15 March 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Morning Prayer

Psalm 37: 1 – 17

There are people who do evil and prosper. Their presence is a challenge to us to choose faith, to do good things, to stay calm, to not get angry or envious of their wealth. Stay with the Lord and be patient. It is their story and God’s job to deal with if they continue to reject God.

Jeremiah 40: 13 – 41: 10

Ishmael, from the royal family, plots to assassinate Gedaliah, the governor. Johnanan warns Gedaliah but he does not believe the warning. When Ishmael arrives Gedaliah welcomes him and is killed. Ishmael traps and murders others saving only those who buy their lives with stores of food. He takes the people of Mizpah captive and starts his return to the Ammonites.

Matthew 22: 1 – 33

Jesus tells the parable of the king who invites people to a wedding banquet. It is a story about taking God’s invitation seriously and always being ready for that invitation – fully accepting it when it comes.

Jesus is tested about the payment of taxes. He asks for a coin. On the coin is the head of Caesar. Hebrew coins were minted with no graven images, so he was given a Roman coin: in Jerusalem. Equally all graven images of humans are images of God since we are in the likeness of God. Hence Caesar is God’s. There is a reason for Caesar’s rule. Caesar is under God’s rule ultimately.

Technical questions about who is whose spouse in heaven are put to Jesus. Jesus’s answer indicates that God is bigger than the questioners allow.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Sanctuary Island
Deniliquin NSW  L Osburn

Patient God you wait for us to find our path to you. You give us time to work out that greedy humans, despotic rulers, strict social rules, taxes and charges are all of this earth and all part of our ecology. Your vision for us is different. Help us to live at peace in our world, seek relationship with you and conform our lives to your gospel so that we are ready for your call through Jesus Christ our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Evening Prayer

Psalm 37: 18 – 41

This portion of the psalm continues with examples of God’s retribution for the wicked and protection and salvation for the faithful and the meek.

Exodus 7: 25 – 8: 19

Seven days after the waters were turned to blood, the second plague of frogs appears. Pharaoh’s magicians can do that too. The Pharaoh asks Moses to pray to the Lord to take the frogs away and that he would allow the Israelites to make their sacrifice to God. Moses does so, the frogs die but Pharaoh changes his mind. The third plague of gnats arrives and the magicians are not able to copy that. They admit, “This is the finger of God” (v.19). Pharaoh’s heart is still hardened.

Romans 5: 6 - 19

Paul writes of the reconciliation Christ wins for us by his death and resurrection. He writes of the grace we receive since this happens while we are still sinners. Through this action by Christ many are made right with God.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Pelican rising
Denmark WA  L Osburn

Holy and mighty God you are with your people of faith from everlasting to everlasting. You free us from the slaveries and oppressions of our lives through your great grace. We thank you. Help us to advance this grace we have received so that all may be reconciled to you through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Additional source:

Be reconciled as one by Christopher Willcock SJ 1991. On the Album As One Voice Volume One (record 9).

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