Monday Morning

Season:

Ordinary Time

Monday, September 21

Morning

Read/Sing:

Psalm 57; 145

Read:

Esther 4:4-17

Acts 18:1-11

Luke (1:1-4) 3:1-14

Pray:

We praise you, God our creator, for your handiwork in shaping and sustaining your wondrous creation.  Especially we thank you for

    the miracle of life and the wonder of living...

    particular blessings coming to us in this day...

    the resources of the earth...

    gifts of creative vision and skillful craft...

    the treasure stored in every human life...

We dare to pray for others, God our Savior, claiming your love in Jesus Christ for the whole world, committing ourselves to care for those around us in his name.  Especially we pray for

    those who work for the benefit of others...

    those who cannot work today...

    those who teach and those who learn...

    people who are poor...

    the church in Europe...

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.  Amen.

Lament

I try to express the gratitude but the words just won't come.  I will take the lament that is near at hand: Lord, how long until your people run the way of your commands?  Would you touch our hearts?  Direct our eyes?  Illuminate your Word?  Stretch our lungs?  Stretch our muscles?  I know you will, Lord.  Like Esther, we fast, and we speak.  Like Paul, we proclaim when you say proclaim.  Thank you for the "thank you" that isn't immediately at hand but is still right on time.