Today read Matthew Chapter 26 and reflect on the questions below.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Chapter 26 is packed with action. What portion of it speaks to you most powerfully and why?
2. Which character in this chapter do you personally identify with most? What does it teach you about Christ and about your relationship with God?
Today’s reading is a little longer, and introduces us to Jesus’ teachings about the end of the age – a subject we don’t often hear about during the Easter season, but one that is obviously tied to his resurrection. So, read Matthew Chapter 24 and 25 and reflect on the questions below.
Questions for Reflection
- How would you sum up Chapter 24? What is the main thing Jesus seems to be trying to say?
- How would you sum up the teaching of the three parables in Chapter 25?
- Why do you think Jesus might be discussing this during the week leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection?
- How do you think this subject of the end of the age might be relevant for us today?
Today read Matthew Chapter 23 and contribute your thoughts to the comments below.
Questions for Reflection
- What single saying in this long list of “woes” strikes you most or which one best sums up the whole list? Why?
- If Jesus were to come today and give a modern version of the “woes” for Christians, what kinds of hypocritical behaviors do you think he would be condemning?
Today read Matthew Chapter 22 and Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and contribute your thoughts to the comments below.
Questions for Reflection
- In this passage Jesus quotes part of the Jewish Shema from Deut 6, the most important prayer practice in Judaism (you can read more about the importance of the Shema here). How do you think reciting Deut 6:4-9 three times daily might affect your thoughts and life positively?
- How can we know if a religious practice, like reciting the Shema three times daily, is effective for good spiritual formation or if it is merely an empty religious ritual? How are Jesus’ words in Matt 21-22 helpful in making this distinction?
Today read Matthew Chapter 21 and Zechariah 9:9-17 and contribute your thoughts to the comments below.
Questions for Reflection
- Based on the prophecy in Zechariah 9, what would your expectations have been of Jesus if you were a Jew in that crowd?
- If Jesus is the promised messiah, why do you think he did and said these things in Matt 21? Are his actions and teachings consistent with Zechariah 9?
- What do you think Jesus is trying to get across in Matt 21?
(Recently at our group Drew mentioned that he uses a set rule of prayer and some of you asked to see it. He was kind enough to pass it along below. Feel free to ask any questions about how he uses it and why.)
Opening Prayer
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
The Trisagion Prayers
Glory to thee, O God, glory to thee.
O Heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, who are in all places and fill all things, the treasury of good things and giver of life: Come and dwell in us, cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Gracious Lord.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your Name’s sake. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory of +the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Intercessions For The Living
Lord Jesus Christ, because of Your everlasting mercy and loving kindness You became man, enduring crucifixion and death for the salvation of all who truly believe in You. You rose from the dead and now sit on the right hand of the Father, yet You hear the humble prayers of those who call upon You with all their heart. Turn now Your ear to Your lowly servant who prays for all Your people.
Lord, remember first of all Your Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church which You redeemed with Your precious blood. Keep it strong and growing; keep it in peace; protect it from the gates of hell forever; heal the divisions of the Churches; silence those who speak against her; and root out every heresy by the power of Your Holy Spirit.
Lord, have mercy upon our president, and all in civil authority, and save them, together with the armed forces of our country. Give them peace and continual victory over injustice and evil in all places. May our government be at peace with Your holy Church and all Your people, that we may have a tranquil life, free to pursue right belief, virtue, and godly life.
Lord, have mercy on our parents, and save them together with our brothers and sisters, our children, our relatives and our friends. Grant them Your blessing both here and in the life to come.
Lord, have mercy on the old and the young, the needy, the orphans and widows, and all who are in sickness and sorrow, distress and affliction, oppression and captivity, in prison and confinement. Save them, together with Your servants who are under persecution for Your sake and for the sake of the Christian faith. Remember them, visit them, strengthen and comfort them, and by Your power grant them speedy relief, freedom and deliverance.
Lord, have mercy on all who travel, and save all those who are sent on duty: our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children, all our loved ones and all Christians. Remember them, and come to them with strength and comfort, and quickly deliver them.
Lord, have mercy on our enemies. Help us to love them, forgive them, and pray for their salvation. Bring those who fall from the true faith to the light of Your holy wisdom, and unite them to Your Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Lord, remember all who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and of eternal life: our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children, all our loved ones, and Christians throughout the world. Forgive them all their sins, committed knowingly or unknowingly; grant them Your kingdom, a portion in Your eternal blessing and the enjoyment of Your unending life. Amen.
