Brief silence to quiet our hearts and to acknowledge that Christ is among us.
V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
R. as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
O God of truth and mighty Lord,
Directly all in wise accord,
You clothe the day with splendour bright,
The noonday sun gives warmth and light.
Extinguish all the flames of strife!
From sinful passions shield our life!
Give health and strength to us, O Lord,
True peace of heart to us afford!
To God the Father and the Son,
To Holy Spirit, three in one,
May praise and honour, glory be
To you, eternal Trinity. Amen
Read Responsively
Ant. You who dwell in the heavens, have mercy on us.
A prayer for mercy: a pilgrimage song
To you have I lifted up my eyes,
you who dwell in the heavens;
my eyes, like the eyes of slaves
on the hand of their lords.
Like the eyes of a servant
on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God
till he show us his mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
We are filled with contempt.
Indeed all too full in our soul
with the scorn of the rich.
(the disdain of the proud).
Thanksgiving for protection: a pilgrimage song
“If the Lord had not been on our side,”
this is Israel’s song.
“If the Lord had not been on our side
when they rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive
when their anger was kindled.
Then would the waters have engulfed us,
the torrent gone over us;
over our head would have swept
the raging waters.”
Blessed be the Lord who did not give us
a prey to their teeth!
Our life, like a bird, has escaped
from the snare of the fowler.
Indeed the snare has been broken
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Unshakable trust: a pilgrimage song
Those who put their trust in the Lord
are like Mount Zion, that cannot be shaken,
that stands for ever.
Jerusalem! The mountains surround her;
so the Lord surrounds his people
both now and for ever.
The sceptre of the wicked shall not rest
over the land of the just
for fear that the hands of the just
should turn to evil.
Do good, Lord, to those who are good,
to the upright of heart;
but the crooked and those who do evil,
drive them away!
On Israel, peace!
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. You who dwell in the heavens, have mercy on us.
Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
V. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
R. In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
(from the None Office)
Lord God, grant that through our work we may provide for the needs of this life, while never losing sight of what is of true value, those things which alone remain for ever and ever. Amen.
—Time for prayer, with a particular focus on KLC—
At the end of each petition please say, “Lord in your mercy…”
and the rest of us will respond, “… hear our prayer.”
from Today’s Sacred Space
Presence
It is always nice to be in the presence of friends. You, O Lord, are my closest and truest friend. May I never forget the friend I have in You.
Freedom
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Lord,
so that I may have inner freedom.
Let Your Spirit instil in my heart
a desire to know and love You more each day.
Consciousness
When I return to my everyday tasks,
remind me, Lord,
that You are always there beside me.
I need never despair.
The Word of God
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
“Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.”
Inspiration
In making choices in life, we are helped by knowing what is of lasting value. The decisions we make affect the quality of our lives. Lord, help us to see what the nets gather and offer to us so that we can choose what is of quality and what enriches life.
The new in life can be given undue attention as if all that is old is bad. We need to see what is good in both. We pray for discerning hearts that can help us to choose what is best.
Conversation
What feelings, questions, doubts or inspirations does today’s Gospel stir in me? Can I bring all that I am feeling and thinking to Jesus, in the comforting knowledge that He is really here with me?
Conclusion
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
—15 minutes of silence—
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen
The Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge. Charity registered in England and Wales. Charity Number: 1191741
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