those who exalt themselves will be humbled

Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

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

Opening Sentence

Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. (Isaiah 55:6)

Morning Reading: Luke 18:9-14 (NLT)

pride

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Morning Prayer

Christ the Lord has made me into a new creation. He has given me a new birth in the waters of baptism and nourishes me with his Word and his Spirit. Jesus, you are gentle and humble in spirit; renew me by your grace.

+ Grant me something of your compassion, something of your kindness, and something of your patience towards all whom I encounter today.
+ Teach me to be a good neighbor to the sad and the needy, following your example of the good Samaritan.
+ Intercede for me before the Father and fill me with your Spirit that I may serve you ever more perfectly.
+ Grant me the gift of your mercy, pardon my sins and deliver me from evil.

Renew me, Lord God, in this yearly season of grace as I ponder the mysteries of Easter. Grant, that my joy may be completed by seeing them fulfilled in my life. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“God Be Merciful to Me” – Indelible Grace

Closing Sentence

Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. (Isaiah 55:7)

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

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

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

Opening Sentence

Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. (Isaiah 55:6)

Morning Reading: Matthew 23:1-12 (NLT)

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’

“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Morning Prayer

Gracious God: you gave your own Son, the Word made flesh, to be our bread of life. Satisfy our hunger for you during this season of Lent.

+ May the message of Christ, in all its richness, live in our hearts.
+ May we hear your voice and journey with Christ from death to life.
+ May we celebrate his resurrection at Easter with great joy and love.
+ Teach us to live by your Spirit and help us to encourage faith in those who doubt.
+ May the knowledge of Christ penetrate our minds and hearts and find expression in all our ways of living.

Consecrate us, Lord God, and make your Church the living witness of your presence in the world. Watch over your people with unfailing compassion. Left to ourselves, we are prone to evil. By your grace, turn us away from all that is harmful and direct us into the way of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Broken Vessels” – Hillsong Worship