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.