12 April 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Saturday 12 April 2014

Morning Prayer

Psalms 99 and 100

This psalm uses the theme God is king. God is a just ruler and steadfastly supports those who follow the commandments. God responds to wrongdoing. It is right to tremble at great greatness and awesomeness of God.

Sing praise and thanks to God. We are God’s people. God made us. The Lord’s love and mercy endures forever. The Lord is good.

Jeremiah 45

Jeremiah has delivered his prophesy about the destruction of the Judeans in Egypt. Baruch the scribe writes Jeremiah’s words and in this brief chapter writes the prophecy Jeremiah gave in the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign about himself, Baruch. Baruch will live through the troubles to come.

Matthew 26: 1 – 16

Jesus is in Jerusalem. The Passover festival is coming. He knows he will soon be handed over and crucified. In the background the conspiracy of the chief priests and elders gains momentum. The conspirators want it over before Passover to avoid a riot.

The story shifts to a time previously when Jesus was in Bethany and a woman pours expensive ointment from an alabaster jar over his head. Jesus accepts this gift as preparation for his burial. There are others who complain about the waste and that the ointment should be sold instead to feed the poor.

Judas goes to the chief priests and asks how much will they give him to betray Jesus.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Torndirrup National Park near Albany WA
2014 L Osburn

Almighty and awesome God, you made us, lead us, guide us and we are sometimes worse than stubborn. We are sorry. We thank you for the suffering you endured for us. Help us now to keep our hearts and minds on your love and grace and walk quietly and faithfully with you in the days to come through Jesus Christ our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Saturday 12 April 2014

Evening Prayer

Psalm 103

“Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is in me bless his holy name” (v.1).  The psalm recounts the gifts of God to us as individuals: forgiveness, healing, and redemption, crowning us with steadfast love and satisfying us with good things. God’s history of justice and mercy and compassion are listed. Humans are temporary and frail. God is eternal and mighty. “Bless the Lord, O my soul” (V.22).

Exodus 10: 21 – 11: 10

The ninth plague is dense darkness that covers Egypt but not where the Israelites live. Pharaoh calls Moses and says he can take the men women and children to worship God but not the livestock. Moses says they need them all so they can choose which to sacrifice. Pharaoh gets angry and threatens Moses with death if Pharaoh sees him again. Moses is clear he will not see Pharaoh again. He delivers the message about the final plague – the death of all first-born humans and creatures of the Egyptians. No alarm will be raised – no human or animal will do this killing. Then all Egypt will send the Israelites out.

1 John 5: 3 – 12

God wants us to obey his commandments – and that is not hard with faith and belief in Christ the Son of God. The truth of this is in Christ’s baptism, crucifixion and his spirit. Belief in Jesus places God’s testimony in our hearts and we live life fully.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Armadale WA 2014 L Osburn

Loving and compassionate God, you sent your Son to teach, heal, guide, forgive, love and redeem us. He sent us his Spirit to sustain us. We thank you for these gifts of grace. Help us now to bless you from the depths of our soul, to bless your holy name through Jesus Christ. Amen.