God for ever.

(or)

Blessed are you, creator of all, to you be praise and glory for ever. As your dawn renews the face of the earth bringing light and life to all creation, may we rejoice in this day you have made; as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep, open our eyes to behold your presence and strengthen our hands to do your will, that the world may rejoice and give you praise. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God for ever.

after Lancelot Andrewes (1626)

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Compassion

1 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness.

2 He will not always accuse us, neither will he keep his anger for ever.

3 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.

4 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy upon those who fear him.

5 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he set our sins from us.

6 As a father has compassion on his children, so is the Lord merciful towards those who fear him.

7 For he knows of what we are made; he remembers that we are but dust.

8 Our days are but as grass; we flourish as a flower of the field;

9 For as soon as the wind goes over it, it is gone, and its place shall know it no more.

10 But the merciful goodness of the Lord is from of old and endures for ever on those who fear him, and his righteousness on children’s children;

11 On those who keep his covenant and remember his commandments to do them.

Psalm 103.8-18

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

This opening prayer may be said

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. Amen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 71

O God, be not far from me.

1 In you, O Lord, do I seek refuge; let me never be put to shame.

2 In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; incline your ear to me and save me.

3 Be for me a stronghold to which I may ever resort; send out to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the evildoer and the oppressor.

5 For you are my hope, O Lord God, my confidence, even from my youth.

6 Upon you have I leaned from my birth, when you drew me from my mother’s womb; my praise shall be always of you.

7 I have become a portent to many, but you are my refuge and my strength.

8 Let my mouth be full of your praise and your glory all the day long.

9 Do not cast me away in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength fails.

10 For my enemies are talking against me, and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together.

11 They say, ‘God has forsaken him; pursue him and take him, because there is none to deliver him.’

12 O God, be not far from me; come quickly to help me, O my God.

13 Let those who are against me be put to shame and disgrace; let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn and reproach.

14 But as for me I will hope continually and will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth shall tell of your righteousness and salvation all the day long, for I know no end of the telling.

16 I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord God; I will recall your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, you have taught me since I was young, and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.

18 Forsake me not, O God, when I am old and grey-headed, till I make known your deeds to the next generation and your power to all that are to come.

19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens; in the great things you have done, who is like you, O God?

20 What troubles and adversities you have shown me, and yet you will turn and refresh me and bring me from the deep of the earth again.

21 Increase my honour; turn again and comfort me.

22 Therefore will I praise you upon the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips will sing out as I play to you, and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.

24 My tongue also will tell of your righteousness all the day long, for they shall be shamed and disgraced who sought to do me evil.

O God, be not far from me.

Faithful Lord, living Saviour, in youth and old age, from the womb to the grave, may we know your protection and proclaim your great salvation to the glory of God the Father.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Judges 8.22-end

Then the Israelites said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also; for you have delivered us out of the hand of Midian.’ Gideon said to them, ‘I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.’ Then Gideon said to them, ‘Let me make a request of you; each of you give me an ear-ring he has taken as booty.’ (For the enemy had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.) ‘We will willingly give them,’ they answered. So they spread a garment, and each threw into it an ear-ring he had taken as booty. The weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold (apart from the crescents and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and the collars that were on the necks of their camels). Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his town, in Ophrah; and all Israel prostituted themselves to it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family. So Midian was subdued before the Israelites, and they lifted up their heads no more. So the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon.

Jerubbaal son of Joash went to live in his own house. Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives. His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. Then Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash at Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

As soon as Gideon died, the Israelites relapsed and prostituted themselves with the Baals, making Baal-berith their god. The Israelites did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hand of all their enemies on every side; and they did not exhibit loyalty to the house of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.

Canticle

A Song of Deliverance, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 40 (page 591), may be said

All the earth, shout and sing for joy, for great in your midst is the Holy One. Alleluia.

1 ‘Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid;

2 ‘For the Lord God is my strength and my song, and has become my salvation.’

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

4 On that day you will say, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name;

5 ‘Make known his deeds among the nations, proclaim that his name is exalted.

6 ‘Sing God’s praises, who has triumphed gloriously; let this be known in all the world.

7 ‘Shout and sing for joy, you that dwell in Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.‘

Isaiah 12.2-6

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

All the earth, shout and sing for joy, for great in your midst is the Holy One. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

Luke 15.1-10

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

So he told them this parable: ‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and be not wise in your own sight. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and be not wise in your own sight. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and be not wise in your own sight.

from Proverbs 3

Gospel Canticle

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said, or the Te Deum Laudamus (A Song of the Church) (page 636) may be said

Blessed are those who are persecuted for the cause of right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Alleluia.

1 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who has come to his people and set them free.

2 He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, born of the house of his servant David.

3 Through his holy prophets God promised of old to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all that hate us,

4 To show mercy to our ancestors, and to remember his holy covenant.

5 This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

6 Free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

7 And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

8 To give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of all their sins.

9 In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

10 To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1.68-79

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for the cause of right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Alleluia.

Prayers

Intercessions are offered for the day and its tasks for the world and its needs for the Church and her life

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363

The media and the arts Farming and fishing Commerce and industry Those whose work is unfulfilling, stressful or fraught with danger All who are unemployed

One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

Eternal Father, when the gospel of Christ first came to our land you gloriously confirmed the faith of Alban by making him the first to win a martyr's crown: grant that, following his example, in the fellowship of the saints we may worship you, the living God, and give true witness to 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.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

(or)

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Conclusion

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000–2005 Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing.

The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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