Nepsis

Category: Time to Pray

  • 1 Corinthians 14 33b-40

    …as in all the churches of the holy ones,

    let the women be silent in the churches.
    For they are not permitted to speak,
    but to be subject
    as the ‘Law’ also says.

    Moreover if anyone (of them) wishes to learn,
    let them ask their own husband
    at home.
    For it is disgraceful
    for a woman to speak in church.
    Did the Word of God
    originate from you (fem)
    or
    did it reach you (masc/fem) alone?

    If anyone thinks they are a prophet,
    or a spiritual person,
    let them recognise that what I am writing to you
    is a commandment from the Lord.

    If anyone disregards (it/me?)
    then they are to be disregarded.

    So then, my brothers/ sisters
    seek to prophesy,
    and do not forbid to speak in tongues,
    So act in all things
    properly
    and
    in order.

    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 14 26-33

    So what is it, sisters.brothers?
    Suppose whenever you come together,
    each one has a song of praise,
    has a teaching,
    has a revelation,
    has a tongue,
    has a interpretation,
    let all these things be for building up (of the church).


    If someone speaks in a tongue
    – (it should) two or at the most three times,
    – and one after the other
    then let one interpret.
    But if there is no interpreter
    let them remain silent in the church,
    Let them speak to themselves
    and to God.
    Let two or three prophets speak
    and the others sift (what is said).
    And if someone sitting is given a revelation,
    let the first one be silent.
    For you can all prophesy one at a time,
    so that all might learn, and all might be encouraged.
    And the spirits of the prophets
    are subject to the prophets,
    for God is not of disorder but peace.

    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 14 20-25

    Brothers /sisters
    do not be children in thinking,
    instead be an infant with regard to wickedness,
    but be ‘grown up’ in thinking.


    For it has been written in the Law:
    By foreign languages
    and by the lips of others,
    I will speak to this people,
    but not even then will they listen to me.     1
    says the Lord.
    So then, tongues are a sign,
    not for the believers,
    but the unbelievers,
    or
    prophecy is
    not for those with unbelief,
    but for those who believe.

    If the whole church has come together,
    in the same place,
    and everyone speaks in tongues,
    and a seeker or unbeliever comes in,
    will they not say that you are raving / out of your minds?

    But if all prophesy,
    and a unbeliever or seeker comes in,
    they will become convicted of sin by everything,
    they will be called to account by everyone.,
    the hidden things of their heart
    will become evident.,
    and in this way falling upon their faces
    they will worship God
    declaring:
    ‘God is truly among you.’

    1. Isaiah 28:11-12 ↩︎

    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 14 13-19

    Therefore let the one who speaks in a tongue pray
    that they might interpret.
    For if I pray in a tongue
    my spirit prays,
    but my mind is fruitless.

    So what is it?
    I will pray in (my) spirit,
    so also I will pray with (my) mind.
    I will sing in (my) spirit,
    so also I will sing with (my) mind.

    Otherwise if you are blessing in spirit,
    the [one who fills the place of the (seeker)] –
    how can they say the Amen to your thanksgiving,
    – when they do not know what you are saying?

    For you bless beautifully,
    but the other one is not strengthened.
    I thank God
    that I speak in tongues more (often) than all of you.
    But
    in church
    I would rather speak five words with my mind,
    so that I might also instruct others
    than thousands of words in a tongue.

    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 14: 6-12

    So then, brothers/sisters,
    if I came to you,
    – speaking with tongues,
    what benefit would that be to you all,
    unless I spoke
    with either
    a revelation or knowledge
    or prophecy or teaching?
    Likewise
    lifeless things make a sound-
    whether a flute or a harp:
    if they do not make a distinct sound,
    how will what is played on the flute be known,
    or what is played on the harp?
    For if a trumpet gives an indistinct sound,
    who would get ready for battle?
    So also you:
    if you do not (speak) intelligibly
    with the tongue,
    how will it be known what you say?
    For you will be speaking into the air.
    There are perhaps many kinds of sounds in the world
    and none without meaning.
    Therefore if I do not know the meaning of the sound,
    I will be a babbler to the speaker,
    and the one who speaks a babbler to me.
    So also you:
    since you are seekers of spiritual (things)
    seek to increase in (them) for the building up of the church.

    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 14 1-5

    Pursue love,
    and eagerly desire the spiritual (gifts),
    and especially that you will prophesy.

    For
    the one speaking in a tongue
    is not speaking to people
    but God.
    For no understands
    but by the Spirit they speak mysteries.

    But
    the one speaking prophecies
    speaks to people
    encouragement and comfort,
    strengthening (them).

    The one speaking in a tongue
    strengthens themselves.
    But the one who prophecies
    strengthens the church.

    Now
    I wish that you all would speak in tongues,
    but more so that you would prophecy.
    Greater is the one who prophecies
    thank the one who speaks in tongues
    unless they interpret,
    so that the church might be strengthened.

    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.

  • Luke 22 54 -65

    Then (the Temple Police) seized (Jesus) and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, ‘This man also was with him.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘Woman, I do not know him.’ A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, ‘You also are one of them.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I am not!’ Then about an hour later yet another kept insisting, ‘Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about!’ At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.

    Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, ‘Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?’ They kept heaping many other insults on him.

    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

  • Luke 15 11-24

    Next (Jesus) said:
    A certain man had two sons.

    His younger son to the father,
    ‘Father, give to me
    a share of the estate, that falls to me.’
    So he divided between them his livelihood.

    And after not many days
    having gathered everything together,
    the younger son left for a distant country
    and there he squandered his estate
    living recklessly.
    When he had spent everything he had,
    a severe famine came upon that country,
    and he began to be in need.
    So he went and hired himself to a citizen of that country,
    and he sent him to his fields to tend pigs.
    And he longed to be filled with the carob pods,
    which the pigs were eating
    and no-one gave him anything.

    Coming to himself, he said:
    ‘How many workers of my father
    have enough bread
    but I am famished
    about to perish (be lost)?
    I will get up and go to my father, and I will say:
    “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you
    I am no longer worthy to be called your son,
    Make me as one of your workers. “‘

    And getting up he went to his father

    Yet while he was long way off
    his father saw him
    and had pity on him,
    running he fell on his neck
    and he kissed him.

    The son said to him:
    ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you
    No longer am I worthy to be called your son…’

    But the father said to his slaves:
    ‘Quickly bring the best robe and put it on him,
    and put a ring on his hand
    and sandals on his feet .

    And bring the fattened calf,
    kill it and
    let us eat and celebrate
    because this son of mine
    was dead and has come back to life,
    was lost and is found’
    and they began to celebrate.


    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

  • Luke 22 1-24

    22Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; 4 he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. 5 They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

    7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.’ 9 They asked him, ‘Where do you want us to make preparations for it?’ 10 ‘Listen,’ he said to them, ‘when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters 11 and say to the owner of the house, “The teacher asks you, ‘Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’” 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.’ 13 So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

    14 When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 He said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ 19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ 20 And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. 22 For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!’ 23 Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would do this.

    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

  • 2 Corinthians 5 18-21

    And all these things
    are from God
    who reconciled us
    to himself
    through Christ
    and has given to us
    the ministry of reconciliation,
    since
    God was in Christ
    reconciling the world to himself,
    not reckoning to them their trespasses,
    and placed
    upon us the message of reconciliation.
    So we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ,
    as (if) God was appealing through us.
    We appeal to you on behalf of Christ
    be reconciled to God.
    He made the one
    who did not know sin
    on behalf of us
    sin,
    so that we would become
    the righteousness of God
    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