Category: Time to Pray

  • 1 Corinthians 16 13-24

    Be alert,
    Stand firm in the Faith,
    Show grown-up courage,
    Be strong,
    All the things you do, do in love.

    I ask you,
    sisters/brothers –
    you know the household of Stephanus,
    that it is a first-fruit in Archaia
    and that they have devoted themselves
    to the service of the ‘holy ones’
    – so you be subject to these ones
    and to everyone who cooperates (with them?)
    and works hard.

    Moreover I am delighted
    over the coming of Stephanus
    and Fortunatus
    and Achaicus,
    because
    they make up for (my) want of you.
    For they refreshed my spirit and yours.
    So, recognise such people.

    The churches of Asia greet you.
    Aquila and Prisca,
    together with the church that meets in their house
    greet you warmly in the Lord.
    All the brothers/sisters greet you.
    Greet one another with a holy kiss.

    This greeting, in my hand, Paul.
    If someone does not love the Lord
    let them be accursed.
    ‘Maranatha’ – Our Lord, come!
    The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
    My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.

    O Lord, in whom is our hope,
    remove far from us, we pray thee,
    empty hopes and presumptuous confidence.
    Make our hearts so right with thy most holy and loving heart,
    that hoping in thee we may do good;
    until that day when faith and hope
    shall be abolished by sight and possession,
    and love shall be all in all.

    Christina Rossetti (1830-94)

  • 1 Corinthians 16 10-12

    Now whenever Timothy comes,
    see to it
    that there is nothing to fear
    among you;
    for he is doing the work of the Lord,
    as I do too.
    Let no one treat him with contempt,
    but send him on his way in peace,
    so that he might come to me.
    For I am expecting him with the brothers.

    Regarding Apollos the brother,
    I strongly encouraged him,
    that he might come to you with the brothers,
    but by no means was it his desire to come now.
    But he will come when he has time.

    Eternal God and Father,
    you create us by your power,
    and redeem us by your love,
    guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
    that we may give ourselves in love and service
    to one another and to you;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
    Amen

  • 1 Corinthians 16 5-9

    Map

    So I will come to you when I have gone through Macedonia,
    for I am going through Macedonia,
    but perhaps I will stay with you
    or spend the winter,
    so that you might send me off (with help),
    to wherever place I might go.
    For I do not want
    to see you now
    in passing;
    for I hope to remain for some time
    with you
    if the Lord allows.


    But I will remain in Ephesus
    until Pentecost.
    For a door stands open to me –
    great and effective
    – yet opposed by many.

    Keep us, O Lord, while we tarry on this earth,
    in a serious seeking after thee,
    and in an affectionate walking with thee,
    every day of our lives;
    that when thou comest,
    we may be found not hiding our talent,
    nor yet asleep with our lamp unfurnished,
    but waiting and longing for our Lord,
    our glorious King, for ever and ever.

    Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

  • 1 Corinthians 16 1-4

    Now about the collection for the ‘holy ones’
    just as I have directed the Galatian churches
    so also you should do.

    On every first day of the week
    each of you
    should set aside (something)
    in accordance to how they fare
    storing it up
    so that whenever I come
    collections will not be happening.

    Then when I arrive,
    those whom you approve,
    by letters [of authorisatio]
    I will send (these ones)
    to take your gift
    to Jerusalem.

    And if my going is fitting
    they may go with me.

    Lord God,
    you feed us with the living bread from heaven;
    you renew our faith,
    increase our hope,
    and strengthen our love.

    Teach us to hunger
    for Christ who is the true and living bread,
    and to live by every word
    that comes from your mouth,
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
    Amen.

  • 1 Corinthians 15 54-58

    And when this body which can wear out
    is clothed with what cannot wear out
    and this body which dies
    puts on what never die,
    then the word which is written will be fulfilled:
    Death is swallowed up into victory,
    Where Death, is your victory,?
    Where Death, is your sting
    ?

    Now the sting of Death is Sin.
    And the power of Sin is the Law.

    But thanks be to God
    who gives us the victory
    through our Lord, Jesus Christ.

    So then, beloved sisters /brothers
    come to be firm
    immovable,
    always abounding in the work of the Lord
    knowing that your work is not in vain
    in the Lord.

    Eternal Light, shine into our hearts;
    Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil;
    Eternal Power, be our support;
    Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance:
    That we may seek your face
    with all our heart and mind and soul and strength. Amen.

    Alcuin

  • 1 Corinthians 15 50-53

    So, I affirm (all) this, brothers/ sisters:
    (i.e. )
    Flesh and blood cannot receive the kingdom of God.
    no r does what wear out inherit what cannot wear out.


