Morning Prayer: Tue, 06 Dec – Psalm 96:1-3, 10-13; Isaiah 40:1-11; Matthew 18:12-14 ~ Comfort, comfort my people

Tuesday in the Second Week of Advent

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

Opening Sentence – (In the preparation days of Celtic Advent)

+ We have waited long for You. Deep has been our darkness.
+ We long for You to shine right here among us where we are.
+ We will not fear the shadows that surround us if only You will come among us!
+ We wait for the sound of a cry in the night, the joy that follows pain, the coming of hope.
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Reading: Psalm 96:1-3, 10-13 (NLT)

Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
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Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly. Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
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Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11 (NLT)

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins.”

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”

A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?”

“Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field. The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”

O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!” Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.
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Reading: Matthew 18:12-14 (NLT)

Jesus and the Lamb art print by Katherine Brown — Jesus and the Lamb
art print by Katherine Brown

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.”
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Prayer:

Sovereign God: Your word stands forever!

+ Prepare our hearts for the Day of Salvation, when King Jesus will return in all his glory
+ Fill us with a spirit of true repentance and joyful expectation
+ Shepherd us now with tenderness and kindness along the path of righteousness
+ Displace our fears and anxieties with the assurance of your lovingkindness

Sovereign God: Come to us as the powerful, righteous judge – that every tribe and nation may acknowledge you as Lord – through Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. Amen.
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“Comfort, Comfort, O My People” – The Ignatian Schola

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Blessing

Make your heart ready for the King of Glory to come in. Pray: come dwell among us and be my peace today.

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

Second Ordinary Sunday, 17 January: Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 96:1-3, 7-10; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11 ~ glory revealed

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

There are echoes of the Christmas Season in the Gospel story of the wedding feast of Cana, in which God’s glory becomes visible in Jesus, as it did at his Epiphany and Baptism.

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

Opening Prayer:

God of wonders, at Cana in Galilee you revealed your glory in Jesus Christ and summoned all humanity to life in him. Show to your people gathered on this day your transforming power and give us a foretaste of the wine you keep for the age to come. 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.
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Hymn: “God Of Wonders” – Third Day

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A Reading from the Old Testament: Isaiah 62:1-5 (NLT)
[God’s relationship with us is described in terms of a wedding — God is as close as a bridegroom to a bride.]

Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.

The nations will see your righteousness. World leaders will be blinded by your glory. And you will be given a new name by the Lord’s own mouth. The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see — a splendid crown in the hand of God.

Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City” or “The Desolate Land.” Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight” and “The Bride of God,” for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride. Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem, just as a young man commits himself to his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.
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A Reading from Psalms: Psalm 96:1-3, 7-10 (NLT)

O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.
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“Overwhelmed” – Big Daddy Weave (Sand Stories by Heather Curless)

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A Reading from the Letters: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NLT)
[Between now and the start of Lent, the second reading each Sunday is from St Paul’s first letter to the people of Corinth. He wrote to them in response to a request for practical guidance. Today’s reading outlines the different gifts needed by each community, which the Spirit provides.]

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 2:1-11 (NLT)
[The story of the wedding feast of Cana repeats the message of the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord. Jesus’ glory was seen by his disciples.]

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”

The Wedding Feast at Cana (detail) Paolo Veronese, 1562–3 Paris, Musée du Louvre — The Wedding Feast at Cana (detail)
Paolo Veronese, 1562–3
Paris, Musée du Louvre

“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.

When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”

This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
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Hymn: “God is able” – Hillsong United

Intercessions:

Gracious God; move among your people with wonder-working power as we bring our needs before you.

+ For all who seek to follow Christ – may we not be slow to do what he asks of us…. Lord, hear us.
+ For Christians facing persecution in Africa and the Middle East – draw close to them and show them your glory…. Lord, hear us.
+ For refugees and migrants – provide for their immediate needs and return them home safely, rejoicing at the wonders you have shown them…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those preparing to celebrate marriage this year – that your presence at their wedding may bring them joy and oneness in spirit…. Lord, hear us.
+ For all married couples – that their witness of love may show the world your continuing mercy and presence…. Lord, hear us.
+ For widowed, separated and divorced people – that the support of their friends may help them in difficult times…. Lord, hear us.
+ For our loved ones who have died – that they may sing God’s praises in their eternal home…. Lord, hear us.

