Thread by @DisabilityJ

Midday prayers for Wednesday...

Be comfortable
Light a candle if that helps
Breathe...

Thread

Grace, mercy and peace –

from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ –

be with you

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Prayer

Almighty and everlasting God,

we thank you that you have brought us safely to this day.

Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger,
order us in all our doings and guide us to do always
what is righteous in your sight;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

CONFESSION

Holy God, Maker of all,

Have mercy on us.

Jesus Christ, Son of Mary,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Spirit, breath of life,

Have mercy on us.

Let us consider our own faults and failings.

(Silence)

In this community of Christ’s Church

we confess to God that we have sinned

in thought,

word

and deed.

We have not loved God,

cared for God’s world,

or respected God’s people

as we should.

We own our responsibility

& pray for God’s pardon.

May God forgive us,

Christ befriend us,

the Spirit renew and change our lives.

Amen.

All who are thirsty,

this is the place for water.

All who are hungry,

this is the place to be fed.

God speaks,

and all who will listen will have life.

Reading: From Luke's Gospel

Every day Jesus was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.  Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

Jesus went on to tell the people this parable:

“A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard....

But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.  He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out....

Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.' “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over.  'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 
...

So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?  He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”

When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”  
...

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:

    “ 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone' ? 
 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces;
anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 
...

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people....

Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching,  and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.

Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. ...

And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might hand over Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
///

REFLECTION

What did you notice in the reading?

Did anything surprise you?

How might this reading make a difference to your day?

Time to pray....

Prayers for anyone who lives in fear

Prayers for anyone under pressure

Prayers for anyone who is lost

Prayers for each other here...

Father in heaven,
your name be holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be done.

Daily bread received,
forgiveness received,
forgiveness given freely.

Temptation refused,
from evil protected.

The kingdom, power, and glory
are yours

now and for ever. 

Amen

This is the day that the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it

We go in peace and serve the Lord.

We will seek peace and pursue it.

Glory be to God who made us

to Christ who saved us

to the Holy Spirit who keeps us in faith.  Amen..

The Lord bless us and watch over us,

the Lord make his face shine upon us

and be gracious to us,

the Lord look kindly on us

and give us his peace;

May the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among us and remain with us always.  Amen.