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.
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Today is the Fourth Sunday of Epiphany. The Gospel reading takes us to the Presentation of Christ in the temple. In Luke’s account, Mary and Joseph take the infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem for the ceremony of the purification of the mother forty days after the birth. In the temple the Holy Spirit inspires Simeon and Anna to prophesy about the infant Jesus’ future. In verse 32 Simeon speaks of Jesus as a light bringing God’s salvation to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewish people.
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 lights. In today’s picture from their book, Light, Aled and Sian are playing ‘I spy’ and looking for different kinds of light. Lord Jesus Christ, you bring light in darkness and hope in despair. Send your light into our lives, so we may live to praise your name; through time and through eternity. Amen. Next Sunday, the Fourth Sunday before Lent. The Gospel reading is Luke’s account of the great catch of fish that preceded the call of the first disciples. The image to help us prepare for next week’s theme is fish. 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 of Epiphany. The Gospel reading in Luke’s account of how Jesus began his ministry. Luke begins not with the call of the first disciples, but with Jesus returning to his hometown of Nazareth and teaching in the synagogue there. In this passage Luke is concerned to show that Jesus’ ministry was clearly foretold in the Old Testament. The very same Holy Spirit who inspired God's people in the Old Testament is now anointing Jesus to do the work of God. The message of continuity with the past is symbolised by the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
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 scrolls. In today’s picture from their book, Exploring Judaism, Dan takes his friend Rees to his synagogue to meet the Rabbi and to learn about the scrolls. Lord God, you speak with your people through the words of scripture. Help us to hear your word, and to heed your voice; today and always. Amen. Next Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Epiphany, takes us to the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, when Jesus is greeted by Simeon as ‘a light for revelation to the Gentiles’. The image to help us prepare for next week’s theme is lights. 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 of Epiphany. The Gospel reading takes us to John’s account of the wedding at Cana that is placed immediately after the first disciples follow Jesus. When wine runs out, Jesus replenishes the supply. In verse 11 John explains why he starts with this story: it ‘is the first of the signs by which Jesus revealed his glory and led his disciples to believe in him’. It is no accident that the first sign takes place at a wedding feast. In Jewish thought the wedding feast is a way of speaking about God's kingdom, when the Messiah will preside at the banquet.
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 wedding reception. In today’s picture from their book, Celebrations, Aled and Sian bring presents and cards to join in the celebration. Lord Jesus Christ, you were welcomed to the wedding at Cana. Make us ready to be welcomed to the feast in your kingdom; for you are our God. Amen. Next Sunday, the Third Sunday of Epiphany, takes us to Luke’s account of how Jesus began his ministry in his hometown of Nazareth within the synagogue. The image to help us stimulate reflection on the synagogue is scrolls. 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 the Church is celebrating the Baptism of Christ. The Gospel reading is Luke’s account of the baptism of Jesus. More than the other evangelists, Luke emphasises the role of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ baptism. In Luke’s account, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in bodily form like a dove. The words spoken by the voice from heaven, ‘You are my Son’ echo Psalm 2, a psalm used to celebrate the anointing of kings.
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 dove. In today’s picture from his book, Water, Teddy Horsley looks at the stained glass window, where he sees the dove descending at Jesus’ baptism. Lord Jesus Christ, the holy dove came down at your baptism. Let that same dove bring the Spirit of peace to our lives; now and always. Amen. Next Sunday, the Second Sunday of Epiphany, takes us to John’s account of the Wedding at Cana, where the wine ran out. The image to help us prepare for next week’s theme is wedding reception. 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 we are anticipating the Feast of the Epiphany. Matthew’s Gospel completes the Christmas story with the narrative of the visitors from the East. This is a rich narrative that contains many important images. One of these images is the Christmas gifts. According to the tradition the wise men brought three gifts to the infant Jesus. Each of these gifts is associated traditionally with a special meaning. The gift of gold speaks of Jesus’ kingship. The gift of frankincense speaks of Jesus’ priesthood. The gift of myrrh speaks of Jesus’ death.