Loving God, we proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king’: let your power be seen as you answer our prayers offered through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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Hymn: “How Great Is Our God” – (World Edition) [feat. Chris Tomlin]

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Benediction:

He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:15b-16)

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

Morning Prayer: 2 August – Psalm 96:10-13; Genesis 28:11-12; Ephesians 6:18 – on stone pillows

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.

IONA

Iona (Scottish Gaelic: Ì Chaluim Chille) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It was a centre of Irish monasticism for four centuries and is today renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty. It is a popular tourist destination and a place for retreats. Its modern Gaelic name means “Iona of (Saint) Columba” (formerly anglicised “Icolmkill”). (Wikipedia)

Psalm 96:10-13

Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
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Genesis 28:11-12

‘Columba’s Pillow’ This simple, water-worn boulder with a ringed cross carved onto it was found by a crofter in 1870 at Clanh an Dìsirt (about a kilometre NE of the abbey). He had become so annoyed by his cartwheel constantly hitting the stone that he dug it up. It soon became known as ‘Columba’s Pillow’ – the stone on which Columba laid his head each night and which after his death marked his grave. — ‘Columba’s Pillow’
This simple, water-worn boulder with a ringed cross carved onto it was found by a crofter in 1870 at Clanh an Dìsirt (about a kilometre NE of the abbey). He had become so annoyed by his cartwheel constantly hitting the stone that he dug it up. It soon became known as ‘Columba’s Pillow’ – the stone on which Columba laid his head each night and which after his death marked his grave.

At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway.

Ephesians 6:18

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Reflection

IONA

Columba and his brothers lived in simple huts, praying for each other, and for those far and wide whose lives they were to influence.
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A central hut upon a rising ground served as Columba’s cell. He watched in prayer for the small company assembled round, and for the mighty int’rests everywhere, which claimed his anxious heart. The stone was here which served him as a couch for needful sleep.
(Richard Meux Benson)
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Columba, disdaining the luxury of straw, used to lie on a stone, with another rounded stone for a pillow. A stone with a Celtic cross on it is preserved in Iona Cathedral and legend says that this stone is the very stone used by Columba for his pillow.
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Remember the holy places, the Cathedral, full of gracious light, and the stillness of the stone, with its carven capitals, its timeworn arches, its store of patterned grave stones, and the hard pillow where Columba laid his head.
(Margaret Cropper)
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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.) Our Scripture readings and reflections will be taken from the Aidan Daily Readings (Celtic Daily Prayer) during the month of August. On Sundays, we’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 for Tuesday, 2nd Week in Advent: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 96:1-3, 10-13; Matthew 18:12-14 ~ comfort

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentence

Let your hearts be true and humble, as befits God’s holy reign. For the glory of the Lord now on earth is shed abroad, and all flesh shall see the token that God’s word is never broken.

Morning readings

Isaiah 40:1-11 NLT:

A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?”

Psalm 96:1-3, 10-13 NLT:

Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.

Matthew 18:12-14 NLT:

Reflection/Prayer:

Lord Jesus: Thank You, gentle Shepherd, for – seeking me out when I lose my way… forgiving my trespasses… and holding me close to Your heart. Thank You for Your rod and staff that corrects and saves me. Comfort Your people in these perilous times… and place within my heart a new song of joy for – all You have already done for me… and all You will do when You come again in power. 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.

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 Morning Prayer readings are from the USCCB Daily Readings and the format from the Daily Office of the Northumbrian Community as available online here… and in the book form, Celtic Daily Prayer available on Amazon.com. The website and prayer book are rich in prayer resources and I commend them to you.