Morning Prayer for Wednesday, 23 December 2020

Prayer

We all see as if we are looking into a dark glass.

We only know a part.

O God, grant us a humble heart.

God we know that you look through justice and love so clearly.

You know all our weakness.

Have mercy on us.

We see the cross emerging in the darkness.

We embrace the twilight.

God, guide us on your way. Amen

(Pilgrim Prayer, 230, adapted)

♪ Silent Night

Responsive Psalm 97

The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!

Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;

righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

Fire goes before him, and consumes his adversaries on every side.

His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.

All worshipers of images are put to shame, those who make their boast in worthless idols;

all gods bow down before him.

Zion hears and is glad, and the towns of Judah rejoice,

because of your judgments, O God.

For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

The Lord loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful;

he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.

Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Scripture Reading – 1 Samuel 2: 1 – 10

¹ Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart exults in the Lord;

my strength is exalted in my God.

My mouth derides my enemies,

because I rejoice in my victory.

²“There is no Holy One like the Lord,

    no one besides you;

    there is no Rock like our God.

³Talk no more so very proudly,

    let not arrogance come from your mouth;

for the Lord is a God of knowledge,

    and by him actions are weighed.

⁴The bows of the mighty are broken,

    but the feeble gird on strength.

⁵Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,

    but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.

The barren has borne seven,

    but she who has many children is forlorn.

⁶The Lord kills and brings to life;

    he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

⁷The Lord makes poor and makes rich;

    he brings low, he also exalts.

⁸He raises up the poor from the dust;

    he lifts the needy from the ash heap,

to make them sit with princes

    and inherit a seat of honor.

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

    and on them he has set the world.

⁹“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

    but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness;

    for not by might does one prevail.

¹⁰The Lord! His adversaries shall be shattered;

    the Most High will thunder in heaven.

The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;

    he will give strength to his king,

    and exalt the power of his anointed.”

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Silent Reflection

Prayers of Intercession

God! We empathize with all the earth and all generations by the pain from the leak of

radioactive materials because of the explosion at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.