On a journey just begun ...

Oh Holy One ... as the crowds dispersed that first Palm Sunday, so to does the rumble and grinding of the world close in around us and blot out the peace and tranquility you offer to us in such abundance ...

As the journey into Holy Week begins we see the lengthening of the shadows and the darkened corners where murmurs and whispers abound ... we heard the thump of sandals and the clang of armour ... we hear the snap of whips and a slap of striking fists ... we hear the echo of nails pounded and wood groaning under the weight ...

We hear and see and know what lies ahead ... and in the silence we struggle ...

We struggle to place one foot in front of the other ... we struggle to keep moving when our weariness and our exhaustion wants to stop and sit and wait ... yet even in our waiting, events unfold around us and the world overwhelms us ...

Be with us in the quiet O Holy One ... be with us in the shouting of the crowds and in the madness of the mobs ... be with us as the shadows cover us and we find ourselves in a deep darkness ...

Grant us the courage and faith to know that no matter how dark the days may become, the looms a bright and glorious dawn that will break over us and transform us into children of the Resurrection ...

Oh Holy One be with us now and always ...

Prayer for today - Good Friday

O Suffering One ...
the sound of the suffering still echoes within us ...
the slashing of the whips,
the sting of the slaps,
the thwhack of the blows,
the pounding of the nails ...

we hear and feel the sounds of today ...

we hear the fleeing footsteps of your disciples,
the denial of your friend,
and the mocking of the crowds ...

O Suffering One,
we can not begin to grasp what is happening around us ...

Our hearts cleave while our souls fear ...
We want to stay and we want to flee ...
We want to draw nearer the cross,
but we want to find a place away from the dying ...

O Suffering One,
as the warm sunshine beckons us to forget,
the silence and the suffering reminds we simply can't ...

Be with us in the darkness,
hold us as we pass through the shadowy places,
and carry us when we stumble down the lonely path we trod.

O Suffering One,
be with us as we struggle to stay with you
and to remember and once again witness
the suffering ... the loneliness ... and the dying ...

O Suffering One,
there are no words to offer ...
there are no more tears to shed ...
there is only silence ...
the silence of suffering and death ...
the silence left by those who turned and ran ...
the silence that came with the darkness ...
the silence of a world that would kills its hope ...

O Suffering One,
in the silence we wait ...
in the silence we wait ...
in the silence we wait ...

... and all we find is silence ...

... a deep and defeaning silence ...

Prayer for today - on the eve of the beginning ...

Brother Jesus,
what thoughts ran through your mind
in this in-between time?

Did you sit outside in the spring sunshine
as the preparations were made?

Did you smile at the banter from inside
as you looked to the events about to unfold?

Was your heart at peace knowing God was with you?
Or was your soul troubled knowing what loomed before you?

O Brother Jesus, did you know what was in store for you?

Did you cherish the moments with your
circle of family and friends,
breaking bread and pouring out the cup,
celebrating the richness of God's Grace
and recalling where God's presence has been revealed?

Or did you weep inside,
knowing this would be the last
the last gathering with your friends,
the last breaking of the bread you would enjoy,
the last moments of your life?

O Brother Jesus, in this time of waiting
and anticipating ... show us a glimpse of what you felt ...

As we prepare for what is looming before us,
grant us the peace that comes within the darkness ...

Be with us as we try to follow where you will lead ...

Be with us as we struggle in the shadows ...

Be with us as we sit with you and wait ...

O Brother Jesus, be with us as we pray ...

Prayer for today - April 4th (waiting for the journey to begin)

O Holy One, we stand poised in the middle of week that ends badly ...
Around us many are crying out; yearning for the touch of your presence ...

Loving One, as we continue our journey through the streets of Jerusalem
remind us that we are never far from your presence
and your love has never failed nor abandoned us.

Hear our prayers for our
family
neighbours
friends,
acquaintances,
and strangers.

Hear our prayers for those
who are grieving,
who are hurting,
who are lonely,
who are afraid,
who are struggling,
who are overwhelmed
and who feel the burden of despair.

Hear our prayers for
those who are in need of comfort
strength
courage
peace
healing
wholeness
rest
and those who need to know your presence.

Hear our prayers O Loving God,
those we have dared to speak,
and those that linger within our hearts and minds.

Hear our prayers,
and in your love answer.

Dayenu ... Dayenu!!

