Month: March 2012

Palm Sunday Mark 14:17-25 – Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me

/ Lil Smith / Leave a comment



17When it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, “Surely, not I?” 20He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. 21For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.”

22While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying attention to the deep breath.
  • Christ knows.
  • Christ knows everything.
  • Nothing is hidden from Christ.
  • Betrayal is real.  Christ knows what is real.  Christ shares his table with betrayers.
  • Betrayal will not keep us from Christ.  We keep ourselves from the love of Christ.
  • How have you betrayed Christ recently?
  • How may you repent and turn back toward Christ?
  • Let yourself be loved by Christ.  Christ wants to love you always.
  • Only YOU keep yourself from Christ.
  • Receive forgiveness.
  • Feel the LIGHT of life and love shining upon your face as you turn fully toward Christ.
  • Be healed.
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, April 1, 2012, Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday) Year B
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 14:1-15,47

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD

Palm Sunday Mark 14:12-16 – They found everything as he had told them

/ Lil Smith / Leave a comment

MARK 14:12-16

12On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 13So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 16So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying attention to the deep breath.
  • Remember a time Christ prepared a place for you.
  • What do you recall about the journey?
  • Peace?  Tension?  Freedom?  Fear?
  • When during the journey did you recognized Christ’s fingerprints?
  • Savor this time in remembering the faithfulness of our God.
  • What place do you need Christ to prepare for you today?
  • What space needs to be made in you to give you freedom to follow Christ to this place?
  • Listen for Christ’s direction.
  • Pray for Christ’s direction.
  • Be open to Christ’s direction.
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, April 1, 2012, Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday) Year B
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 14:1-15,47

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD

Mark 14:1-9 You will not always have me…

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MARK 14:1-15:47

14:1It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; 2for they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”

3While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head.4But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 5For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me.7For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. 8She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. 9Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying attention to the deep breath.
  • Remember a time you did something extravagant for Christ.
  • Remember hearing the call.
  • Remember making the plans.  What details stand out as you recall?
  • Remember the joy that was created.
  • Remember the light that burst forth in glory.
  • Was there a voice that scolded you?
  • How did that make you feel?
  • How did Christ comfort you?
  • What is told in remembrance of your act of glorifying Christ?
  • How is the good news still proclaimed?
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received. Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, April 1, 2012, Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday) Year B
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 14:1-15,47

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD

Philippians 2:5-11 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus

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PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11

5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 
6   who, though he was in the form of God, 
          did not regard equality with God 
          as something to be exploited, 
7   but emptied himself, 
          taking the form of a slave, 
          being born in human likeness. 
     And being found in human form, 
8        he humbled himself 
          and became obedient to the point of death — 
          even death on a cross.

9   Therefore God also highly exalted him 
          and gave him the name 
          that is above every name, 
10  so that at the name of Jesus 
          every knee should bend, 
          in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 
11  and every tongue should confess 
          that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
          to the glory of God the Father.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying close attention to the deep breath.
  • Empty all that you can.  Continue to breathe.  Empty some more.
  • Write down anything you are afraid you will forget.
  • Move aside anything that is distracting you.
  • Empty to be able to be obedient.
  • What does God ask you to do?
  • Empty to be able to receive.
  • What is God trying to give you?
  • As you respond to this gift, how do you confess Jesus Christ is Lord?
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, April 1, 2012, Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday) Year B
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 14:1-15,47

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD

Psalm 31 I have become like a broken vessel…

/ Lil Smith / Leave a comment

PSALM 31:9-16

9   Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; 
          my eye wastes away from grief, 
          my soul and body also. 
10  For my life is spent with sorrow, 
          and my years with sighing; 
     my strength fails because of my misery, 
          and my bones waste away.

11  I am the scorn of all my adversaries, 
          a horror to my neighbors, 
     an object of dread to my acquaintances; 
          those who see me in the street flee from me. 
12  I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; 
          I have become like a broken vessel. 
     ForI hear the whispering of many — 
          terror all around! — 
     as they scheme together against me, 
          as they plot to take my life.

14  But I trust in you, O LORD; 
          I say, “You are my God.” 
15  My times are in your hand; 
          deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. 
16  Let your face shine upon your servant; 
          save me in your steadfast love.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying attention to the deep breath.
  • Consider the place(s) where you feel broken today.
  • What metaphor of brokenness above captures your attention?
  • Where do you feel this in your body?
  • How does this affect your daily routine?
  • What desire for healing arises in you?
  • Lift your face to the Lord for the light and love to shine upon you.
  • Relax your shoulders.
  • Feel the presence of Christ.
  • Be loved.
  • Be healed.
  • Be forgiven.
  • Rest in the steadfast love of the Lord.
  • Share this love with all you encounter today.
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, April 1, 2012, Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday) Year B
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 14:1-15,47

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD

Palm Sunday Isaiah 50:4-9 Morning by morning he wakens

/ Lil Smith / Leave a comment

ISAIAH 50:4-9A

4   The Lord GOD has given me 
          the tongue of a teacher, 
     that I may know how to sustain 
          the weary with a word. 
     Morning by morning he wakens — 
          wakens my ear 
          to listen as those who are taught. 
5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear, 
          and I was not rebellious, 
          I did not turn backward. 
6   I gave my back to those who struck me, 
          and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; 
     I did not hide my face 
          from insult and spitting.

7   The Lord GOD helps me; 
          therefore I have not been disgraced; 
     therefore I have set my face like flint, 
          and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 
8        he who vindicates me is near. 
     Who will contend with me? 
          Let us stand up together. 
     Who are my adversaries? 
          Let them confront me. 
9a  It is the Lord GOD who helps me; 
          who will declare me guilty?

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying attention to the deep breath.
  • How does Christ awaken you this morning?
  • What sounds so you hear?
  • What smell stirs your imagination?
  • What light is reflected in the glory of Christ?
  • What taste nourishes your body?
  • What breath awakens your feelings?
  • What do you need to let go to be fully awakened?
  • Stand with Christ today in all you do.
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, April 1, 2012, Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday) Year B
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 14:1-15,47

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD