“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25)
Jesus, you have taught us so much, help us learn this week, as we contemplate your cross, how to forgive one another in the Episcopal Church. Have mercy on us, there is so much holding of grudges against one another.
“But if you do not forgive, neither will your father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:26)
Lord Jesus, there are so many trespasses on all sides in the Episcopal Church and so much unforgiveness; have mercy on us and bring us to repentance as a church.
Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him. And they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority to do these things?” (Mark 11:27-28)
Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd: bring us back under your authority, for we have all wandered off in one way or another. Use your rod and your staff with us so that we may find your comfort.
But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John–was it from heaven or from men? Answer me.” (Mark 11:29-30)
Father, this is a question addressed to us in our generation: John came preaching a baptism of repentance; are we willing ourselves to repent of our sins? Are we willing to acknowledge the authority from you with which he still speaks to us today?
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men’”–they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.” (Mark 11:31-33a)
Holy Spirit, such thinking is so contemporary in the church; move us to repentance for all our weasel words.
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Mark 11:33b)
Holy Spirit, this where all our “carefully nuanced” words lead us in the Episcopal Church: we miss hearing what Jesus has to say to us. Help us repent of this during this Holy Week so that we may make a good profession of faith on Easter morning. Thank you.
A word received: Come to me, my people; turn to me.
Tuesday: 94; Lamentations 1:17-22; 2 Corinthians 1:8-22; Mark 11:27-33
Wednesday: 74: Lamentations 2:1-9; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11; Mark 12:1-11
Notes from the Front Line
***** Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:48:11
From: The Rev. Nigel Mumford
Subject: Prayer request for Welcome Home Initiative
Dear Torre and the prayer warriors,
I ask your prayers for today, Tuesday and Wednesday as you intercede for the Albany diocese Pilot program of the Welcome Home Initiative. We have fifteen people coming so far and may even get some walk ins. I am really looking forward to watching the Lord work on the minds and souls of wounded warriors. I truly expect to see invisible bandages being removed as the Lord heals. Right index fingers will be anointed as we think about the words from Eccl 3:3 there is a time for everything, a time to kill and a time to heal. This is the time to heal.
To help you pray and to give you an insight to the trauma of war I wrote the following in 1978. “The mind is witness to a catastrophic event. The intellect cannot cope with what is has seen. The body reacts physically under duress. The heart receives emotional scar tissue, The soul weeps. This mental trauma is a total body reaction.” NM+ 1978
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your intercessory prayers. You are very kind to keep us in prayer these three days.
Don’t forget: Please come to the closing at 11.30 for noon, Wed 19th March at the great hall at Christ the King Spiritual Life Center.
Be well, Fr. Nigel+
Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
Fr. Nigel+
Lord Jesus, we pray that the Welcome Home Initiative will be a time of healing and peace for the veterans. Thank you for what you are doing in their lives.
Albany Intercessor
Posted by anglicanprayer
