Santa Monica, California
Opening Prayer
In the silence of the early morning your Spirit hovers over the brink of the day and new light pierces the darkness of the night. In the silence of the morning life begins to stir around me and I listen for the days’s first utterances. In earth, sea, and sky and in the landscape of my own soul I listen for the utterances of your love, O God. I listen for utterances of your love. -Celtic Benediction (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. -Psalm 89: 15-16 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” -Mark 7: 21-23 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. -John 7: 1-7 (Think deeply on these life-giving words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others It is God’s will that we learn to bear one another’s burdens, for none of us have the wisdom or strength to bear them alone. -A2J Community (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer O my God, I ask of you for myself and for those whom I hold dear the grace to fulfill perfectly your holy will, to accept for love of you the joys and sufferings of this passing life, so that we may one day be united in heaven for all eternity. Amen -Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897) 
Payson, Arizona
|
