prayers for pentecost

(from Grabau's 1848 Kirchengesangbuch - church hymnal -- my translation)

...You are a divine anointing, poured out over us in Holy Baptism; and have made us al ive unto eternal life with your divine breath, and have made known to us that which to all creation was a hidden secret, namely, the gospel of our salvation, and teach and make known Jesus Christ, of whom all the prophets testify, that through his name, all who believe on him shall receive forgiveness of sins. For we are not able to believe on Jesus Christ by our own reason or strength, or come to him, flesh and blood cannot reveal him; rather you call, gather, enlighten, sanctify and keep us in the saving Teaching, Truth, Wisdom and Faith of the Gospel and show us in the Word the way we should live.

O Thou rich-in-love, dear Flame of God, enlighten us!
O Thou living Water, flowing from eternity out of the heart of God, enliven us!
O Thou Breath, moving from the mouth of God, make us alive today and always!
O Thou Holy Finger of God, inscribe the Word of God on the slate of our hearts!
O Thou Power from on high, strengthen our weak faith!
O Thou heavenly Oil of Joy, gladden the distressed in their sorrow!
O Thou rich-in-love Dew of Heaven, enliven our wilted heartes!
O Thou Gracious Rain of heaven, make fruitful our withered hearts!

hyperbole or heart?

“This man is extremely smart – he can communicate ,” Reid said. “But the best part of Barack Obama is his heart is bigger than any heart in the world.” That would be Senator Harry Reid, current majority leader, rumored to be facing a tough challenge in 2010 -- speaking at a fund-raising dinner that cost only $2,400./person. Somehow I am not comforted by Reid's diagnosis, knowing what the Scriptures have to say about the heart of man.

self-government is cool

"While civil government is a divine institution with an important purpose, it is very limited in what it is supposed to do. It basically is to protect the life, liberty and property of its citizens (Romans 13:4; I Peter 2:14). But we have made it like Babel, thinking the state (something of our own creation) will do much more than God say it is to do, where it takes on the role of God, the family, the church, and business. Many people look to the state to meet their needs from cradle to grave, to bring peace and utopia on earth, to help them in times of trouble, to solve all their problems, to care for them when they are sick, and to control and regulate all things. We as a nation have given over to the sate many of the responsibilities that God says belong to individuals, the family, or the church.
Earthly authorities are not intended to control us. We are to govern ourselves under God and His standard of truth. We should seek to change the mentality of letting others govern us." (exerpted from: Statism: Rendering To Caaesar the Things that are God's; by Stephen McDowell, Intercessors for America Prayer Leter, June 2009)
As the apostles said, "My brothers, these things ought not to be so!"

ascension blessings

(From the notes in Magnificat for today) "The meaning of Christ's Ascension," writes Pope Benedict XVI, "expresses our belief that in Christ the humanity that we all share has entered into the inner life of God in a new and hitherto unheard of way. It means that man has found an everlasting place in God." It would be a mistake to interpret the Ascension as "the temporary absence of Christ from the world." Rather, "we go to heaven to the extent that we go to Jesus Christ and enter into him." Heaven is a person; "Jesus himself is what we call 'heaven'".

when tempted to complain

The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. WHen he received these instructions, he put them in the inner-most cell and secured their feet to a stake.
About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened..." (Acts 16)
We draw courage through our God to speak to you the gospel of God with much struggle (I Thessalonians 2:2).
No kidding! And from the Treasury of Daily Prayer this morning came the reminder that in our struggle against sin we have not yet resisted to the point of shedding our blood. i'm starting to see a pattern here. How's the struggle going? If you are struggling, take heart! Things worthwhile are worth struggliing for a while. No more path of least resistance.

true friendship

A true friend is a vehicle upon which the mind of the other friend invisibly carries and the friend is carried, and it is remarkable to see how from the two of them there emerge two who carry and two who are carried. Christian friendship which alone indeed is true is a glorious crown of good deeds and gives trust in life, a protection and a staff supporting even those who have shown weakness, a sure refuge, a haven from the sea, relase from prison, freedom from slavery, an invaluable abode of divine protection, a tower of safety, a vineyard of joy, an ever fertile field, a pleasure garden of consolation, a repository of perfume, a full storehouse, an apiary of honey, a mirror of brightness and an intellectual vision, a bride by one's side with whom the comforts of life are shared, a pious mother, an obliging attendant, a ready handmaid, a convenient body guard, a favorable bathing place, a spring of living water, an unsleeping guard against evil, prudence in the midst of good, a bond with life.
(Blessed Simon Fidati of Cascia + 1348)

never alone

(Thanks to Pr. Paul McCain for this)

The truth is that while we may be “in private” we are never alone when we pray.

First, the Holy Spirit is with us constantly, often providing words and sighs and groans too deep for words, when our words fail, the Holy Spirit strengthens us. Second, the Living Christ and in fact, the Blessed Holy Trinity, is with us in a mysterious indwelling and communion. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who never acts as a “free agent” but is always, and ever, with us, in communion with the entire Holy Trinity. Then, there is the mysterious Body of Christ, the holy Christian Church, in which we are constantly in communion, even when we are physically alone. And so, it is entirely appropriate that we pray Matins, even when we are alone, because at all times we are, actually, in truth, never alone. We are always praying with the Church. We are, in Christ, and therefore, where Christ is, there is His body. Here is how Luther put it, very nicely:

Never think that you are kneeling or standing alone, rather think that the whole of Christendom, all devout Christians, are standing there beside you and you are standing among them in a common, united petition, which God cannot disdain. Luther, AE 43:198