Saturday Mid-Day Prayer for the Season of Lent
from Daily Prayer for All Seasons
Renew and strengthen us, eternal God,
as we prepare for resurrection.
Prayer
Merciful God, your strength and courage pour forth to sustain the witness of your faithful people: Awaken in us the humility to serve wherever creation is broken and needy, that we may follow in the way of our brother, Jesus, die as he did to all that separates us from you, and be raised, as he was, to new life. Amen.
Praise
A Song of the Wilderness (Isaiah 35:1-4)
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, *
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
It shall blossom abundantly, *
and rejoice with joy and singing.
They shall see the glory of the Lord, *
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weary hands, *
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to the anxious, “Be strong, do not fear! *
Here is your God, coming with judgment to save you.”
Scripture: Mark 2:23-3:6
One sabbath he was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.’ Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.’
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come forward.’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?’ But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
Meditation
Do you wish to honor the body of the Savior? Do not despise it when it is naked. Do not honor it in church with silk vestments, while outside you are leaving it numb with cold and naked. He who said, “This is my body,” and made it so by his word, is the same that said, “You saw me hungry and you gave me no food. As you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me.” Honor him then by sharing your property with the poor, for what God needs is not golden chalices, but golden souls. –John Chrysostom
Who are the hungry and naked in our daily world, and how will we relieve their suffering?
Prayers
God of hope, help us who struggle in our daily work.
When we lose our purpose,
renew our hope in you.
When we bow to hatred,
renew our trust in you.
When we despair of bliss,
renew our joy in you.
When we take offense at others,
renew our life in you.
When we compromise our values,
renew our faith in you.
When we cherish regrets,
renew our freedom in you.
When we surrender to despair,
renew our hope in you.
As we accept your renewing love,
we offer our prayers to you:
Intercessions
Hold us, and all people, in your loving care,
and may we be hope for others.
Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Prayer
God of hope, from you come every blessing and all peace:
Show us that, in the midst of our struggles, you are with us.
Give us the abundance of your grace
that we may do the work you give us to do
and that we may be for the world a sign of your presence;
through Christ, the Way and the Truth. Amen.
Going Out
Renew and strengthen us, eternal God,
as we prepare for resurrection.
Virtual Chapel of St. Phoebe 