Daily Prayer for Thursday, April 2, 2020

                  …Save us from weak resignation to the evils we deplore…
                                                ---Harry Emerson Fosdick, 1930
Preparation for worship
Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit.  Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship…


Opening Sentences                         Psalm 96:9
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
let the whole earth stand in awe of him.


Prayer                     
Blessed are you, Lord God of our salvation,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief
your only Son was lifted up
that he might draw the whole world to himself.
May we walk this day in the way of the cross
and always be ready to share its weight,
declaring your love for all the world.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.


Hymn of the Day –
Dona Nobis Pacem- traditional canon
Listen and pray along with this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bURklF4aULM


Reading of the Day:   Mark 10: 17-31
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” 20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money[c] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
        23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
        28 Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”


Prayers for self and others
Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19, including Kay and Mark Sabala’s friend in California who has the virus, Mark Sabala as he works as a nurse at Willowbrook Hospital, Becky’s friend Scott and his family, Debbi’s daughter Linda and her family in New Jersey, and their neighbors, four of whom are sick with the virus. Pray today for all friends and family who are working in hospitals, grocery stores, and essential services. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. We also pray today for Wendy Godwin's son Drew, who is having a medical procedure done.  


Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God.


Benediction
May the God of love, who shared his love, strengthen us in our love for others.
May the Son who shared his life grant us grace, that we might share our life.
And may the Holy Spirit dwelling in us empower us to be only and always for others.  Amen.