Wednesday - God is looking after the sparrows

In Matthew 10: 28 - 30  ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  (NIV   Zondervan,  1983).

God cares for even the sparrow and knows the number of hairs on our heads.   
Lately we have a robin that keeps wacking itself against our deck door window.  Obviously it sees
a reflection and thinks another robin is present.  The robin is killing it's own body by throwing itself against our windows.    We've tried putting up fabric strips on the door to scare away the robin.  Didn't work.  The robin thought the fabric strips were pretty.  We tried closing the drapes.   That didn't work.   Then we tried masking tape green paper to the outside of the deck windows.  This has worked.       

Sometimes we are very much like this robin.  Sometimes we are killing our body but we don't know it.    We get fixated on a portion of our lives and can't seem to see the big picture.    Today,  look at how you spend time in God's presence.  Do you always do the same thing?  Is it time for a change?     Last week while dusting (yup, dusting),  I came across a book entitled "A Pocket Prayer Book"   by The Upper Room,  1958.  Inside this prayer book are morning prayers and evening prayers,  special prayers,  prayers for the Christian life,  and prayers in Scripture.  While this book uses the King's English  (Thees and Thous),  this book is  refreshing.     

Dear Christ,  help me to take the common things in life and make them beautiful.  Help me to do this today.  Let me not wait until tomorrow, or next week, or next summer for my joy;  help me to find it today in the common task, in accustomed placed, with the comrades of my home or market place.  But I cannot do it alone.  Dear Christ,  I cannot do it alone.  Stay Thou near by.  Thou alone canst glorify the beautiful drudgery of life.  Thou alone canst turn valleys into mountain tops.  In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures  morning, noon and night.  Spirit of Jesus, help me to be a good steward of Thy presence all the day.  Amen.   (A Pocket Prayer Book.   The Upper Room,  1958,  pg 37). 

Sunday - Prayers for life

Sundays  are days of mini-retreats -- a time spent in the presence of God.   Sundays are days where we worship God together with our community.   Sundays are days of renewing and being renewed -- a reflection of Easter.

Following is a prayer that Frederick Macnutt included in his book "A Prayer Manual".   This is a fascinating book.  It was in 1915  that  Frederick Macnutt begin collecting  prayers.   Macnutt was a Chaplain during WW1 and saw the effects of  a place and era that needed prayers. In 1939,  Frederick Macnutt put together a collection of prayers in a book called "War Primer".     He continued to collect prayers until 1945 when his work on earth was completed.  But that wasn't the end of his prayer collection.... his wife,  EM Macnutt and Canon  Lee put the prayers into book form and got it published.   The Prayer Manual is a book that every person should have in their collection.   The prayers are for every portion of our life.

While the words are old,  the insight and power of the prayers are still brand new.

A Prayer before beginning a retreat (or  before beginning your day on Monday!!)
Prayer:  O LORD Jesus Christ,  who did say to Your apostles, “Come ye apart into a desert place and rest awhile”, for there were many coming and going;  grant, I beseech You, to Your servant,  gathered here that I may rest awhile at this present time with You.  May I so seek You, whom my soul desire to love, that I may both find You and be found of You.  And grant such love, and such wisdom to accompany the words which will be spoken in Your name, that they may not fall to the ground, but may be helpful in leading me onward through the toils of my pilgrimage to that rest, which remains to the people of God.   May You grant me peace and enthusiasm so that I will not become discouraged in Your service.  This day I live within Your love,  world without end.  Amen.    (Richard Meux Benson   prayer #581  from  Frederick Macnutt  “A Prayer Manual”  Mowbray,  1955).

Easter Tuesday

St Matthew 28: 18 – 20

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 

Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.    Teaching.  Teaching takes a lifetime of learning to listen and  learning to  put what we have learned into action.   Before Easter,  St Matthew's  Cathedral in Brandon had a minister's estate library available for anyone to take the estate books for free.   And being good Presbyterians,  we love the word "free".   We  dived into the tables and tables of books at least three times,  each time bringing home boxes of books.      Last Wednesday we chose our last free books.  One book I picked up was all dog-eared and well loved.  The title was  "Reading and Decency".    What an odd title.   But when I opened up the book to see what it was all about,  my eyes full upon the publisher..... Society of St John the Evangelist.   This was an Anglican Society of Brothers in Bracebridge Ontario.   The Order is no longer,  but the books they used to publish are worth their weight in gold.   This book that I was holding,  "Reading and Decency" is all about the proper stances and postures for Minister's in the Anglican Church as they celebrate Communion.  What a gem!    The book was published in 1945.
As I read this new -to-us book,  I am struck that we have lost a lot of our understanding of "Reading and Decency".    We  must relearn and reteach the  foundations of our  Gospel.   Let us  go forth this day,  ready to learn and ready to teach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Prayer:  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Let us bless the Risen Christ.  We give our thanks to God,  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  May the God of peace who raised to life His only Son,  our Lord,  make us ready to do His will each day and in each moment.  May  the God of love who raised to life the Lamb of God  strengthen our hearts so with one voice,  we can go and make disciples of all peoples.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.  Now and forever.  Amen.

