Nepsis

Category: Time to Pray

  • 1 Corinthians 9 19-23

    Free – I am!
    from all (people)
    I have put myself into slavery
    to all (people),
    so that I might win
    the greatest (number).
    And I became to the Jews
    as a Jew
    so that I might win Jews.
    To those under the Law
    (I became) as one under the Law –
    not being myself under the Law
    so that I might win those under the Law.

    To those ‘free from the Law’
    not being free from the Law of God
    but ‘subject to the Law’ of Christ
    that I might gain those ‘free from the Law.’
    I have became weak for those who are weak,
    so that I might gain those who are weak,
    for all (people) I have become all things
    so that by all means I might save some.
    I do all things on account of the gospel,
    so that I might become a sharer in it.

    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

  • 1 Corinthians 9 13-18

    But we have not exercised this right,
    but we endure everything,
    in order that
    we might not put an obstacle in the way
    of the gospel of Christ.


    Do you not know that
    those who work in the temple services
    eat from the temple services
    (and) those who serve at the altar
    share in (what was sacrificed) at the altar?

    So too the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel
    to live from the gospel.

    But I have not used any of these (rights).
    And I have not written all this
    so that something will happen in my case.
    For it is better for me to die than-
    no-one will deprive me of my boast.
    For if I preach the gospel,
    It is not a boast for me
    Because the necessity lies on me,
    for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.
    For If I do this of free will,
    I have a reward.
    But if ‘unwillingly’
    I am entrusted with a responsibility.
    So what is my reward?
    That preaching the gospel free of charge
    I will present the Gospel free
    so as not to make full use of the my right
    in the gospel.

    Grant, Lord,
    that we may hold to you without parting,
    worship you without wearying,
    serve you without failing;
    faithfully seek you,
    happily find you,
    and forever possess you,
    the only God,blessed now and for ever.
    Amen

    St Anselm

  • 1 Corinthians 9 8-12

    Am I saying this according to human (authority)
    or
    does the law not say this also?
    For it has been written in the law of Moses:
    ‘You shall not muzzle the ox,
    as it threshes.’
    Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
    or
    for us, by all means, he is speaking!
    that is: it was written for us,
    because the one ploughing ought to plough in hope,
    and the one threshing ought to share in the harvest, in hope.
    If we sowed spiritual things among you,
    is it a big thing for us to reap material things?
    If others share in this right from you,
    even more so us.

    Thank you, dear Jesus,
    for all you have given me,
    for all you have taken away from me,
    for all you have left me.

    Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

  • 1 Corinthians 9 4-7

    Do we not have the right to eat and drink?
    Do we not have the right to take along a sister, who is wife,
    like the other apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
    Or do only I and Barnabas not have the right not to work?

    Who ever serves as a soldier (providing) all his own rations?
    Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit?
    Or who shepherds a flock and does not eat some of the flock’s milk?

    Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
    Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
    Where there is injury, pardon;
    Where there is discord, union;
    Where there is doubt, faith;
    Where there is despair, hope;
    Where there is darkness, light;
    Where there is sadness, joy,
    For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

  • 1 Corinthians 9 1-2

    Am I am not free?
    Am I not an apostle?
    Have I not seen Jesus, our Lord?
    Are you not my work, in the Lord?
    If I am not to others an apostle,
    still surely I am to you all,
    For my proof of my apostleship is you all, in the Lord.
    My defence to those who investigate me – is this.

    O Lord Jesus Christ,
    stay beside me to defend me,
    within me to guide me,
    before me to lead me,
    and above me to bless me,
    that with you and in you,
    I may live, and move and have my being,
    for ever and ever.
    Amen.

    (unknown)

  • Micah 5 2-5a

    And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah
    being small among the clans of Judah,
    from you
    for me
    one will go out
    to rule over Israel
    and their going out will be
    from the days of old,
    from the former days.


    Therefore he (God) will give (them up)
    -until the time when
    the one who is in labour gives birth
    and the rest of his brothers/sisters will return
    to the sons / daughters of Israel.

    And he will stand and shepherd (the people)
    in the strength of the LORD
    by the majesty of the name of the LORD, his God
    and they shall dwell (in peace)
    for at that time he will be magnified
    even to the ends of the earth.

    And this one will be peace:
    for if Assyria comes to our land
    and marches into our fortresses
    we will raise up against them seven shepherds
    and eight leaders of people.

