Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity

-

NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Sunday, October 27, 2019

Readings:
Lesson: Ezekiel 18:19-32
Psalm: 111
Epistle: Ephesians 4:17-28
Gospel: Mark 2:1-12

ADORATION
Almighty Lord and God, I give You thanks with my whole heart. Your works of old are full of majesty. Your everyday miracles are full of splendor. You are gracious and full of compassion. You give food to all creatures, and you keep watch over all You have made. You teach me that truth is that which stands fast forever, and You build upon the sure foundation of Your truth with faithfulness and justice, with righteousness and equity. You send me the daily invitation to redeem myself from past wrongs, offering me the promised land of a heart at peace and at one with You. To respect and revere You is the beginning of wisdom, and to act accordingly is correctly to understand Your will and Your love.

CONFESSION
Loving and righteous Father, through Your prophet Ezekiel, You declared that You have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they should turn from their ways and live. I confess that I do not turn to You with my whole heart, nor do I cast away all the offenses I have committed against You. I do not keep Your statues as they are summed up in the one commandment of love towards You, neighbor and self. I deserve the deadened life produced by this neglect. Your way is fair because You Yourself are the Way, the Life, and the Truth. It is my way that is unfair because, left to myself, I choose death and falsehood. Only You can breathe new life into my heart and spirit.

THANKSGIVING
Holy Spirit, I thank You that You do not want me to walk in darkness, live in ignorance, or be alienated from Your holy Presence. So You renew the spirit of my mind, enlighten my understanding, and remove the blindness from my heart. You inspire me to put off the old person I used to be, and to grow into the new person You want me to be, created in righteousness, sustained in holiness, and sealed for redemption. You teach me the truth that is in Jesus, encouraging me to put away all bitterness, anger, malice, deceit, and corrupt talk, and to embrace a life of humility, kindness, tender-heartedness, mutual upbuilding, and especially forgiveness, just as God in Christ has forgiven me.

SUPPLICATION
Lord Jesus Christ, You healed the paralytic by forgiving his sins and commanding him to stand up and walk. Heal me whenever I am paralyzed by the guilt of my past failings, and the fear of the unknown future. When I am immobilized by dejection and depression, command me to stand up in Your love, take up the mat of Your support, and walk in the light of Your grace. As the four men raised the paralytic through the roof to bring him to You, remind me of those who lift me up to heaven in prayer, and let me down into Your Presence, and grant that I may do the same for them. And in solitude, remind me that the four virtues—prudence, temperance, courage, and justice—ever lift me up to You.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

-
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Sunday, September 8, 2019 Readings: Lesson: 1 Kings 10:1-13 Psalm: 77 Epistle: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11 Gospel: Mark 7:31-37 ADORATION Almighty and gracious God, I praise You because You listen to me whenever I cry out to You. In times of trouble, I look for You in prayer. When my heart is heavy with fear and doubt, I meditate on You and remember the days of old. I understand now that Your hand throughout history is the answer to my prayers today. You are never absent, Your mercy is not gone forever, and Your promises never come to an end. You have not forgotten to be gracious, nor have You withdrawn Your loving-kindness. You are the God who works wonders. You made a way through the waters and redeemed Your people. So do You make a way through my tears and sorrow and deliver me. And Your way is holy. CONFESSION Father, the Queen of Sheba showered King Solomon with compliments on his wisdom and riches for his throne, and in tu...
Read more

First Sunday after Easter

-
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER Sunday, April 28, 2019 Readings: Lesson: Acts 3:1-21 Psalm: 81:1-10 Epistle: 1 John 5:1-15 Gospel: John 20:19-31 God of faith, Your Word teaches me the importance of faith. I learn that faith has the power to heal any infirmity, to save from any danger, and to overcome any obstacle. I walk by faith, and not by sight, because faith is the evidence of things I cannot see. You bless all those who believe without seeing, and yet You do not require me to be blind. Rather, through Your Word and Sacraments, through Your creation, and through those You send my way, You continually call me to look intently and attentively, and to fix my eyes on You. I open my heart and mind to the everyday miracles You perform in my life in order to strengthen my faith. Father, when Peter and John had no money to help the crippled beggar, they offered him the healing Word of Your Son. I confess that I do not heed the cries of beggars I pass by. They call in di...
Read more

Second Sunday after Easter

-
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER Sunday, May 5, 2019 Readings: Lesson: Acts 4:8-21 Psalm: 23 Epistle: 1 Peter 2:19-25 Gospel: John 10:11-18 Almighty God, Your Word teaches that salvation is found in no one else except in the Name of Jesus, Your Son. The Name “Jesus” means “the Lord saves.” From this, I learn that real and true salvation comes only from You, the Lord, the God of all peoples. To seek salvation with an honest and sincere heart is really to seek You. I believe that all who are on this search—regardless of race, culture, or creed—will find You, for You never forsake those who seek You. I believe that all who call on Your Name, by however they understand it, will be saved. I praise and worship You for the wideness of Your mercy, for it is like the wideness of the sea. Father, the Apostles declared that they could not stop telling people about what they had seen and heard. They chose to obey God and continue to teach in Jesus’ Name rather than listen to th...
Read more