Electric See Chapel
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October 2026

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The Chapel archive contains Daily Office readings and reflections that have already been delivered.

October 7, 2026

Morning Prayer

Feria (Green)

Psalms: Psalm 37, Pt 1

King James Version

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous. 18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. 21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. 22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

First Lesson: Ezekiel 37:1-14

King James Version

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, 2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. 12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

Second Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-end

King James Version

12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings. 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Reflection

“Can these bones live?” It is the question asked by the Lord to Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones. The prophet’s answer is both modest and faithful: “O Lord GOD, thou knowest.” He does not pretend that he can see life where there is only death. He does not manufacture optimism. He entrusts the matter to God.

That is often the beginning of Christian hope. We look at a situation—a family, a Church, a nation, or our own soul—and we see what is dry, scattered, and apparently beyond repair. We know what has been lost. We know how long the bones have lain in the sun. And yet the question remains: can these bones live? The answer is not found in our strength or ingenuity, but in the word and Spirit of the living God.

“Prophesy upon these bones,” God commands. Ezekiel speaks, and the bones come together; sinews and flesh appear; skin covers them. Yet still there is no breath in them. It is a vivid reminder that outward order, though good and necessary, is not life itself. A body may be assembled, a community may be organised, and a Church may have her offices, services, and traditions—and we rightly give thanks for the gracious order of the Church of England—but only God can give the breath of life.

So the prophet must speak again: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” In Scripture, the word for breath is closely joined to spirit. The life of God comes from God. It is not summoned by human enthusiasm, nor secured by mere activity. We are made alive by the Holy Spirit, through the Word which God commands his servants to proclaim.

The vision has a particular promise for Israel: “These bones are the whole house of Israel.” Their condition is expressed in the words, “Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.” But the Lord says, “O my people, I will open your graves.” His covenant mercy is stronger than Israel’s desolation. He will restore his people, not because they have found within themselves a hidden reserve of life, but because he is faithful to his word.

That same confidence governs St Paul’s closing exhortations to the Thessalonians. Since God is the giver of life, the Church is to live as a people being sanctified by him. “Warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.” These commands assume a real Church, with real responsibilities and real differences among her members. The unruly need warning; the faint-hearted need comfort; the weak need support. Christian love is not vague approval of everything, but patient faithfulness to each person’s true good.

And over all these duties stands the rhythm of a Spirit-filled life: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks.” This is not a command to pretend that sorrow is not sorrow, or that dry bones are already living. It is the discipline of looking beyond present appearances to the God who raises the dead. We rejoice because Christ has conquered death. We pray because the life we need comes from above. We give thanks because, in every circumstance, God remains faithful.

Therefore St Paul says, “Quench not the Spirit,” but also, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” The Christian is neither gullible nor cynical. We test what we hear by the apostolic faith, holding fast to what is true and abstaining from every form of evil. The Spirit who gives life does not lead us into disorder, but into holiness, patience, peace, and obedience.

Psalm 37 gives the same counsel in another form: “Trust in the LORD, and do good”; “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him.” We need not fret because evil appears to prosper, nor despair when God’s work seems hidden. The Lord knows the days of the upright. He can bring righteousness forth “as the light,” and he can put his Spirit into a people who say that their hope is lost.

So let us bring him whatever in us is dry and lifeless. Let us hear his Word, wait upon his Spirit, and continue faithfully in prayer, thanksgiving, and love. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”

Evening Prayer

Feria (Green)

Psalms: Psalm 37, Pt 2

King James Version

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. 28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. 32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. 33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the LORD shall help them and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

First Lesson: Ezekiel 37:15-end

King James Version

15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? 19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. 20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. 21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

Second Lesson: Hebrews 2

King James Version

1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? 5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. 6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Reflection

The prophet Ezekiel gives us a striking sign: two sticks, separately marked, are placed together until they become one in the hand of God. The divided people of Israel are promised a future in which they will be gathered, cleansed, and made one nation, under “one shepherd”. God’s purpose is not merely to bring scattered people into the same place, but to make them one in him.

That promise finds its deepest fulfilment in Jesus Christ. He is the true Davidic shepherd, the King who gathers God’s people. Yet Hebrews shows us that he gathers them in a way no earthly ruler could: by becoming one with them. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same.” The Son of God did not save us from a safe distance. He took our nature, entered our weakness, endured temptation, and tasted death.

This is the ground of Christian comfort. We are not asked to approach a Saviour who knows human life only by observation. Jesus knows hunger, weariness, grief, fear, pain, and the pressure of temptation. He has suffered, and therefore, as Hebrews says, “he is able to succour them that are tempted.” He is not ashamed to call us brethren. The Lord who reigns in glory is also the merciful and faithful High Priest who understands the condition of those whom he came to save.

The Psalm gives the same assurance in a different image: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD.” This does not mean that the righteous never fall. Indeed, the next verse says, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down.” The Christian life is not a promise of uninterrupted success, but of a hand that will not let us go. Christ’s help does not always prevent the trial; it sustains us through it. He does not merely point out the right road; he walks it with us.

For that reason Hebrews begins with a warning: “We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” Salvation can be neglected—not necessarily through open rejection, but through inattention. The word of God may be allowed to slide from our minds, the promises of Christ become familiar background, prayer become occasional, and worship become something we mean to resume when life is less busy.

So the proper response is attentive faith. We hold fast to the Gospel because it is “so great salvation”. We listen again to the promises, return to the prayers, receive the sacraments with faith, and let the teaching of Christ govern our thoughts and conduct. In the ordered worship of the Church, and especially in the sober, scriptural offices inherited in our own Church of England, God graciously trains us not to drift. The Church sets before us the same Christ, morning and evening: the crucified and risen Lord, our Shepherd and our High Priest.

Ezekiel says that when God has gathered and united his people, “my tabernacle also shall be with them”. The greatest blessing is not simply unity, safety, or a restored homeland. It is God’s presence. “I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” In Christ, God has drawn near in the flesh; and through Christ he makes a people for himself. Christian unity is therefore not manufactured by ignoring truth or by pretending that division does not matter. It is received as we are gathered around the one Lord, hearing his one Gospel, and submitting to his one shepherding care.

There is still much in the world—and sometimes in our own hearts—that is scattered, anxious, and divided. But we see Jesus: made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honour, and tasting death for every man. We see the One who has entered our condition in order to bring many sons and daughters unto glory.

Therefore, do not let the promise slip. Trust the Shepherd who became your brother. Give earnest heed to his word, wait upon the Lord, and take the next step in faith. Though you fall, you shall not be utterly cast down, for the hand that was pierced for you is still upholding you.