Morning Prayer with Daily Office Network Live Community

Morning Prayer for Thursday 5.21.26

• Father Tom

Share episode

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 29:19
SPEAKER_05

Good morning and welcome. I'm Father Tom Roy, the Vicar of the Daily Office Network. I'm an ordained priest in the Diocese of Minnesota in the Episcopal Church. The Daily Office Network is a community of Christians who gather together on a daily basis to pray morning prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. We come in at 7 and 9 a.m. Eastern time. We use artwork, a news story. We have a video at the end. We come from several different countries and several different faith traditions. All are welcome here where we do our best to exercise tolerance and decency with one another. Now let's settle in and begin morning prayer. Today is Thursday, it is the 21st of May 2026. In the life of the church, our saint is Lydia Theatera, a co-worker of the Apostle Paul. Daily Office Network is podcasting. You can find us on Apple or Spotify. And there are links on our page here, or you can just search Daily Office Network on those platforms. Let's begin. You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds. Here's some goats resting in the thorns and the brambles. For almost a century, cartoons have depicted goats as animals that will eat anything. In Walt Disney's 1928 animated short, Steamboat Willie, for example, a goat eats Minnie Mouse's guitar and sheet music. In a Sony Pictures animation from 2026, full-length movie, Goat. The protagonist is a pygmy goat named Will Harris, eats an unopened tin can of nuts. Goats cannot, in fact, eat just about anything. But as foragers, they prefer a varied diet of brush over pasture. They're great for controlling invasive plant species, and that's why St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Romero, Michigan, hired a herd of goats to munch on poison ivy, honeysuckle, shrubs, vines, thorns, and other plants that have colonized its nearly 11-acre property. The Sustainable Land Clearing Project is a collaboration between St. Paul's Green Space, Romero, and Lake St. Clair Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area and Michael, a southeast Michigan-based business that rents goats. The long-term goal is to repurpose the underused property into a community green space, like a community garden. In the photo above, the goats are resting near the Brambles on May 2nd on the property of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. That's a novel idea. And they look pretty content. Addie, would you leave us in the invitatory in the Psalter?

SPEAKER_02

Lie open our lips.

SPEAKER_05

And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

SPEAKER_02

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen. Therefore, let us keep the peace. Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Death no longer has dominion over him. The death that he died, he died to sin once for all. But the life he lives, he lives to God. So consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God and Jesus Christ our Lord. Hallelujah. Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. So also in Christ shall all be made alive. Hallelujah.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Abdie. Our psalm appointed for this morning is a portion of Psalm number 105, verses 1 through 22. I'm going to ask Jill and Martha to lead our psalm. Jill, would you start?

SPEAKER_12

Give thanks to the Lord and call upon God's name. Make known the deeds of the Lord among the peoples.

SPEAKER_10

Sing to the Lord, sing praises, and speak of all God's marvelous works.

SPEAKER_12

Glory in God's holy name. Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

SPEAKER_10

Search for the Lord and the strength of the Lord. Continually seek the face of God.

SPEAKER_12

Remember the marvels God has done, the wonders and the judgments of God's mouth.

SPEAKER_10

Ospring of Abraham, God's servant, O children of Jacob, God's chosen.

SPEAKER_12

The Lord is our God, whose judgment prevails in all the world.

SPEAKER_10

The Lord has always been mindful of the covenant. The promise made for a thousand generations.

SPEAKER_12

The covenant made with Abraham, the oath sworn to Isaac.

SPEAKER_10

Which God established as a statue for Jacob. An everlasting covenant for Israel.

SPEAKER_12

Saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan to be your allotted inheritance.

SPEAKER_10

When they were few in number, a little account and sojourners of the land.

SPEAKER_12

Saying, Do not touch my anointed and do my prophets no harm.

SPEAKER_10

And destroyed the supply of bread.

SPEAKER_12

The Lord sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

SPEAKER_10

He bruised his feet in feathers, his neck he put in an iron collar.

SPEAKER_12

Until his prediction came to pass. The word of the Lord tested him.

SPEAKER_10

The king sent and released him. The ruler of the people set him free.

SPEAKER_12

He set him as a master over his household. As a ruler over all his possessions.

SPEAKER_10

To instruct his princess as co according to his will. And to teach his elders wisdom.

