Prelude to the Passion - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time [Proper 17]

    

Numbers 11:1-30 OR Isaiah 45:20-25 OR Jeremiah 4:19-31 OR Zechariah 8:1-23
Psalm 68:11-31 (32-35) OR 120
John 10:19-21 (22-30) 31-42
1Corinthians 14:1-40

OPENING PRAYER [from GREATER ATTENTION: LERW, YEAR D]
Our Living Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us many good works from our heavenly Father, with whom you are One: we thank you for the gift of eternal life, and for the assurance that we will never perish, that no one will ever snatch us out of your hand! What blessed assurance this is! What boldness it gives us to witness to you! Yet our vision is dim and our hearing is dull, and those in the world to whom we would witness sometimes seem to have no sense at all! Lord, open blind eyes and sharpen our vision, open deaf ears and refine our understanding, that when we hear the sound of your voice we will know it and be quick to follow! For truly, Lord, the works that you do in the Father’s name testify to you, and the gifts that you have given us are encouraging indeed. Therefore, draw near, that we, your church, may praise you in the Spirit and be built up in love by your prophetic word. This we ask for your name’s sake.

Prelude to the Passion - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time [Proper 16]

     

Genesis 3:1-7 (8-21) 22-24 OR Jeremiah 8:4-13 OR 24:1-10 OR Habakkuk 3:1-19
Psalm 140
Matthew 21:12-22 OR Mark 11:12-25 (26)
Colossians 1:29-2:5 (16-19) 20-23

Prelude to the Passion - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time [Proper 15]

  

Jeremiah 22:1-9 OR Zechariah 7:1-14
Psalm 58
Matthew 23:13-39 OR Luke 11:37-54
1Timothy 3

PRAYER OF CONFESSION [from GREATER ATTENTION: LERW, YEAR D]

We confess we have not kept covenant with you, O LORD our God, but we have worshiped other gods and served them. We have sworn oaths casually and not kept them; we have given freely of small things, but neglected the weightier matters of justice, mercy, and faith; we have maintained outward appearances of piety, while allowing our interior lives to fester with greed, hypocrisy, and self-indulgence; though we bear the name of Christ, we have failed to live and to love as Jesus has taught us, thus we must confess we have taken your name in vain. Forgive us, LORD, for by our words and actions we have stopped others from entering your kingdom and we ourselves have failed to enter. Yet, do not let your house become desolate. Let not the passersby say to one another, “Why has the LORD dealt this way with his people?” But give us, everyone, a fresh start, and gather us under the shelter of your wings. Though we have not always been willing, we will it now! Absolve and cleanse us, O LORD, both inside and out, for we long to see you and say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’

The Apocalyptic Discourse - 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time [Proper 14]

     

Genesis 6:1-8 OR Zechariah 9:1-8 (9-12) 13-17

Psalm 37: (1-2) 12-38 (39-40)
Matthew 24:(36-44) 45-51 OR Luke 12:(35-40) 41-48
1Corinthians 11:2-22 (23-26) 27-34

Opening Prayer [from GREATER ATTENTION: LERW, YEAR D]
Lord Jesus Christ, we know neither the day nor the hour when you will come again to gather up your church or to stand upon the earth, but we do know that we are to remain awake, dressed and ready for action, with our lamps lit as servants awaiting the return of their Master. To think, even for a moment, that you are delayed is to risk falling asleep, and therefore, we invite you to draw near to us now, for you have promised to do so, saying, “I am with you always.” Therefore, by the swift wind of your Spirit, raise our expectations, O Lord. Let no one go through the motions of worship without becoming acutely aware that you are near, indeed, that you are here, watching, waiting, examining every heart. Surely you will speak, O Lord, through the Word, written, read, and preached, and you will feed your people—you, the Christ, the living bread, you, the Holy Spirit, of whom we all partake as we drink from same spiritual drink, the spiritual rock of Christ.