Category: Time to Pray

  • Colossians 2 20-23

    If you have died with Christ
    from the spiritual forces of the world
    why do you submit to decrees
    as if living in the world? –
    ‘Do not handle’
    ‘-nor taste’
    ‘-nor touch’
    these things that are all for destruction
    by being used (up)
    according to human rules and doctrines.
    which to be sure have the reputation of wisdom-
    by would-be-wisdom
    and false humility
    – (to be) severe discipline of the body
    but they do not have any value
    for (dealing with) the flesh.

    Steer the ship of my life, good Lord, to your quiet harbour,
    where I can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict.
    Show me the course I should take.
    Renew in me the gift of discernment,
    so that I can always see the right direction in which I should go.
    And give me the strength and the courage to choose the right course,
    even when the sea is rough and the waves are high,
    knowing that through enduring hardship and danger in your name
    we shall find comfort and peace.
    Amen

    Basil of Caesarea (c.329-379)

  • Colossians 2 16-19

    So, let no-one judge you
    – in matters of eating and drinking
    or with regard to a festival
    or new moons or sabbaths,
    which are shadows of what is to come
    – the substance is (the things of) Christ.
    Let no-one disqualify you
    taking pleasure in false humility
    and in the worship of angels.
    which they have seen
    and go on about
    being puffed up
    without cause
    and by their unspiritual mind
    and not holding onto the head (i.e. Christ)
    from whom all the body
    through the joints and ligaments
    being nourished
    and held together
    grows with a growth that is from God.


    O thou, who art the light of the minds that know thee,
    the life of the souls that love thee,
    and the strength of the wills that serve thee;
    help us so to know thee that we may truly love thee;
    so to love thee that we may fully serve thee,
    whom to serve is perfect freedom.
    Amen


  • Colossians 2 13-15

    …and you
    being dead in your sins 
        and the uncircumcision of the flesh
    he (God) made-alive-together with him
    having forgiven all our trespasses
    having wiped the-record-of-the debt against us
    – the written codes       
    – which was hostile to us
    and he took it away from our midst
    having nailed it to the cross.
    having disarmed the rulers and authorities,
    he (God) boldly made them a public disgrace
    by leading them in a triumphal procession
    in him (Christ). 

    God be in head and in my understanding;
    God be in my eyes and in my looking;
    God be in my mouth and in my speaking;
    God be in my heart and in my thinking;
    God be at my end and at my departing.

  • Colossians 2 9-12

    that is empty deceit,
    … and not according to Christ.

    because
    in him all the fullness of deity
    permanently lives
    in bodily form
    and in him you are fulfilled
    who is the head over every ruler and authority,
    in whom also you have been circumcised
    with a circumcision not made by hands
    when you completely stripped off the fleshly body
    in Christ’s (way of) circumcision
    having been buried together with him,
    in the act of baptism
    in which you also were raised together (with him)
    through (your) faith in the power of God
    which raised him from among the dead…


    Lord God,
    your 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 live by every word that comes from your mouth,
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.


  • Colossians 2 6-8

    So, as you received the Christ, Jesus the Lord
    (go on) walking in him,
    having been firmly rooted
    and being built up in him
    and being settled in the Faith
    – just as you have been taught,
    overflowing in thankfulness.

    Watch out! Perhaps there will be someone
    who will carry you off as spoil
    through ‘philosophy’
    that is empty deceit,
    according to human traditions
    according to the spirits of the world
    and not according to Christ.

    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.

  • Colossians 2 1-5

    For I want you to know
    how great a struggle
    I have on your behalf
    and for those in Laodicea
    and any who have not seen
    my face, in the flesh,
    so that their hearts might be encouraged
    having been knit together
    in love,
    and into every kind of riches
    that is the full wealth of full assurance, (the result of) understanding
    – namely a fuller knowledge of the secret of God
    that is Christ
    in whom all the treasures of wisdom
    and knowledge
    are hidden.

    I say this, so that no-one will deceive you,
    by attractive arguments.
    For although I am away in the flesh,
    I am with you in spirit,
    rejoicing to see
    your good order
    and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ

    Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
    Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
    Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
    Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

  • Colossians 1 24-29

    Now, I rejoice
    in (the midst of) (my) sufferings
    on your behalf
    and I complete (in my turn)
    what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
    in my flesh
    on behalf of his body
    which is the church,
    for which I have become a servant
    according to the stewardship of God
    which was given to me for you
    – that is to bring to completion the message of God,
    – the secret,
    hidden from ages and generations past
    but now revealed to his holy ones
    that God willed to make known
    (to them)
    what is the glorious riches of this secret
    among the nations.
    which is Christ in you all
    the hope of glory

    whom we proclaimed to you,
    warning everyone
    and teaching everyone
    with all wisdom,
    so that we might present everyone
    mature in Christ
    to this I work,
    struggling
    because of his power
    powerfully
    working in me.

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

    George Herbert

  • Colossians 1 21-23

    And you (who) formerly were alienated (from God)
    and enemies in (your) thinking
    because of (your) evil deeds
    now (God) has reconciled
    by his body of flesh
    through his death
    to present you
    holy
    and without blemish
    and beyond reproach
    in (God’s) presence
    if you indeed stay in faith
    established firmly
    and steadfast
    and not shifting
    from the hope of the gospel
    which you heard
    which has been proclaimed to every creature
    that is under heaven
    of which I Paul have became a servant.

    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

  • Colossians 1 17-20

    And he himself is before [all things]
    and all things hold together in him.

    And he himself is the head of the body – the church,

    -who is the Beginning,
    – being the firstborn from the dead ones,
    so that he himself might become in all things pre-eminent

    because all the fulness (of God) was pleased
    to dwell in him (Christ).
    and to reconcile [all things] to him (God)
    having made peace
    through the blood of his cross
    (through him [ie Christ])
    whether things on the earth
    or things in the heavens.

    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

  • Colossians 1 15-17

    (His beloved Son)…
    who is the likeness of the invisible God,
    the first(-born) of all creatures
    because in him [all things] were created
    -in the heavens and upon the earth
    -things visible and invisible things
    whether enthroned ones
    or powers
    or rulers
    or authorities
    [all things] through him
    and in him
    have been created.

    And he himself is before [all things]
    and all things hold together in him.

    Teach us, good Lord,
    to serve thee as thou deservest;
    to give and not to count the cost;
    to fight and not to heed the wounds;
    to toil and not to seek for rest;
    to labour and not to ask for any reward,
    save that of knowing that we do thy will,
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
    Amen

    St Ignatius