Morning Prayer: 20 Mar – Wis 2:1a, 12-22; Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 ~ my Father has sent me

Friday 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:

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.
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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.
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A Reading from the Apocrypha: Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22 (NRSVCE)

For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves,
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The Flagellation of Christ Caravaggio, 1607 Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples — 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.
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One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4b)
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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….
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But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view.
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Head of Christ Rembrandt, 1652 Gemäldegalerie, Berlin — 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.
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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 Reading: Acts 18:1-8 NLT – mission shift

Reading: Acts 18:1-8 NLT

Priscilla and Aquila, Companions of Saint Paul

Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tent makers just as he was.

Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads — I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”

Then he left and went to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Sometimes you just want us to move on… and thankfully Paul chose to bring the Good News to the Gentiles… to me. Thank you for Jewish people like Aquila and Priscilla… who became believers and welcomed Paul into their home. Thank you for Gentile people like Titius Justus… who opened his home to Paul as his mission to the Gentile world began to take shape. And thank you for people like Crispus… who became believers along with their entire households… and sealed their belief with baptism. Thank you for touching their hearts and changing their lives… often at great personal cost.

And your Spirit continues to move across the world today… changing hearts, changing lives, gathering in people whom you have prepared to receive your Word of mercy, grace and hope. Protect these your children from the evil one… and make them a light to the nations. May your name be praised. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Once and For All / Only Jesus” – Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman (Passion 2013)
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Morning Reading: Acts 5. 33-42 NLT – suffering disgrace

Reading: Acts 5:33-42 NLT

When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them.

But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while.

Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.

“So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Help me to discern what is right and true. May I be obedient to the leading of your Spirit… and may I be faithful to your Word. To the end that, one day, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess – “Jesus is Lord!” Amen.

Spiritual Song: “None But Jesus” – Brooke Fraser
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