The Priesthood at Prayer

For the Week of 14 June 2020

The following order is offered as a guide for your daily devotions.  Other suitable liturgical orders are Responsive Prayer I and II (LSB pp. 282ff) and Daily Prayer (LSB, pp. 294ff).  This may be prayed alone or with other members of your household, one person serving as leader (L), the rest as the congregation (C).

1.  In remembrance of your Baptism, trace the sign of the holy Cross (forehead, heart, left shoulder, right shoulder) and say: 
L:  In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.   
C:  Amen.

2.  Pray the Apostles’ Creed and the Our Father together.

3.  Speak or chant Psalm 100

4.  Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest one or more of the readings from Holy Scripture. 

June 14Proverbs 14:1-27John 15:1-11
June 15Proverbs 15:1-29John 15:12-27
June 16Proverbs 16:1-24John 16:1-16
June 17Proverbs 17:1-28John 16:17-23
June 18Proverbs 20:5-25John 17:1-26
June 19Proverbs 22:1-21John 18:1-14
June 20Proverbs 22:22-23:12John 18:15-40

5.  Recite and learn by heart the following portion of the Small Catechism. 

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

The Fourth Commandment

Honor your father and your mother.

What does this mean?  We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.

6.  Sing the Hymn of the Week or another hymn appropriate for the day or season.

7.  Pray. Begin with the Collect from Sunday:

Almighty, eternal God, in the Word of Your apostles and prophets You have proclaimed to us Your saving will.  Grant us faith to believe Your promises that we may receive eternal salvation;  through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever.

Continue with whatever cares you wish to address.  Themes for daily prayer are helpful to establish a pattern of intercessory prayer for others and for ourselves.

Sunday: For the joy of the resurrection; for godly worship, faithful preaching and hearing
Monday: For a living faith in vocation, for good government, for our  community
Tuesday: For deliverance from temptation; for the addicted, depressed, and despairing
Wednesday: For the sanctity of holy marriage, for families, for the unborn, the elderly
Thursday: For the right use of Christ’s Body and Blood; for humility in service
Friday: For the preaching of the cross of Christ, for the dying, and for a blessed death
Saturday: For faithfulness to God’s Word, for receptive hearts and minds

(Morning)  I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You.  For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things.  Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me.  Amen.

(Evening)  I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night.  For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things.  Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

8.  Conclude with this blessing:
L:  Let us bless the Lord. C:  Thanks be to God.

(Morning): 
L:  The Lord Almighty order our days and our deeds in His peace.  Amen.

(Evening):  
L:  The Lord bless us, defend us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.

NEXT SUNDAY

READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY: Jeremiah 20:7-13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:5a, 21-33

Delivered from Sin and Death, You Now Live before God in the Righteousness of Christ

The outcome of sin is death, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). He has set you free from the slavery of sin and has brought you “from death to life” (Rom. 6:13). No longer are you under the condemnation of the Law, but you live “under grace” (Rom. 6:14). Such is your courage in the face of “those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matt. 10:28). For though “you will be hated by all” and maligned by the world for the name of Christ (Matt. 10:22, 25), you abide in the care of your Father in heaven, who numbers “even the hairs of your head” and values you more “than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:30–31). By the Word of Christ, you have become like Him, your Teacher and Master in whom you endure to the end, and “will be saved” (Matt. 10:22, 25). For He is with you “as a dread warrior,” who has overcome your enemies (Jer. 20:11). By the righteousness of faith, He delivers your heart, mind, body and life “from the hand of evildoers,” and He brings you into the land of the living (Jer. 20:12–13).