Tag: Come into the light

The 5th Sunday of Lent: 18 Mar – John 12:20-33 ~ loving, losing, and living

The Fifth Sunday of Lent

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

Opening Prayer

In our hearts, O God, You have written a covenant of grace, sealed by the obedience of Jesus Your Son. Raise us up with Christ, the grain fallen to earth that yields a harvest of everlasting life. Enable us to glorify Your name by following faithfully where He has led. We ask this through Christ, our deliverance and hope, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, holy and mighty God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Be Thou My Vision” – Robin Mark


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Gospel Reading: John 12:20-33 (NLT)

Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.

Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name.”

Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
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Prayers of Intercession:

God of mercy and compassion: give us the obedient heart of Jesus, and calm our troubled souls as we pray –

+ For all who are preparing for baptism, that they might become followers Jesus….
+ For all who are followers of Jesus, that we may grow in obedience….
+ For all persecuted followers of Jesus, that they may bring glory to His name….
+ For the Jewish people, that a remnant may continue in faithfulness to the Scriptures….
+ For the hungry and destitute around us, that their bodies and souls may be nourished….
+ For the sick and lonely around us, that they may be healed and comforted….
+ For those who have died in Christ, that they may be raised with Him to glory….

God of mercy and compassion: give us the obedient heart of Jesus and hear our prayers, we ask in His name. Amen.
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“Matisyahu’s One Day” – Yeshiva University Maccabeats


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Blessing – Jude 24-25

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

The 4th Sunday of Lent: 11 Mar – John 3:14-21 ~ come into the light

The Fourth Sunday of Lent

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

Opening Prayer

O God, rich in mercy, You so loved the world that, when we were dead in our sins, You sent Your only Son for our deliverance. Lifted up from the earth, He is light and life; exalted upon the cross, He is truth and salvation.

Raise us up with Christ and make us rich in good works, that we may walk as children of light toward the paschal feast of heaven.

We ask this through Christ, our deliverance and hope, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, holy and mighty God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Lift High The Cross”


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Gospel Reading: John 3:14-21 (NLT)

And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
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Prayers of Intercession:

Gracious God: Fill us with the Light of Christ, that we may live as You want us to live. And, in Your mercy, hear our prayers –

+ For the Church of Christ –

Lord, You formed us for Your glory. Forgive the discontent and dissension which has arisen in Your Church. Let your light so shine before us that all eyes are lifted to see the salvation of the Cross. Give us hearts to long for You, grace to discern You and courage to proclaim You….

  • Lord, shine Your light into every corner of our world.

+ For Creation, Human Society, and All in Authority –

Lord, You are with us through all our bewilderment, redeeming our wastes and our sorrows. We go astray in the wilderness; but You set our feet on a path we had not seen, and You lead us to a place we can make our own. You break the chains that keep us imprisoned and lead us gently into the light….

  • Lord, shine Your light into every corner of our world.

+ For Our Neighborhood –

Lord, grant us the vision to reach out beyond ourselves and share our lives with others. Stretch our capabilities, our awareness of where we can help. Help us to know that when we give to others we do so from a well deep within ourselves that can never run dry….

  • Lord, shine Your light into every corner of our world.

+ For All who Suffer –

Lord, You have heard our cries and born our pain and suffering on the cross. Strengthen our faith that You are always with us, just as You promised. Make us bearers of good news to the poor, comfort to the broken-hearted, freedom to the captives, and light to those living in darkness….

  • Lord, shine Your light into every corner of our world.

+ For the Communion of Saints –

Gracious God: out of love, You gave us Your Son to lead us into Your kingdom. We pray for all who have died in Christ, that they may experience the joy of living in the light of Your endless glory forever….

  • We ask all this in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, holy and mighty God for ever and ever. Amen.

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“Crowder – All My Hope” – ft. Tauren Wells


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Blessing – Jude 24-25

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: 18 Mar – Is 49:8-15; Jn 5:17-30 ~ My Father is always working, and so am I.

Wednesday 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:

May the message of Christ, in all its richness, live in my heart.
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Father, may I hear Your voice this Lent and pass with Christ from death to life; may I celebrate His Easter feast 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; and may it find expression in all aspects of my life. 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: Isaiah 49:8-15 (NLT)

This is what the Lord says:

godisalwayswithme

“At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them. Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel and assign it to its own people again. I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’ They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures and on hills that were previously bare. They will neither hunger nor thirst. The searing sun will not reach them anymore. For the Lord in his mercy will lead them; he will lead them beside cool waters. And I will make my mountains into level paths for them. The highways will be raised above the valleys. See, my people will return from far away, from lands to the north and west, and from as far south as Egypt.”

Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their suffering.

Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.”

“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!
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I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26)
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 5:17-30 (NLT)

But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.

John 5.17f

So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

“And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice — the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.
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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