Tag: Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant

Morning Prayer: Sat, 24 Sep – Psalm 8:9; Ecclesiastes 3:11-13; Matthew 20:25-28 ~ beautiful servants

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

Opening Sentence

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.

Reading: Psalm 8:9 (NLT)

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:11-13 (NLT)

eccl-3-11

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Reading: Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT)

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Prayer

You pour life into me, giving me speech, sense, desire, giving me thought and action. You mark the way before me. On Your path, O my God, and not my own, be all my journeying. Rule this heart of mine that it be only Yours.

God, our God, Your design for us is perfect in its friendliness. There is a purpose in all things; and whoso finds it wins strength to bear. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life for many.

Peace between me and my God. May I tread the path to the gates of glory. Rule this heart of mine that it be only Yours. God’s path would I travel, my own path refuse. May I tread the path to the gates of glory.

“Ye Servants of God” – Washington Choral Arts Society

Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim, and publish abroad his wonderful name; the name all-victorious of Jesus extol, his kingdom is glorious and rules over all.

God ruleth on high, almighty to save, and still he is nigh, his presence we have; the great congregation his triumph shall sing, ascribing salvation to Jesus, our King.

“Salvation to God, who sits on the throne!” Let all cry aloud and honor the Son; the praises of Jesus the angels proclaim, fall down on their faces and worship the Lamb.

Then let us adore and give him his right, all glory and power, all wisdom and might; all honor and blessing with angels above, and thanks never ceasing and infinite love.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Jesus 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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: 24 February – Matthew 20:17-28 ~ the bitter cup of suffering

Wednesday 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 20:17-28 (NLT)

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. “What is your request?” he asked.

bitter cup 1

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Morning Prayer

Gracious God: you gave your own Son, the Word made flesh, to suffer and die that we may have life. Give us the courage to “go up to Jerusalem” with him during this Lenten season.

+ May we listen to your voice as we journey with Christ from death to life.
+ Teach us to live sacrificially as willing servants for the good of others.
+ Teach us to live by your Spirit as faith-filled encouragers of those who doubt.
+ May the love of Christ find expression in all our ways of living.
+ May we celebrate his resurrection at Easter with great joy and love.

Heavenly Father protect your family during this Lenten journey. Strengthen us with your consoling presence and lead us to the joys of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“In Life And Death” – Greg Sykes |The New Hymns of Fanny Crosby

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!

Morning Prayer: 27 May – Psalm 79:8, 9, 11, 13; Mark 10:32-45 ~ a ransom for many

Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.
_____

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy, He gave us new birth into a living hope by His Son’s resurrection from the dead. Father, give us Your strength.

+ Turn my eyes to Jesus Christ Your Son – may He lead me in my faith and bring it to perfection.
+ I pray for cheerfulness and a generous heart – may I bring joy to my family, to my work, and to all whom I meet.
+ I pray for all who are working today – be with them at home and in town, in the factory and in the fields.
+ I pray for those who have no work – for the disabled and the sick, for those who cannot find work, and for those who are retired.

Remember, Lord, Your solemn covenant, renewed and consecrated by the blood of the Lamb, so that we, Your people, may obtain forgiveness for our sins and a continued growth in grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Reading from Psalms: 79:8, 9, 11, 13 (NLT)

elderly

Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors! Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair.
_____

Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name.
_____

Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die.
_____

Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and ever, praising your greatness from generation to generation.
__________

The Son of Man came to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
__________

A Reading from the Gospels: Mark 10:32-45 (NLT)

They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”

Title: Suffering Servant Marcella Paliekara
Title: Suffering Servant
Marcella Paliekara

“What is your request?” he asked.

They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
__________


__________

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 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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen