Friday Morning

Season:

Ordinary Time

Friday, September 25

Morning

Read/Sing:

Esther 8:1-8, 15-17

Acts 19:21-41

Luke 4:31-37

Pray:

Eternal God, we praise you for your mighty love given in Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and the new life we have received by his resurrection.  Especially we thank you for

    the presence of Christ in our weakness and suffering...

    the ministry of Word and Sacrament...

    all who work to help and heal...

    sacrifices made for our benefit...

    opportunities for our generous giving...

God of grace, let our concern for others reflect Christ's self-giving love, not only in our prayers, but also in our practice.  Especially we pray for

    those subjected to tyranny and oppression...

    wounded and injured people...

    those who face death...

    those who may be our enemies...

    the church in Latin America...

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

Kyrie ("Lord have mercy")

Lord have mercy.  

Even the few people I do see in pandemic-land are getting their feet kicked out from under them.

Lord have mercy.

Have we all retreated into our own inner sanctum, chanting "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" to no avail, to counter no threat, and to our city's peril? (Acts 19)

Lord have mercy.

You tell the demons to be quiet but when you turn your head they just keep talking. (Luke 4)

Lord have mercy.

Did you not give the most that anyone can give?  Why does spilt blood count for so little?  Such thick darkness.  Such deep pits.

Lord have mercy.

I try to take the temperature out there.  The thermometers don't work.  Am I here at the wrong time?  Is the clock broken too?

Lord have mercy.  Christ have mercy.  Lord have mercy.