17 November 2014
Collects
Prayers developed from the daily
readings
Monday 17 November 2014
Morning Prayer
Psalm 40
The psalmist tells the whole congregation of how God
delivered him from desolation and being stuck. He sings a new song of praise telling
of God’s innumerable deeds.
God listens even when no sacrifice is offered. God
wants us to fulfil the Law and do God’s will.
Now the psalmist asks for more aid: past sins assail
him and people want to take his life, to hurt and ridicule him. He prays for
those who do God’s will and repeats the request for deliverance.
Zechariah 9: 1 - 10
Zechariah tells the words he received from God about
the future of the powerful cities and countries around Israel who are full of
enmity. God will humble them. In the final section the people are encouraged to
rejoice for their king will come in triumph and victory riding on a donkey, on
a colt, the foal of a donkey. Peace will reign and his dominion will be to the
ends of the earth.
Matthew 24: 32 – 51
Jesus reminds us that we can tell summer is coming
because we see sprouts on the trees. We need to also see the signs around us
that indicate Jesus’ return. Just like before the flood, people were living
life and getting married right up to the day Noah entered the ark. The same
will be for us: it will come suddenly and we need to be prepared.
We instead need to be like the good manager and be
reliable and consistent in our tasks even when the owner is away. We are not to
be lazy or partying and only clean up our lives when we know the owner is
returning – the return will be unexpected and like a bad manager we will be
seen to be hypocrites.
Collect for Morning Prayer
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| Church at The Abbey - Benedictine Jamberoo NSW 2012 L Osburn |
Monday 17 November 2014
Evening Prayer
Psalms 42 and 43
The psalmist longs for God. In deep distress, his soul thirsts for God. He recalls the times in the past he has been part of
the celebrations. He is in the depths of despair, oppressed by an enemy. The
psalmist tells his soul to hope in God for a time of praise will come – God is
our help.
Again ungodly people oppress the psalmist. God’s light
and truth are requested. They will lead us back to worship, to joy and praise.
Once more the psalmist tells his soul to hope in God. A time of praise will come –
God is our help.
Wisdom 4: 7– 20
Old age does not make people wise. The righteous may
die early for understanding is what brings the wisdom: “a blameless life is
ripe old age” (v.9). God sometimes takes good people early so that there is no
opportunity for evil to change their understanding or trick them since the
fascination of wickedness obscures what is good.
The righteous ones who have died will condemn the
ungodly and the righteous youth will condemn the prolonged old age of the
unrighteous. The Lord will make the final judgement and the ungodly and their
memory will perish.
Revelation 6: 12 – 7: 8
After the opening of the sixth seal the sun goes black,
the moon turns red, the stars fall and the heavens are pealed back like a
curtain. Kings and rulers and people hide in caves knowing that this is the end
and fearing the wrath to come. The angels hold back the winds and the waves
until the elect of the tribes of Israel and others are gathered and marked with
a seal.
Collect for Evening Prayer
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| Tree fern The Abbey _ Benedictine Jamberoo NSW 2012 L Osburn |
Holy and almighty God you are indeed from everlasting to everlasting we
will never fully comprehend until we meet you face to face. Keep our souls
thirsting for you so that we turn our faces to you and away from oppressors,
away from the fascinations of wickedness and instead grow in love,
understanding and wisdom through Jesus Christ our Lord
and Saviour. Amen.
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