We continue in our series, “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart”
“With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord!” It’s a celebration. By God’s grace, the long night of exile is over. The people have returned to re-establish themselves in the land of God’s promise. Ezra describes the triumphant moment when the foundation is laid for the re-building of the Jerusalem temple and the people burst forth with songs of thanksgiving! We proclaim in our liturgy that “it is our duty and delight that we should everywhere and always offer thanks and praise” to God. But our calling extends further. It takes us beyond songs and prayers of praise to live daily in gratitude, sharing the blessings of grace and compassion just as we have received them.
Rabbi Rami Shapiro’s prayer, “Wow! Thanks! How Can I Help?” gives shape and meaning to prayer and life in thankful response to the Gospel! Below are the Prayer of the Day and Readings.
God’s blessings and peace to you all,
- Pr. Brad Highum
bhighum@abidinglove.org
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PRAYER OF THE DAY -----------------------------
We offer our praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord, God of life. All of creation shows forth the wonderous work of your hand. Lead us in living gratitude for the gifts of grace and blessing that flow in abundance from you. Amen.
READINGS ---------------------------------------
First Reading: Ezra 3:10-13
10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David, king of Israel. 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.
Psalm 95:1-7
1 O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:10-15
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Gospel: Mark 14:22-26
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." 23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. 25 "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God." 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