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 Christmas gifts. In today’s picture from his book, Christmas time with Teddy Horsley, Teddy Horsley and Betsy Bear join with the people of God in bringing their gifts to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Lord Jesus Christ, You accepted the gifts brought by the wise men. Accept now the gifts we offer to you, and change us by your presence with us; for you are our God. Amen. Next Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of Christ, with the narrative from Luke’s Gospel. The image to stimulate reflection on Luke’s account of the baptism of Jesus is dove. 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. On Christmas Day a core Gospel reading is the prologue to John’s Gospel, where John sets out the mystery of the incarnation: ‘the Word became flesh and lived among us’. In this prologue the incarnate Word is described as ‘the light of all people’. This light ‘shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it’. Then later in his Gospel John develops the theme of Jesus as the Light of the World.
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 Christmas lights. In today’s picture from his book, Lights, Teddy Horsley dances to the colourful lights in the square. Lord Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world. Shine in our hearts and bring your light to our lives; now and always. Amen. We are continuing to explore the Christmas day theme on the First Sunday of Christmas. Then on the Second Sunday of Christmas we anticipate the Feast of the Epiphany, when Matthew completes the Christmas story with the narrative of the magi, visiting from the East. The image to prepare for the visit of the magi is Christmas gifts. 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 Fourth Sunday of Advent. On the last Sunday of Advent, the Church focuses attention on Mary who prepared for the first Christmas in a very special way. According to Luke, Mary (the mother of Jesus) and Elizabeth (the mother of John the Baptist) were relatives and were pregnant at the same time. In this Gospel passage, the two pregnant women meet and Elizabeth acknowledges the supremacy of Mary’s unborn child.
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 the baby. In today’s picture from his book, Christmas time with Teddy Horsley, Teddy Horsley and Betsy Bear see the baby Jesus placed in the cattle’s feeding trough, while the animals looked on. Lord Jesus Christ, you were born as a baby like us. Help us to see you in every human child; for you are one with us. Amen. Christmas Day follows on closely after the Fourth Sunday of Advent. A core Gospel reading for Christmas Day is the prologue to John’s Gospel that sets out the mystery of the incarnation. The image to help prepare for Christmas Day is Christmas lights. 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 of Advent. John the Baptist holds a prominent place in the season of Advent since he is seen as the forerunner who prepares the way for Jesus. In Luke’s Gospel John’s message is very much concerned with the quality of life with which his hearers should prepare for the coming of the Messiah. When the crowds asked John, ‘What then should we do?’ his reply was direct. ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’
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 giving presents. In today’s picture from their book, The present, Teddy Horsley and Betsy Bear are wrapping their present. Lord Jesus Christ, John the Baptist prepared for your coming. Make in us generous hearts, so we are ready to welcome you on Christmas Day; for your name's sake. Amen. Next Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, turns attention to Mary who prepared for the first Christmas in a very special way. The image to help prepare for next Sunday’s theme is the baby. 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 of Advent. The Gospel reading is Luke’s account of how John the Baptist prepared for the ministry of Jesus. For Luke, John is no longer portrayed as the returned Elijah, but as the last of the long line of prophets. Now John’s message ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight’, leads directly to the proclamation ‘and all flesh shall see the salvation of God’. There is here the note of confidence that the salvation brought by Jesus is for the whole world, not only for the Jewish nation.
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 Christmas decorations. In today’s picture from his book, Christmas Time, Teddy Horsley and Betsy Bear are standing by the Christmas decoration that they have made for their front door. Lord Jesus Christ, We celebrate your holy birth. Teach us to praise you through the Christmas decorations around us; for you are the joy of Christmas. Amen. Next Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, keeps the focus on John the Baptist. The image to help prepare for next Sunday’s theme is Giving presents. 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. |
supporting you during these uncertain times AuthorLiverpool Cathedral is a place of encounter. Built by the people, for the people, to the Glory of God Archives
September 2022
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Prayer for Liverpool
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Liverpool Cathedral is a place of encounter.
Built by the people, for the people, to the Glory of God www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk |