Friday Morning

Season:

Ordinary Time

Friday, October 16

Morning

Read/Sing:

Psalm 130; 148

Read:

Hosea 13:9-16

Acts 28:1-16

Luke 9:28-36

Pray:

Eternal God, we praise you for your mighty love given to 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

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.

Antiphon (prepration for prayer)

God help us.  Move within my soul.  Show me forgiveness, the wiping away of guilt.  Then show me hope, the city of God coming down and a new creation.

Monday Evening

Season:

Ordinary Time

Monday, October 12

Evening

Read/Sing:

Psalm 97; 112

Read:

Hosea 11:12-12:1

Acts 26:1-23

Luke 8:26-39

Pray:

We rejoice in your generous goodness, O God, and celebrate your lavish gifts to us this day, for you have shown your love in giving Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world.  Especially we give thanks for

    the labors of those who have served us today...

    friends with whom we have shared...

    those whom we love and who have loved us...

    opportunities for our work to help others...

    all beauty that delights us...

Gracious God, we know you are close to all in need, and by our prayers for others we come closer to you.  We are bold to claim for others your promises of new life in Jesus Christ, as we claim them for ourselves.  Especially we pray for

    those in dangerous occupations...

    physicians and nurses...

    those who are ill or confined to nursing homes...

    those who mourn...

    the Roman Catholic Church...

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

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.

Hymn

As we seek first your kingdom

as we find it vividly arrayed

Add to us all things we need

Which things you alone can know

Monday Morning

Season:

Ordinary Time

Monday, October 12

Morning

Read/Sing:

Psalm 135; 145

Read:

Hosea 11:12-12:1

Acts 26:1-23

Luke 8:26-39

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

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.

Examen

I'm thankful for you, Lord, and your Word.  Keep my ears open to you.  

Am I at an end of a noisy time, a preoccupied time, a time of tending to many voices not yours?  

Am I at the beginning of a quiet time, a focused time, a time of clarity of what I love and what I don't?  

Thank you for this day, to know you, whate'er befall.

Tuesday Morning

Season:

Ordinary Time

Tuesday, October 6

Morning

Read/Sing:

Psalm 42; 146

Read:

Hosea 7:8-16

Acts 23:12-24

Luke 7:1-17

Pray:

Eternal God, we rejoice this morning in the gift of life, which we have received by your grace, and the new life you give in Jesus Christ.  Especially we thank you for

    the love of our families...

    the affection of our friends...

    strength and abilities to serve your purpose today...

    this community in which we live...

    opportunities to give as we have received...

God of grace, we offer our prayers for the needs of others and commit ourselves to serve them even as we have been served in Jesus Christ.  Especially we pray for

    those closest to us, families, friends, neighbors...

    refugees and homeless men, women, and children...

    the outcast and persecuted...

    those from whom we are estranged...

    the church in Africa...

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

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.

Examen

Lord, though I don't feel ready, I know you are always ready.  Nothing ever quite catches you off guard.  Make me an instrument of your peace.

Monday Morning

Season:

Ordinary Time

Monday, October 5

Morning

Read/Sing:

Psalm 5; 145

Read:

Hosea 6:7-7:7

Acts 22:30-23:11

Luke 6:39-49

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

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

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

Lesson

In Luke, we find the story of the wise and foolish builders, but unlike in Matthew 7, here we get a phrase - the wise builder "dug down deep" to build his house on the rock.  This phrase suggests that to reach the rock where building is safe, one must be prepared to dig.

'Building on the rock' equates to putting Jesus' words into practice.  Why might this require digging?  If digging means working hard to be committed, then its important because of the difficulty and unpredictability of life.  Putting Jesus' words into practice isn't like making a recipe when its dinnertime.  Putting Jesus' words into practice is for when we are hungry or full, for the morning or evening, when we want to, or when we don't  Accounting for the topsy-turvydom of life and putting Jesus' words into practice nonetheless is what we may say is meant by this man digging down deep.

Do we not see a splendid example of this in today's Acts reading?  We see Paul suffering.  He's in court.  His trial turns out to be something like a trial on his accusers.  We see here that Acts tells the story of a church that follows the story of its Lord, as told in Luke.  Paul's life is so entrenched, so enlisted, so 'dug down deep' into the life of Jesus, that his words and his life alike are a testimony to Jesus. (Acts 23:11)

Saturday Evening

Season:

Ordinary Time

Saturday, October 3

Evening

Read/Sing:

Psalm 125; 90

Read:

Hosea 5:1-7

Acts 22:17-29

Luke 6:27-38

Pray:

God of glory, we praise you for your presence in our lives, and for all goodness that you shower upon your children in Jesus Christ.  Especially we thank you for

    promises kept and hope for tomorrow...

    the enjoyment of friends...

    the wonders of your creation...

    love from our parents, our sisters and brothers, our spouses and children...

    pleasures of living...

God of grace, we are one with all your children, for we are sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ, and we offer our prayers for all whom we love.  Especially we pray for

    those we too often forget...

    people who have lost hope...

    victims of tragedy and disaster...

    those who suffer mental anguish...

    ecumenical councils and church agencies...

