Saturday 26 September 2015

27 September 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 


Sunday 27 September 2015 
Morning Prayer   

Psalm 99

Song of praise to God, who rules, is awesome, loves justice and fairness and will stand by us. God listened to Moses and Aaron. They kept Gods decrees. God forgave them and avenged wrongdoing. We are to praise and worship God.

Mark 11: 27 – 33

In the temple Jesus’s authority to teach is questioned. Jesus answers with a question (which was the standard method of debate). Jesus asks whether they think John’s baptism was from heaven or from men? The chief priests, preachers of the Law and elders answered, “We don’t know”. Jesus then refuses to tell them his authorisation.


Collect for Morning Prayer


Denmark WA L Osburn
Holy, holy Lord we bring our lives and doubts and fears to you knowing you will hear us. Turn our challenging, our doubts and our fears into opportunities to reconsider our lives and choices. Remind us that John said, “Repent!” and that was from you. Remind us too that Jesus said to love you and each other so that we align our lives to you and walk however haltingly to your holiness through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.


Sunday 27 September 2015
Evening Prayer

Esther 9: 23 – 32

The Jewish people have cause to celebrate. Haman had plotted against the Jews and cast “Pur” that is the lot to destroy them. Esther came before the king, revealed she was Jewish and this results in the destruction of Haman and his whole household. The lots “Purim” fell on him. Because of this event and the promulgation of the news by Queen Esther and Mordechai to all the people two days’ celebration occurs every year. The command of Queen Esther cemented Purim in the Jewish calendar*.

Psalm 19: 7 – 14

God’s commandments are magnificent. They are right, they delight the heart, they are simple, they are more precious than gold. And the commandments warn us – but can we ever truly detect all our own faults? He finishes with:

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord my rock and my redeemer.”

James 3: 13 – 4: 7a

If we are wise, that wisdom will be obvious in our deeds done in humility. But if we harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition we must not boast about it.

The wisdom that comes from heaven is pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial and sincere. When we sow in peace we harvest in righteousness.

James outlines the challenges of being godly and living in the world. Conflict and harm come because we want something and cannot have it. We have either not asked for it or we ask wrongly because we are going to use it for ourselves – our own wants and not God’s purposes.

James likens this to adultery – we are cheating on God. God yearns jealously for the spirit he made that dwells in us and he gives us grace when we are humble, not arrogant and not seeking our own cravings. So seek God, be humble and repent.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Crested pigeon
Mulwala NSW L Osburn
O Lord our rock, redeemer saviour and friend you want us to be real, to be authentic, to be humble, to forgo our cravings and instead to seek you and your purpose. Take our words and meditations of our hearts and align them to your purpose so that we may live lives of wisdom, peace, love, consideration, gentleness, mercy, impartiality and sincerity all our days through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and Saviour. Amen.






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* On Purim at some point the story of Esther is read or acted out and the children shake rattles each time the name of Haman is heard. Hamentaschen – small filled cakes in the shape of a tri-cornered hat are eaten. The story is told that Haman wore a hat like this. Hamentaschen is Yiddish for Haman’s pockets and these are pockets with filling. The celebration is great fun for children celebrating life and freedom. In the evening often a more somber remembrances of all who have died in pogroms and the Holocaust are conducted.

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