Bruges, Belgium
Opening Prayer
Almighty God, who pours out on all who desire it in the spirit of grace and supplication. Deliver us, when we draw near to You, from coldness of heart and wandering mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship You in spirit and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen -Book of Common Prayer (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. -Psalm 66: 16-20 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. -The Jesus Prayer: (Ancient Eastern Orthodox) (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” -Luke 5:33-39 (Think deeply on the life and words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others Answer me, O Lord, for your lovingkindness is good; in the abundance of your mercies, turn to me. -Psalm 69:16 (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer Deliver me, O God, from a slothful mind, from all lukewarmness, and all dejection of spirit: I know these cannot but deaden my love to Thee; mercifully free may heart from them, and give me a lively, zealous, active, and cheerful spirit that I may vigorously perform whatever Thou commands, thankfully suffer whatever Thou chooses for me, and be ever ardent to obey in all things Thy holy love. Amen -John Wesley (1703-1791) 
Rila Monastery, Bulgaria
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