SPEAKER_12

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

SPEAKER_10

Amen.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Jill and Martha. That was a great reading. Zechariah's vision of a lampstand and two olive trees was one of many images reprised by John the Divine in the Revelation. This is digital art by Ted Larson. Our first reading is from Zechariah chapter four, verses one through fourteen. Chad, would you lead this?

SPEAKER_00

The angel who talked with me came again and wakened me as one is wakened from sleep. He said to me, What do you see? And I said, I see a lampstand, olive gold, with a bowl on the top of it. There are seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. And by it there are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left. I said to the angel who talked with me, What are these, my lord? And then the angel who talked with me answered me, Do you not know what these are? I said, No, my lord. He said to me, This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubabel you shall become a plain, and he shall bring out the topstone amid shouts of grace, grace to it. Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this house, his hand shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of a small thing shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are these seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth. Then I said to him, What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand? And the second time I said to him, What are these two bunches of the olive trees which pour out oil through the two golden pipes? He said to me, Do you not know what these are? I said, No, my lord. Then he said, These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth. The word of the Lord.

SPEAKER_05

Thanks be to God. Thank you, Chan. Our first canticle is a song of wisdom. Marcia, would you lead this one?

SPEAKER_04

Wisdom free from a nation of oppressors, a holy people and a blameless race. She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, with stood dread rulers with wonders and signs. To the saints she gave the reward of their labours and led them by a marvelous way. She was their shelter by day and the blaze of stars by night. She brought them across the Red Sea, she led them through mighty waters, but their enemies she swallowed in the waves, and spewed them out from the depths of the abyss. And then, Lord, the righteous sang hymns to your name, and praised with one voice your protecting hand. For wisdom opened the mouth of the mute, and gave speech to the tongues of a newborn people.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Marcia. This is the pulpit at Washington National Cathedral. Of course, we don't normally see it this close, so you can see all the detail. Paul, would you lead this?

SPEAKER_09

Now this I affirm and insist as in the Lord. You must no longer live as the Gentiles live in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. They have lost all sensitivity, and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. That is not the way you learned Christ. For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with a new self, created according to the likeness of God, in true righteousness and holiness. So then, put away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry, but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing. Rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, not only what is useful for building up as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear, and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you. The word of the Lord.

SPEAKER_05

Thanks be to God. Thank you, Paul. Some good advice that is really practical today. Our second canticle is a song of true motherhood. Jacqueline, would you lead this one?

SPEAKER_03

God sorry, God chose to be our mother in all things, and so made the foundation of his work most humbly and most pure in the Virgin's womb. God, the perfect wisdom of all, arrayed himself in his this humble place. Christ came in our poor flesh to share a mother's care. Our mothers bear us for pain and for death. Our true mother, Jesus, bears us for joy and endless life. Christ carried us within him in love and travail until the full time of his passion. And when all was completed, and he had carried us so for joy, still all this could not satisfy the power of his wonderful love. All that we owe is redeemed in truly loving God. For the love of Christ works in us.

SPEAKER_05

Deacon Elizabeth, would you lead this?

SPEAKER_06

Sure. And after getting into a boat, Jesus crossed the sea and came to his own town. And just then some people were carrying a paralytic man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Take heart, son, your sins are forgiven. Then some of the scribes say to themselves, This man is blaspheming, but Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier to say, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, stand up and walk. But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. He then said to the paralytic, Stand up, take your bed and go to your home. And he stood up and went to his home. When the crowd saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God who had given such authority to human beings. The word of the Lord.

SPEAKER_05

Thanks be to God. Thank you, Deacon. And now the apostle's creed. Carol, would you lead us in the creed?

SPEAKER_11

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day, he rose again, he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

SPEAKER_05

Amen. Thank you, Patricia. Or thank you, Carol. And now the prayers begin with our Lord's Prayer. Robert, would you lead us in the Lord's Prayer and then we'll read the suffrages? The Lord be with you. And also with you.

SPEAKER_01

Let us 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. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. The kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

SPEAKER_05

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.

SPEAKER_01

Govern and uphold them now and always.

SPEAKER_05

Day by day we bless you.

SPEAKER_01

We praise your name forever.

SPEAKER_05

Lord, keep us from all sin today.

SPEAKER_01

Have mercy on us, Lord. Have mercy.

SPEAKER_05

Lord, show us your love and mercy.

