Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost – 18 Nov – Mark 13:14-23 ~ Watch out!

Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost

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

Opening Prayer

Your creation, O God, runs its appointed course, as from the ends of the earth you gather a people you call your own. Confirm us in the strength of your abiding word. Steady our hearts in the time of trial, so that on the day of the Son of Man we may joyfully welcome his appearing. 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.
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“Creation Sings” – Stuart Townend

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Gospel Reading: Mark 13:14-23 (NLT)

“The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where he should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter. For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.

“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!
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Prayers of Intercession:

O Lord our God: Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and protect us from the wiles and deceit of the evil one. We pray especially –

+ For all believers – that we may be ready when Christ comes in glory….
+ For all who fear death - that they may come to faith in Christ….
+ For all who are imprisoned – that they may trust in Christ’s remembrance…
+ For all who are endangered – that they may receive Christ’s protection…
+ For all who are suffering – that they may receive Christ’s loving-kindness…
+ For all who are mourning – that they may receive Christ’s consolation…
+ For all who have died in Christ – that they may receive the joys of everlasting life…

O Lord our God: Keep us alert and strong, that we may stand firm to the end, through faith and trust in your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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“Psalm 16” (Fullness of Joy) – Shane & Shane

Preserve me, O God, for I find rest in You alone. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord I have no good apart from You.” All sons and daughters, brothers, sisters my delight, let’s sing together “no other gods shall satisfy.” God You satisfy.

In Your presence, there is fullness, of joy, of joy.

You give me counsel, my heart instructs me in the night. You are before me, because You’re for me, I’m alright. It’ll be alright. It’ll be alright.

In Your presence, there is fullness, of joy, of joy.
At your right hand, there are pleasures, forevermore, forevermore.

My heart is glad and my soul rejoice; my flesh it dwells secure. Because You put on flesh, lived a blameless life, my curse on the cross You bore. Then You ripped the doors off the City of Death, and the chains fell to the floor. Now the serpent’s crushed. It has been finished, and You reign forever more.

You are my portion, my cup and you make my lot secure. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, a beautiful inheritance.
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Blessing – Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

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

Morning Prayer: 31 Mar – Is 49:1-6; Jn 13:21-33, 36-38 ~ the time has come

Tuesday of Holy Week

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

Christ our Savior, redeemed us by His death and resurrection.

+ You went up to Jerusalem to endure the passion and enter into glory – lead Your people 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 believers.
+ You gave salvation to the repentant thief – pardon all our sins.

All-powerful, ever-living God, may our reflection on Christ’s passion remind us of the price of forgiveness. 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 49:1-6 (NLT)

Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name. He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.

He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.”

I replied, “But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.”

And now the Lord speaks — the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength. He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
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Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 13:21-33, 36-38 (NLT)

Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”

The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”

Stained glass window depicting Judas Iscariot turning away from the Last Supper, Moulins Cathedral, France.

Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going.
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Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”

And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”

“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”

Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter — before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.
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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: 29 Jan – Heb 10:19-25; Mk 4:21-25 ~ hold tightly

Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

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

Opening sentence and Prayer:

Lord, be with us as we start a new day: move our hearts to seek You and our wills to serve You. Deepen our awareness of Your presence: teach us reverence and love for all that You made.
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Almighty, ever-living God, shed the light of Your glory on the peoples who are living in the shadow of death, as you did long ago, when our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sun of Justice, came among us from on high. Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.

A Reading from the Letters: Hebrews 10:10:19-25 (NLT)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
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A lamp to my feet is your word, a light to my path.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Mark 4:21-25 (NLT)

listen-closely

Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given — and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”
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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 Reading: Luke 8.16-18 NLT – pay attention

Reading: Luke 8.16-18 NLT

“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.

“So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

Payer: Heavenly Father – All creation reveals Your power and nature. Lord Jesus – You have revealed the person and love of God. Holy Spirit – Help me pay attention to what I see, or hear, or read today – anything that makes me more like you and increases my understanding of what You would have me be, or do. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Thy Word” – Avalon (YouTube)