Evening Prayer
O Eternal God, King of all creation, Who have granted me to attain to this hour: forgive me the sins which I have committed this day in thought, word, and deed; and cleanse, O Lord, my humble soul from every stain of flesh and spirit. Grant me, O Lord, to pass through the sleep of this night in peace, that when I rise from my bed I may please Your holy Name all the days of my life, and conquer the enemies, both corporeal and incorporeal, that contend against me. Deliver me, O Lord, from the vain thoughts that stain me, and from evil desires. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
[Unstructured Prayer]
Amen.
Prayer For The Acceptance of God’s Will
O Lord, I do not know what to ask of you.
You alone know my true needs.
You love me more than I myself know how to love.
Help me to see my real needs which are concealed from me.
I do not dare to ask either for a cross or for consolation.
I can only wait on You. My heart is open to You.
Visit and help me, for the sake of Your great mercy.
Strike me and heal me; cast me down and raise me up.
I worship in silence Your holy will and Your unsearchable ways.
I offer myself as a sacrifice to You.
I have no other desire than to fulfill Your will.
Teach me to pray. Pray You Yourself in me.
Amen.
Closing Prayer
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
O Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through the intercessions of Your most pure Mother and of all Your Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for You are good and love mankind. Amen.
This is a provocative and important snippet from N.T. Wright on whether or not Hell exists. What do you think? (HT: Out of Ur)
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, [a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
One of the remarkable things about the Psalms – and David’s writing in particular – is the intimacy being expressed. The use of “I” and “You” represent two concepts previously unexplored in ancient literature: the personal voice and the intimate God. This is the same kind of deep intimacy we encounter in the prayers of Jesus.
As we wind down our time in the Psalms and our study of prayer in genera, this prayer by David from Psalm 86 seems to sum up many of the touch points in prayer we’ve visited.
Hear, O LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am devoted to you.
You are my God; save your servant
who trusts in you.
3 Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant,
for to you, O Lord,
I lift up my soul.
5 You are forgiving and good, O Lord,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, O LORD;
listen to my cry for mercy.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call to you,
for you will answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, O Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
14 The arrogant are attacking me, O God;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life—
men without regard for you.
15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
grant your strength to your servant
and save the son of your maidservant.
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Prayer Exercise
Much like the Lord’s prayer, this covers a wide range of human concerns. Take some time to pray through this Psalm much like we practiced with the Lord’s prayer, using it as a kind of outline. This is much longer than the Lord’s prayer, so you may want to select four or five verses that seem particularly striking to you and use those. If it helps, you could print it out double-spaced, and then write in the margins your own similar prayers alongside David’s.
Troubled over all the evil and injustice in the world? It’s hard not to be, because we’re aware of so much of it. Refugees running from murderous regimes. The slave trade is alive and well. People are “disappeared” all the time by corrupt governments. Torture is renamed “enhanced interrogation techniques” and becomes acceptable. And then there’s the complicated, tragic mess that is Haiti.
It’s overwhelming! Which seems to be why Psalm 37 is in the Bible. It has the potential to be an extremely irritating psalm, though, because it essentially tells us not to get so worked up over evil. The most annoying time to hear “don’t get angry” is when you’re angry. But there it is, three times in the first few verses:
“Don’t worry about the wicked” (1)
“Don’t worry about evil people” (7)
“Don’t lose your temper” (8)
Aren’t we supposed to be angry about the injustice in the world? Aren’t we supposed to care? What’s with all the don’t worry, be happy talk?
Psalm 37 helps us understand, and is a powerful tool against worry and rage in the face of evil. It empowers us in three ways:
- It tells us why we don’t need to worry: because God will bring about justice for his people in his own time and his own way. God is taking care of things and will make sure justice is done. In the end “the meek will inherit the land and will live in peace and prosperity” (11). Jesus quoted this psalm in the beatitudes, which likewise call for patience and faithfulness in the face of evil.
- The way it tells us why is also important: it’s written as an acrostic poem, every other line begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It lends itself to repeating the same ideas in different ways. When we’re upset, we’re like children who simply need to be told over and over, and in many different ways, that everything is going to be alright. Psalm 37 does that.
- This psalm also tells us how to trust God despite the evil we encounter every day: “Trust in the Lord” (3). “Take delight in the Lord” (4). “Commit everything you do to the Lord” (5). “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act” (7), etc.
Prayer exercise
Take a moment and identify what is worrying you right now. What people or situations are bothering you, causing anger or worry to rise up in you?
Now read Psalm 37 in its entirety out loud, pausing to reflect when a command is given to trust in the Lord or take delight in the Lord. Perhaps you’ll want to keep a bookmark at that place in your Bible so you can return to this Psalm when the injustice of the world starts to overwhelm you again.
