Tag: USCCB Daily Readings

Morning Prayer for Tuesday, 3rd Week in Advent: Genesis 49:2, 8-10; Psalm 72:1-4, 7-8, 17; Matthew 1:1-17 ~ thoroughbred

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentence

Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderful things. Praise his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen!

Morning readings

Genesis 49:2, 8-10 NLT:

David's Tower covered in snow
Jerusalem: David’s Tower
covered in snow

“Come and listen, you sons of Jacob; listen to Israel, your father.
__________

“Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will grasp your enemies by the neck. All your relatives will bow before you. Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness — who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor….”

Psalm 72:1-4, 7-8, 17 NLT:

Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son. Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly. May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful. Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy, and to crush their oppressors.
__________

May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more. May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
__________

May the king’s name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through him and bring him praise.

Matthew 1:1-17 (excerpts) NLT:

This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers….

Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah)….

Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon). After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel….

Matthan was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.

Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

Reflection/Prayer:

Hark! how the bells / Sweet silver bells / All seem to say, / “Throw cares away.” / Christmas is here / Bringing good cheer / To young and old / Meek and the bold

Ding, dong, ding, dong / That is their song / With joyful ring / All caroling / One seems to hear / Words of good cheer / From everywhere / Filling the air

Oh how they pound, / Raising the sound, / O’er hill and dale, / Telling their tale, / Gaily they ring / While people sing / Songs of good cheer / Christmas is here

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas / Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas / On, on they send / On without end / Their joyful tone / To ev’ry home

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

_____________________________________

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.

Morning Prayer for Monday, 3rd Week in Advent: Numbers 24:2b-7, 15-17a; Psalm 25:4-9; Matthew 21:23-27 ~ rising star

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentence

Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.

Morning readings

Numbers 24:2b-7, 15-17 NLT:

starThen the Spirit of God came upon him, and this is the message he delivered:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor, the message of the man whose eyes see clearly, the message of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:

How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob; how lovely are your homes, O Israel! They spread before me like palm groves, like gardens by the riverside. They are like tall trees planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their offspring have all they need. Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted….”
__________

This is the message Balaam delivered:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor, the message of the man whose eyes see clearly, the message of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:

I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel….”

Psalm 25:4-9 NLT:

Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.

The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.

Matthew 21:23-27 NLT:

When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things….”

Reflection/Prayer:

“In the Bleak Midwinter” a poem by Christina Rossetti

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

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

_____________________________________

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.

3rd Sunday in Advent: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10; Psalm 146:6-10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11 ~ joyful patience

THE SEASON OF ADVENT: please see resources below.

During Advent, we wait patiently for the Lord’s return… with a song of praise in our hearts. “Rejoice in the Lord, always: again, I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.”

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

Advent Wreath 3

Opening sentence:

O God, who sees how your people faithfully await the celebration of Christmas, enable us to realize the joys of our salvation, and to celebrate them always with reverent worship and glad rejoicing.

A Reading from the Old Testament: Isaiah 35:1-6 (NLT)

Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the Lord will display his glory, the splendor of our God. With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.”

And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.
__________

Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.

A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 146:6-10 (NLT)

He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

The Lord will reign forever. He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations. Praise the Lord!

A Reading from the Apostle James’ Letter to the Church: James 5:7-10 (NLT)

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 11:2-11 (NLT)

John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”

Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen — the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.’”

As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,

‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.’

“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

Intercessions:

Lord God of Heaven and Earth: I come before You today with a patient, joyful spirit…. anticipating Christmas, and yet longing for Your return – when all things will be made new. Hear my prayers on behalf of Your people –

+ Fill us with the joy of knowing You are near… in our praying, our longing, our hoping as we live our daily lives.

+ Give us a spirit of contentment and generosity… when everyone around us says “get more”, may we cheerfully give more – especially to those desperately in need.

+ Set us free from our fears and anxieties… to live joyfully for You and for others.

+ Forgive us our sins… and keep us sound in mind and body until the coming of Your Son.

+ Help us to stand watchful and ready… until your Son is revealed in all his glory.

May we live as godly people… clothed in our Lord Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. Lord hear my prayer.

Hymn: “Gaudete” (Wikipedia)

Gaudete, gaudete / Christus est natus / Ex Maria Virgine / Gaudete
(Rejoice, rejoice! / Christ is born / Of the Virgin Mary / Rejoice!)

