SUNDAY—February 6, 2022

THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME A LITURGY FOR WORSHIP GATHERING SONG Holy, Holy, Holy! Blest God Almighty! (Click Here For Music) Holy, Holy, Holy! Blest God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty! God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity! Holy, Holy, Holy! All the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be. Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful one's, thy glory may not see: Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee, Perfect in power in love, and purity. Holy, holy, holy! Blest God Almighty! All thy works shall praise thy name in earth, and sky, and sea; Holy, Holy, Holy! merciful and mighty, God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity! PRAYER FOR THE DAY Perfect Light of revelation, as you shone in the life of Jesus, whose epiphany we celebrate, so shine in us and through us, that we may become beacons of truth and compassion, enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy. Amen. —https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/ PRAYER FOR SCRIPTURE READING Loving God, you have called forth disciples and prophets to live and speak your word. Give us ears to hear, lives to respond, and voices to proclaim the good news of salvation, which we know in your compassion and mercy. Blessed are You and blessed is your Kin-Dom, now and forever. Amen. FIRST READING Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13) 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 6:2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their genitals, and with two they flew. 6:3 And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." 6:4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 6:5 And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" 6:6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 6:7 The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!" 6:9 And he said, "Go and say to this people: 'Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.' 6:10 Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed." 6:11 Then I said, "How long, O Lord?" And he said: "Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is utterly desolate; 6:12 until the LORD sends everyone far away, and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land. 6:13 Even if a tenth part remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains standing when it is felled." The holy seed is its stump. PRAYER FOR THE HEBREW READING Holy God, you call your servants to faith, and then you call your servants to service. Cleanse and open our lips that we may declare your praise to the ends of the earth; O Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen. —New Collects for Modern Lectionaries: Written for the Sunday and Festival themes in the Revised Common Lectionary. PSALMODY Psalm 138 138:1 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; 138:2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness; for you have exalted your name and your word above everything. 138:3 On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul. 138:4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth. 138:5 They shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD. 138:6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away. 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me. 138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. PSALM PRAYER Holy God, exalt your steadfast love and your faithfulness in the souls of your humble servants. As we give thanks now in your holy temple, let us worship you forever in your presence with your holy angels. Amen. —from the Sarum Rite (16th Century) SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 15:2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you--unless you have come to believe in vain. 15:3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 15:4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 15:8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them--though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe. PRAYER FOR THE EPISTLE READING O God, you enlighten all nations. Give your people the constant joy of peace, and pour into our hearts that radiant light you shine into the minds of all who turn to you. Amen. —from the Gelsian Sacramentary (8th Century) GOSPEL READING Luke 5:1-11 5:1 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 5:2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 5:3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." 5:5 Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." 5:6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 5:7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 5:8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" 5:9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 5:10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who are partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." 5:11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. PRAYER FOR THE GOSPEL READING O God, you lead us from the shallows into the depths. And in the deep places where life is challenged with the void of emptiness, you would have us reach out to others. What we find is that abundant life is to be found in loving and caring for one another. Gather us in, O God, in the net of your reconciling justice and peace. Bring us all, alas, to the shore where we would follow you ever more faithfully. Amen. PRAYER OF INTERCESSION Holy One, God of all Mercy and Compassion: to you we lift our hearts and minds in prayer. ■ For the Church: that we may be attentive to God’s invitations and allow Jesus to draw our attention away from our fear and limits so that we can respond to all that God asks . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For the growth of faith: that the teaching and ministry of Jesus may be the foundation of our lives and inspire all our words, deeds, and desires . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For a greater recognition of our poverty: that the Spirit of God will help us acknowledge how much we need God, free us to ask for God’s help, and open us to receive God’s wisdom and insight . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For the grace to deeply listen: that we may follow Christ away from the noise and demands of daily life and enter the silent depths of our hearts where we can hear God’s words of life and love . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For all who lead others to God, particularly spiritual directors, retreat masters, and evangelists: that God will inspire their words, open hearts to receive them, and help many to encounter Christ . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For all who are discerning God's call or beginning a new commitment: that God will free them from fear, guide them along the path to life, and help them to trust that God will provide all that they need in life . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For greater trust: that we may rely upon God’s love and providence as we enter the deeper waters of vocation, marriage, parenting and employment . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For an ever-deepening conversion of heart: that the Holy Spirit will help us discover our misdirection, guide us in practicing the teachings of Jesus, and lead us to greater faith, stronger hope, and deeper love . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For all who feel unwelcome or unworthy before God: that God’s unconditional love may heal and free them so that they may live in the freedom of the children of God . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For all who are ill: that God will heal the sick, lift the burden of those with mental illness, inspire healthcare providers with insights, and give strength to their families . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For all who have died: that they may share fully in the new life of the resurrection and live with God forever . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For all who are suffering: that God will protect communities from violence, bring relief to those facing starvation or drought, guide those who are facing the power of nature . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For all participating in the Olympic Games: that they may celebrate the athletic gifts that God has given them and promote a spirit of respect and understanding within the human family . . . God of love, hear our prayer. ■ For peace: that God will inspire those working to reduce tension in Eastern Europe, bring forth new understanding of one another’s concerns, and open new paths for justice and respect . . . God of love, hear our prayer. —Joe Milner, https://liturgy.slu.edu/5OrdC020622 HYMN OF DEDICATION Here I am Lord—Daniel L. Schutte (Click Here For Music) I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard My people cry. All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save. I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright. Who will bear My light to them? Whom shall I send? Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord? I have heard You calling in the night. I will go Lord, if You lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart. I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame. I will set a feast for them, My hand will save Finest bread I will provide, Till their hearts be satisfied. I will give My life to them, Whom shall I send? Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord? I have heard You calling in the night. I will go Lord, if You lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart. GOING FORTH Blessed is God and blessed is God's Kin-Dom. Go forth as those blessed to be a blessing. And the blessing of the Holy, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One be with you. Now and forevermore. Amen.