A Monday Prayer

Monday, January 7, 2008

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Audio Podcasts of today's "Morning Reflection" and those from the past week are available from http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id244.html (go to St. Paul's Home Page www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p 943)
Psalms 1, 2, 3 (morning) 4, 7 (evening)
Deuteronomy 8:1-3
Colossians 1:1-14
John 6:30-33, 48-51

We get a panoramic sense of the Christian life in faith today.

We start with the ancient story of God's raising a community to life through the ordeal of pilgrimage from the desert to the promised land. The lesson: trust God, and you will live. God gives Israel the commandments as a guide to just and righteous life. Just as you learned to trust the manna for your daily bread, trust God's word for your daily life "so that you may live and increase."

We close with Jesus identifying himself as "the true bread which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" -- the bread of eternal life.

In the middle we have two brief prayer from a disciple of Paul. In the climax of his prayers he reminds us that God "has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son."

His first prayer gives thanks for the faith, hope and love which is present in the community of Christ. Faith in Christ, love for all the saints, and hope that is "bearing fruit and growing in the whole world" as well as among us.

His second prayer is lyrical. "Asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may live lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light."

What a wonderful prayer to be given on a Monday morning. May God fill us with Divine presence and understanding, so we may live well, do good and grow. Be strong, patiently endure, and in all times and all place, joyfully give thanks. We are God's children.

Lowell
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Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: -- Morning Reflection Podcasts About Morning Reflections "Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church. Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer. Evening Prayer begins on p. 117 An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html Discussion Blog: To comment on today's reflection or readings, go to http://lowellsblog.blogspot.com, or click here for Lowell's blog find today's reading, click "comment" at the bottom of the reading, and post your thoughts.

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love. See our Web site at www.stpaulsfay.org Our Rule of Life: We aspire to... worship weekly pray daily learn constantly serve joyfully live generously. Lowell Grisham, Rector St. Paul's Episcopal Church Fayetteville, Arkansas