Tempus adest gratiae / Hoc quod optabamus / Carmina laetitiae / Devote reddamus
(The time of grace has come / What we have wished for / Songs of joy / Let us give back faithfully.)

Deus homo factus est / Natura mirante / Mundus renovatus est / A Christo regnante
(God has become man / Nature marveling / The world has been renewed / By Christ reigning.)

Ezechielis porta / Clausa pertransitur / Unde Lux est orta / Salus invenitur
(The closed gate of Ezekiel / Is passed through / Whence the light is raised / Salvation is found.)

Ergo nostra contio / Psallat iam in lustro / Benedicat Domino / Salus Regi nostro
(Therefore let our gathering / Now sing in brightness / Let it give praise to the Lord / Greeting to our King.)

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

_________________________________________

THE SEASON OF ADVENT: + Online Advent Calendar – US Catholic Conference of Bishops + Online Advent Calendar for Adults – Loyola Press + Busted Halo’s Surprise Advent Calendar + 2013 Advent Devotion Apps, eBooks and More! | ChurchMag

Morning Prayer for Saturday, 2nd Week in Advent: I Kings 16:30-33, 17:1-5, 18:1-2, 17-18; Psalm 80:2b-3, 15-19; Matthew 17:9-13 ~ rescue us

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentence

We hail you as our Savior, Lord, our refuge and our great reward. Without your grace we waste away like flowers that wither and decay.

Stretch forth your hand, our health restore, and make us rise to fall no more. O let your face upon us shine and fill the world with love divine.

Morning readings

I Kings 16:29-33, 17:1-5, 18:1-2, 17-18 NLT

Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty-two years. But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. And as though it were not enough to follow the example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal. First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.
__________

The Prophet Elijah in the Desert, Fed by a Raven Loretta Hoffmann
The Prophet Elijah in the
Desert, Fed by a Raven
Loretta Hoffmann

Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”

Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”

So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook.
__________

Later on, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!” So Elijah went to appear before Ahab.
__________

When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?”

“I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead….”

Psalm 80:2b-3, 14-19 NLT

Show us your mighty power. Come to rescue us! Turn us again to yourself, O God. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.
__________

Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Look down from heaven and see our plight. Take care of this grapevine that you yourself have planted, this son you have raised for yourself. For we are chopped up and burned by our enemies. May they perish at the sight of your frown. Strengthen the man you love, the son of your choice. Then we will never abandon you again. Revive us so we can call on your name once more.

Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.

Matthew 17:9-13 NLT:

As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Then his disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?”

Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.” Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.

Reflection/Prayer:

Lord Jesus – As the world I have known collapses around me, You are the constant in my life… my soul finds its rest in You. God of Angel Armies – Rescue Your people who are suffering great distress during these perilous times. Come to us with power and strength and sustain us. Show us Your mercy… revive our spirits… and raise us up from the ashes of sin and death. Holy Spirit – Comfort Your people as we wait for that glorious day… no tears, no suffering, no heartache, no pain, no death. Give us beauty for ashes and a song of praise to sing forever in Your presence. And… come quickly. 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

_____________________________________

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.

Morning Prayer for Friday, 2nd Week in Advent: Isaiah 48:17-19; Psalm 1:1-6; Matthew 11:16-19 ~ their delight

Morning Prayer

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

Opening sentence

Before the dawning day / Let sin’s dark deeds be gone, The old man all be put away, The new man all put on.

All glory to the Son, Who comes to set us free, With Father, Spirit, ever One, Through all eternity.

Morning readings

Isaiah 48:17-19 NLT

This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sands along the seashore — too many to count! There would have been no need for your destruction, or for cutting off your family name.”

A solitaire tree covered with snow stands on a field in Sieversdorf, Germany, under a blue winter sky in bright sunlight on 30 December 2010.
A solitaire tree covered with snow stands on a field in Sieversdorf, Germany, under a blue winter sky in bright sunlight on 30 December 2010.

Psalm 1:1-6 NLT

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Matthew 11:16-19 NLT:

“To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,

‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t mourn.’

For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

Reflection/Prayer:

Lord Jesus – Quiet my anxious spirit… create within me a fortress of peace where I can find my rest and refreshment in You. Fill me with a love for Your Word and a willingness to live it out – daily, hourly, minute-by-minute – during the hustle and bustle of the season. May my obedience bear good fruit… in my life, but even more importantly in the lives of those I meet today. Make me a Christmas gift, for Your name’s sake. 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

_____________________________________

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.