Wednesday Morning Prayer: 01 Jul 2020 – Psalm 120:1, Micah 4:1-2, Luke 2:40-47 ~ a pilgrimage to Jerusalem

Wednesday Morning Prayer, 01 Jul 2020

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

Opening:

All-powerful God, your incarnate Word commands our obedience and offers us true life. Make our ears attentive to the voice of your Son and our hearts generous in answering his call,that we may take up the cross with trust in his promises. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.Amen.

       Follow the example of good men and women of old,
and God will comfort you and help you.

[ St Columba ]

Prepare to Pray:

Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

Scripture Reading (CEV)

Psalm 120:1

When I am in trouble, I pray

Micah 4:1-2

In the future, the mountain
with the Lord’s temple
will be the highest of all.
It will reach above the hills,
and every nation
will rush to it.

People of many nations
will come and say,
“Let’s go up to the mountain
of the Lord God of Jacob
and worship in his temple.”

The Lord will teach us his Law
from Jerusalem,
and we will obey him.

Luke 2:40-47

The child Jesus grew. He became strong and wise, and God blessed him.

. Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for Passover. And when Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration. After Passover his parents left, but they did not know that Jesus had stayed on in the city. They thought he was traveling with some other people, and they went a whole day before they started looking for him. When they could not find him with their relatives and friends, they went back to Jerusalem and started looking for him there.

Three days later they found Jesus sitting in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was surprised at how much he knew and at the answers he gave.

An Example*:

(The psalms we are using this month are the Psalms of Ascent used by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem.)

All kinds of people go on pilgrimage of one sort or another, not all of them believers; it is a chance for things to move, to change, perhaps even for God to break into their lives.

Canterbury

…and they were pilgrims all that towards Canterbury meant to ride…
I soon was one of them in fellowship and promised to rise early and take the way to Canterbury. (Geoffrey Chaucer)

Prayer for Christ’s Presence with Us

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.

Good Morning Jerusalem – Joshua Aaron

A walk down Jaffa Street to the Old City of Jerusalem!

Take an early morning 30 min walk through Jerusalem – the City of God – the pilgrimage destination of the nations.

Closing

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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

*Northumbria Community. Celtic Daily Prayer (Kindle Locations 11817-11819). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Tuesday Morning Prayer: 30 Jun 2020 – Psalm 150, Jeremiah 15:15-21, Matthew 24:4-14 ~ “keep on being faithful.”

Tuesday Morning Prayer, 30 Jun 2020

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

Opening:

All-powerful God, your incarnate Word commands our obedience and offers us true life. Make our ears attentive to the voice of your Son and our hearts generous in answering his call,that we may take up the cross with trust in his promises. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.Amen.

       Follow the example of good men and women of old,
and God will comfort you and help you.

[ St Columba ]

Prepare to Pray:

Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

Scripture Reading (CEV)

Psalm 150 – The Lord Is Good to His People

Shout praises to the Lord! Praise God in his temple.
Praise him in heaven, his mighty fortress.

Praise our God! His deeds are wonderful, too marvelous to describe.

Praise God with trumpets and all kinds of harps.
Praise him with tambourines and dancing, with stringed instruments and woodwinds.
Praise God with cymbals, with clashing cymbals.

Let every living creature praise the Lord.
Shout praises to the Lord!

Jeremiah 15:15-21

Jeremiah Complains Again

You can see how I suffer insult after insult, all because of you, Lord. Don’t be so patient with my enemies; take revenge on them before they kill me.

When you spoke to me, I was glad to obey, because I belong to you, the Lord All-Powerful. I don’t go to parties and have a good time. Instead, I keep to myself, because you have filled me with your anger.

I am badly injured and in constant pain. Are you going to disappoint me, like a stream that goes dry in the heat of summer?

The Lord Replies

Then the Lord told me: Stop talking like a fool! If you turn back to me and speak my message, I will let you be my prophet once again.

