MIDDAY PRAYER
WEDNESDAY 3rd June 2020

INVOCATION
E te whānau / My brothers and sisters,
our help is in the name of the eternal God,
who is making the heavens and the earth.

​Eternal Spirit,
flow through our being and open our lips,
that our mouths may proclaim your praise.

Silence

Let us worship the God of love.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

PSALM 136
God’s Work in Creation and in History
1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever.
2 O give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
4 who alone does great wonders,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
5 who by understanding made the heavens,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
6 who spread out the earth on the waters,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
7 who made the great lights,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
10 who struck Egypt through their firstborn,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
13 who divided the Red Sea[a] in two,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,[b]
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
16 who led his people through the wilderness,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
17 who struck down great kings,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
18 and killed famous kings,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
20 and Og, king of Bashan,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
21 and gave their land as a heritage,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
22 a heritage to his servant Israel,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever.
23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
24 and rescued us from our foes,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever;
25 who gives food to all flesh,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever.
26 O give thanks to the God of heaven,
    for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Silence

BIBLE READING
Rom 2:1-16
The Righteous Judgement of God
2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgement on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2 You say, ‘We know that God’s judgement on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.’ 3 Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgement of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgement will be revealed. 6 For he will repay according to each one’s deeds: 7 to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honour and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.
12 All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.
​
REFLECTION
 
Silence

CANTICLE
 A Hymn for Midday

O God, creation’s secret force,
Thyself unmoved, all motion’s source;
Who, from the morn till evening’s ray,
Through all its changes guid’st the day.
Come, Holy Ghost, with God the Son,
And God the Father ever one;
Shed forth thy grace within our breast,
And dwell with us a ready guest.
By every power, by heart and tongue,
By act and deed thy praise be sung;
Inflame with perfect love each sense
That others’ souls may kindle thence.
O Father, that we ask be done
Through Jesus Christ thine only Son.
Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,
Doth live and reign eternally. Amen.

PRAYERS

O God of many names,
lover of all peoples;
we pray for peace
in our hearts and homes,
in our nations and our world;
the peace of your will,
the peace of our need.
Dear Christ, our friend and our guide,
pioneer through the shadow of death,
passing through darkness to make it light,
be our companion that we may fear no evil,
and bring us to life and to glory.
O God of peace and justice,
of holiness and love;
knit us together in mind and flesh,
in feeling and in spirit,
and make us one,
ready for that great day;
the fulfilment of all our hopes,
and the glory of Jesus Christ.

Individual thanksgivings & intercessions

Keep us in the spirit of joy and simplicity and mercy.
Bless us and those you have entrusted to us,
in and through Jesus Christ our Saviour.  Amen.
​
COLLECT FOR MIDDAY
Blessed Saviour, at this hour you hung upon the cross, stretching out your loving arms;
grant that all the peoples of the earth may be drawn to your uplifted love;
for your kingdom’s sake.
Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Jesus, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray
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.
 
BLESSING
May the Creator
bless you and keep you;
may the beloved companion face you
and have mercy upon you;
may the eternal Spirit’s countenance
be turned to you and give you peace;
may the Three in One bless you.
 
Silence

The divine Spirit dwells in us.
Kia noho te Wairua o te Runga Rawa ki a tātou.
 
Thanks be to God.
Whakamoemititia a Ihowā.