Prayer for 9 February 2021

Preparation

O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Praise

Almighty God,
give us reverence for all creation
and respect for every person,
that we may mirror your likeness
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Psalm 8

O Lord our governor,
how glorious is your name in all the world!

Your majesty above the heavens is praised
out of the mouths of babes at the breast.

You have founded a stronghold against your foes,
that you might still the enemy and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have ordained,

What is man, that you should be mindful of him;
the son of man, that you should seek him out?

You have made him little lower than the angels
and crown him with glory and honour.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands
and put all things under his feet,

All sheep and oxen,
even the wild beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, the fish of the sea
and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea.

O Lord our governor,
how glorious is your name in all the world!

Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Reading
Mark 7.1-13

When the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?’ He said to them, ‘Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
         “This people honours me with their lips,
         but their hearts are far from me;
         in vain do they worship me,
         teaching human precepts as doctrines.”
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.’
Then he said to them, ‘You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition! For Moses said, “Honour your father and your mother”; and, “Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.” But you say that if anyone tells father or mother, “Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban” (that is, an offering to God) — then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or mother, thus making void the word of God through your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many things like this.’

Prayers of Intercession

Let us pray to the Lord, who knows all the secrets of our hearts.

Give grace to the Church to be steadfast in faith, firm in your word, zealous in good work. Keep your people strong when their discipleship is costly and the burden is heavy.

Have mercy on your human creation that does not recognise its true identity. Restore the world to knowledge of the truth and lead it out of the slavery of error into the perfect law of liberty.

Fill us with praise for the good gifts that you have given to us in families and friendships. Give us grace to use them in your service for the good of others.

Visit and relieve all who suffer from cruelty and injustice under evil laws. Through the sufferings of Christ, grant them release and turn the hearts of their persecutors.

We give thanks for the peace of the departed, whose suffering is over and who rest in your care. Grant them a place in the glory of heaven.

We pray that our petitions may be pure and acceptable in the sight of God.

Prayer for the week

Lord Christ,
shine upon all who are in the darkness of suffering or grief;
that in your light they may receive hope and courage,
and in your presence may find their rest and peace;
for your love’s sake.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

The Grace

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore. Amen.