    Look –
    a mystery I am telling you.
    We will not all die
    but (we) all will be changed
    – in a moment,
    in the blink of an eye
    at the last trumpet,
    for (the trumpet) will sound
    and the dead people will be raised enduring
    and we shall be changed.

    For it is necessary that this (body) which wears out
    be clothed with what cannot wear out
    and this (body) that dies
    puts on what never dies…

    God, give me grace to accept with serenity
    the things that cannot be changed,
    Courage to change the things
    which should be changed,
    and the Wisdom to distinguish
    the one from the other.

    Living one day at a time,
    Enjoying one moment at a time,
    Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
    Taking, as Jesus did,
    This sinful world as it is,
    Not as I would have it,
    Trusting that You will make all things right,
    If I surrender to Your will,
    So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
    And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

    Amen.God, give me grace to accept with serenity
    the things that cannot be changed,
    Courage to change the things
    which should be changed,
    and the Wisdom to distinguish
    the one from the other.

    Living one day at a time,
    Enjoying one moment at a time,
    Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
    Taking, as Jesus did,
    This sinful world as it is,
    Not as I would have it,
    Trusting that You will make all things right,
    If I surrender to Your will,
    So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
    And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

    Amen.

  • 1 Corinthians 15 46-49

    But not the first
    was the one of the Spirit
    but the one of nature
    then the one of the Spirit.
    The first human came from the earth,
    the second human is from heaven.

    Like the one from the earth,
    so are these from the earth.
    and like the one from heaven,
    so are these from heaven.

    and as we have worn the image of the one from the earth,
    so we will bear the image of the one from heaven.

    Eternal Light, shine into our hearts,
    Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil,
    Eternal Power, be our support,
    Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance,
    Eternal Pity, have mercy upon us;
    that with all our heart and mind
    and soul and strength we may seek thy face
    and be brought by thine infinite mercy
    to thy holy presence;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.

    Alcuin (735-804)

  • 1 Corinthians 15 42-45

    So also the resurrection of the dead people,
    It is sown as something decaying
    it is raised something ‘full of life’
    It is sown as something in humiliation
    it is raised something glorious,
    It is sown as something in weakness
    it is raised as something powerful.
    It is sown a body animated by natural life
    is it raised a body animated by the Spirit.
    Since there is a body (for this world) of nature
    there is also a body (for the world-to-come) of the Spirit.
    So also it is written:
    ‘The first man, Adam, became a living person1,
    The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

    1. Genesis 2:7 ↩︎

    Lord, you have given me so much,
    I ask for one more thing –
    a grateful heart.

    George Herbert

  • 1 Corinthians 15 35-41

    But someone will say
    ‘(When the dead are raised) how (is it possible that) are the dead raised ?
    And with what kind of body will they come?

    You foolish person,
    what you sow
    does not come to life
    unless it has died.
    And what you sow –
    you do not sow the body which is to become
    but a bare grain
    -if you like
    of wheat
    or some such thing.

    But
    God gives to it
    a body as he chose,
    and to each seed
    It’s own kind of body.

    All (kinds of) flesh are not the same flesh,
    but one (kind) for humans
    another flesh for animals.
    and another for birds,
    and another for fish.

    Likewise (there are) celestial bodies
    and earthly bodies.
    The glory of the celestial (bodies) is one kind
    and the (glory) of the (earthly) bodies another.

    (There is) one glory for the Sun,
    and another glory of the Moon,
    and another glory of the stars.
    For a star differs from a star in glory.

    Be thou a bright flame before me,
    Be thou a guiding star above me
    Be thou a smooth path below me
    Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
    Today – tonight -forever
    Amen.

    St Columba

  • 1 Corinthians 15 29-34

    (But now, Christ has been raised from the dead
    the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.)

    Otherwise what about those who have themselves
    baptised for the sake of the dead
    If actually the dead are not being raised
    why are they being baptised for them?


    And we, why are we in danger at each and every hour?
    Every day I am dying,
    I swear by my boast in you,
    in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    If according to a human point of view
    I have fought with wild beasts in Ephesus,
    what benefit could it to me?

    If the dead are not raised
    Let us eat and drink,
    for tomorrow we will die,
    1
    Do not be deceived!

    Bad cliques ruin good morals.

    Sober up as you ought,
    and do not sin,
    for some people have no knowledge of God,
    I say this to your shame.

    1. Isa 22:13? ↩︎

    O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
    O Love, who redeemed me,
    fill up in me whatever part of your love
    has fallen into neglect within me.
    O Love, O God, who first loved me,
    grant that with my whole heart,
    and with my whole soul,
    and with my whole strength,
    I may love you.

    Gertrude the Great