Yeghegnadzor, Armenia
Opening Prayer
Be, Lord Jesus, a bright flame before me, a guiding star above me, a smooth path below me, a kindly shepherd behind me: today, tonight, and forever. -St. Columba (521-597) (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. -Habakkuk 3:17-19 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive us and deal with each of us according to what we do, since you know our hearts -2 Chronicles 6:30 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. -John 10: 5-10 (Think deeply on these life-giving words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others O God, with all prayer and petitions, help me pray always in the Spirit, and to this end I will be watchful with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. -Ephesians 6:18 (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer With you help, Triune God, let me live to the end in faith, knowing that I will not fully receive your promises here on earth; I see them and welcome them from a distance. I am a stranger and a pilgrim here on the earth. I long for a better country, a heavenly one. In this way, you will not be ashamed to be called my God, for you have prepared a city for me. Like Moses, and those who have gone before me, may I esteem reproach for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of this world. -Hebrews 11:13, 16, 26 
Yeghegnadzor, Armenia
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