Good morning.
Today is Wednesday,
March 24th,
2021.
Oh 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 bow down and worship.
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 dwell on any word or phrase that catches your attention or moves your heart.
And let your heart simply 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 12,
Verses one through 11.
Six days before Passover,
Jesus went to Bethany,
The village of Lazarus,
Whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
There they gave a banquet in Jesus's honor at which Martha served.
Lazarus was one of those at the table.
Mary brought a pound of costly ointment,
Pure nard,
And anointed the feet of Jesus,
Wiping them with her hair.
The house was full of the scent of the ointment.
Judas Iscariot,
One of the disciples,
The one who was to betray Jesus,
Protested.
Why wasn't this ointment sold?
It could have brought nearly a year's wages and the money been given to poor people.
Judas didn't say this because he was concerned for poor people.
But because he was a thief.
He was in charge of the common fund and would help himself to it.
So Jesus replied,
Leave her alone.
She did this in preparation for my burial.
You have poor people with you always,
But you won't always have me.
Meanwhile,
A large crowd heard that Jesus was there and came to see not only Jesus,
But also Lazarus,
Whom he raised from the dead.
So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus as well.
Since it was because of him that many of the people were leaving them and believing in Jesus.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we might see.
On Wednesdays,
We pray for our communities.
So I invite you now to hold your community before God.
We all are a part of various communities,
Some large and some small.
Let the spirit of God lead you.
To hold one of these communities before God in this space.
Perhaps it's a school or a neighborhood or a workplace or a church.
Maybe it's a city or a country.
Or maybe it's a family.
Whichever community you are led to pray for,
Hold in this space.
Bless all who call on you,
Almighty God,
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
From your goodness enrich us,
By your love inspire us,
By your spirit guide us,
By your power protect us,
In your mercy receive us now and always.
We pray in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray.
Our Father 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 that you are the Messiah,
God's only begotten,
The one sent from God.
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 and 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.
Let's go in peace my friends.
