Morning Prayer
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
Pilgrimage
Psalm 122:3-9 NLT
Jerusalem is a well-built city; its seamless walls cannot be breached. All the tribes of Israel — the Lord’s people — make their pilgrimage here. They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord, as the law requires of Israel. Here stand the thrones where judgment is given, the thrones of the dynasty of David.
Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “May you have peace.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.
2 Kings 4:4-5 NLT
“…Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”
So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another.
Luke 1:46-53 NLT
Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.
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Reflections
Since June 1981 six young people from the village of Medjugorje in the former Yugoslavia claim to have been having visions of Mary, the Lord’s mother. She urges them to prayer especially for peace, to love of Jesus and faithfulness to the gospel, and to Scripture.
David du Plesis, a well-known Pentecostal, was one of the many who have visited there:
In my two days in that town I never heard an unkind word or criticism of anyone. The love, unity and fellowship I saw there are only possible in the power of the Holy Spirit. I am quite prepared for God to perform miracles in the twentieth century. And if one of these miracles involves messages delivered by the mother of Jesus, I believe God is capable of that. I saw young people reading the Bible. The priests told me that thousands of Yugoslavians, including the atheists and Moslems, have accepted Jesus Christ. They told me that their church is crowded to capacity every single day, and on weekends there are so many people waiting outside that they sometimes have fifty priests hearing confessions. The Mother has encouraged people to confess their sins and to accept Jesus’ forgiveness. The whole place is charged with the love of God. You can feel it and you can see it.
The village is in Croatia, and their priests have at times been imprisoned. Despite harassment by the police, there is a great peace in the hearts of the villagers, and young people. The only spectacular thing most people see is the lives of the people, which are really quite impressive. The pilgrims, like the villagers, are moved to repent, to convert their whole lives. Most return home dedicating themselves to prayer, fasting and spiritual growth.
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Jim Wallis writes;
The powers and principalities of this world are aware that prayer and its results are the most revolutionary of acts. That is why they consider those who pray to be a threat. Prayer is an action in itself, a potent political weapon to be used in spiritual warfare against the most powerful forces of the world.
Aidan Readings – Aidan of Lindisfarne
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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: 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.) Our Scripture readings and reflections will be taken from the Aidan Daily Readings (Celtic Daily Prayer) during the month of July. On Sundays, we’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 