The prayers today are from Daily Prayer for All Seasons. These are the prayers for the hour of None, or afternoon. I have added the Gospel reading for today.
Opening
As shadows lengthen, we are filled by the day’s encounters; now, more than ever, we accept the depth and breadth of God’s grace.
May our sacrifice be love as we practice mercy on earth.
Prayer
God of love, the day is long and its burden is heavy: Give us grace to see your hand at work in the lives of those around us so that adversity will not overwhelm us, nor resentments possess us. Remain with us, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
Praise Love Bade Me Welcome
Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eye’d Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning If I lack’d anything.
A guest, I answer’d, worthy to be here: Love said, You shall be he.
I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear, I cannot look on Thee.
Love took my hand and smiling did reply, Who made the eyes, but I?
Truth, Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not, says Love, Who bore the blame? My dear, then I will serve.
You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat.
So I did sit and eat. (George Herbert)
Scripture
He left that place and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan. And crowds again gathered around him; and, as was his custom, he again taught them. Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her." But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:1-16)
Meditation
We cannot know whether we love God although there may be strong reason for thinking so, but there can be no doubt about whether we love our neighbor or not. Be sure that, in proportion as you advance in affection for sisters and brothers, you are increasing your love of God. (Teresa of Avila)
Who is hard to love just now? What would it cost us to love that one?
Prayers
O God, you beckon us with promises of love; fulfill our desire for you.
You pursue us even when we flee from you; Bring us to our right minds.
You delight in us and show us your compassion; make us mindful of the deep need in the world.
Here, the people may add particular intercessions or thanksgivings.
You give us the gift of your unbounded love; Pour out your love on all the world.
Lord’s Prayer
Merciful God, return us now to working and relating in our world; return us, stimulated by hope, strengthened by faith, and directed by love. Thus, we are heartened to reconcile all people, created, redeemed, and sustained by you. In the name of Christ. Amen.
Going Out
May our sacrifice be love as we practice mercy on earth.
The other readings for today from the daily lectionary are: Exodus 7:8-24, 2 Corinthians 2:14-3:6, Psalm 119:145-176, Psalms 128, 129, and 130.