Phoenix, Arizona
Opening Prayer
O Lord my God, the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it belong to you. -Deuteronomy 10:14 (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. -Micah 7:7-8 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin You, O Lord, long to be gracious and rise to show compassion. For you are a God of justice; and blessed are all those who wait for you. -Isaiah 30:18 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” -Mark 16:1-7 (Think deeply on the life and words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. -Psalm 105:4 (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer Lord, help us to see in your crucifixion and resurrection an example of how to endure and seemingly to die in the agony and conflict of daily life, so that we may live more fully and creatively. You accepted patiently and humbly the rebuffs of human life, as well as the torture of the cross. Help us to accept the pains and conflicts that come to us each day as opportunity to grow as people and become more like you and help us realize that it is only by frequent deaths of ourselves, and our self-centered desires that we can come to live more fully, only by dying with you that we can rise with you. -Mother Teresa (1919-1997) 
Skopje, Macedonia
|
