Morning Prayer

A Reading from the Wisdom of Ben Sira.

1 The leader of his brothers and the pride of his people    was the high priest, Simon son of Onias, who in his life repaired the house,    and in his time fortified the temple. 11 When he put on his glorious robe and clothed himself in perfect splendour, when he went up to the holy altar, he made the court of the sanctuary glorious. 12 When he received the portions from the hands of the priests,    as he stood by the hearth of the altar with a garland of brothers around him,    he was like a young cedar on Lebanon    surrounded by the trunks of palm trees. 13 All the sons of Aaron in their splendour    held the Lord’s offering in their hands    before the whole congregation of Israel. 14 Finishing the service at the altars,    and arranging the offering to the Most High, the Almighty, 15 he held out his hand for the cup    and poured a drink-offering of the blood of the grape; he poured it out at the foot of the altar,    a pleasing odour to the Most High, the king of all. 16 Then the sons of Aaron shouted;    they blew their trumpets of hammered metal; they sounded a mighty fanfare    as a reminder before the Most High. 17 Then all the people together quickly fell to the ground on their faces to worship their Lord, the Almighty, God Most High. 18 Then the singers praised him with their voices    in sweet and full-toned melody. 19 And the people of the Lord Most High offered    their prayers before the Merciful One, until the order of worship of the Lord was ended,    and they completed his ritual. 20 Then Simon came down and raised his hands    over the whole congregation of Israelites, to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips,    and to glory in his name; 21 and they bowed down in worship a second time, to receive the blessing from the Most High. 22 And now bless the God of all,    who everywhere works great wonders, who fosters our growth from birth,    and deals with us according to his mercy. 23 May he give us gladness of heart,    and may there be peace in our days    in Israel, as in the days of old. 24 May he entrust to us his mercy, and may he deliver us in our days!