Wednesday Morning Prayer – 29th November 2023

Wednesday Morning Prayer – 29th November 2023 Readings: Psalm 69. 1-6; 2 Kings 23.31 – 24.9; Mark 2. 1-17. This episode Includes a brief Gospel reflection.

Led by Felicity Scott, Liturgical Assistant at St John the Baptist Anglican Church Bulimba, QLD, Australia. Accompanied with guest reader Olivia Scott.

The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website.

https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com

Welcome to Wednesday Morning prayer from the Anglican ‘A prayer book for Australia’.

We share the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ:

GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever.

Let us Pray.

 

1

Rejoice always pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks;

For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. 

  

 

Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit: 

as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen. 

  

 

2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of God’s Grace

Blessed are you the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:

For you have blessed us in Christ Jesus

with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 

You chose us to be yours before the foundation of the world:

That we should be holy and blameless before you. 

In love you destined us to be your children, through Jesus Christ:

according to the purpose of your will, 

to the praise of your glorious grace:

which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1.3-6  

 

3 The Opening Prayer

The night has now passed and the day lies open before us; 

let us pray with one heart and mind. 

  

Silence may be kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, 
so may the light of your presence, O God, 
set our hearts on fire with love for you; 
now and for ever. 

Amen.

  

4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.

Psalm 69. 1-6.

 

5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow

We consecrate this day to your service, O Lord; may all our thoughts, words, and actions be well-pleasing to you and serve the good of our brothers and sisters; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Amen.

 

6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.

 

The 1st Reading is from 2 Kings beginning at chapter 23. Verse 31

Jehoa-haz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign;

he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Ham-utal daughter of Jere-miah of Libnah. 

He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as his ancestors had done. 

Pharaoh Neco confined him at Riblah in the land of Hamath, so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and imposed tribute on the land of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 

 

Pharaoh Neco made Eli-akim son of Josiah, king in place of his father Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoi-akim. But he took Jehoa-haz away; he came to Egypt, and died there. 

Jehoi-akim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land, in order to meet Pharaoh's demand for money. He exacted the silver and the gold from the people of the land, from all according to their assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

 

 

Jehoi-akim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zeb-idah daughter of Ped-aiah of Rumah. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as all his ancestors had done.

In his days King Nebu-kad-nezzar of Babalon came up;

Jehoi-akim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. 

 

The Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, bands of the Arameans, bands of the Moabites, and bands of the Ammon-ites; he sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servants the prophets. 

 

Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, for all that he had committed, and also for the innocent blood that he had shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to pardon. 

 

Now the rest of the deeds of Jehoi-akim, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? So Jehoi-akim slept with his ancestors; then his son Jehoi-achin succeeded him. The king of Egypt did not come again out of his land, for the king of Babylon had taken over all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Wadi of Egypt to the River u-fraitees.

 

Jehoi-achin was eighteen years old when he began to reign; he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nei-hushta daughter of El-nathan of Jerusalem. 

He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as his father had done.

 

2nd Reading is from the gospel according to - Mark 2. 1-17.

 

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2So many gathered around, that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. 3Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 

 

5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7“Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? 10But so that you may know, that the Son of Man, has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11“I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” 12And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

13Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. 14As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

15And as he sat at dinner in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. 16When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

 

 

A 2-minute Gospel reflection:

 

In this Gospel, Jesus speaks with authority telling a man his sins are forgiven and to get up and walk. He uses the words ‘son, your sins are forgiven’ relaying to the paralytic the information that Jesus is one with authority overall, a father figure to man. Further Jesus commands the man; Get up and walk. The man obeys this authority and command, despite previously showing himself as being a paralytic.

 

This parable teaches us that Jesus talks and acts with authority. Jesus’ faith has connected him to God the father, and he is automatically bestowed with all the fathers wisdom and abilities, which enables Jesus’ voice to have a commanding tone. A tone to be obeyed despite afflictions and that is exactly what Jesus’ command did, to the paralytic, this teaches us that our afflictions are not permanent and that when an authority stronger than us is before us, we can rise up and do away with the afflictions and walk home.

 

Through this, we can reflect on our own level of faith, is our faith strong enough to connect us to God the father, so that we also are bestowed with the fathers wisdom and the fathers abilities to be used to help those with little faith and afflictions to stand up and walk home. By strengthening and deepening our faith, our afflictions too will fall away, and we will walk home, in the knowledge that the Father is commanding us to know that our sins are forgiven. Amen.

 

 

7 The Canticle,

We praise you O God we claim you as Lord.

All creation worships you the father everlasting.

To you all angels all the powers of heaven the cherubim and the Serafim sing in endless praise.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of power and might.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you:

 the noble fellowship of prophets praise you:

 the white robed army of martyrs praise you;

throughout the world the holy church acclaims you;

father of majesty unbounded.

Your true and only son, worthy of all praise, the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide. You, Christ, are the king of glory, The eternal son of the father.

When you took our flesh to set us free; You humbly chose the virgin's womb.

You overcame the sting of death; And opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at the God's right hand in glory; We believe that you will come to be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood; And bring us with your Saints to glory everlasting.

 

8 The Apostles’ Creed may be said.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, 
creator of heaven and earth. 
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, 
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, 
born of the virgin Mary, 
suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
was crucified, died, and was buried; 
he descended to the dead. 
On the third day he rose from the dead; 
he ascended into heaven, 
and is seated at the right hand of the Father; 
from there he will come to judge 
the living and the dead. 
I believe in the Holy Spirit, 
the holy catholic Church, 
the communion of saints, 
the forgiveness of sins, 
the resurrection of the body, 

and the life everlasting. Amen. 

  

 

9 The Prayers

Lord have mercy. 

Christ have mercy. 

Lord have mercy. 

  

 

10 The Lord’s Prayer and the Collect of the Day

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name, 
your kingdom come, 
your will be done, 
on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our sins 
as we forgive those who sin against us. 
Save us from the time of trial 
and deliver us from evil. 
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours 
now and for ever. Amen. 

 

Prayer of the Week

Stir up, we pray you, O Lord,

the wills of your faithful people,

that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,

may by you be plenteously rewarded;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need.

Let us pray

Loving God We give you thanks, that through your son Jesus Christ, you have shown us the way to live in your righteousness. Give us strength to remain in your presence in all we do.

God of grace; Hear our prayer.

 

Saviour God, we thank you for the faithfully departed and your servants in every age. We ask that our ancestors and all your saints may be brought to a joyful resurrection and the fulfilment of your kingdom.

God of grace; Hear our prayer.

 

 

12 The Morning Collect

Eternal God and Father, 

by whose power we are created 

and by whose love we are redeemed: 

guide and strengthen us by your Spirit, 

that we may give ourselves to your service, 

and live this day in love to one another and to you; 

through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

  

 

13

The Lord be with you.

And also with you. 

Let us praise the Lord. 

Thanks be to God. 

 

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant us to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, that we may with one voice glorify our god and father. 

Amen.

Romans 15.5-6