Daily Prayers Thursday, 27 January 2022

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ ‘Surely no-one can stand in the way of their being baptised with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.’ ⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Acts 10: 44–48 NIV®

Dear God, we thank you, that Cornelius the centurion from Caesarea, who was devout and God-fearing, although he was not a Jew, listened to your angel, who told him to send men to Joppa, to bring Simon Peter to him in Caesarea. We thank you, too, that your vision for Peter of the sheet being let down by its four corners, full of animals, birds and reptiles, which Peter was urged to kill and eat, inspired him to go to Caesarea and preach your gospel to the Gentile centurion Cornelius and his household. Through this episode, the gospel was spread throughout the known world, and Christians recognised that the redemption from sin bought by Jesus’ death and resurrection, was for all people, whether Jew or Gentile, freeman or slave. We all belong to your family, and must love one another as your children.

Today we pray that we may accept that we have a duty from you to speak out against all injustice, and all atrocities. We must prophetically speak out for all those who are powerless to save themselves. We ask for your strength and wisdom, to recognise and resist the evil thoughts that may threaten to corrupt us. These may seem quite harmless, when we simply do nothing, and justify our inaction by claiming to be unable to make a difference. We pray that we may recognise that, so long as we work together with others to further your kingdom here on earth, we can achieve anything that you would have us do.

Send your Holy Spirit on us, we pray, that we may do your will, and resolve that we build bridges with our brothers and sisters of other faiths, and we make sure that none of us fail to repent of the sins of our collective past, and do all that we can to ensure that our children, and future generations, are taught truthfully of the lessons to be learnt from our histories. May we do all that we can to counter the propaganda and hate crimes against anyone who is perceived to be ‘other’ to their persecutors.

We pray today for the victims of the holocaust, and for victims of the many acts of genocide that have occurred around the world since that time. We pray for your Holy Spirit on all mankind, that all may learn to live in peace and harmony with our neighbours both near and far.

Today, on this Holocaust Memorial Day, we pray for your peace for the innocent victims of so many atrocities:

O God, who is full of compassion,
who dwells on high,
grant perfect rest in your Divine Presence
to all the souls of our holy and pure
sisters and brothers whose blood was spilt.
For whose souls we now pray.
May the Master of Mercy
shelter them
in the shadow of his wings for eternity;
and may they repose in peace
in their resting places.

Amen

Robin & Pat Kyd