Good morning.
Today is Monday,
December 14,
2020.
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 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,
And let your heart simply respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Whom shall I fear?
Our reading today is Matthew 11,
Verses 2 through 11.
While John was in prison,
He heard about the works the Messiah was performing and sent a message by way of his disciples to ask Jesus,
Are you the one who is to come,
Or do we look for another?
In reply,
Jesus said to them,
Go back and report to John what you hear and see.
Those who are blind recover their sight.
Those who cannot walk are able to walk.
Those with leprosy are cured.
Those who are deaf hear.
The dead are raised to life.
And the anawim,
The have-nots,
Have the good news preached to them.
Blessed is the one who finds no stumbling block in me.
The messengers,
As the messengers set off,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John.
What did you go out to the wasteland to see?
A reed swaying in the wind?
Tell me,
What did you go out to see?
Someone luxuriously dressed?
No,
Those who dress luxuriously are to be found in royal palaces.
So what did you go out to see?
A prophet?
Yes,
A prophet,
And more than a prophet.
It is about John that the scripture says,
I send my messenger ahead of you to prepare your way before you.
The truth is,
History has not known a person born of woman who is greater than John the baptizer,
Yet the least born into the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Please repeat these words.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Whom shall I fear?
God,
My light and my salvation.
You make the blind see.
You heal our illnesses,
Bind our wounds,
And give life to our mortal bodies.
May we hear the good news,
Not only with our ears,
But may we experience your salvation in our bodies,
Minds,
And souls.
Because in you,
We find our truest selves.
In you,
We find our permanent home.
Amen.
I invite you now in a moment of silence to hold someone's name before God.
Don't worry about diagnosing anyone's needs or telling God what to do.
Only hold your loved one before the God who loves them even more.
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 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.
May 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.
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.
So in peace.
