12 June 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Thursday 12 June 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.

1 Chronicles 16: 7 – 36

David establishes the singing of praises to God and appoints people to that task. Then follows a composite of psalms to make up a great song of uplifting praise to God.

Acts 2: 37 – 47

The people who hear Peter’s speech at Pentecost feel dreadful and ask Peter what should they do. He answers, “repent… be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ… receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (v. 38).  Three thousand people repent and are baptised. The apostles do great wonders and people form a community, share meals and their belongings, go to the temple, pray, support each other and praise God.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Painting in the church using children who attended school
at New Norcia as the faces of the heavenly hosts.
New Norcia Benedictine Community WA
2014 L Osburn

Wonderful God, you are worthy of all praise and thanksgiving. From deep within our hearts we give you thanks and praise for all the blessings we have in our lives. Keep your song in our hearts today so that whatever we encounter we know you are with us with your great and mighty power and love through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Thursday 12 June 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).

Ruth 3

Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law needs to ensure Ruth’s security. As a widow, a kinsman should become her husband and care for her. Naomi instructs Ruth to go to the threshing floor where Boaz will be working, eating and sleeping. She instructs Ruth to wait until he is asleep then sleeps at his feet. When he wakes, Ruth tells him that she believes him to be the nearest kinsman. Boaz recognises that she is an honourable woman and following the traditions, not running after younger or richer men. Boaz thinks that there might be someone else who is a nearer kinsman. Before dawn, Ruth leaves thus protecting Boaz and her own reputation.

Ruth returns to Naomi. Boaz goes to the city. Naomi reassures Ruth that Boaz will sort things out for her immediately.

1 Corinthians 15: 35 – 50

Paul, continues with his discussion of resurrection. When we plant a seed it dies and a new plant emerges that looks nothing like the seed. Every creature on the planet has it’s own shape as do all the heavenly bodies – sun, moon and stars, none of them look like the “seed” that began them.

With the resurrection of the dead, what dies is our perishable body and what is raised is our imperishable, spiritual body.

The first man, Adam was born of dust and we have his likeness. The last man is born of the spirit and we have that likeness too. Flesh and blood cannot inherit heaven because it is perishable. The imperishable inherits the eternal.

Collect for Evening Prayer

New native orchid shoot in the Karri Forest WA
2014 L Osburn

Nurturing and loving God, you protect and feed us as we grow in love and faith. Help us this evening, to see the new shoots of faith and new flowerings of the spirit in ourselves and in those around us, so that we can sit in awe and wonder and praise you through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and your Holy Spirit. Amen.