Morning Prayer Wednesday, 18 November 2020

Good morning, Cornerstone friends.

The trees are mostly bare now and we are moving closer to Advent.
It feels more like winter, and in a normal year
we would be counting shopping days before Christmas.
Let us stop thinking of counting and spend time on more important things.

Hold not your peace, O God,
do not keep silent
be not unmoved, O God.
For your enemies are in tumult
and those who hate you lift up their heads.
They take secret counsel against your people
and plot against those whom you treasure.
They say, ‘Come let us destroy them as a nation,
that the name of Israel be remembered no more.

They have conspired together with one mind;
they are in league against you.

The wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement.

…

Let them be disgraced and dismayed for ever;
let them be put to confusion and perish;
And they shall know that you, whose name is the Lord,
are alone the Most High over all the earth.

Psalm 83: 1–5 & 17–18

Lord God, most high over all the world,
when pride of nations obscures your glorious purpose,
draw us into that unity which is your will for all people
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen

‘Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. But if that wicked slave says to himself, “My master is delayed”, and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 24: 45–51

‘Who then is the faithful and wise slave, …?’ That question is really a challenge to us all!
The two slaves or servants in the parable, it seems to me, are either end of a spectrum.
In between one can imagine a less-than-diligent one
who does the job rather badly by not using all his energy and faculties
or one who does not go in for drunken behaviour
but in other ways neglects his duties through idleness or failing to care.
(I have used the masculine pronoun because the story line has male slaves,
but the message must surely be universal and for us all.)
So I think that our theme for the day is ‘faithfulness’.
As individuals and as a gathering of Christians in congregations
we have to consider what God is calling us to do or be.

Let us pray for the church as we move toward Advent
and start the calendar of themes and collects for another year.
We pray that this time of expectation and preparation will be fruitful,
even in our current circumstances,
which keep us from joining in worship in our buildings.
We pray for Ernesto, for George, for Father Francis Higgins and the St Barnabas Cluster,
who lead our worship and spiritual life.
We pray for all who serve Christ the Cornerstone in different capacities,
all who are looking after our building
nd those who continue to use our building in Central Milton Keynes
for health and educational services.
We pray for all who would come to our building for private prayer in the week
but are currently unable to do so.
We pray that we will soon be able to make full use of our building to serve our community.
May we be aware that God’s love and acceptance is available to all people
including those in society who do not concern themselves at all in spiritual matters
and those who feel cut off from the rest of society
and who feel lost and find their lives meaningless.

Holy God, we thank you for your prophetic voice bringing good news, release,
freedom and proclamation in word and action.
Draw us daily closer to your love
that we may faithfully respond to and live out your prophetic will.

Amen

Let us pray for the world. The problems of Covid are dwarfed for many people.
There are floods in the Philippines and fearful storms in Guatemala and Nicaragua.
There is warfare in Tigray, Yemen and in Azerbijan and Armenia there is only a fragile ceasefire.
There is wide-spread poverty in South America, India and many African countries,
so there is much need for our prayers and concern.
Covid ranges across the world, but medical research is bearing fruit
and a practical vaccine appears to be a possibility in the next few months, perhaps weeks.
However, more people are in hospital, many are mourning the loss of loved ones
from their existence in lockdown;
many are without jobs and are seeking work when there are so few opportunities at this time.
Individuals and families are feeling the strain of daily life and the uncertain future.
We pray that all people may know that they live in God’s loving presence
and are accepted by God exactly as they are.
God understands their problems, hopes and struggles and delights in them.

Holy God, we thank you that in Christ we are one.
Help us to lose those feelings that divide us from one another.
Help us to recognise your image in all around us
and to work together for the dignity and fulfilment of all.

Amen

Have a fulfilling day, good friends so that when we meet together again this evening
you can feel that you have used the day well and as God would wish.

Don Head