Tag: The Good Shepherd

Morning Prayer: Mon, 03 Apr – John 10:27-28; Luke 15:1-7 ~ more joy in heaven

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

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

Opening Sentences

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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Reading: John 10:27-28 (NLT)

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me….
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Reading: Luke 15:1-7 (NLT)

Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
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Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you sent your Son to seek and save the lost – sheep without a shepherd.

Hear the cries of our hearts for our lost loved ones – our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, our friends and neighbors, the known and the nameless, those both near us and far from our shores.

Call them by name and bring them home to yourself – convict them of sin, and unrighteousness, and grant them a spirit of repentance and saving faith.

And Lord, give us confidence, clarity and courage to share the Good News of what you have done for us with those you have prepared to listen.

We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Shepherd of Love” – Evie Karlsson


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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!

Morning Prayer: 21 May – Psalm 1:1; Jeremiah 4:22; John 10:1-10 ~ on hearing God

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentences

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.

Morning readings

May -To a Young Disciple

This month’s readings are a development of Colambanus‘ Letter to a Young Disciple.

Psalm 1:1 ESV

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers….

Jeremiah 4:22 ESV

“For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”

John 10:1-10 ESV

overflowing

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly….”

Reflections

BE SUBMISSIVE TO GOOD, UNBENDING TO EVIL

Our society teaches us to be suspicious of what is good, and to listen passively to whatever is evil. It is imperative that we learn to be teachable and submissive if God is to use us. But even the suggestions of the Thief must be given no opportunity to remain. The difficulty may come in deciding which voice is whose. And time spent with the Shepherd is the surest way of recognizing His voice, and of knowing when an impostor is seeking to persuade us. The true Shepherd would not say that, He does not come to steal, kill or destroy.

The Finan Series of Daily Readings – Finan of Lindisfarne (C. 660)
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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: 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.) Having completed reading through the Gospel of John, our Scripture readings and reflections will be taken from the Finan Daily Readings (Celtic Daily Prayer). We will continue with the Finan readings until Pentecost Sunday, June 8th.

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.