Morning Prayer, 6 Feb – John 6:52-59 ~ flesh and blood

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentences –

There is one God and one mediator between heaven and earth, the Son of Man – Christ Jesus – who gave Himself as a ransom for all people.

Morning readings

John 6:52-59 ESV:

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

Reflections:

dead

Apart from the life Jesus offers, we are dead. Our utter neediness is seen clearly when set against the greatness of his offer: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Jesus is promising a new quality of life now and resurrection in the future.

alive

The ultimate source of our life is the Father. Our union with the Son enables us to share his life, just as Jesus in turn lives because of the Father. Our life is entirely dependent on Jesus, as is his on the Father.

Eucharist

Christians naturally find reference here to the Eucharist, the point being that there is some connection between partaking of Christ’s flesh and blood in the Eucharist and having eternal life. Both faith and this eating and drinking would be necessary for eternal life. It is not for nothing that our Lord commands us to hold Eucharist!

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For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

(1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

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faith

This parallel between faith and Eucharist does not, however, deny the primacy of faith. If both are necessary for life, faith is still the more primary in that it is necessary for obtaining the benefits of the Eucharist.

God’s life is available in the Eucharist because he promises to be present. We do not attract him there or make him present by our faith. The Eucharist is a point of contact with divine reality; it is a means of grace, a means of God’s power and life in our lives. But the actual life-giving efficacy in feeding is only appropriated by faith.

(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

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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 peace of 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 of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

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Peanut Gallery: A brief word of explanation – the general format for Morning Prayer is adapted from the Northumbrian Community‘s Daily Office, as found in Celtic Daily Prayer (see online resources here.) The Scripture readings are primarily from the Gospel of John, with the intent to complete the reading by Easter. Other Scriptures which illuminate the Gospel of John will be included along the way.

Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.

On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.

Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.

Morning Prayer, 28 Jan – John 5:25-30 ~ Life-giver and Judge

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentences – Cuthbert of Northumbria (635-87)

Lord, I have heard Your voice calling at a distance.
Guide my steps to You, Lord, guide my steps to You.
Lord, I have heard Your voice calling at a distance.
Guard my way to You, Lord, guard my way.
Lord, I have heard Your voice calling at a distance.
Keep my heart for You, Lord, keep my heart for You.

Morning readings

John 5:25-30 ESV:

"Christ the Judge" Fra Angelico Chapel of San Brizio, Duomo, Orvieto, 1447 — “Christ the Judge”
Fra Angelico
Chapel of San Brizio, Duomo, Orvieto, 1447

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

Reflections / Prayer:

Life-giver and judge

To give life and to judge are interrelated, for to have life is to escape condemnation. The great events of the last day are already taking place. The judge they were expecting has come surprisingly, before the final end of this age; the life of the age to come is already available.

All of this is accomplished, says Jesus, in the one who hears my word and believes him who sent me. Those who recognize Jesus as the unique Son receive his words as having come from God and, accordingly, believe the Father who sent him. To know God is to have eternal life. Until we receive life from the Son we are dead, under God’s wrath.
(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

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Hear and obey

We are to walk as Jesus walked, obeying his commands. The first step of spiritual life is recognizing our need, which some immoral people may do and some moral people may not. The lifestyle we are called to in the Son is one of moral purity, in constant consciousness of absolute and utter dependence on God. “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

__________

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 of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

_____________________________________

Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.

On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.

Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.

Morning Prayer, 27 Jan – John 5:18-24 ~ emptied himself

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentence – Cuthbert of Northumbria (635-87)

Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.

My heart says of You, ‘Seek His face!’ Your face, Lord, will I seek.

Morning readings

John 5:18-24 ESV:

"Head of Christ" Georges Rouault, France, c1939 — “Head of Christ”
Georges Rouault, France, c1939

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Reflections / Prayer:

Dependency

Dependence upon the Father expresses Jesus’ humility and obedience. He does nothing by himself – his source of being and activity is not himself but his Father. He cannot act from himself, for to do so would be to exist autonomously from God. The Son is distinct from the Father (or he would not be the Son), but he is not autonomous.
(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

Intimacy

Since Jesus is totally at one with the Father, he sees God differently than anyone else ever has. Jesus has a sensitivity beyond human experience to God’s voice, because his intimacy with God is unclouded by sin. This insight refers to his constant communion with his Father, and thus the actions he refers to are not some special signs done now and then to illustrate what the Father is like. Rather, Jesus’ whole life, everything he does, is reflective of what he sees the Father doing… and everything the Father does is reflected in Jesus’ life. Jesus is claiming to be the full revelation of the Father.
(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

Humility

Jesus himself, who is the unique Son and who alone has seen God, is nevertheless the model of true humanity in that he is thoroughly open to God, humble, doing nothing of his own. The birth from above makes us God’s children, and we share in something of the same sort of relationship with God through the Spirit as we see in the Son.
(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

__________

Philippians 2:3-11 (ESV)

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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At the Name of Jesus / Every knee shall bow, / Every tongue confess Him Lord / King of glory now / King of glory now.

