Today is the Sunday next before Lent, the Sunday that brings to a close the season of Epiphany that is concerned with the theme of revelation, how the presence and power of God is made known through the person of Jesus.  On the first Sunday after Epiphany, in Luke’s account of the baptism of Jesus, the voice from heaven spoke to Jesus, ‘You are my Son’.  On the last Sunday after Epiphany the same voice at the transfiguration proclaims to everyone, ‘This is my Son’.  This time the divine revelation enfolds Jesus, appropriately in a cloud.  This cloud is an image for the divine glory. 


For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited reflection on the image of white clouds. In today’s picture from his book, The Rainy Day, Teddy Horsley is gazing at the white clouds scudding across the blue sky.   
Lord Jesus Christ, 
your disciples saw your glory 
on the mount of the transfiguration. 
Open our hearts to the power of your glory, 
and transform our lives by the power of your presence; 
for you are our God. 
Amen. 


Next week, the First Sunday of Lent, the Gospel reading is Luke’s account of Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness. The image to help us prepare for next week’s theme is celebrities. You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials.  

Today is the Second Sunday before Lent. While still in the season of Epiphany, the Church is exploring and celebrating various ways in which Jesus was revealed and made known to others. The Gospel writers demonstrate Jesus’ power over the forces of evil and chaos.  Jesus has already driven out demons and cured the possessed.  In today’s narrative Jesus is doing more than simply calming a storm at sea.  In this narrative Jesus is engaging with the primordial forces of chaos, just as God overcame the forces of the storm in the original act of creation.  No wonder that the disciples were afraid and amazed. 


For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited reflection on the image of storms. In today’s picture from his book, The Windy Day, Teddy Horsley is experiencing the force of the wind and waves on his little boat.   


Lord Jesus Christ, 
you bring calm to the storm. 
Bring your peace to our troubled lives, 
your peace to our troubled world; 
now and always. 
Amen. 


Next week, the Sunday next before Lent, the Gospel reading concludes the Epiphany theme with Luke’s narrative of the Transfiguration of Jesus, when a cloud came and overshadowed Jesus. The image to help us prepare for next week’s theme is white clouds. You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials.  

Today is the Third Sunday before Lent. While still in the season of Epiphany, the Church is exploring and celebrating various ways in which Jesus was revealed and made known to others. Today’s Gospel reading presents Jesus’ teaching from Luke’s Sermon on the Plain. Like Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, Luke’s Sermon on the Plain begins with a set of beatitudes, statements beginning, ‘Blessed are you’. Another translation of these beatitudes reads ‘Happy are you’. In Luke’s sermon these beatitudes are accompanied by a set of calamities, statements beginning ‘Woe to you’. The beatitudes and calamities are well shaped easy to remember sentences. The three calamities are the opposites of the three beatitudes. 
  
For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited reflection on the image of happy faces. In today’s picture from his book, The Sunny Morning, Teddy Horsley is leaning on the gate and smiling at all he can see and enjoy.   


Lord Jesus Christ, 
you showed your people the way of happiness. 
Open our hearts to the truth of your teaching, 
so we may find happiness in you; 
now and always. 
Amen. 


Next week, the Second Sunday before Lent, the Gospel reading is Luke’s narrative of Jesus calming the storm at sea. The image to help us prepare for next week’s theme is storms. You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials.  

Today is known as the Fourth Sunday before Lent. While still in the season of Epiphany, the Church is exploring and celebrating various ways in which Jesus was revealed and made known to others. This Gospel reading is Luke’s account of how Simon (also called Peter), James and John came to leave their trade as fishermen to be followers of Jesus.  Just as they were to catch many people for the Kingdom, so Jesus enabled them to land a large catch of fish. 
 
For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited reflection on the image of fish. In today’s picture from his book, Teddy Horsley meets Jesus’ Disciples, Teddy Horsley is helping with the great catch of fish.   
 
Lord Jesus Christ, 
you rewarded your disciples 
for putting their trust in you. 
Help us so to trust your promises, 
that we too may receive the reward 
you have prepared for us; 
for your name’s sake. 
Amen. 
 
Next Sunday, the Third Sunday before Lent, the Gospel reading is from Luke’s collection of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Plain. This includes three beatitudes. The image to help us prepare for next week’s theme is happy faces. You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials.  ​