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 19, 2026

Morning Prayer

Feria (Green)

Psalms: Psalm 98, 99

King James Version

1 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. 2 The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. 3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. 6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King. 7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together 9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. 1 The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. 2 The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. 3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. 4 The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob. 5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. 6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them. 7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them. 8 Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. 9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

First Lesson: Ezra 9

King James Version

1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. 3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied. 4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. 5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God. 6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. 7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 9 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. 12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever. 13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; 14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? 15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.

Second Lesson: Titus 1:1-2:8

King James Version

1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; 3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; 4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. 5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. 12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. 15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. 1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. 3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. 6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. 7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Reflection

The appointed readings place before us a searching question: what does the truth of God look like when it has taken hold of ordinary life?

Psalm 99 gives the foundation: “The LORD our God is holy.” His holiness is not an ornament or an abstract idea. It is the reality before which all human life is measured. He is the King who loves judgment and establishes equity. Yet the same psalm also says that he is the God who forgave his people, though he did not simply overlook their sins. His mercy does not make holiness less serious; it makes repentance possible.

Ezra knows this. When he hears that the returned people have mingled themselves with the surrounding nations and have adopted their abominations, he is devastated. He does not begin by blaming others. He says, “Our iniquities are increased over our head,” and, “We remain yet escaped, as it is this day.” Ezra sees both the seriousness of sin and the astonishing patience of God. “Thou hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve,” he prays, and yet God has given them “a little reviving” in their bondage.

That is a good prayer for the Church, and a good prayer for every Christian household: Lord, we have not been as faithful as we ought; we have received more mercy than we deserve; do not let us squander the grace you have given.

In Titus, St Paul shows what such repentance is meant to produce. The Church in Crete is not merely to possess correct opinions. Titus is to “speak the things which become sound doctrine.” Christian teaching is sound when it makes Christian lives sound. The truth we confess in church must become sobriety, patience, charity, self-control, hospitality, faithfulness, and good works.

Paul addresses the older men and women, the younger women, and the younger men. He assumes that Christian character is learned within the communion of the Church, especially through the example of those who are more mature. The aged are not spiritually retired; they have a ministry of instruction. Their conduct is itself a lesson. Their speech, patience, marriage, family life, and use of freedom all teach the next generation what the Gospel means.

This is why Paul is so concerned that leaders be “a pattern of good works.” The Church is not built by impressive talk alone. A minister must hold fast the faithful word, but he must also live in such a way that the word is not contradicted by his life. Likewise, every Christian bears witness not only by what he says, but by the habits he permits, the promises he keeps, the tempers he governs, and the duties he performs when no one applauds.

The difficult passage concerning wives and husbands belongs within this larger appeal to holiness. It is not a licence for selfish rule. Scripture gives no permission for a husband to be harsh, faithless, or self-willed; indeed, such conduct would deny the very order and goodness which Paul commends. The Christian household is to be a place where obedience, love, chastity, patience, and responsibility are made visible. The purpose is that “the word of God be not blasphemed”—that those who look upon Christian lives may not find the Gospel contradicted there.

Our own Church, in her sober wisdom, has always insisted that doctrine and life belong together. We are not saved by our good works, but a living faith cannot remain barren. Grace does not merely pardon the past; it trains us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

So let us ask for more than the ability to speak about holiness. Let us ask for holiness itself: sound doctrine in our minds, repentance in our hearts, and good works in our homes and in the Church. For the Lord is holy, yet merciful; he judges rightly, yet gives reviving grace. Before such a God we may kneel without pretending, and rise without despair.

Evening Prayer

Feria (Green)

Psalms: Psalm 100, 101

King James Version

1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. 1 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. 2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. 4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. 5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. 6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. 7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. 8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

First Lesson: Ezra 10:1-19

King James Version

1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore. 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. 3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. 4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. 5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware. 6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away. 7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; 8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away. 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. 11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do. 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing. 14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us. 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. 16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. 17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month. 18 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.

Second Lesson: Hebrews 10:19-end

King James Version

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. 34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Reflection

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.”

The word “therefore” gathers up the whole argument of Hebrews. Because Christ has offered himself once for all, because he is the great High Priest over the house of God, we are no longer shut out from the presence of the Lord. The veil has been opened. The way into the holiest is not opened by our respectability, our religious achievements, or our successful keeping of every resolution. It is opened by the blood of Jesus.

That is a bold comfort—but it is not a cheap comfort. The same passage that invites us to draw near also warns us not to trample upon the Son of God or treat the blood of the covenant as an ordinary thing. Grace gives us access to God, and grace therefore calls forth reverence, repentance, and a life that belongs to him.

This helps us to read the difficult passage from Ezra. The people have returned from exile, but their outward return has not yet amounted to a wholehearted return to God. Ezra discovers that many have entered marriages which, in the circumstances of that time, threaten to draw Israel back into the idolatry from which the Lord had delivered them. The matter is treated as a national and covenantal crisis. There is confession, weeping, examination, and costly reform.

We must be careful here. This passage is not a warrant for contempt of those who are outside the Church, nor a permission to treat marriage and family life carelessly. It belongs to the particular vocation of Israel under the old covenant, guarding the people through whom the promised Messiah would come. Yet its spiritual seriousness remains. We cannot draw near to God while deliberately making peace with the idols that claim our loyalty. There are attachments, habits, ambitions, and influences which may appear harmless, but which steadily turn the heart away from the living God.

Notice, however, where Ezra’s reform begins: with prayer and confession. He does not begin by congratulating the people on their religious pedigree. He falls before the house of God and mourns the trespass. Then the congregation is gathered, and “there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.” That is a beautiful sentence. Conviction is not the end of the road. When sin is honestly confessed before God, hope remains—not because sin is insignificant, but because the Lord is merciful and calls his people back.

Psalm 100 gives us the right atmosphere for this return: “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” We are not our own makers. “It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves.” We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Therefore repentance is not the miserable attempt of strangers to earn admission. It is the homecoming of those who belong to the Shepherd. We enter his gates with thanksgiving because “his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Psalm 101 then shows what such thanksgiving looks like in daily life. The one who sings of mercy and judgment resolves to walk with a perfect heart, to guard what he sets before his eyes, to reject deceit and slander, and to keep faithfulness within his house. Worship is not confined to the church building. The heart’s loyalties, the words upon our lips, the company we keep, and the things we permit to shape our minds are all brought beneath the rule of God.

Hebrews gives us the strength to persevere. “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised.” We are not told to hold fast because we are naturally steadfast. We are told to hold fast because God is faithful. And we are to help one another: provoking one another—not to irritation, but “unto love and to good works”; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but exhorting one another as the day approaches.

So today let us draw near with a true heart, confessing whatever has divided our loyalty, and trusting not in ourselves but in Christ our High Priest. Let us hold fast, even when obedience is costly and the future seems uncertain. The Lord’s mercy is everlasting, his truth endures, and those who trust in Christ are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.