Daily Prayers Wednesday, 27 April 2022

Good morning Cornerstone Friends,

Opening Prayer

The night has passed and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind…
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
Amen.

Words of Praise

Yesterday I was crucified with Christ;
today I am glorified with him.
Yesterday I was dead with Christ;
today I am sharing in his resurrection.
Yesterday I was buried with him;
today I am waking with him from the sleep of death.

Gregory of Nazianzus (389)

Reading – Psalm 30

I will exalt you, Lord,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
Lord my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.
You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.
Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
Lord, when you favored me,
you made my royal mountain[c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
To you, Lord, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:
“What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me;
Lord, be my help.”
You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

An Easter Poem by Christina Rosetti

Christina is commemorated in the church calendar today

The sun arises from the sea,
And all around his rays is flinging,
The flowers are opening on the lea,
The merry birds are singing.

The summer breeze is rustling past,
Sweet scents are gathering around it,
The rivulet is flowing fast,
Beside the banks that bound it.

All nature seemeth to rejoice,
In the returning summer weather;
Let us with nature raise our voice,
And harmonise together.

But not alone for summer skies
Shall praise unto our God be given:
This day our Saviour did arise,
And oped the gate of heaven.

To sinful man, if only he
His errings will confess with sorrow,
Then, after earth’s night-misery,
Shall dawn a glorious morrow:

A blissful bright eternity
Bought by the rising of the Giver,
To Whom all praise, all honour be,
For ever and for ever.

Prayers for Today

Lord, make our hearts places of peace
and our minds harbours of tranquility.
Sow in our souls true love for you
and for one another;
and root deep within us
friendship and unity,
and concord with reverence.
So we may give peace to each other sincerely
and receive it beautifully. Amen.
(From the American Indian tradition)

Lord, give to all those people
who have authority over others
the wisdom to govern well,
and the grace to know in their hearts
that nothing is firm which is not just,
and that the test of justice
is to turn people from following after evil
to seek what is good.
Amen.
(From the Salvation Army)

Closing Prayer

May the blessing of light be on us,
light without and light within.
May the blessed sun shine on us
and warm each heart
till it glows like a great fire,
so that strangers and friends
may come in and warm themselves.
And may the light shine out
from our eyes,
like a candle set in the windows of a house,
and may the Lord bless us,
and bless us kindly.
Amen.
(From the Irish Celtic tradition)

Some of the prayers in this service are taken from Iona Community.

Have a blessed day Cornerstone Friends.

Rosemary Goldie