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This pandemic is far from over and as days drag into weeks and months, we feel the strain physically, economically, and spiritually. In this fifth week of Eastertide, we continue the practice of daily Scripture readings and prayers so that we might find assurance and cause for hope in looking to Christ, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
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Wednesday, Fifth Week of Easter
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Choose to Love and Obey the Lord (Deuteronomy 30:15-20, NRSV)
The Home Daily Bible Readings for Monday through Saturday are selected in support of the print passage for Sunday’s lesson in the Uniform Lessons Series, ©Spring 2020.
30:15 See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
The Worshipful Life (Matthew 6:19-24, NRSV)
Today’s Gospel lesson is selected from the Book of Common Worship: Daily Prayer (Louisville, KY:Westminster/John Knox, 1993).
6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
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A Prayer at the Time of Sufferings
From Fr. Joseph Varghese, The Syrian Orthodox Church
St. Paul said in the book of 1 Corinthians that “There has no temptation taken you but such as man can bear; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape that you may be able to endure it.” (1Cor. 10:13)
Our Heavenly Father, we believe that any trial or sufferings that come to us are ordered by you which is measured by you, be light and bearable. You have, in your providence, had a purpose in each and every event that happened. And also, we believe that your Justice always coexists with your love for us. St. Paul reminds us, “You are faithful”. We knew that the Christian life is full of suffering as seen in the life of early Christianity. Christians are called to serve. In the Roman Empire at the time of early Christianity, there was a big plague, and as all the healthy Romans fled, whereas the poor Christians stayed and served the needy, even at the cost of their own lives. Orthodox spirituality taught us to understand in terms of paschal mystery. It is an affirmation of the Cross and sufferings for a joyous resurrection.
We commit all our front line workers, healthcare professionals, and our leaders in government, to guide them properly so that they can be proper instruments in thy hands for thy purpose.
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