Saturday Morning Prayer from Daily Prayer for All Seasons
Opening
We are called in the morning
to turn our hearts to you.
Prayer
We thank you, heavenly Father, for the witness of your apostle and evangelist Matthew to the Gospel of your Son our Savior; and we pray that, after his example, we may with ready wills and hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Praise
Rejoice, people of God!
Celebrate the life within you,
and Christ’s presence in your midst!
Our eyes shall be opened!
The presence will have new meaning,
and the future will be bright with hope.
Rejoice, people of God!
Bow your heads before the One
who is our wisdom and our strength.
We place ourselves before our God,
that we may be touched and cleansed
by the power of God’s Spirit.
Scripture:
Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.
And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’
Meditation:
Affirmation:
We believe in God, who loves us
and wants us to love each other.
This is our God.
We believe in Jesus, who cared for children
and held them in his arms.
He wanted a world where everyone
could live together in peace.
This is Jesus Christ.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
who keeps working with us
until everything is good and true.
This is the Holy Spirit.
We can be the church,
which reminds people of God
because we love each other.
This we believe. Amen.
Litany
As we begin our day,
Give us your peace.
As we pause this morning,
Give us your peace.
As we do the work you have given us to do,
Give us your peace.
For all places of need in this world,
Give us your peace.
In trusting you, O God, to care for your children,
Give us your peace.
As we seek wholeness,
Give us your peace.
Here, the people may add particular intercessions or thanksgivings.
As we reflect on your presence,
Let us be peace for others.
The 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.
Closing Prayer
The everlasting God has in His wisdom
foreseen from eternity the cross He now
presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart.
The cross He now sends you
He has considered
with His all-knowing eyes,
understood with His divine mind,
tested with His wise justice,
warmed with loving arms
and weighed with His own hands
to see that it is not one inch too large
nor one ounce too heavy for you.
He has blessed it with His holy name,
anointed it with His grace,
perfumed it with His consolation,
taken one last glance at you and your courage
and then sent it to you from heaven,
a special greeting from God to you,
an alms of the all-merciful love of God.
-St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Going Out
We are called in the morning
to turn our hearts to you.
Virtual Chapel of St. Phoebe 