Morning Prayer, 28 Feb – John 11:17-27 ~ yes Lord

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentences – Brigid of Kildare (c. 450-523)

Peace be here in the Name of the King of life; the peace of Christ above all peace, the Lord’s blessing over you.

May God the Father be the guardian of this place and bring His peace, that fear may find no entry here. May Christ be a chosen companion and friend. May loneliness be banished. May the Spirit bring lightness and laughter, and be the comforter of tears. Courage be at each going out; rest be present at each return; each day, each night, each going out and each returning.

Morning readings

John 11:17-27 ESV:

Resurrection-and-Life

Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Reflections:

if only

Martha’s lament recaps her grief over the loss of her brother and her trust in Jesus as a friend and healer. Her belief that Jesus’ prayers are answered picks up on the truth of Jesus’ dependence upon the Father.

even now

Martha believes that it is never too late for Jesus to do something because of his special relationship with the Father.

She continues to believe in Jesus even though Lazarus’ death seems to call into question the messengers’ report that Jesus had said, This sickness will not end in death. Moreover, even though Jesus has delayed coming to help, she continues to believe that Jesus is the agent of the gracious God — despite the fact that this graciousness was not present to heal her brother.

Her trust in God’s love for one that Christ clearly loved is not shaken.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

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the resurrection

Martha has expressed her faith in her brother’s future resurrection and Jesus responds by challenging her with a deeper revelation of himself: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

Jesus’ own identity spans the gap between the already and the not yet: “The resurrection because the life” (Augustine). The life Jesus is talking about even encompasses the resurrection life of the world to come. In the raising of Lazarus, we have a revelation of Jesus’ authority and his identity as life-giver because he is life itself. Jesus’ role goes far beyond our earthly existence.

the life

Jesus’ claim is mind-boggling. He says it is faith in him that brings one back to life at the resurrection at the last day. But then he goes even further. “I am the life”: and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. The life that comes through believing in Jesus is not interrupted by physical death.

The very nature of the life of the believer is one that death cannot destroy since the believer is in union with Jesus who is the Life. By taking humanity into Himself He has revealed the permanence of man’s individuality and being. But this permanence can be found only in union with Him. Thus two main thoughts are laid down: Life (resurrection) is present, and this Life is in a Person.

yes Lord

Martha’s faith is genuine and solid, for it is in Jesus himself. She is not grasping all that he is saying about himself, but she is sticking with him and confessing as much as she knows, which is what faith is all about. As the events of the raising of Lazarus unfold Jesus will instruct her in what he has just claimed, thus bringing her step by step in her knowledge of who he is and what he is offering so she may respond in faith.

This example of patient progress in our Lord’s dealing with Martha should be a great encouragement to those of us who are not always quick on the uptake when it comes to God’s revelation of himself to us.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

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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: 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.

Morning Prayer, 27 Feb – John 11:1-16 ~ holy delay

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentences – Brigid of Kildare (c. 450-523)

I would welcome the poor and honour them. I would welcome the sick in the presence of angels and ask God to bless and embrace us all.

Seeing a stranger approach, I would put food in the eating place, music in the listening place, and look with joy for the blessing of God, who often comes to my home in the blessing of a stranger.

We call upon the Sacred Three to save, shield and surround this house, this home, this day, this night, and every night.

Morning readings

John 11:1-16 ESV:

"Lazarus" by Carol L. Douglas — “Lazarus”
by Carol L. Douglas

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”

The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”

Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Reflections:

their need

The sisters present their need to Jesus but do not dictate how he should respond; their submission and humility allow God’s will to be done in a seemingly impossible situation – they are trusting in Jesus’ love for them and their brother.

God’s glory

In all that Jesus does we see the glory of God, for we see God’s love and life-giving power. Now, in the raising of Lazarus, we will have the most spectacular manifestation of this glory. God is the one who brings life to the dead out of his love for those in such need.

This is the heart of the Gospel. God’s glory is thus seen in his victory over death — indeed, it is “possible only through death — first the death of Lazarus, and then the death of Jesus himself!”

holy delay

Jesus behaves in an especially shocking manner – he delays for two days. Jesus’ activity is scandalous – his love does not feel like love but it is love, and it is for the best in their lives. His delay leads to a greater blessing.

Jesus has no doubt that he could have cured Lazarus if he had been there, but something even more helpful for the disciples’ faith is now going to take place.

light of day

Jesus uses the imagery of light to put his return to Judea into perspective. In the natural realm one is able to walk without stumbling while there is light, and there is light for a set period of time. One need not worry about stumbling while it is day.

The point is that they need not worry about what will happen to them for they have the Light of the World with them, for with him they are able to get on with the work of the Father. They should stick with Jesus even when he seems to lead them into danger, for no matter what happens it will work out for the best, even as Lazarus’s illness will work for the glory of God.

faith on the move

Faith is a progressive thing, for here Jesus is talking to those who have believed in him already, and yet he says this miracle is so that you may believe. Faith must be exercised in the face of each new revelation, and each new revelation is taking the disciples nearer to the ultimate revelation in the most extremely scandalous event, the cross — the ultimate revelation of God’s light and life and love and thus the ultimate manifestation of God that faith must grasp hold of.

As God reveals more of himself and his ways to us we must likewise have a faith that both grasps firmly onto him as he is revealed in Jesus and also is able to be stretched and deepened. Faith enables us to rest in God, but God himself also keeps us on the move as we continue to grow closer to him for ever.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

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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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

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

_____________________________________

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.