 

Easter Monday

St Matthew 28: 18 – 20

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 

What command did Jesus give the disciples?  Does Jesus give this same command to us today too?  What are we supposed to do?

 

Prayer:  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Let us bless the Risen Christ.  We give our thanks to God,  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  May the God of peace who raised to life His only Son,  our Lord,  make us ready to do His will each day and in each moment.  May  the God of love who raised to life the Lamb of God  strengthen our hearts so with one voice,  we can go and make disciples of all peoples.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.  Now and forever.  Amen.

Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed!

St Matthew 28: 1 - 10

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Prayer:  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Christ is Risen!  Christ is Risen Indeed!  Truly Christ has risen!  Lamb of God,  You gave Your life so that we can live in the love of God each and every day.   Keep us,  Your family,  in the love of Christ.  Renew us in body and soul so that our whole lives may be devoted to Your service.  Through Jesus Christ,  Your Son,  Our Lord.  Amen.

Holy Saturday

St Matthew 27: 62-66

⁶² The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ⁶³ “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ ⁶⁴ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

 

So,  what did Jesus do on Holy Saturday?   Was he in the tomb or was he someplace else?   The Holy Scriptures tell us a bit but it was the belief of the Church Fathers during the writing of the Apostles Creed that  Jesus descended into Hell and the third day he rose again from the dead.    Jesus was with the dead.

 

Prayer:  O God,  it is Your will that we should be baptized into the death of Your Son our Saviour,  give us true repentance that we may pass with him through the grave and gate of death, and be reborn to new life in joy,  through him who died, was buried, and who rose for us,  Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

(Taize  “Praise in all our Days”  Mowbray, 1981).

Good Friday

St Matthew 27: 32 - 44

³² As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. ³³ They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ³⁴ There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵ When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. ³⁶ And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. ³⁷ Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

³⁸ Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” ⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴² “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

 

We come to Good Friday.   The insults and horrors are poured upon Jesus.  So why is this day called “Good”?   In the ancient Church,  it was probably called “God’s Friday”… the Friday when God sent his Son to be crucified and died.   Today we call this day “Good” because we know the rest of the story.  The crucifixion and death of Jesus didn’t end on this day.   We know that on Sunday,  Jesus had risen from the dead.  The Resurrection…. A time of joy and peace in believing.  Christ our Redeemer.  Christ our Deliverer.  Christ our Saviour.

 

Prayer:  Lamb of God,  You take away the sins of the world.  Hear our prayer.   Lamb of God by Your humble birth and teachings, You came into our hearts with love.   Lamb of God, by Your agony on the cross, You came into our hearts with compassion for others.   Lamb of God, by Your wounds and Your death,  You strengthen us for Your work in this world.   As You hung on the cross we know that Your tears soothe our pain and grief.  As Your body was broken and Your blood poured out we know that it was a reminder of Your resurrection and forgiveness of our sins.  Thanks be to God. Amen.

Maundy Thursday

St Matthew 26: 26 – 29

²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

²⁷ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

 

Sharing a passover meal with family was, and still is,  part of the Jewish tradition of remembering the saving grace of God. Jesus says that his blood is poured out for the forgiveness of sins…. Does this bring you comfort?   Why or why not?    This Passover meal became for us today  the Lord’s  Supper.  Each time we celebrate the Lord’s  Supper we remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and we give thanks.

Each time we sit together and eat a meal,  we remember the love of God.     Today,  remember to give God thanks each time you eat (yup,  snacks included :)    

 

Prayer:  Lamb of God,  you take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.  Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,  have mercy upon us.    Lamb of God,  you take away the sins of the world,  grant us Your peace. Amen.  

Holy Week Wednesday

St Matthew 22: 41-46

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,” they replied.

⁴³ He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,  ⁴⁴ “‘The Lord said to my Lord:     “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies     under your feet.”’ ⁴⁵ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” ⁴⁶ No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

 

Why could the Pharisees not respond to Jesus?  What question did Jesus ask them that had them stumped?   Do people ask you questions about your faith?

