Celtic Morning Prayer from Northumbria England

Father George told us about The Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings From the Northumbria Community when we shared abour our desire to visit churches in Scotland and England.

Gregg and I have been in the habit of using the Book of Common Prayer for our morning devotions, by listening to The Daily Office by Forward Movement. Today, we used the Celtic Daily Office Morning Prayer and decided it was perfect to use on our trip. Then we realized that, instead of taking the huge book with us, we can get it online at Northumbria Community’s Morning Prayer page.

Here is their prayer for Sunday, September 1, copied from their website. We love the basic format of these prayers. The scriptures and the meditation will change daily. I hope it encourages you as much as it did us.

Morning Prayer

Said or sung all together except for the sentences marked ‘Call’ which are for the Leader only.

+ indicates that you may make the sign of the cross.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.

Call: Who is it that you seek?
Response: We seek the Lord our God.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your heart?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your soul?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your mind?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your strength?
Response: Amen. Christ, have mercy.

Declaration of faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that You are the Holy One of God.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.

Today’s Scripture Reading

1 September

Psalm 85:9-11 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 

Exodus 25:22; 37:6-9 There I will meet you, and from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the covenant, I will deliver to you all my commands for the Israelites. 37 He made a mercy-seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its width. 7 He made two cherubim of hammered gold; at the two ends of the mercy-seat he made them,8 one cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other end; of one piece with the mercy-seat he made the cherubim at its two ends. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy-seat with their wings. They faced one another; the faces of the cherubim were turned towards the mercy-seat.

John 15:15-17 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

These Scripture Readings relate to the Eata Readings (Celtic Footrpints) in Celtic Daily Prayer 2

Today’s Meditation

In the present moment

Hurry is an unpleasant thing in itself, but also very unpleasant for whoever is around it. Some people came into my room and rushed in and rushed out and even when they were there they were not there – they were in the moment ahead or the moment behind. Some people who came in just for a moment were all there, completely in that moment.

Live from day to day, just from day to day. If you do so, you worry less and live more richly. If you let yourself be absorbed completely, if you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Prayers for others

Canticle
Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.

Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Return to the Northumbria Community Home page

Taken from Morning Prayer from Northumbria Community’s Celtic Daily Prayer published by Collins