Morning Prayer: 3 Mar – Is 1:10, 16-20; Mt 23:1-12 ~ purify our hearts

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

May the message of Christ, in all its richness, live in our hearts.
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Father, may I hear Your voice this Lent and pass with Christ from death to life; may I celebrate Easter with great joy and love. Teach me to live by Your Spirit, and help me to bring faith to those who doubt. May the knowledge of Christ penetrate my mind and my heart; may it find expression in all aspects of my life.

Purify your people in these days of salvation; make us the living witness of Your presence in the world. Watch over us, Lord, with unfailing compassion, and since, left to ourselves, we are prone to evil, by Your grace turn us away from all that is harmful and direct us into the way of salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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A Reading from the Old Testament: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 (NLT)

Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.” Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”
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Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
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Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. (Ezekiel 18:31)
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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 23:1-12 (NLT)

"If we will only enter a little into ourselves, and reflect on the course of our life, experience will teach us God has behaved towards us with a mercy that is infinite... and that it is to him alone that we owe our escape from the power of sin or our perseverance in doing good. Let us bring back to our memory all the personal graces we have received from him... to place all our Trust in God!" Fr Jean-Nicolas Groll, S.J. (1803) [Click here for story] — “If we will only enter a little into ourselves, and reflect on the course of our life, experience will teach us God has behaved towards us with a mercy that is infinite… and that it is to him alone that we owe our escape from the power of sin or our perseverance in doing good. Let us bring back to our memory all the personal graces we have received from him… to place all our Trust in God!”
Fr Jean-Nicolas Groll, S.J. (1803)
[Click on picture for story]

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’

“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
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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 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: 2 Mar – Dn 9:4b-10; Lk 6:36-38 ~ merciful and forgiving

Monday of the Second Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate, says the Lord.
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Almighty Father, grant me a spirit of prayer and repentance; grant that I may love You and my neighbor. Let me work with You to restore all things in Christ. Teach me to respect all that You have made. Forgive me for the times I have failed Christ; have mercy on me in my weakness. Lord, transform my life by Your Word and Spirit. Give me grace to refrain from all sin, and to set my heart on fulfilling Your Kingdom purposes. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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A Reading from the Old Testament: Daniel 9:4b-10 (NLT)

“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands. But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke on your authority to our kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land.

“Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you. O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets.
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Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life. (John 6:63, 68)
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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 6:36-38 (NLT)

You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full — pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
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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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Morning Prayer: 28 Feb – Dt 26:16-19; Mt 5:43-48 ~ holy to the Lord

Saturday of the First Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

Pray for those who persecute you and for those who treat you badly: in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, says the Lord.
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Jesus, You are gentle and humble in spirit; grant me something of Your pity, something of Your kindness and something of Your patience towards all men. Teach me to be a neighbour to the sad and the needy; let me imitate You, the good Samaritan. Grant me the gift of Your mercy, pardon my sins and save me from punishment. Renew me, Lord, by Your grace.

Turn my heart to Yourself, eternal Father, so that, always seeking the one thing necessary and devoting myself to acts of KIndness, I may worship You in spirit and in truth. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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A Reading from the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 26:16-19 (NLT)

An icon of the 21 Coptic martyrs of Libya by artist Tony Rezk

“Today the Lord your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly. You have declared today that the Lord is your God. And you have promised to walk in his ways, and to obey his decrees, commands, and regulations, and to do everything he tells you. The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands. And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the Lord your God, just as he promised.”
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Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2b)
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Martyrdom of St Ephraim
(click here for story)

A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 5:43-48 (NLT)

“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.
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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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Morning Prayer: 27 Feb – Ez 18:21-28; Mt 5:20-26 ~ think, turn, live

Friday of the First Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

If your virtue does not surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
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Master and Savior, You have taught me by Your life and renewed me by Your passion; do not allow me to grow used to sin. May I accept from Your hands this day of Lent; and may I make it Yours by deeds of love. End the rebellion within my heart; make me generous and willing to share. Lord Jesus, may Your death bring me to life. Bend my will, Lord, so that by this Lenten observance I may prepare myself to celebrate Easter; and may I be renewed in spirit. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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A Reading from the Old Testament: Ezekiel 18:21-28 (NLT)

But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.

“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.

“Yet you say, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one not doing what’s right, or is it you? When righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds. And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives. They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die.
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Cast away from you all the transgressions you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. (Ezekiel 18:31)
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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 5:20-26 (NLT)

“But I warn you — unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

forgiveness 1

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

“When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.
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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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Morning Prayer: 26 Feb – Est 14:17; Mt 7:7-12 ~ no helper but you

Thursday of the First Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

If you, evil though you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him.
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In Your bounty, Lord, give me the Spirit who alone can teach me to think and do what is right, so that I, who without You cannot exist, may live in loving obedience to 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: Esther 4:17 (RSVCE)

Esther’s Prayer (paraphrase)

Queen Esther Edwin Long, 1898 National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne — Queen Esther
Edwin Long, 1898
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Queen Esther took refuge with the Lord in the mortal peril which had overtaken her. She besought the Lord God of Israel in these words:

‘My Lord, our King, the only one, come to my help, for I am alone and have no helper but you and am about to take my life in my hands.

‘I have been taught from my earliest years, in the bosom of my family, that you, Lord, chose Israel out of all the nations and our ancestors out of all the people of old times to be your heritage for ever; and that you have treated them as you promised.

‘Remember, Lord; reveal yourself in the time of our distress.

‘As for me, give me courage, King of gods and master of all power. Put persuasive words into my mouth when I face the lion; change his feeling into hatred for our enemy, that the latter and all like him may be brought to their end.

‘As for ourselves, save us by your help, and come to my help, for I am alone and have no one but you, Lord.’
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Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. (Joel 2:13)
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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 7:7-12 (NLT)

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents — if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
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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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

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