Invocation
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Good morning, heavenly Father.
We worship you, the creator and sustainer of the universe.
Good morning, Lord Jesus.
We worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world.
Good morning, Holy Spirit.
We worship you, sanctifier of the people of God.
Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
Who is it that you seek?
We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek him with all your heart?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your soul?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your mind?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your strength?
Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Declaration of faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that you are the Holy One of God.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.
Hebrew Bible reading
Psalm 119:105-112
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light on my path.
106 I have solemnly sworn
to keep your righteous judgements.
107 I am severely afflicted;
Lord, give me life according to your word.
108 Lord, please accept my freewill offerings of praise,
and teach me your judgements.
109 My life is constantly in danger,[a]
yet I do not forget your instruction.
110 The wicked have set a trap for me,
but I have not wandered from your precepts.
111 I have your decrees as a heritage for ever;
indeed, they are the joy of my heart.
112 I am resolved to obey your statutes
to the very end.
New Testament Reading
John 8:12-30
12 Jesus spoke to them again: ‘I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.’
13 So the Pharisees said to him, ‘You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.’
14 ‘Even if I testify about myself,’ Jesus replied, ‘my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15 You judge by human standards.[a] I judge no one. 16 And if I do judge, my judgement is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.17 Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am the one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.’
19 Then they asked him, ‘Where is your Father? ’
‘You know neither me nor my Father,’ Jesus answered. ‘If you knew me, you would also know my Father.’ 20 He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
21 Then he said to them again, ‘I’m going away; you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.’
22 So the Jews said again, ‘He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, “Where I’m going, you cannot come”? ’
23 ‘You are from below,’ he told them, ‘I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.’
25 ‘Who are you? ’ they questioned.
‘Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,’ Jesus told them. 26 ‘I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him – these things I tell the world.’
27 They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.’
30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
Pause for reflection
Prayer of Confession
(based on Psalm 23)
O Lord, you are our shepherd,
And yet we want.
We lie down when we could act,
We stir the pot when we could offer peace,
We wander tempting paths instead of following you.
We see courage and comfort in earthly things rather than in you.
We hate our enemies and refuse to break bread with them,
We see scarcity even when you offer us abundance.
We pray for forgiveness, for your goodness and mercy,
So that we might dwell in You, in your grace, forever. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Today, we are praying for Andorra, Italy, Malta, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, and Vatican City.
We are thankful for:
- the rich historical legacies and distinctive cultures in these countries.
- the faithful witness of the churches in the midst of empire building and colonization
- the many and diverse waves of migrants who have come to these lands.
- the hospitality that long has been shown to those arriving on their shores.
We pray for:
- the preservation of the fragile environments and shorelines in this region.
- an end to economic and political turmoil.
- stable governments that end corruption and serve the common good.
- policies that relieve disparities between those who are rich and poor.
In our own place in the world, we pray for:
- all whose decisions involve questions of justice, mercy and peace
- federal, state and local politicians
- church leaders, ministers, pastors, teachers, and missionaries
- all the churches of our city or region
- our local congregation and its ministries
- our local communities, businesses, and schools
- the needs of our families and friends
- our personal needs, challenges and opportunities
Pause for reflection
Classic Prayer
O Lord, show your mercy upon us;
And grant us your salvation.
O Lord, guide those who govern us
And lead us in the way of justice and truth.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness
And let your people sing with joy.
O Lord, save your people
And bless your inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord
And defend us by your mighty power.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God
And take not your Holy Spirit from us. Amen.
Contemporary Prayer
Dear Father, I give you this day, may your spirit be at work in me.
Clear the mix of dreams and thoughts from my mind
and help me to embrace everything that you have for me today.
I give you the mental and physical tiredness
I can feel and ask for your life to flow through me.
May your hope stir in those who are close to me
and bring joy into their hearts.
May your love cause me to find new energy,
ideas and solutions throughout the day.
And may your truth allow me to stay on track
and walk confidently in all that I do.
Father, I give you this day. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13, NIV
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Sending Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray
that we may live this day in your presence
and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, we pray that this day
we may take up our cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, we pray that this day
you will fill us with yourself
and cause your fruit to ripen in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
three persons in one God,
have mercy upon us. Amen.
Canticle
Christ, as a light,
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield,
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever he may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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