Category Archives: Let us Pray

Links to daily prayer with occasional comments

Let us Pray, My Main Blog

Prayer, Saturday August 1, 2015 – A Hall of Fame Day

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Saturday – for the Green Team and for all Creation, for our ministries to Seniors, and for all on our Parish prayer list.
Today’s readings include more of Acts 17. We hear the amazing sermon of St. Paul in Athens, connecting their altar to an “unknown God” to the Lord God Almighty. It is a brilliant sermon and wonderful example of connecting the gospel to the culture it is being preached in. This portion stood out for me: 27so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him-though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28For “In him we live and move and have our being”;”

That humans would search for God, grope for God, even if they don’t know God, and even though God is always near is a fundamental truth of our created nature.

Groping for God. Could be a reality TV show, or a way of life for us all….

On a personal note, today is a special day for my family. My older brother (I have 4 brothers), Steve, is being inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, alongside Brett Favre and Clarence Weatherspoon and others. My mother and brothers and most of their families will be present (my father is unable to travel but will watch it online). I am so grateful for my family, my brothers are amazing men and my mother – well she raised 5 boys, nuff said! Today is a tribute to my father also, he was a coach himself and instilled so many great characteristics of manhood into his boys. Steve is the all time winningest college basketball coach in the history of Mississippi, and he’s not done yet. But more than that, he is a shaper of men, you are a better person when you leave his team than when you got there. I am so proud of him, and so grateful for the family that formed all of us and continues to do so. My prayers today are of thanksgiving.



Let us Pray

Prayer, July 31, 2015

Friday – Daughters of the King, Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Marthas, worship volunteers (acolytes, ushers and greeters, chalice bearers) and all over volunteer groups who work so tirelessly and joyfully for the Kingdom of God and the Body of Christ at St. Paul’s.
From Acts 17 today, wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear this about your own church? It is my prayer for mine:

These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also

This excerpt goes well with the collect for mission said this morning:

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Let us Pray

Prayer, Thursday July 30, 2015

Thursday – The people of Bondeau, Haiti, especially Pere Phanord, the school teachers and medical clinic volunteers, for our Cursillo community.

(click on Prayer Instructions for tips on saying Morning or Evening Prayer and online resources)

From Psalm 71, attributed to King David,

22Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your faithfulness, O my God;*
I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
23My lips will sing with joy when I play to you,*
and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.

St. Augustine is often quoted saying “He who sings prays twice”. While scholars debate whether he actually said it, the words are true in my opinion. Something about praising God in song lifts our hearts in wonderful ways. “My lips will sing with joy when I play to you AND SO WILL MY SOUL, which you have redeemed”. Beautiful words. I am reminded by them of the joy I receive when my son sings and plays. He has led worship in church since he was a young teen, led music at Happening and at Camp Bratton-Green and for noon day prayers at Diocesan Council, encouraging over 300 of us old folks to stand up and sing along. I certainly don’t have his gift but my soul sings with joy when he sings and plays, as it does with our choir at St. Paul’s and our Saturday night music as well.

I will restrict my singing to when I am driving in my car alone (you’re welcome), and give thanks for all of you out there who offer your gift of music and singing to allow our souls to sing with joy.

Let us Pray, My Main Blog

Prayer, Wednesday July 29, 2015 – on BFFs

St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer – Wednesday – Paul’s Place after school program and the St. Paul’s Day School

(click Prayer Instructions for links to Morning or Evening Prayer for today)

I was so touched this morning in my prayer time, thinking of Mary and Martha (whose feast day is today) and their brother, Lazarus. I don’t know about you, but I rarely think of Jesus having BFFs – but surely these three were that for him. Their home in Bethany was a source of rest and preparation. Being situated on the other side of the Mt. of Olives can’t you see Jesus and his gang hanging out there before heading over the hill to Jerusalem, where he faced the cross? Mary and Martha and their various roles have often been discussed, but today I was just thinking of their friendship, of how Jesus wept when he heard of Lazarus’ death, even knowing he would raise Lazarus.

In ministry, no matter if you are ordained or not, the importance of friendships cannot be under emphasized. It can be a very lonely vocation. I think in a lot of ways that may be the hardest part of being a clergy person. It is difficult to have true friendship with parishioners (and I have been deeply wounded when I ventured down that road), and although most of my friends are also clergy, our busy lives and conflicting schedules make finding time for each other so difficult. It’s one main reason I love going to General Convention, for there I get to catch up with a lot of friends and spend some time with them.

Today I want to encourage you to pray for all leaders in ministry and for good friends to help them along the path God has chosen for them.

 

 

Let us Pray

Prayer, Monday July 27, 2015

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St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer – Monday – Children, youth, and family ministries of St. Paul’s and those who teach and work with our youth. Our music program and choirs.

(click Prayer Instructions for links to Morning or Evening Prayer for today)

Today is the feast day of WR Huntingdon, Episcopal priest, who died in 1909. Huntingdon was a major force in the church in his day, called for and participated in the revision of the prayer book that resulted in the 1892 BCP (and for real church geeks, he was a primary author of the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral. It’s in the small print section of your prayer book under “Historical Documents”. It’s the part I catch you reading when I am preaching….). This prayer was authored by him, we use it during Holy Week and on Fridays for the Daily Office:

Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
The way of the cross – the way of life and peace. Can be a tough “way” at times, but it is the way, the truth, the life. May God be with you on your journey along the way.