Tuesday Morning Prayers
Theme
Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven.
Kia tae mai tōu rangatiratanga
ki runga ki te whenua,
kia rite anō ki tō te rangi.
Call to Worship
Arise, shine, for your light has come.
The glory of the Lord is risen upon us.
Gospel Reflection
The time has come; the kingdom of God is upon us.
Let us repent and believe the gospel.
The kingdom of God is like yeast:
a woman takes it and mixes it with flour until the dough is risen.
The kingdom of God is like a buyer looking for fine pearls.
When he finds one exceptional pearl,
he sells everything he has, and buys it.
When we set our minds on God’s reign,
our hearts on God’s justice,
everything else will be ours as well.
Listen to Jesus who proclaims good news,
which he alone fulfills.
Silence for meditation.
Epistle Reflection
Who are we whom God has called?
Few of us are wise, few are powerful.
Yet to shame the wise
God has chosen what the world counts folly;
to shame the strong
God has chosen what the world counts weakness.
In union with Christ Jesus, we are all children of God.
Baptised into union with Christ,
we have put on Christ like a garment.
There is no such thing as Jew or Greek,
slave or free, male or female;
we are all one in Jesus Christ.
The reading or readings may follow here.
Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven.
Kia tae mai tōu rangatiratanga
ki runga ki te whenua,
kia rite anō ki tō te rangi.
Call to Worship
Arise, shine, for your light has come.
The glory of the Lord is risen upon us.
Gospel Reflection
The time has come; the kingdom of God is upon us.
Let us repent and believe the gospel.
The kingdom of God is like yeast:
a woman takes it and mixes it with flour until the dough is risen.
The kingdom of God is like a buyer looking for fine pearls.
When he finds one exceptional pearl,
he sells everything he has, and buys it.
When we set our minds on God’s reign,
our hearts on God’s justice,
everything else will be ours as well.
Listen to Jesus who proclaims good news,
which he alone fulfills.
Silence for meditation.
Epistle Reflection
Who are we whom God has called?
Few of us are wise, few are powerful.
Yet to shame the wise
God has chosen what the world counts folly;
to shame the strong
God has chosen what the world counts weakness.
In union with Christ Jesus, we are all children of God.
Baptised into union with Christ,
we have put on Christ like a garment.
There is no such thing as Jew or Greek,
slave or free, male or female;
we are all one in Jesus Christ.
The reading or readings may follow here.
Psalm 36
Human Wickedness and Divine Goodness
To the leader. Of David, the servant of the Lord.
1 Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in their hearts;
there is no fear of God
before their eyes.
2 For they flatter themselves in their own eyes
that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit;
they have ceased to act wisely and do good.
4 They plot mischief while on their beds;
they are set on a way that is not good;
they do not reject evil.
5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgements are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
10 O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your salvation to the upright of heart!
11 Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me,
or the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the evildoers lie prostrate;
they are thrust down, unable to rise.
Joshua 21:43-22:8
43 Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to their ancestors that he would give them; and having taken possession of it, they settled there. 44 And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their ancestors; not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
The Eastern Tribes Return to Their Territory
22:1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, ‘You have observed all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and have obeyed me in all that I have commanded you; 3 you have not forsaken your kindred these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the Lord your God. 4 And now the Lord your God has given rest to your kindred, as he promised them; therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 Take good care to observe the commandment and instruction that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.’ 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.
7 Now to one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan; but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their fellow-Israelites in the land west of the Jordan. And when Joshua sent them away to their tents and blessed them, 8 he said to them, ‘Go back to your tents with much wealth, and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and with a great quantity of clothing; divide the spoil of your enemies with your kindred.’
Luke 12:13-21
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ 14 But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ 15 And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ 16 Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” 18 Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” 20 But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’
Silence for Reflection
Human Wickedness and Divine Goodness
To the leader. Of David, the servant of the Lord.
1 Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in their hearts;
there is no fear of God
before their eyes.
2 For they flatter themselves in their own eyes
that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit;
they have ceased to act wisely and do good.
4 They plot mischief while on their beds;
they are set on a way that is not good;
they do not reject evil.
5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgements are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
10 O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your salvation to the upright of heart!
11 Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me,
or the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the evildoers lie prostrate;
they are thrust down, unable to rise.
Joshua 21:43-22:8
43 Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to their ancestors that he would give them; and having taken possession of it, they settled there. 44 And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their ancestors; not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
The Eastern Tribes Return to Their Territory
22:1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, ‘You have observed all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and have obeyed me in all that I have commanded you; 3 you have not forsaken your kindred these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the Lord your God. 4 And now the Lord your God has given rest to your kindred, as he promised them; therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 Take good care to observe the commandment and instruction that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.’ 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.
7 Now to one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan; but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their fellow-Israelites in the land west of the Jordan. And when Joshua sent them away to their tents and blessed them, 8 he said to them, ‘Go back to your tents with much wealth, and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and with a great quantity of clothing; divide the spoil of your enemies with your kindred.’
Luke 12:13-21
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ 14 But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ 15 And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ 16 Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” 18 Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” 20 But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’
Silence for Reflection
Prayers
Our Father, your kingdom come
on earth as in heaven.
E tō mātou Matua,
kia tae mai tōu rangatiratanga
ki runga ki te whenua,
kia rite anō ki tō te rangi.
Ruler of the everlasting kingdom,
prince of peace, champion of the despised:
you are the king;
you make a cross your throne;
you wear a crown of thorns;
you call your subjects friends.
Help us to take up our cross,
to hunger and thirst for all that is good;
then will your kingdom come on earth as in heaven.
God,
grant us the serenity
to accept the things we cannot change,
the courage to change the things we can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
God our life,
be with us through this day,
whether or not it brings us joy.
Help us when evening comes to recall one benefit,
for which to give you thanks.
Amen.
Our Father, your kingdom come
on earth as in heaven.
E tō mātou Matua,
kia tae mai tōu rangatiratanga
ki runga ki te whenua,
kia rite anō ki tō te rangi.
Ruler of the everlasting kingdom,
prince of peace, champion of the despised:
you are the king;
you make a cross your throne;
you wear a crown of thorns;
you call your subjects friends.
Help us to take up our cross,
to hunger and thirst for all that is good;
then will your kingdom come on earth as in heaven.
God,
grant us the serenity
to accept the things we cannot change,
the courage to change the things we can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
God our life,
be with us through this day,
whether or not it brings us joy.
Help us when evening comes to recall one benefit,
for which to give you thanks.
Amen.