SPEAKER_01

For we put our trust in you. In you, Lord, is our hope. And we shall never hope in vain. Thank you, Robert.

SPEAKER_05

This is Lydia, our saint of the day, or an icon of Lydia. She was St. Paul's first European convert, a wealthy businesswoman who gave Paul and his companions lodging in a base of operations. Guidance. Patricia, would you lead us in these two prayers?

SPEAKER_08

Eternal God, who gives good gifts to all people and who grants the spirit of generosity, give us, we pray you, hearts that are always hoping to hear your word, that following the example of your servant Lydia, we may show hospitality to all who are in any need or trouble, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being. We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life, we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SPEAKER_05

Amen. Thank you, Patricia. And now it's time to take a look at America's gun toll. Look at how many people got shot or killed in the past week with all the guns that we have have here in America. Here's where things stand this week. These are our stats as of Monday. Our spotlight takes us to Austin, Texas. And this one's a little different because it doesn't trip the mass shooting or mass murder numbers. So when I went to look for this, I actually found this in the mainstream media and not on gunviolencearchive.com. This is really a difficult story to deal with here. At least 12 shootings in Austin beginning on Saturday, this last Saturday, which would have been the 16th, left four people wounded, including one person seriously hurt. Not at the same locations, at all different locations, at 12 different locations. Officials said that two teen suspects are in custody, and a third teen suspect has been a third suspect has been detained. Austin police said the incident began at about 3.45 p.m. Saturday afternoon with a vehicle being reported stolen from apartment complex, followed by a firearm being reported stolen from a store. The teens then conducted shootings at two locations on Saturday. And then they stopped until Sunday morning at 8.45 when they shot a man who was walking his dog. They shot him in the back. Two firehouses were also targeted with a fire engine being hit while some of the fire personnel were standing behind it, I'm guessing, to avoid being shot. And it appears that the teams were randomly shooting whatever drew their attention at two locations on Saturday and 10 locations on Sunday. It makes absolutely no sense, but it also spotlights and highlights how easily accessible firearms are in the United States. We take a look at last week's totals. Those who were killed by gunfire in the U.S., 235. And brings our total, I'm sorry, 300 and 235 in the week before it was 274. The number went down a little bit. Brings our total year-to-date kill to 4,724. And those who were injured by gunfire in the country, that went up. No doubt four of those were the shootings in Austin to 519. It had been 503 the week before. It brings our total year-to-date injured in the United States to 8,414 people. And so we pray a prayer to end gun violence. Michael Brown, would you lead this prayer?

SPEAKER_07

Oh Lord our God, we pray for the victims of the other pandemic as gun violence ravages our homes, our streets, our businesses, schools, and houses of worship. We pray for the children killed and injured, for their families, classmates, teachers and school employees. We pray for teenagers gunned down before their lives have really started. We pray for police officers who keep fighting a never-ending battle while trying to keep themselves and everyone else safe. And we pray for an end to racial profiling and law enforcement. We pray for all who are depressed or mentally ill, wanting to hurt themselves and others. In a nation where guns are everywhere, we pray for the victims of crime who are forced to defend themselves and their loved ones. We pray for anti-violence activists and community leaders. In a time when new methods of protest and reform must be created. Let your demands for justice and cries for peace be heard, O Lord, in our legislative chambers and in our hearts. May your healing grace overtake this land through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

SPEAKER_05

Amen. Thank you, Michael. Martha, would you lead us in the prayer for the mission of the church?

SPEAKER_10

Almighty God. You send your son Jesus Christ to reconcile the world to yourself. We praise and bless you for those whom you have sent in the power of the Spirit to preach the gospel to all nations. We thank you that in all parts of the earth, a community of love has been gathered together by the prayers and leavers. And that in every place your servants call upon your knee. For the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours forever. Amen.

SPEAKER_05

Let us bless the Lord.

SPEAKER_10

Thanks be to God. Hallelujah, hallelujah.

SPEAKER_05

Now go in safety, for you cannot go where God is not. And God's blessing be with you. Christ's peace be with you. The Spirit's outpouring be with you now and always. Amen. And that is morning prayer on this Thursday. Thank you for coming to pray today. Wherever you go, take that love of Jesus that lives inside of you and your heart. Share that Jesus with the world. Show that Jesus to the world. Hope to see you back with us tomorrow safe and sound.