Good morning.
Today is Monday,
March 29th,
2021.
O Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The Three-in-One,
Creator,
Redeemer,
And Sustainer.
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and will be forever.
Amen.
Come let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord,
Our Maker.
Remind yourself that you are in God's presence.
Notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself simply dwell on a word or a phrase that catches your attention or moves your heart and let your heart respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we might see.
Our reading today is John 13,
Verses 1 through 15.
It was before the feast of the Passover,
And Jesus realized that the hour had come for him to pass from this world to Abba God.
He had always loved his own in this world,
But now he showed how perfect this love was.
The devil had already convinced Judas Iscariot,
Son of Simon,
To betray Jesus.
So during supper,
Jesus,
Knowing that God had put all things into his own hands and that he had come from God and was returning to God,
Rose from the table,
Took off his clothes,
And wrapped a towel around his waist.
He then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel that was around his waist.
When he came to Simon Peter,
Peter said,
Rabbi,
You're not going to wash my feet,
Are you?
Jesus answered,
You don't realize what I am doing right now,
But later you'll understand.
Peter replied,
You will never wash my feet.
Jesus answered,
If I don't wash you,
You have no part with me.
Simon Peter said to Jesus,
Then,
Rabbi,
Not only my feet,
But my hands and my head as well.
Jesus said,
Any who have taken a bath are clean all over and only need to wash their feet,
And you're clean,
Though not every one of you.
For Jesus knew who was to betray him.
That is why he said,
Not all of you are clean.
After washing their feet,
Jesus put his clothes back on and returned to the table.
He said to them,
Do you understand what I have done for you?
You call me teacher and sovereign,
And rightly so,
For so I am.
If I then,
Your teacher and sovereign,
Have washed your feet,
You should wash each other's feet.
I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
In our eyes that we might see.
I invite you now to hold someone's name before God.
Whoever the Holy Spirit leads your mind to in this space,
Hold before God in prayer.
You can repeat the person's name over and over with your voice or in your mind,
Or just hold this person silently in your heart.
Don't worry about diagnosing the person's need or telling God what to do.
May the light of Christ go before you and behind you,
Beneath you and above you.
On your right and on your left,
When you rise and when you lie down,
May the light of Christ be with you.
May the light of Christ be in you.
In the name of Jesus who taught us to pray.
Our Father which art in heaven,
Eternal God,
Earth maker,
Pain bearer,
Life giver,
Source of all that is and all that shall be.
Not only father,
But mother of us all.
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today,
Feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another,
Forgive us.
In times of temptation and test,
Strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure,
Spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil,
Free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
Now and forever.
Amen.
Jesus you are the resurrection and the life.
Lord we believe,
Help our unbelief.
Give us hope,
Give us life.
Amen.
And now my friends may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you today.
May he guide you through the wilderness,
Protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
Go in peace.