Prayer for today - April 2nd

Holy One ...

there are simply no words to offer this day ...
the news within our community overwhelms us
it brings a wave of sadness that crashes down upon us.

We pray for the broad circle of family,
and the many places the lives of those who have gone
touched the lives of young and old throughout our community.

Hear our prayer for the grieving,
for the recovery of the battered and bruised,
and for the community weeping bitter tears of sadness.

Holy One, be with us as we pray.
Be with us as we pray for friends and neighbours.
Be with us as we pray for our community.

In this Holy Week, our shadowy places have become real.
The sorrow and sadness has come close to home.

Be with us.
Hold us in your love.
Carry us in your strength.
And envelope us in your Shalom.

These things we ask today in your name.
Hear our prayers O Holy One,
and grant us your presence and your strength,

In your name we pray ...

Prayer for today - Palm Sunday

O Servant King,
we hear you approaching.

The clip clop of hooves grows ever louder,
the rustle of palm branches and cloaks grows urgent,
we hear you coming, but we are not ready ...

Our expectations are not yours,
what we want differs from what you offer,
we want a Triumphant entry into the city,
we want victory and rejoicing
we want to feel the surge of Holiness ...

But in the coming hours our enthusiasm will wane,
our passion will cool
our cheers will turn to jeers
and like your disciples we too will abandon you ...

We will busy ourselves with other things,
plans for the long weekend,
dinners and gatherings,
chocolates and treats,
preparations for the celebrations to come ...

And we'll forget the long dark days
we'll avoid the shadowy places,
we'll stay clear of the loneliness and suffering.

It's all too much for us,
so we will leap from Hosannas to Hallelujahs
avoiding the horrors that lie between ...

Forgive us O God,
Forgive us and love us despite our shortsightedness.

Be with us today, and in the coming days,
let us hear the gentle clip clop of hooves on the stones,
let us hear the shuffle of sandals in the dusty streets
let us hear the echo of shouts in the halls and courtyards
let us hear the thunderous silence of your disciples,
let us hear the bloody thwack of whips, slaps and suffering
let us hear, even if we stop our ears,
the events and happenings in the streets ...

Events and Happenings that lead us from
the triumphant entry into the city
to the quiet prayers over bread and wine
to the empassioned pleas in a darkened garden
to the suffering and the dying ...

O Servant King,
be with us in the coming days ...
take us by the hand and lead us ...
lead us to the shadowy places that await us
and give us the courage to persist in our journey ...

O Servant King,
hear our prayer ... AMEN

Prayer for today - March 30th 2012

The printer has offered the worship materials for the coming week ...
a Holy week ...
a busy week ...

the photocopier is cooling down and clicking quietly
after running to copy and print bulletins, inserts, announcements and other items
needed for the seven services we'll celebrate in the next eight days ...

now in the quiet lull we catch our breath
before rushing headlong into the dark shadowy corners
that mark the journey from Hosannas to Hallelujahs ...

O Holy One ... hear our pray for the coming days ...

be with us as we follow the path your servant
took through dry dust streets of a long ago city ...

be with us in the jarring moments
of suffering, denial, abandonment and death ...

be with us in the long shadows
that await us as we kneel before the cross ...

hold us in the darkness as we weep for a world
that would kill its Hope and deny the Love ...

guide us through the long lonely nights that lie before us ...

take us by the hand and lead us ...

hold us when we stumble ...

and carry us when we fall exhausted ...

... and yet, as difficult as it is,
and as tempting as it may be,

don't let us hurry our way from the Hosannas to the Hallelujahs ...
but rather be with us in the slow deliberate journey that we must take

a journey that leads us
from the triumphant entry into the city,
past the overturned tables and bruised egos,
to the table where the body is broken and the blood is poured out,
to the place of abandonment and fear of friends turning away and running,
on to the thunderous quiet of the place of suffering and death
the place crowned by the rough cross
etching the sky with its reminder that here,
in this place,
our last hope perished ...

be with us as we linger
in the long quiet moments of despair and loneliness,
be with us as we linger ... afraid ... uncertain ...

be with us ...
that we may once again stand before the empty tomb
and know the full glory of the Resurrection ...

but not yet ...
when it is time ...
let us take each step
carefully,
thoughtfully,
and faithfully ...

guide us into the dark shadowy places O Holy One ...
guide us with the sure and certain knowledge
that we are not alone ...

be with us in the coming days ...
in your name we pray with out ceasing ...