Given the opportunity to get away to refresh yourself in prayer and you can take your Bible, a notebook, and one more book that would help refresh you in this spiritual exercise for a few days, what book would be going with you?
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.
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.
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)
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
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.
I keep reflecting back to a passage in Hebrews where the author is basically saying, “You have need of endurance.” This is the need of our time.
Continue reading “Trials and testing in the time of coronavirus”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.
Continue reading “Intercession in the time of coronavirus”Almighty Father, who gave your only Son to die for our sins and to rise for our justification: Give us grace to to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve you in purity of life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, 2019)