‘Tis the Father’s pleasure / We should call Him Lord / Who from the beginning / Was the mighty Word / Was the mighty Word.

O God, we adore You / O God, we bow down / We exalt and we praise You / Blessed by Your Spirit / O Holy One / O Holy One.

In your hearts enthrone Him / There let Him subdue / All that is not holy / All that is not true / All that is not true.

O God, we adore You / O God, we bow down / We exalt and we praise You / Blessed by Your Spirit / O Holy One / O Holy One.
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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 of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

_____________________________________

Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.

On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.

Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.

Morning Prayer, 17 Jan – John 3:1-8; 1 Peter 1:3-5 ~ born again

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentence – Aidan of Lindisfarne (?-651)

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and grant us peace in our day.

In Your mercy, Lord, keep us free from sin, and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Let Your Kingdom come, Lord, in me.

Morning readings

Nicodemus Crijn Hendricksz. Volmarijn (circa 1601–1645) — Nicodemus
Crijn Hendricksz. Volmarijn (circa 1601–1645)

John 3:1-8 ESV:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
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1 Peter 1:3-5 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Reflections / Prayer:

Born Again

Jesus explains being born from above in terms of being born of water and the Spirit.

What is needed is a new heart and a new life; that is, the Spirit must give birth to spirit. Only those alive in the realm of the spirit by the Spirit will be able to recognize and enter that realm.

This begetting is an act of sovereign gracious love initiated by God.

(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

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Living Hope

The main object of [1 Peter] is to raise us above the world, in order that we may be prepared and encouraged to sustain the spiritual contests of our warfare.

Supernatural life is a gift, because we are born the children of wrath; for had we been born to the hope of life according to the flesh, there would have been no necessity of being begotten again by God. Therefore Peter teaches us, that we who are by nature destined to eternal death, are restored to life by God’s mercy. And this is, as it were, our second creation.

Calvin’s Commentaries

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St Anthony of Egypt (251-356) – the founder of monasticism (read more)

“Let it be your supreme and common purpose not to grow weary in the work you have begun, and in time of trial and affliction not to lose courage…. Rather, we should daily begin anew…. For man’s whole life is short when measured against the time to come, so short, in fact, that it is as nothing in comparison with eternity…. Therefore, my children, let us persevere….”

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 of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

_____________________________________

Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.

On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.

Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.

Morning Prayer, 13 Jan – John 1:43-51 ~ heaven opened

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentence – Oswald of Northumbria (605-42)

This day is Your gift to me; I take it, Lord, from Your hand and thank You for the wonder of it.

God be with me in this Your day, every day and every way, with me and for me in this Your day; and the love and affection of heaven be toward me.

Morning readings

John 1:43-51 ESV:

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Reflections / Prayer:

Find and share: Andrew found Simon, and now Jesus finds Philip. Philip also goes to find another person to tell about Jesus…. The reason Nathanael has trouble with Jesus’ coming from Nazareth is probably because the Messiah was not expected to be associated with Nazareth…. He has reason to question whether Jesus is the one promised, but he is open to the possibility that Jesus is, as his subsequent action and confession show.

No deceit: Nathanael seeks God before all else. No one is without falseness within, but there are those who nevertheless desire truth before anything. Most of us must be pruned for years before we approach such single-hearted desire for God. Mercifully God accepts us before we even begin to desire him, and by his grace he undertakes the purging of all our duplicity and deceitfulness.

Heaven opened: “Jesus as Son of Man has become… the point of contact between heaven and earth…. [T]he promise here is that they will recognize who Jesus really is and thereby see God…. “Jesus Christ even in his humanity is united to heaven and enjoys perfect communion with God his Father” (Michaels 1989:43).

(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

St. Hilary of Poitiers (315-68) – Memorial Day January 13

“Lord, I pray Thee let not my weakness distract me, but let my speech be of that alone in which the salvation of my soul consists; and let me never break forth to that degree both of folly and wickedness, as to wish to be a judge of Thy omnipotence, and of Thy sacraments; and suffer me not to exalt my weak opinion above either the divine determination of Thy infinity, or that belief of Thy eternity which has been revealed to me. Amen.”

Heavenly Father: Thank You for this day You have given me. May I see heaven opened wide as the day unfolds. Give me eyes to see… ears to hear… a mind to apprehend… and a heart open to receive all You have in store for me today.

Lord Jesus: Your invitation to follow You is compelling – Your wonders never cease to amaze me. Help me to turn away from distractions and falsehoods that I might single-heartedly desire You alone… and abide in Your presence.

Holy Spirit: Fill me afresh today. Guide me into all truth that I might glorify You in all things… and give me the boldness to invite those whom You have prepared… to “come and see” Jesus for themselves. Amen.

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 of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

_____________________________________

Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.

On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.

Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.

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