I hope the people of Judah will accept what you say. But you can ignore their threats, because I am making you strong, like a bronze wall. They are evil and violent, but when they attack, I will be there to rescue you. I, the Lord, have spoken.

Matthew 24:4-14

Jesus answered:

Don’t let anyone fool you. Many will come and claim to be me. They will say that they are the Messiah, and they will fool many people.

You will soon hear about wars and threats of wars, but don’t be afraid. These things will have to happen first, but that isn’t the end. Nations and kingdoms will go to war against each other. People will starve to death, and in some places there will be earthquakes. But this is just the beginning of troubles.

You will be arrested, punished, and even killed. Because of me, you will be hated by people of all nations. Many will give up and will betray and hate each other. Many false prophets will come and fool a lot of people. Evil will spread and cause many people to stop loving others. But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved. When the good news about the kingdom has been preached all over the world and told to all nations, the end will come.

An Example*:

The Holy Fathers came together and spoke of what would happen in the last generation. One of them called Squirion said: ‘We now desire to fulfill the commandments of God.’

Then the Fathers asked him: ‘What about those who will come after us?’

He replied: ‘Perhaps half will desire to keep God’s commandments, and will seek the Eternal God.’

And the Fathers asked: ‘Those who come after these, what shall they do?’

He replied and said: ‘The men of that generation will not have the desire of God’s commandments. At that time wickedness will overflow and the charity of many will grow cold. And there shall come upon them a terrible testing. Those who shall be found worthy in this testing will be better than we are and better than our fathers.’

* Northumbria Community. Celtic Daily Prayer (Kindle Locations 11749-11751). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Prayer for Faithfulness:

Lord God: Refine us in the fire of trouble and persecution. Fill us with the Spirit of Christ Jesus, that we may have the courage and strength to face our present circumstances, and look to the future with eager expectation and hope. Deliver us from discouragement or failure that would dishonor God. Protect us from the enemy’s temptations, and from every evil feeling and thought. And enable us to speak boldly the Good News of Christ’s love, mercy and grace. It’s in his name and for your glory that we pray. Amen.

You Make Me Brave – Bethel Music

Closing

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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Morning Prayer: 24 Mar – Nm 21:4-9; Jn 8:21-30 ~ then you will understand

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, says the Lord.
_____

May Your people, Lord, persevere in obedience to Your will, so that through our obedience Your church in our time may grow in grace and increase in numbers. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
__________

A Reading from the Old Testament: Numbers 21:4-9 (NLT)

Moses and the Brazen Serpent Peter Paul Rubens, 1609-1610 The Courtauld Gallery, London
Moses and the Brazen Serpent
Peter Paul Rubens, 1609-1610
The Courtauld Gallery, London

Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”

So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!
__________

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.
__________

A Reading from the Gospels: John 8:21-30 (NLT)

Later Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.”

Christ on the Cross, 1660-70 Bartolomé Esteban Murillo Timken Museum of Art San Diego, CA
Christ on the Cross, 1660-70
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
Timken Museum of Art
San Diego, CA

The people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?”

Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”

“Who are you?” they demanded.

Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be. I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.” But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.

So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me — he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.
__________


__________

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 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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Morning Prayer: 23 Mar – Dn 13:41c-62; Jn 8:1-11 ~ go and sin no more

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

Anyone who follows me will not be walking in the darkness: he will have the light of life, says the Lord.
_____

Merciful God, You gave me a life that is new; may I ever grow in Your likeness. Show me how to bring joy this day to those who are in need; and draw me nearer to You through the help I give them. Help me to do what is right and good; may I seek You always with all my heart. Forgive me for the times I have hurt other people; Lord, have mercy on me. Through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
__________

A Reading from the Apocryphal Addition: Daniel 13:41c-62 (NRSVCE)

Because they were elders of the people and judges, the assembly believed them and condemned [Susanna] to death.

Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, “O eternal God, you know what is secret and are aware of all things before they come to be; you know that these men have given false evidence against me. And now I am to die, though I have done none of the wicked things that they have charged against me!”

The Lord heard her cry. Just as she was being led off to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young lad named Daniel, and he shouted with a loud voice, “I want no part in shedding this woman’s blood!”

     Susanna captured after her Accusation by the Elders Dutch School-Leiden, 1530

Susanna captured after her Accusation by the Elders
Dutch School-Leiden, 1530

All the people turned to him and asked, “What is this you are saying?” Taking his stand among them he said, “Are you such fools, O Israelites, as to condemn a daughter of Israel without examination and without learning the facts? Return to court, for these men have given false evidence against her.”

So all the people hurried back. And the rest of the elders said to him, “Come, sit among us and inform us, for God has given you the standing of an elder.” Daniel said to them, “Separate them far from each other, and I will examine them.”

When they were separated from each other, he summoned one of them and said to him, “You old relic of wicked days, your sins have now come home, which you have committed in the past, pronouncing unjust judgments, condemning the innocent and acquitting the guilty, though the Lord said, ‘You shall not put an innocent and righteous person to death.’ Now then, if you really saw this woman, tell me this: Under what tree did you see them being intimate with each other?” He answered, “Under a mastic tree.” And Daniel said, “Very well! This lie has cost you your head, for the angel of God has received the sentence from God and will immediately cut you in two.”

Then, putting him to one side, he ordered them to bring the other. And he said to him, “You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, beauty has beguiled you and lust has perverted your heart. This is how you have been treating the daughters of Israel, and they were intimate with you through fear; but a daughter of Judah would not tolerate your wickedness. Now then, tell me: Under what tree did you catch them being intimate with each other?” He answered, “Under an evergreen oak.” Daniel said to him, “Very well! This lie has cost you also your head, for the angel of God is waiting with his sword to split you in two, so as to destroy you both.”

Then the whole assembly raised a great shout and blessed God, who saves those who hope in him. And they took action against the two elders, because out of their own mouths Daniel had convicted them of bearing false witness; they did to them as they had wickedly planned to do to their neighbor. Acting in accordance with the law of Moses, they put them to death. Thus innocent blood was spared that day.
__________

I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live. (Ezekiel 33:11)
__________

A Reading from the Gospels: John 8:1-11 (NLT)

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

Go and sin no more

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

“No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
__________


__________

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 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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Morning Prayer: 21 Mar – Jer 11:18-20; Jn 7:40-53 ~ like a lamb being led to the slaughter

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you.
_____

Lord, help me by Your grace. Show me how to offer myself as a living sacrifice this morning, and strengthen me to do Your will throughout the day. In Your gentle mercy, Lord, guide my wayward heart, for I know that left to myself I cannot do Your will. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
__________

A Reading from the Old Testament: Jeremiah 11:18-20  (NLT)

The Sacrificial Lamb Josefa de Ayala (Portuguese, ca. 1630-1684)  The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland
The Sacrificial Lamb
Josefa de Ayala (Portuguese, ca. 1630-1684)
The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland

Then the Lord told me about the plots my enemies were making against me. I was like a lamb being led to the slaughter. I had no idea that they were planning to kill me! “Let’s destroy this man and all his words,” they said. “Let’s cut him down, so his name will be forgotten forever.”

O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you make righteous judgments, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.
__________

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance. (See Luke 8:15)
__________

A Reading from the Gospels: John 7:40-53 (NLT)

When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.” Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.” So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.

The Chief Priests Take Counsel Together James Tissot, 1886-1894 The Brooklyn Museum
The Chief Priests Take Counsel Together
James Tissot, 1886-1894
The Brooklyn Museum

When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

“We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded.

“Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!”

Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.

They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself — no prophet ever comes from Galilee!”
__________


__________

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 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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen