Thursday Morning

Season:

Ordinary Time

Thursday, September 24

Morning

Read/Sing:

Psalm 143; 147:12-20

Read:

Esther 7:1-10

Acts 19:11-20

Luke 4:14-30

Pray:

Loving God, as the rising sun chases away the night, so you have scattered the power of death in the rising of Jesus Christ, and you bring us all blessings in him.  Especially we thank you for

    the community of faith in our church...

    those with whom we work or share common concerns...

    the diversity of your children...

    indications of your love at work in the world...

    those who work for reconciliation...

Mighty God, with the dawn of your love you reveal your victory over all that would destroy or harm, and you brighten the lives of all who need you.  Especially we pray for

    families suffering separation...

    people different from ourselves...

    those isolated by sickness or sorrow...

    the victims of violence or warfare...

    the church in the Pacific region...

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

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

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

Exhortation:

The outside world encroaches on my discipleship.

    Let it come.

The outside world troubles my waters

    Amen.  Amen.

I don't expect to turn any of these voices away at the door.

I'd sooner go out to fetch them myself.

Enter my soul, brother.  Sister, you are welcome.

Where's your note, your pitch, your key, your song, the banner you wave?

Then tell me the story, the main characters

take me tragic till it turns

till we see the hidden alliances

the source material

the grand saga condensed to you

and all the grander for the condensing

intensified, enlivened, again

we begin