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Posts Tagged "Intercessions for 15 November 2015":

Intercessions for 2nd Sunday before Advent -Year B – 2nd series – 15 November 2015

Johann Heinrich Füssli 054

The Collect

Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son was revealed to destroy the works of the devil and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life: grant that we, having this hope, may purify ourselves even as he is pure; that when he shall appear in power and great glory we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

¶ The Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Daniel 12.1-3

In the third year of King Cyrus a word was revealed to Daniel. ‘At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.’

Psalm 16

Refrain: The Lord is at my right hand; I shall not fall.

Preserve me, O God, for in you have I taken refuge; *I have said to the Lord, ‘You are my lord, all my good depends on you.’
All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, * upon those who are noble in heart.
Though the idols are legion that many run after, * their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, neither make mention of their names upon my lips.
The Lord himself is my portion and my cup; * in your hands alone is my fortune.
My share has fallen in a fair land; * indeed, I have a goodly heritage. R
I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel, * and in the night watches he instructs my heart.
I have set the Lord always before me; * he is at my right hand; I shall not fall.
Wherefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; * my flesh also shall rest secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Death, * nor suffer your faithful one to see the Pit.
You will show me the path of life; in your presence is the fullness of joy * and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Refrain: The Lord is at my right hand; I shall not fall.

Give to us, Lord Christ,
the fullness of grace,
your presence and your very self,
for you are our portion and our delight,
now and for ever.

Second Reading: Hebrews 10.11-14(15-18)19-25

Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, ‘he sat down at the right hand of God’, and since then has been waiting ‘until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.’ For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds’, he also adds, ‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’ Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Mark 13.1-8

As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’ When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.’


‘And I Saw A New Heaven’ Bainton; St Martin-in-the-Fields, London. 15th August 2015 (VJ Day)

Jim Cotter prefaces his thoughts on the psalm: ‘Prayer in solidarity with those who have died before us; and that we may deepen our trust in a faithful creator.’

The RSCM comments “Jesus was unequivocal: the ever-simmering power struggle would erupt with dire consequences, the time for admiring historic buildings long gone. The coming crisis would be totally disruptive. Religious identity, personal relationships, physical well-being, all would be called into question, all pushed to their limits. And yet – this is not an end but a beginning…it is only through the painful process of birth itself that the emerging new life can be seen and embraced.”

I chose the illustration of Odysseus steering between Scylla and Charybdis because the readings today seem rather like an epic saga, whether of classical times, or a modern version like ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Christian pilgrims are on a journey which, for those who succeed, leads to an ‘eternal and glorious kingdom’. But there are dragons on the path….

 

Prayers of Intercession

Let us pray for the peace of God in the Church and among the nations.

¶The Church of Christ

Lord, you feed us with the bread of life, and nourish us with the cup of salvation. We give you thanks for the wisdom of your counsel: in the silence of the darkest hours of the night, we open our ears to the whisper of your voice. When we are lost in the thicket, you will show us the royal path that avoids both cliff and chasm as it leads us safely to your side.

Through endeavour, failure, danger: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

 

¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

Lord, creator of the universe, infinite and glorious, you give us laws to save us from our folly; give us eyes to see your plan unfolding, your purpose emerging as the world is made; give us courage to follow the truth, courage to go wherever you lead; then we shall know blessings beyond our dreams; then will your will be done.*

Through endeavour, failure, danger: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

 

¶The local community

Lord, we pray for our neighbours and those we live amongst. Teach us to give each other the benefit of the doubt, when rumours and gossip circulate. Teach us to put our trust in each other and our common humanity, rather than the buildings and structures in which we meet. Rather may we seek to forge our relationships, link by link.

Through endeavour, failure, danger: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

 

¶Those who suffer

Lord of all power and might, give us grace to trust you both in darkness and in light. In the face of danger and adversity, be our strength and hope, that we may be sustained on this earthly pilgrimage. Give courage to all those who are ill, and all who are afraid for their future. Look with mercy, we pray, on those who are in pain, that their sufferings may be lessened, or they may be strengthened to endure to the end.

Through endeavour, failure, danger:Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

¶The communion of saints

Lord, we give thanks for those who now rejoice in the fellowship of your saints; and we commend our loved ones whom we now mourn to your almighty love, that they too may rest in peace and rise in glory.

 

Merciful Father, accept these prayers….

 


* from – A New Zealand Prayer Book | He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa

Prayer after Communion

Gracious Lord,
in this holy sacrament
you give substance to our hope:
bring us at the last
to that fullness of life for which we long;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above): Post Communion (2nd before Advent) © 1985 Mowbray, a Cassell Imprint:After Communion compiled by C L Macdonnell Some material included in this service is copyright: © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000 Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2002 Collect (2nd before Advent) © The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)

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