    Grant, Lord,
    that we may hold to you without parting,
    worship you without wearying,
    serve you without failing;
    faithfully seek you,
    happily find you,
    and forever possess you,
    the only God,blessed now and for ever.
    Amen

    St Anselm

  • Luke 3 7-18

    Therefore (John) said to the crowds, who had come out to be baptized by him:
    ‘You, family of snakes, who told you to flee from the coming wrath?’

    ‘So ‘make‘ fruits, worthy of repentance
    and do not begin to say among yourselves:
    “We have Abraham, as our father.”
    For I say to you “God can raise from these stones children for Abraham”.
    So already the axe is laid at the root of the trees,
    Then, a tree that does not ‘make‘ good fruit
    will be cut down, and thrown into fire.’

    And the crowds were asking him:
    ‘Then, what should we do?’

    He answered them:
    ‘The one who has two tunics,
    let them share with one who has none,
    and the one who has food
    must do likewise’

    Tax collectors even came to be baptized
    and they said to him:
    ‘Teacher what should we do?’
    So he said to them:
    ‘Collect no more than you are required to!’

    And soldiers asked him:
    ‘And us – what must we do?’
    And he said to them:
    ‘Don’t shake anyone down, nor falsely accuse anyone,
    and be content with your wages.’

    And,
    the people being expectant
    and wondering in their hearts about John
    that perhaps he might be the Messiah,
    John answered them all:
    “I baptize you by water,
    but a stronger one than me is coming,
    I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals.
    He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit, and fire.

    His winnowing fork is in his hand
    to clean out his threshing floor
    and to gather the wheat into his barn,
    but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

    So in this way, with many other exhortations
    he proclaimed the good news to the people.

  • Philippians 4 4-7

    Be joyful in the Lord, always!
    Again I will say: be joyful!


    Let your gentleness be known to everybody.


    The Lord is near.


    Stop being anxious in anything,
    but in everything
    by prayer
    and petition
    with thanksgiving
    make your requests be known
    in the presence of God.
    And the peace of God
    which surpasses all understanding
    will guard your hearts
    and your minds
    in Christ Jesus.

    Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
    Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
    Where there is injury, pardon;
    Where there is discord, union;
    Where there is doubt, faith;
    Where there is despair, hope;
    Where there is darkness, light;
    Where there is sadness, joy,
    For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

  • Zephaniah 3 14-20

    Sing, Daughter Jerusalem!
    Shout, Israel!
    Rejoice and exult
    with all your heart
    Daughter Jerusalem!
    The LORD has removed the judgments against you,
    he has turned back your enemy
    the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
    do not fear evil again.
    On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
    ‘Do not fear, Zion,
    Do not let your hands drop.
    And the LORD God is in youe midst,
    a mighty one who saves
    he will rejoice over you with gladness
    he will quieten you by his love
    he will exult over you with a shout of joy.

    The people who grieve because of festivals
    I have gathered from you
    they are a burden to her
    a reproach

    Behold I will deal with all who afflict you at that time
    and I will will rescue the lame
    and the scattered I will gather
    I will change…
    to praise and to renown
    in all the earth
    … her shame

    At that time I will bring you in
    and at the time I gather you together
    I will make you renowned
    and praised among all the peoples of the earth;
    when I return your fortunes
    before your eyes
    says the LORD.


    O Lord Jesus Christ,
    stay beside me to defend me,
    within me to guide me,
    before me to lead me,
    and above me to bless me,
    that with you and in you,
    I may live, and move and have my being,
    for ever and ever.
    Amen.

    (unknown)

  • Luke 3 1-6

    In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
    (when) Pontius Pilate was governing the Judeans
    and Herod was the ruler of Galilee
    and Philip, his brother was the ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis
    and Lysanius was ruler of Abilene
    and during the high priesthood of Anna and Caiaphas –
    the word of God came upon John,
    the son of Ze chariah
    in the desert.

    And he came to all the region of the Jordan preaching
    a baptism of repentance
    for the forgiveness of sins.

    As it is was written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
    ‘A voice crying in the the wilderness,
    Prepare the way of the Lord,
    Make straight his path.
    Every valley shall be filled,
    and ever mountain and hill will be made low.
    And the crooked will be straight
    and the rough ways will be made level.
    And all humanity will see the salvation of God.

    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.