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

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.

Vigil of Resurrection

Read/Sing:

Psalm 118; 150

Read:

Luke 24:13-35

Pray (Thanksgiving for our Baptism):

We give you thanks, Eternal God, for you nourish and sustain all living things by the gift of water.  In the beginning of time, your Spirit moved over the watery chaos, calling forth order and life.

In the time of Noah, you destroyed evil by the waters of the flood, giving righteousness a new beginning.

You led Israel out of slavery, through the waters of the sea, into the freedom of the promised land.

In the waters of Jordan Jesus was baptized by John and anointed with your Spirit.  By the baptism of his own death and resurrection, Christ set us free from sin and death, and opened the way to eternal life.

We thank you, O God, for the water of baptism.  In it we were buried with Christ in his death.  From it we were raised to share in his resurrection.  Through it we were reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore in joyful obedience to your Son, we celebrate our fellowship in him in faith.  We pray that all who have passed through the water of baptism may continue forever in the risen life of Jesus Christ our Savior.  To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forever.  Amen.

Canticle

Our holy place, our temple, the Body of Christ.

Resurrected, we your Church are resurrected.

Inhabiting you, you inhabit us.

The one crucified, banished to no place, the stone the builders rejected

is now the one resurrected, the place of salvation, and the chief cornerstone

Let us explore this place.

Let us know its depth, height, and breadth.

Let us run here and spread out.

The heritage and promise of Abraham

The joy of the nations - 

Jesus Christ

Saturday Morning

Season:

Ordinary Time

Saturday, October 3

Morning

Read/Sing:

Psalm 63; 149

Read:

Hosea 5:1-7

Acts 22:17-29

Luke 6:27-38

Pray:

Great and wonderful God, we praise and thank you for the gift of renewal in Jesus Christ.  Especially we thank you for

    opportunities for rest and recreation...

    the regenerating gifts of the Holy Spirit...

    activities shared by young and old...

    fun and laughter...

    every service that proclaims your love...

You make all things new, O God, and we offer our prayers for the renewal of the world and the healing of its wounds.  Especially we pray for

    those who have no leisure...

    people enslaved by addictions...

    those who entertain and enlighten...

    those confronted with temptation...

    the church in North 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

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

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

Psalm Prayer

Lord, I hear it out there

    It's feet on the leaves, claws on branches

How hard to sing, to pray

    How easy to ponder the strength of this porch screen

I sing songs to you

    I pray Psalm 63

The beast retreats

    It doesn't jump through the porch screen to eat me

Gone to find other food

    Or become food for jackals (Psalm 63:10)

I look in my own soul

    Emboldened, quieted, I look within

I see tracks of retreat

    Fresh upon the leaves

Another beast has fled

    Known only by its absent presence

Oh, Luke 6, how wise

    How good, how true

To be faithful in what is small

    In what is mundane or ordinary

When no one sees

    Where no one casts blame

In the commons of life

    Where the rules are understood

To stand there

    To not condemn

To not judge

    To withhold attack

Saves two with one

    The one with the other

One threat felt

    The other unknown

Both dangers departed - 

    Your condemnation, and my own

Friday Evening

Season:

Ordinary Time

Friday, October 2

Evening

Read/Sing:

Psalm 25; 40

Read:

Hosea 4:11-19

Acts 21:37-22:16

Luke 6:12-26

Pray:

Merciful God, we praise you that you give strength for every weakness, forgiveness for our failures, and new beginnings in Jesus Christ.  Especially we thank you for

    the guidance of your spirit through this day...

    signs of new life and hope...

    people who have helped us...

    those who struggle for justice...

    expressions of love unexpected or undeserved...

Almighty God, you know all needs before we speak our prayers, yet you welcome our concerns for others in Jesus Christ.  Especially we pray for

    those who keep watch over the sick and dying...

    those who weep with the grieving...

    those who are without faith and cannot accept your love...

    the aged who are lonely, distressed, and weak...

    Reformed, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches...

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.

Epistle (letter)

Chris, it was good that you went through the Ten Commandments again this morning, buddy.  Because those are still your biggest problem.  Not other people.  Not the world.  For instance, that tenth one.  Oooooo-eeeee.  You want everything now.  Now if someone just came up to you and shook you and yelled, "Wait!  You have to wait!" you wouldn't want to hear it.  As it was, you traded that covetous urgency for the Lord Jesus Christ, who is here now, is Lord now, and is all you even desire now.  It is so good you did that.  Because I can see how happy you are about it.

Thursday Morning

Season:

Ordinary Time

Thursday, October 1

Morning

Read/Sing:

Psalm 116; 147:12-20

Read:

Hosea 4:1-10

Acts 21:27-36

Luke 6:1-11

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

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.

Litany

God, I ask not so much that you make me an ant as that you'd remind me I'm an ant (or a worm, as it were...of the Psalm 8 variety). 

Can I be modest with this life?

Can I enjoy

breath

holy longing

music

people

the young

the old

your Word

the season today?