It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Daily Prayer, Monday, August 8, 2011

Let the people praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you (Psalm 67:3)



Morning
Invitatory Psalm 95
O come, let us sing to the Lord:
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
We come into your presence with thanksgiving;
we make a joyful noise to you with songs of praise.
You, Lord, are a great God,

In your hands are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are yours also.
The sea is yours, for you have made it,
and the dry land, which your hands have formed.



O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us we kneel before our Maker!
For you are our God,
and we are the people of your pasture,
and the sheep of your hand.
….

Psalms 94, 96



Daily Lectionary Reading, Matthew 15:10-20

10 Jesus called the crowd near and said to them, “ Listen and understand. 11 It’s not what goes into the mouth that contaminates a person in God’s sight. It’s what comes out of the mouth that contaminates the person. ” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “ Do you know that the Pharisees were offended by what you just said? ” 13 Jesus replied, “ Every plant that my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be pulled up. 14 Leave the Pharisees alone. They are blind people who are guides to blind people. But if a blind person leads another blind person, they will both fall into a ditch. ” 15 Then Peter spoke up, “ Explain this riddle to us. ” 16 Jesus said, “ Don’t you understand yet? 17 Don’t you know that everything that goes into the mouth enters the stomach and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight. 19 Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adultery, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, and insults. 20 These contaminate a person in God’s sight. But eating without washing hands doesn’t contaminate in God’s sight. ” [Common English Bible]


Prayer:
O Lord, when it is overly clear to us what you consider appropriate and what you do not, stop us before we share that certainty with others whose actions we disapprove. Remind us that what we say to others, even in your name, especially in your name, may offend not only them but also you. Teach us what is important. Help us to let go of our prejudices. Amen.

Lectio Divina, Psalm 67:1

Midday Psalm 119:129-136

Evening
Psalms 110, 111, 112, 113, 114

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