Nepsis

Category: Time to Pray

  • Genesis 1 14-19

    And god said
    ‘let there be lamps
    on the firmament of the heavens
    to make a separation
    between the day
    and between the night
    and let them be signs
    for seasons
    and for days and years.
    and let them
    be as lights on the firmament of the heavens
    to light the earth. ‘
    And it was so
    And God made two great lights
    the greater one to rule the day
    and the lesser one to rule the night
    – and the stars

    And god put them on the firmament of the heavens
    to light the earth.
    and to rule the day and the night
    and to make a separation between the light and the darkness
    And God saw that it was good

    and it was evening and morning
    Fourth day!

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

    George Herbert

  • Genesis 1 9-13

    And god said
    let the waters
    under the heavens
    gather to one place
    and let the dry land appear
    and it was so.

    And god called the dry-land
    ‘earth’
    and the gathered waters
    he called
    ‘seas’
    and God saw that it was good

    And god said
    let the land grow ‘grass’:
    seed yielding plants
    trees bearing fruit, with seed in them
    according to their kinds
    And it was so.

    The land produced ‘grass’
    seed yielding plants
    trees bearing fruit, with seed in it,
    according to their kinds
    and God saw that it was good

    An there was evening and morning
    Day Three!

    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

  • Genesis 1 6-8

    And god said
    let there be a firmament
    in the middle of the waters
    and let it be a ‘separator’
    between waters (for the waters.)
    And god made the firmament
    and it made a separation
    between the waters which were under the firmament
    and between the waters which were from above the firmament
    and it was so
    and god called the firmament – heavens (sky)
    and it was evening
    and it was morning
    second day!

    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

  • Genesis 1 3-5

    And god said ‘Let there be light’
    and there was light,
    and god saw the light
    that it was good
    and god made a separation
    between the light
    and between the darkness.
    and god called the light – day
    and he called the darkness — night
    and there was evening
    and there was morning
    -day one!

    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

  • Genesis 1 1 -2

    At first
    god created
    the heavens and the earth
    and the earth was unorganised and empty
    and darkness was upon the face of the Deep
    and the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.

    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

  • 2 Corinthians 13 5-13

    Test yourselves,
    (to see)
    if you are in the faith,
    Examine yourselves.
    Or do you, yourselves,
    not recognise
    that Christ is in you?
    -unless you are failing the test.
    For I hope that you will recognise
    that we are not failing the test.
    I pray to God,
    that you do nothing bad
    – not that we might appear to pass the test
    but that you might do good
    even thought we might be failures.
    For we are not able to do anything
    against the truth,
    but for the truth
    For we rejoice whenever
    we are weak
    and you are strong.
    And we pray that
    you may be made mature
    Because of this
    I am writing while absent
    that when I am present
    I may not have to act harshly,
    in keeping with the authority,
    which the Lord gave me
    for building up,
    and not for tearing down.

    Finally
    brothers/sisters
    rejoice!
    Be mature
    be encouraged
    Be of the same mind,
    Be at peace,
    and the God of love and peace
    will be with you.
    Greet one another with a holy kiss.
    All the saints greet you.

    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    and the love of God
    and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
    (be) with you all.

    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)

  • 2 Corinthians 13 1-4

    I am coming a third time
    to you all.
    Upon the testimony of two witnesses, or three,
    every matter will be established    . 1
    I warned
    while I was present the second time,
    and being away now,
    I am warning,
    those who sinned previously
    and all the others,
    that if I come again
    I will not be sparing,
    -since you seek proof
    that Christ is speaking through me.
    Who with you
    is not weak
    but powerful
    among you.
    For indeed he was crucified in weakness
    but lives by the power of God.
    For indeed we are weak in him
    but we live with him,
    by the power of God
    among you.

    1. Deuteronomy 19:15 ↩︎

    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

  • 2 Corinthians 12 19-21

    Have you been thinking all along that
    we are defending ourselves to you?
    In the sight of God,
    we are speaking
    in Christ
    and everything,
    beloved,
    is for building you up.
    For I fear
    lest having come
    I might not find you
    as I want
    and as you want
    you might not find me-
    perhaps (there will be)
    quarrelling
    jealousy
    anger
    selfishness
    slander
    gossip
    conceit
    disorder.
    Again
    (I fear) that having come
    my God will humiliate me
    before you all,
    I might grieve over many
    who have persisted in sinning before
    and not repented
    over impurity,
    sexual immorality
    and indecency
    which they have committed.

    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)

  • 2 Corinthians 12 14-18

    Look!
    I am ready to come a third time to you,
    and I will not be a burden.
    And I am not seeking what is yours, but you!
    For children should not be obliged to save up for their parents,
    but the parents for the children.
    Most gladly I will spend
    and be spent
    for your souls.
    If I love you more
    am I to be loved less?
    Let’s take it that
    I did not burden you.
    But being cunning
    I took you in by deceit!
    Did I take advantage of you
    through him that I sent you?
    I urged Titus (to go)
    and I sent the brother with him
    Titus did not take advantage of you, did he?
    Don’t we walk in the same spirit?
    and in the same footsteps?

    Eternal God and Fatther,
    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.

  • 2 Corinthians 12 11-13

    I have become foolish,
    – you forced me.
    for I ought to have been commended by you.
    For I am not inferior
    compared to those ‘super-apostles’
    even if I am nothing.

    The signs of an apostle
    have been produced
    among you
    with all endurance
    signs
    and wonders
    and powerful deeds.

    For how were you treated worse
    than the other churches
    except that I alone did not burden you?
    Forgive me this injustice!

    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)