Morning Prayer, 26 Feb – John 10:22-42 ~ Son of God

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentences – Brigid of Kildare (c. 450-523)

Come to a warm place in this house, come in the name of Christ. My heart and I agree, welcome in the name of the Lord.

There is a fiery power in the gentle heart of the Spirit. Our hearts are agreed as we kneel by the hearth, and call on the Sacred Three to save, shield and surround us and our kin, this house, this home, this day, this night, and every night, each single night.

Morning readings

John 10:22-42 ESV:

At that time the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.

Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”

The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came — and Scripture cannot be broken — do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” And many believed in him there.

Reflections:

my sheep

[Those who belong to Jesus] hear his voice, are known by him, follow him and have eternal life. And, because the Father has given them to Jesus, are safe and secure.

This passage of infinite comfort touches once again upon the mysteries of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. We have both the call of God and the response of faith on the part of the sheep. If man falls at any stage in his spiritual life, it is not from want of divine grace, nor from the overwhelming power of adversaries, but from his neglect to the means of grace available to him. We cannot be protected against ourselves in spite of ourselves.

The sense of the divine protection is at any moment sufficient to inspire confidence, but not to render effort (abiding, remaining, following) unnecessary.

Oneness

“I and the Father are one.” What is this oneness? The Father not only gave Jesus life, as he has done for believers, but has made him the giver of life, a divine attribute illustrated in what Jesus says about the bread and the water and which will be climactically demonstrated in the raising of Lazarus. It implies a oneness in essence since “infinite power is an essential attribute of God; and it is impossible to suppose that two beings distinct in essence could be equal in power” – it is a powerful claim to deity.

Son of God

What Jesus means by the title Son of God goes beyond anything they had thought before, but it is not a denial of the truths of Scripture. Nevertheless, as with all other arguments, it only makes sense if the listener is open to entertaining the truth of who Jesus is.

Jesus’ deeds are like the deeds of God, both in power and in graciousness – they are not only powerful or awesome or supernatural, they are also in keeping with God’s own character — they manifest his gracious love (“The Father is in me and I am in the Father”).

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

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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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

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

_____________________________________

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.

Morning Prayer, 24 Feb – John 10:1-10 ~ gateway to life

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentences – Brigid of Kildare (c. 450-523)

May God give His blessing to the house that is here. God bless this house from roof to floor, from wall to wall, from end to end, from its foundation and in its covering.

In the strong name of the Triune God all evil be banished, all disturbance cease, captive spirits freed, God’s Spirit alone dwell within these walls.

Christ, in our coming and in our leaving, the Door and the Keeper; for me and my dear ones, this day and every day, blessing for always. Amen.

Morning readings

John 10:1-10 ESV:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Reflections:

the shepherd

Jesus contrasts those shepherds who enter through the gate and those who do not – the one who has legitimate business and authorization enters openly, while those without authorization use underhanded means. The one is known by the sheep, while the other is a stranger to them.

The thief acts for his own selfish ends and to the detriment of the sheep. Jesus, however, serves the sheep by providing for them the way of life,

the sheep

Each particular sheep is known by name – the shepherd knows them and they know the shepherd, trusting his voice to lead them to pasture and water.

Here is a beautiful picture of both divine sovereignty in the shepherd’s call and the human response in the hearing, knowing and following by the sheep. We also find the theme of discernment, since there are more voices calling to them than just their own shepherd’s. Following Jesus means refusing to follow others who are claiming to be shepherds.

the gate

When Jesus says he is the gate for the sheep, the picture is that of a shepherd sleeping in the entrance – not so much as a barrier for protection, but as a door or passageway through which the sheep may come in and go out freely even as the follow him. Jesus serves the sheep by providing for them the gateway of life.

life together

Those who enter through Jesus find life – we all begin on the outside and need to enter through him. We are all sheep in need of a shepherd, just as we all, like the man born blind, are in need of the light.

The life Jesus brings is personal but not merely individual: he knows each sheep by name, but salvation is membership in a community, the community that is called and guided and provided for by Christ. The flock of Christ is neither an aggregate of isolated, autonomous individuals nor a faceless corporation, but a community in which each member is taken up into the life of God to form with others a single whole. By referring to himself as the shepherd Jesus is claiming to be the leader of this new community.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

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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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

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

_____________________________________

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.

7th Ordinary Sunday: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18; Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23; Matthew 5:38-48 ~ love your enemies

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Opening prayer:

Heavenly Father, in Christ Jesus you challenge me to renounce violence and to forsake revenge.

Teach me to recognise as your children even my enemies and persecutors and to love them without measure or discrimination.

I ask this through my Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.

A Reading from the Old Testament: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18 (NLT)

The Lord also said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

“Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13 (NLT)

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
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A Reading from the Letters: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 (NLT)

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say,

“He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.”

And again,

“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless.”

So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you — whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 5:38-48 (NLT)

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Intercessions:

God of compassion and love, who is slow to anger and rich in mercy: hear my prayer –

+ For all Church leaders — that they may show us how to live in peace and friendship…. Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For an end to war and violence, especially in Syria and Ukraine — that hatred may give way to love…. Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For people who are at war with each other – that they may forgive and make peace…. Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For those who have hurt us, those we find it hard to love — that God may help us to end our quarrels…. Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For people who are sick or troubled — that God may bring them healing and peace…. Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For myself and those I love, particularly those who come to mind right now — that God may always be with us…. Lord, hear my prayer.

God of love and compassion, have mercy on your people and grant us your gracious help, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Visual Liturgy: Love Your Enemies

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

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