+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Sentences
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
__________
Reading: Psalm 131:2 (MSG)
I’ve kept my feet on the ground, I’ve cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content.
__________
Reading: Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
__________
Prayer:
Heavenly Father: Give me a quiet heart –
+ that I might find rest for my soul in every season of my life.
+ that I might hear your wise, gentle, voice teaching me the lessons of Life.
+ that I might glorify you in seasons of abundance, joy and thanksgiving.
+ that I might glorify you in seasons of loss, sadness and mourning.
+ that I might rejoice in your renewed faithfulness to me every day.
Heavenly Father: Give me the quiet heart of Jesus, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
__________
“Be Still My Soul” – Kari Jobe
__________
Blessing
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Sentence
Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
(Isaiah 55:6)
Morning Reading: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 (NLT)
After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters….
_____
But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view.
_____
Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”
While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.
Morning Prayer
Jesus Messiah: you redeemed us by your death and resurrection. Lord, have mercy on us.
+ You went up to Jerusalem to endure the passion and enter into glory; lead your Church into the paschal feast of eternal life.
+ Your heart was pierced with a lance; heal the wounds of our human weakness.
+ You made your cross the tree of life; share your victory with all who trust in you.
+ You gave salvation to the repentant thief; pardon all our sins.
Lord God, have mercy on us, and grant that we may reach out gladly for your healing grace, and thereby live in accordance with your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
“Jesus Messiah” – Chris Tomlin
Closing Sentence
Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. (Isaiah 55:7)
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentence and prayer:
You know me and you know where I came from. Yet I have not come of myself: my Father has sent me, says the Lord.
_____
Lord God: In Jesus Christ, You have prepared fitting remedies for our weakness – grant that we may reach out gladly for Your healing grace, and thereby live in accordance with Your will. 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 Apocrypha: Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22 (NRSVCE)
For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves,
_____
The Flagellation of Christ Caravaggio, 1607 Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples
“Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training. He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord. He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; the very sight of him is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that of others, and his ways are strange. We are considered by him as something base, and he avoids our ways as unclean; he calls the last end of the righteous happy, and boasts that God is his father.
“Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; for if the righteous man is God’s child, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries. Let us test him with insult and torture, so that we may find out how gentle he is, and make trial of his forbearance. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for, according to what he says, he will be protected.”
Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray, for their wickedness blinded them, and they did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hoped for the wages of holiness, nor discerned the prize for blameless souls.
__________
One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4b)
__________
A Reading from the Gospels: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 (NLT)
After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters….
_____
But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view.
_____
Head of Christ Rembrandt, 1652 Gemäldegalerie, Berlin
Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”
While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.
__________
__________
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
The Peanut Gallery 