18 September 2014
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Thursday 18
September 2014
Morning
Prayer
Psalms 41 and 44: 1 – 9
The psalmist is ill, mortally ill. The psalmist’s
enemies are happy and a close friend has walked away. This is a plea for
healing and restoration.
This portion of the psalm reminds us of God’s actions
in nation building and protecting the people in wars. They do not go into battle
trusting in their own abilities but in God. And yet, now they have suffered a
defeat.
Habakkuk 2: 18 – 3: 7
Habakkuk asks what use is an idol? Humans make them
then give their trust to what they make. They have no breath and no life. God
is holy and mighty let the earth in silence give respect.
Habakkuk in a poetic prayer recalls God’s appearance
with the people from Sinai and God’s overcoming of the Egyptians and
Midianites.
Matthew 5: 27 – 42
Jesus sets up a new way of thinking about right
action. First, desires of the heart are part of sin as are the small actions we
take, where we look or what we do with our hands. Stopping the progress of sin
even if it means losing a part of who we are is worth it. We are not to cause
those who are less powerful than us to sin by our actions, nor cause even
further sin in others who we may not know.
Jesus requires us to be people of integrity for our
word to be binding. We do not vacillate.
And we are not to retaliate blow for blow but if
someone hurts us we then change position so that assault is repeated,
deliberate and not reaction but an obvious, deliberate abuse of power.
If someone sues – usually because we have done
something wrong – give more compensation than requested.
If a person in authority who has coercive power to
make us do something to a limit and orders us to do it then we obey and then
offer to go beyond the limit. The outcome is they have to acknowledge us as
equals. If they take the “extra mile” it is clearly outside their limits and an
abuse of power.
Give to those who beg and don’t refuse people who
borrow from you.
Collect for
Morning Prayer
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| School Chapel New Norcia Benedictine Community WA 2014 L Osburn |
Inspirational God, you have given us
your Son who taught us how to respect and honour each other and ourselves and
stand up against oppression. You have been with your people of faith through
times of tyranny and illness. You give us what we need to get through these
times of challenge. Today, enable us to demonstrate respect, honour and
integrity so that we show in our actions that you are our God from everlasting
to everlasting through Jesus Christ who died for us. Amen.
Thursday 18
September 2014
Evening
Prayer
Psalm 44: 10 – 27
The psalmist gives voice to the despair felt following
defeat, slaughter of the people, oppression and scattering. The people suffer
because they are faithful to God. They are still faithful and yet God does not
appear to be answering. This is a lament.
2
Maccabees 4: 1 – 17
The
Hellenisation of Israel and Jerusalem continues. The priests are corrupted and
leave their tasks. A gymnasium is established and the youth engage in all
things Greek. People seek Greek forms of prestige. The section of text ends
with “It is no light thing to show irreverence to the divine laws – a fact that
later events will make clear” (v.17).
Ephesians 3: 1 – 13
Paul is in prison because of his
ministry to reveal the mystery that people of all nations are now heirs of the
promise through Jesus Christ. This is Paul’s ministry and he does not want the
people of Ephesus to lose heart because he is imprisoned, instead to be bold
and confident in their faith.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
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| School Chapel New Norcia Benedictine Community WA 2014 L Osburn |
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