Tag: You must be holy

Reading, Reflection & Prayer: Mon, 24 July – Leviticus 19-21 ~ you must be holy

Reading, Reflection & Prayer

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

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.

Please Read: Leviticus 19-21 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

“Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:22b‭-‬23 (NLT)

Lord God: In your loving-kindness, you gave us your Son, Jesus Christ, to free us from sin and death; he came into our world not to condemn us, but to save all who put their faith and trust in him.

I bind this today to me forever: By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation; His baptism in Jordan river, His death on Cross for my salvation; His bursting from the spicèd tomb, His riding up the heavenly way, His coming at the day of doom. I bind unto myself today.  [“St. Pat­rick’s Lor­i­ca” translated by Ce­cil Alex­an­der (1889)]

Holiness in Personal Conduct

Leviticus 19:1-2 (NLT) – The Lord also said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy….”

Respect God: “I am the Lord your God.”

+ Keep the Sabbath days of rest, and show reverence toward my sanctuary
+ Respect my name; respect the living God; do not trust idols or images

Respect Others: “love your neighbor”

+ love your mother and father; show respect for the aged; don’t nurse hatreds for relatives, but confront people directly
+ respect the poor and disabled; deal honestly in business; pay wages promptly; use honest weights and measures; and respect other people’s property
+ speak the truth; seek justice; don’t slander your neighbor, but defend your neighbor when his life is threatened
+ don’t practice fortune-telling or witchcraft; don’t defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead
+ treat foreigners who live among you like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself

Punishments for Disobedience

Leviticus 20:1-2 (NLT) – The Lord said to Moses, “Give the people of Israel these instructions, which apply both to native Israelites and to the foreigners living in Israel.

“If any of them offer their children as a sacrifice to Molech, they must be put to death….”

Capital Offenses:

+ the sacrifice of children; dishonoring parents; adultery; incest; homosexuality; sex with animals; consulting mediums and spirits of the dead

Leviticus 20:7 (NLT) – So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy.

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. – Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT)

Lord Jesus: Thank you for being both our great High Priest; you understand our weaknesses, and you sacrificed yourself – once and for all – to take away our sins. Forgive us and make us clean; and fill us with your Spirit that we might live holy, godly lives as faithful witnesses to your love, your mercy and your grace. Amen.
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“Forgiven” – Sanctus Real

Well the past is playing with my head | And failure knocks me down again | I’m reminded of the wrong | That I have said and done | And that devil just wont let me forget

In this life | I know what I’ve been | But here in your arms | I know what I am | I’m forgiven | I’m forgiven | And I don’t have to carry | The weight of who I’ve been | ‘Cause I’m forgiven

My mistakes are running through my mind | And I’ll relive my days, in the middle of the night | When I wrestle with my pain, struggle with my pride | Sometimes I feel alone, and I cry

When I don’t fit in and I don’t feel like I belong anywhere | When I don’t measure up to much in this life | Oh, I’m a treasure in the arms of Christ | ‘Cause I’m forgiven
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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: 23 Feb – Lv 19:1-2, 11-18; Mt 25:31-46 ~ the least among us

Monday of the First Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
__________

Merciful God, in baptism You gave me a life that is new; may I ever grow in Your likeness. Let me bring joy this day to those who are in need; and draw me nearer to You through the help I give them. Help me to do what is right and good; let me seek You always with all my heart. Forgive me for the times I have hurt other people, and failed to preserve the unity of Your family; Lord, have mercy on me. Direct me, Lord, in the path of true life. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

A Reading from the Old Testament: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 (NLT)

The Lord also said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
_____

walking in holiness

“Do not steal.

“Do not deceive or cheat one another.

“Do not bring shame on the name of your God by using it to swear falsely. I am the Lord.

“Do not defraud or rob your neighbor.

“Do not make your hired workers wait until the next day to receive their pay.

“Do not insult the deaf or cause the blind to stumble. You must fear your God; I am the Lord.

“Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly.

“Do not spread slanderous gossip among your people.

“Do not stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is threatened. I am the Lord.

“Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin.

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
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Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2b)
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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 25:31-46 (NLT)

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

Respect

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
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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 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