Prayer – Apprentice 2 Jesus

Teach us to mark our days

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Dan

A prayer given at the graveside service for my father-in-law:

O God, whose days are without end, and whose mercies cannot be numbered: Make us, we pray, deeply aware of the shortness and uncertainty of human life; and let your Holy Spirit lead us in holiness and righteousness all our days; that, when we shall have served you in our generation, we may be gathered to our ancestors, having the testimony of a good conscience; in the communion of the Catholic Church; in the confidence of certain faith; in the comfort of a reasonable, religious, and holy hope; in favor with you, our God; and in perfect charity wiht the world. All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Feast of Transfiguration

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Dan

O God, who on the holy mount revealed to chosen witnesses your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith behold the King in his beauty; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. (Mark 9:7-8)

The feast of St. James

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Dan

O gracious God, your servant and apostle James was first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the Name of Jesus Christ: Pour out upon the leaders of your Church that spirit of self-denying service, by which they may have true authority among your people; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The door of humility

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Dan

I was struck by this image that was shared on my Twitter feed:

It is the Door of Humility in the Basilica of the Nativity. It is only 4 feet high and 2 feet wide. As people enter they have to bow. What a powerful reminder of coming to the Lord in humility.

Prayer for the Day

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Dan

Gracious and holy Father, please give me intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, a heart to meditate upon you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, a tongue to proclaim you, a way of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you, and perseverance to look for you. Grant me a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection, and life everlasting Amen. (Benedict of Nursia, Book of Common Prayer 2019)

Prayer of the Day

Posted on June 29, 2020 by Dan

Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdom:
Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

June 29th Collect of the Day
St. Peter and St. Paul

We have refused to listen

Posted on June 6, 2020June 5, 2020 by Dan

We have refused to listen attentively to our black and brown brothers’ and sisters’ cry for justice. Lord, have mercy.
We have been deaf to the prophet’s call: “And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.” (Isaiah 5:7b). Lord, have mercy.

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A prayer for this time

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Dan

In this moment… this “kairos” moment… let us not shrink back. Let us be renewed in the Holy Spirit. Let us be filled with the Spirit in this time. Let us be anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Body of Christ for this time.

Pour your Spirit out on your Church and let us walk boldly in justice. This is not about “get me out of here, Lord” but about your Kingdom come, your will be done.

Anoint us for this hour. Amen.

Intercession in the time of coronavirus

Posted on April 20, 2020 by Dan

My reading has me moving through Numbers and Chapter 16 offers a powerful picture of what intercession looks like in the Kingdom of God. A plague was sweeping the camp of Israel and Moses instructed Aaron to take the censer and put fire from the altar in it. He was then to go out and raise it among the people. It is a powerful picture of intercession.

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“Buying” mode in the time of coronavirus

Posted on March 26, 2020March 25, 2020 by Dan

In our time of coronavirus we are watching business and market volatility. The stock market has lost a lot of “value” in these weeks. That can create panic.

It also creates a “buying” opportunity for investors who have cash ready to get into stocks that were overpriced and now have “value” in their price.

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