 

Prayer:   Great God,  when our path looks dark and our burdens grow beyond our strength,  remind us that You are a God of love.  Increase our faith so that we become Your light to our journey and lay our burdens down at Your feet.  Help us to leave our darkened paths and burdens behind so that we can go forward to meet Christ with palms of joy in our hands,  for Jesus will lead us into Your eternal joy.  Amen.

Holy Week Tuesday

St Matthew 22: 34-40

³⁴ Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

Why were the Sadducees and Pharisees trying to test Jesus?    Who tests our beliefs and faith today?  How should we respond to those who test us?

 

Prayer:  Lord God,  we love You with all our hearts and all our souls and all our minds.  Kindle within us the burning desire to love our neighbour.  Kindle within us the burning desire to love ourselves.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Museum Volunteer John- Presentation at BU Senior Colloquium

Holy Monday

St Matthew 21: 14.....¹⁴ The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.   "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.  "Yes". Jesus replied "have you never read, from the lips of children and  infants you have ordained praise".     ¹⁷ And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

This is Holy Monday -- the second step  along the journey to the Resurrection.   This journey is not easy.  The Chief Priests and Teachers of the law are still questioning Jesus.

Where the chief priests and teachers of the law happy and delighted with the work Christ was doing?   Why or why not?  What did Jesus say to the chief priests and teachers of the law?  Are children and infants important?

Prayer:  Lord God Almighty,  we  share in Christ’s  disappointments and sorrows.  Help us to respond to the call of Christ in every good word and work…. healing the sick… comforting the dying….having compassion on those are homeless.  Amen.

Sunday - Palm Sunday

This begins our readings and reflections on Holy Week... from Palm Sunday to Easter.  In the Church,  this is a time that we reflect upon the steps Jesus took from entering Jerusalem until the Crucifixion.  This is a difficult week as we get sad over the stories.  Yet as Christians,  we know the end of the story.  We know that Jesus in raised from the dead.  

St Matthew 21: 1- 11....As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”  ⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ⁵ “Say to Daughter Zion,     ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” ⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,   

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”   “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”  

¹⁰ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

¹¹ The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

 

The disciples and the crowd began calling Jesus “Hosanna to the Son of David”  and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”.     Who do you call Jesus?

 

Read over this portion of scripture again.  What words or phrases stand out to you as being important?   Imagine yourself as part of the crowd.   What would you be shouting?   Would you put down your coat on the road or pick up a branch and wave it at Jesus?   

 Prayer:  Great God, this is the day we celebrate the coming of Jesus on a donkey into the city of Jerusalem.  It is with joy and love that we remember this story.   Help us this day and always to worship You with delight and praise.  Help us this day to always come to You in prayer.  Open our minds and our hearts to understand Your most Holy Word. Almighty and Eternal God,  You saved us through the Passion of Christ.  As we celebrate Your Passion,  finish in us the work You have begun and plant new joy in our hearts to complete the work of Christ.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Saturday - encouragement

Isaiah 40: 28- 31 ...Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles;   they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Does this portion of scripture give you encouragement?  Why or why not?    For the Church today,  this portion of scripture gives great encouragement as our congregations dwindle,  as our  energy  sags.    This portion of scripture says to the Church today... to  remember that the Lord is the everlasting God,  the Creator of the ends of the earth.   God will never grow tired or weary.  Hurrah!      

Prayer:  Holy God,  You are our strength and our source of life.  We thank You that You never grow tired and You carry all our burdens.  Help us this day to renew our strength and enthusiasm for Your Church and for sharing Your love.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Friday - ask, seek, knock

St Matthew 7: 7 – 8, 12 ....Ask and it will be given to you;  seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.

 

Jesus teaches us to ask, seek, and knock.   But what are we asking, seeking, and knocking about?    

 

Prayer:  Mighty God and Father of us all,  we come to You in prayer each day asking for You to forgive our sins…..  we come to You each day as we read Your most Holy word and seeking  Your wisdom so that Your words can become alive in our actions….. we come to You in prayer each day and discover Your amazing love just for us.     This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Thursday - loving our enemies

St Matthew 5: 43- 48 ...You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.  But I tell you:  Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you,  what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?  Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as  your heavenly Father is perfect. 

 

Jesus tells us to love our enemies.  How are we to love our enemies?   Think of times in your life when you loved your enemy.  What happened?

