Tag: Authority

Morning Prayer: 17 Dec – Matthew 1:1-17 ~ the Jesse tree

Eighth Day Before Christmas

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences:

The Lord is close at hand: come let us worship him.

O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love; come to teach us the path of knowledge!

A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 1:1-17 (NLT)

The genealogy in Matthew was traditionally illustrated by a "Tree of Jesse" showing the descent of Jesus from Jesse, father of King David
Bible des Capucins, l’arbre de Jessé The genealogy in Matthew was traditionally illustrated by a “Tree of Jesse” showing the descent of Jesus from Jesse, father of King David

This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram. Jehoram was the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah. Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).

After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Akim. Akim was the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.
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Canticle

O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love; come to teach us the path of knowledge!

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.

Teach me, dear Lord, to number my days; that I may apply my heart unto wisdom. Oh, satisfy me early with Thy mercy, that I may rejoice and be glad all of my days.

Blessing:

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Morning Prayer: 16 Dec – Matthew 21:28-32 ~ on obedience

Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences:

Come, O Lord, do not delay; forgive the sins of your people.
Show us, LORD, Your love, and grant us Your salvation.
Let Your beauty be upon us.

A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 21:28-32 (NLT)

“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

“Which of the two obeyed his father?”

They replied, “The first.”

Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.
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The Lord hears the Cry of the Poor


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Canticle

Teach me, dear Lord, to number my days; that I may apply my heart unto wisdom. Oh, satisfy me early with Thy mercy, that I may rejoice and be glad all of my days.

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.

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon me; and establish Thou the work of my hands.

Blessing:

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Morning Prayer: 15 Dec – Matthew 21:23-27 ~ teaching with authority

Monday of the Third Week of Advent

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences:

Show us, LORD, Your love, and grant us Your salvation.
Let Your beauty be upon us.
Lord, open my lips; and my mouth will proclaim Your praise.

A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 21:23-27 (NLT)

"Jesus teaching in Temple" Marko's Monastery in the Republic of Macedoinia ca. 1375
“Jesus teaching in Temple”
Marko’s Monastery in the Republic of Macedoinia
ca. 1375

When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.

Canticle

Teach me, dear Lord, to number my days; that I may apply my heart unto wisdom. Oh, satisfy me early with Thy mercy, that I may rejoice and be glad all of my days.

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.

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon me; and establish Thou the work of my hands.

Blessing:

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

21st Ordinary Sunday: Isaiah 22:19-23; Psalm 138:1-2, 3, 6, 8; Romans 11:33-36; Matthew 16:13-20 ~ “Who do you say I am?”

21ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

Come into the presence of God – Father, Son and Spirit – whose mystery we can never comprehend. All we have comes from God; we can only bow down in awe, and bring forward the praise that is His due.

Living God, You sent Your Son among us to reveal Your wisdom and make known Your ways. Increase our faith, that we may confess Jesus as your Son, take up His work on earth, and trust His promise to sustain us. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You.
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A Reading from the Old testament: Isaiah 22:19-23 (NLT)

“Yes, I will drive you out of office,” says the Lord. “I will pull you down from your high position. And then I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah to replace you. I will dress him in your royal robes and will give him your title and your authority. And he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them. He will bring honor to his family name, for I will drive him firmly in place like a nail in the wall….”
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 138:1-2, 3, 6, 8 (NLT)

I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.
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As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.
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Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.
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The Lord will work out his plans for my life — for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
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A Reading from the Letters: Romans 11:33-36 (NLT)

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 15:21-28 (NLT)

jesus head mosaic

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
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Intercessions:

Almighty and Faithful God: Your Love for us is eternal… hear our prayers –

+ For our Church leaders – that they may preach Your word with wisdom and faith, in season and out of season…
Lord, hear us.

+ For all in positions of authority, civil and ecclesiastical – that they may serve with humility, gentleness and sound judgement…
Lord, hear us.

+ For those who have suffered through the abuse of power, civil and ecclesiastical – that healing and new strength may be theirs…
Lord, hear us.

+ For those who have suffered and died because of their faith, especially in the Middle East and Africa – that they may join their saintly predecessors in the Father’s house…
Lord, hear us.

+ For those who are persecuted and dispossessed because of their faith – that protection and provision may be theirs…
Lord, hear us.

+ For Christians around the world – that they may profess their faith to their neighbors and be a source of hope and help…
Lord, hear us.

+ For people who are travelling at summer’s end – that they may travel safely and return home refreshed…
Lord, hear us.

+ For our own needs and for the needs of those we love…
Lord, hear us.

God of love, You never discard the work of Your hands: hear our prayers we offer, in trust, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Morning Reading: Luke 20.1-8 (NLT) – authority challenged

Reading: Luke 20.1-8 (NLT)

One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

Jesus Speaks Near the Treasury James Tissot, French, 1836-1902
Jesus Speaks Near the Treasury
James Tissot, French, 1836-1902

“Let me ask you a question first,” he replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.” So they finally replied that they didn’t know.

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father – You put Christ Jesus over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings. You have given him authority over everything that has power in this world or in the next world. Lord Jesus – Everything is under your power and you are head over everything for the church. Holy Spirit – Give me the gift of discernment and the wisdom to test all things by conformity to your Word and Spirit. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Ancient Words” – Lynn DeShazo