Skopje, Macedonia
Opening Prayer
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” -Psalm 115:1 (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. -Pslam 85: 7-9 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our heart sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. -Hebrews 10:22 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus Jesus said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic-- “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” -Mark 2: 8-12 (Think deeply on these life-giving words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others God, here I am, at your disposal, your child. Use me to continue your loving the world, by giving Jesus to me and through me, to each other and to the world. Let us pray for each other that we allow Jesus to love in us and through us with the love with which his Father loves us. Amen -Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer In the busyness of this day grant me a stillness of seeing, O God. In the conflicting voices of my heart grant me a calmness of hearing. Let my seeing and hearing my words and my actions be rooted in a silent certainty of your presence. Let my passions for life and the longings for justice that stir within me be grounded in the experience of your stillness. Let my life be rooted in the ground of your peace, O God, let me be rooted in the depths of your peace. -Celtic Benediction 
St. Abbs, Scotland
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