 

Prayer:  Great God,  when someone gives us a hard time  may we uphold that person to You in prayer.    When someone says something that hurts us,  may we  uphold that person to You in prayer.   Enable our hearts and our voices to be encouragers and not discouragers.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Wednesday - light of the world

St Matthew 5: 14 – 16

You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

 

Jesus says that we are the light of the world.  What does he mean by that?

 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father,  we are Your hands and Your feet and Your voice in our Church and our community.  You have placed us where You need Your word to shine into other’s lives.  You have given us Your most Holy Word so that we can read and see what You have called us to do in Your Church and community.  Help us this day, O LORD,  to point our family and our friends to You.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Tuesday - Salty!

St Matthew 5: 13

You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

 

Why does Jesus call us the salt of the earth?  Salt is used to heal and to add flavour to cooking.  What does that have to do with the Church?

Prayer:  Creator God,  help our Church to continue to be salt of the earth --  to heal those who need healing and to gain knowledge of Your most Holy Word.  Be with our Elders are they continue to be our spiritual guides in our Church.  Grant them wisdom and love.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Monday - redemption - being made whole

Psalm 130: 7- 8 .....O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.  He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

 

What,  do you think,  the word “redemption” means?  Being made whole?  Being rescued?    How does God  make you whole?    This is the meaning of Good Friday -- we are made whole in the love of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.   We are redeemed and renewed through the Cross of Jesus.

 

Prayer:  Great God,  You created us as whole people of God.  Each day may we  open our hearts and minds, and souls to Your teachings and Your wisdom.  In Jesus’ name we pray.    Amen.

Sunday - Lent 5

Psalm 130: 1- 6 ....Out of the depths I cry too you,  O LORD;  O LORD, hear my voice.  Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.  If you,  O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness;  therefore you are feared.  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.  My soul waits for the LOD more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

 

Does the LORD forgive?  Why or why not?   Does the LORD hear our voice when we pray?  Why or why not?

 

Prayer:  Out of the depths of our souls  O LORD, You hear our cries.  You come to our aid.  You bring us out of the depths of despair in to the light of day.   You love us more than we can ever imagine.  Thank You O LORD,  our rock and our redeemer.  Amen.

Saturday - persecuted

St Matthew 5: 10 - 12.....Blessed are you when people insult you,  persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

In the early Church,  those who believed in Christ were persecuted for their belief.   Do you think our Church today is still persecuted?   What does  Jesus say about those who believe in him being persecuted?

 

Prayer:  Holy God,  may we be committed to Your Church and in deepening our understanding of Your Kingdom here on earth.  Remind us yet again when we stand up for our beliefs that we are not alone…. the prophets and saints have gone before us.   Amen.

Friday - pure in heart and peacemakers

St. Matthew 5:  8 – 9 ...Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons and daughters of God.

 

Reflect for a moment…. Who have you met or heard about that you would say is pure in heart?  What  is it about this person that makes them pure in heart?

 

 

Prayer: Heavenly God,  we thank You for our Church family – that we are all called to be peacemakers in this community and this world.  We lift up to You in prayer today those who govern our country…. from our Mayor and Counsellors to  our  Member of Legislature  and Premier to  our Member of Parliament and  Prime Minister.  Guide them in making wise decisions and taking wise actions in promote peace and love within our world.   Amen.

Thursday - righteousness

St Matthew 5:  6 – 7 ...Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Blessed are the merciful,  for they will be shown mercy.

 

What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness?    How do you show mercy to your family and friends?

 

Prayer:  Heavenly God,  we thank You that You provide us with a thirst to read Your Word and to spend time reflecting upon Your Word.  It is in You that we find  knowledge and wisdom and love.  Amen.

 

Tuesday and Wednesday - Blessed are

Tuesday  April 1

St Matthew 5: 1- 3

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them,  saying:  Blessed are the poor in spirit,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Who are the poor in spirit?   Is Jesus talking about a financial poorness or those who are at the end of their rope and yet still love God with delight and praise?

 

Prayer:  Great God,  we thank You that we are blessed even when we are at the end of our rope and life looks grim.   We thank You that we can come to You in prayer any time and know that You surround us with Your love and compassion.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

Wednesday  April 2

St Matthew 5: 4 – 5

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.   

 

Why would those who thought they have lost everything be blessed?   Does being meek mean being letting people tromp all over your ideas and thoughts?

 

Prayer:  Everlasting God,  you embrace us  when we think we have lost everything… yet  You are carrying us.   You love us no matter what we look like or act like.  Thank You Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.