Opening Prayer
“I want, O my Beloved, at each beat of my heart to renew my offering to You an infinite number of times, until the shadows having disappeared I may be able to tell You of my Love in an Eternal Face to Face.” -Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897) (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible I love You, O Lord my strength. You are my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; You are my rock, in whom I take refuge. You are my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon You, for You are worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. -Psalm 18:1-3 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly. -2 Samuel 24:10 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. -John 15: 9-11 (Think deeply on these life-giving words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! -Psalm 4:1 (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, the Father may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen -Ephesians 3:16-20 |