Opening Prayer Every word You speak is flawless, O God; You are a shield to those who take refuge in You. -Proverbs 30:5 (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. -Psalm 40: 1-3 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin There isn’t anyone on earth who continually does good and never sins. -Ecclesiastes 7:20 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” -John 18: 28, 33-36 (Think deeply on these life-giving words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others Lord, we ask thee, give ear to our prayers, and by thy gracious visitation lighten the darkness of our heart, by our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. -Book of Common Prayer (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer I am not worthy, my Master and my God, that you should come beneath the roof of my soul. Yet, since in your universal love you want to live in me, I ask with boldness. You command, open the gates which you forged, come in with love and light up my darkened thinking. I believe that you will do this because you did not send away the prostitute who came with tears, you did not send away the sorry tax-collector or the thief who sought your kingdom, you did not reject Paul who persecuted you, but all of those who came to You in repentance, you called ‘friends’, and live with you now, blessed forever and in eternity! Amen. –St John Chrysostom (347-407) |