5 October 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Sunday 5 October 2014 

Morning Prayer

Psalm 118: 19 – 29

The psalm section brims with sweet praise to God. “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes”.

Matthew 20: 17 – 28

Jesus, on the way to Jerusalem, tells the disciples that he will be arrested, flogged and crucified and on the third day he will be raised. The mother of James and John asks Jesus to promote her sons to be the two most senior people in His Kingdom. Jesus asks can they endure what he will endure? He says too that those positions are not his to grant. When the disciples express their anger at the request Jesus reassures them by saying that unlike other nations where the senior people rule over the rest, in Jesus’ Kingdom, the more senior the more one serves others and “to lead,” means to ransom your life for many.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Tiny Bird Sanctuary Island Deniliquin NSW
2014 L Osburn

Holy Lord, you indeed do marvellous things including re-defining leadership so that it is about service. In all the leadership roles we take guide us to serve first and achieve the aims and objectives with people so that we build everyone’s capacities and build your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday 5 October 2014

Evening Prayer

Exodus 22: 21 – 23: 9

The section is a series of commands to treat aliens well, care for the poor, widows and orphans. Compassion is required. God and the people’s leader should not be cursed. Make an offering from all production quickly. Dedicate your heirs to God. Be just and honest: no false reports, no malicious witness, no joining in with the crowd to do something you know is wrong, no siding with the majority to pervert the course of justice and no partiality in judgements – even for the poor.

If something that belongs to our enemy is lost or in trouble we should help, and not delay. We must uphold justice for all and not convict the innocent or people who are in the right. We must not oppress resident aliens.

Psalm 80: 7 – 15

This psalm is a prayer for deliverance from national enemies. It compares Israel to a vine that was planted, flourished until it was a great over-arching life but is now being ravaged, eaten and rooted out.

Romans 16: 1 – 16

Paul names the faithful people he knows and had worked with who are either in Rome or who will visit and encourages the Romans to greet them with a holy kiss and pass on Paul’s regard for them.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Sanctuary Island Deniliquin NSW
2014 L Osburn

Holy and compassionate God with Paul we pray for all your faithful people in the world. Keep us free from fear and harm. Strengthen us to be generous and pass on your care for all humanity through our actions. We pray for liberation from all forces and powers that would harm your kingdom on earth so that together, your people from every nation may live in harmony, in peace and flourishing love through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.