Morning Prayer
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentences – Cuthbert of Northumbria (635-87)
Lower my vengeance, my anger and my hatred, and banish my wicked thoughts from me; send down a drop from heaven of Your holy Spirit to vanquish this heart of rock of mine. Amen.
Morning reading
John 14:1-4 ESV:
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”
Reflections:
trust me
While Jesus has made it clear that the disciples cannot trust in their own loyalty to him, this is not a cause of despair but an invitation to true security. They can only find real hope and confidence by focusing on God rather than on themselves. So Jesus tells them to trust in God; trust also in me. They have had such faith, and now they are to continue in that faith. The context suggests that Jesus is commanding them to trust. They are to stop letting their hearts be disturbed and hold firm their trust in God and in Jesus.
trust as command
The command to stop being disturbed requires that the disciples change their feelings. They are to do so not by focusing on their feelings, which would simply trap them in self-preoccupation, but by focusing on objective reality, namely, the Father and the Son. The disciples are to continue to hold on to their confidence in the Father and the Son despite all the feelings that will come as they see Jesus killed and as they are confronted with their own weakness. Despite all the evidence to the contrary in what is about to happen, God remains the loving, just, sovereign Father that Jesus has revealed, and Jesus remains his Son, beloved by God, and the disciples themselves remain loved by the Father.
trust as warfare
Their confidence is in God as revealed by Jesus, not in their circumstances nor in themselves. Only by being thus grounded in God do they have a stable center to focus on and to calm their hearts. By living from God’s reality rather than their own feelings and the appearances of this world, they are engaging in the battle that Jesus himself is waging. Jesus’ death is central to his victory over the world and its ruler. By their faith the disciples also conquer the world. Thus, “Jesus’ demand that they have faith in him is more than a request for a vote of confidence” (Brown)!
trust as peace
Jesus has already provided them with an example of what he here commands. When his heart was “troubled” he focused on the Father and the accomplishment of his will. Such remains the only source of peace and security. Given the presence of fear and worry in epidemic proportions among people, including Christians, the lesson Jesus is teaching his disciples at this point is greatly needed today as well. Only a trust in the revelation of the beauty, goodness and power of the Father and the Son will bring healing. It is perfect love that drives out fear (1 Jn 4:18).
trust as hope
Jesus’ main point is that he is going to God and will return for them; Jesus is talking about heaven and his second coming (Brown; Ridderbos). This is one of the few places in this Gospel where Jesus speaks of the future hope.
The word room refers to an objective “place” but not in the material sense many have in mind. Perhaps the most helpful language we have at present to speak of such a reality is to refer to it as another “dimension.” The phrase my Father’s house refers to “not mansions in the sky, but spiritual positions in Christ” (Gundry; Brown). While the ultimate goal is the Father, this passage is centered on Christ — it is his Father’s house, and Jesus says he will come again to take them to be with me more literally, “I will take you to myself,” pros emauton).
__________
__________
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
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Peanut Gallery: A brief word of explanation – the general format for Morning Prayer is adapted from the Northumbrian Community‘s Daily Office, as found in Celtic Daily Prayer (see online resources here.) The Scripture readings are primarily from the Gospel of John, with the intent to complete the reading by Easter. Other Scriptures which illuminate the Gospel of John will be included along the way.
Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.
On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.
Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.
The Peanut Gallery 