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Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Praise
God, our refuge and strength,
bring near the day when wars shall cease
and poverty and pain shall end,
that earth may know the peace of heaven
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Psalm 19.1-4
The heavens are telling the glory of God
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
One day pours out its song to another
and one night unfolds knowledge to another.
They have neither speech nor language
and their voices are not heard,
Yet their sound has gone out into all lands
and their words to the ends of 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
Luke 17.26-37
Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed all of them – it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.’ Then they asked him, ‘Where, Lord?’ He said to them, ‘Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.’
Reflection
Human beings like to build walls around themselves. Nations protect their borders, even to the point of war. Companies protect assets and markets in order that they might generate the highest possible dividends, no matter what the cost to individuals and the environment. We protect our homes with a whole range of barriers that declare to all that what belongs to us is ours, and that no one should think about breaching the walls, both physical and virtual, that we have erected to protect ourselves.
It is a sad fact that this human trait of ‘building walls’ extends into the lives of many church communities. Church committees like to hoard and hide money … just in case that ‘rainy day’ might finally come. Church buildings are locked ‘just in case’ someone might do something ‘terrible’ in our precious ancient ‘museums’. Strangers are confronted with indifference or an insincere bonhomie that says the exact opposite of ‘Welcome!’. Individuals claim the right to ‘enjoy’ the style of ‘church’ that suits their lifestyle and personality … even when that creates division and hurt. It is a sad fact that even church communities like to build walls around themselves.
All of this desire for ‘security’ is, of course, in total opposition to Christ’s call in the lives of all human beings. We are called to be open, loving and trusting. We are not called to be so ‘careful’ that there is no room for Christ to penetrate the barriers we erect around ourselves.
Jesus brought a new light and life into this world. We need to allow that light and life to penetrate our self-serving defences, both physical and spiritual. We need to take the risk of throwing open the doors and letting Christ into every corner of our lives. Then, when we have done that, we need to keep those doors open in order that the light and life we know might be seen and shared with others. This is Christ’s calling to each and every one of us.
Let us pray for the courage to be different. Let us pray for the courage to open the doors and to wedge them open in order that Christ might freely enter our lives. Let us then pray for the inspiration, the guidance and the strength of the Holy Spirit in order that our new found possession might be shared with all.
Prayers of intercession
Let us pray, as we prepare for the coming of the Lord.
May the Church be faithful and vigilant, ever on guard against evil, and a good servant ready for the Master’s call.
Speak to a heedless world where many have ceased to learn from the past the signs of future danger. Be merciful to those who fail in the duty laid upon them for the guidance of others and open their eyes to follow the right path.
In all we do, in all our work, in our homes, in our times of quiet, let us so live that we are ready without fear for the call of God. Grant to those we love the grace of lives fitly offered.
Have mercy on those who have no future hope, those who value the passing moment beyond its worth, those who through pain and sorrow have ceased to care for what is to come. Give them the assurance that this present world is not the end.
We pray for those who have already been called to the future judgement and the future peace, for those who came with joyful expectation into the divine presence, and for those who came bewildered and unprepared. May the love of God enfold them all.
May our prayers be acceptable through Christ the Lord, who has come, is present here and will come again.
Prayer for the week
Lord Jesus,
you have shown us how great is the price of freedom
by giving your life to deliver us from evil.
Teach us to give to the uttermost;
to respect that which others have secured for us;
and to pursue peace in obedience to your will,
until all the kingdoms of this world come to you
as Lord and Saviour of all.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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.