Saturday, June 24, 2006
6/24/2006, #111, 2nd Quarter 2006
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. (Romans 3:9)
Holy Spirit, help us consider others better than ourselves; teach us humility for your mercy endures forever.
As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;" (Romans 3:10)
Jesus, we have no righteousness of our own, but your mercy endures forever.
"There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God." (Romans 3:11)
Jesus, you seek those who wander off to a far country; seek us for your mercy endures forever.
"They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." (Romans 3:12)
Father, we have all been prodigal sons at one time or another, now we are prodigal as a church; but you waited for the son to come back to his senses and return to you for your mercy endures forever. Help us return to you.
"Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips"; (Romans 3:13)
LORD, the General Convention has produced poisoned words and words of deceit, but your mercy endures forever; have mercy on us.
"Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." (Romans 3:14)
Lord, help! The fruit of the General Convention is cursing and bitterness, but your mercy endures forever.
"Their feet are swift to shed blood;" (Romans 3:15)
Lord Jesus, we now even sanction the killing of the unborn, but your mercy endures forever.
"Destruction and misery are in their ways;" (Romans 3:16)
Jesus, we are seeing the destruction of the Episcopal Church; have mercy on us.
"And the way of peace they have not known." (Romans 3:17)
Holy Spirit, lead us back into the ways that make for true peace; for your mercy endures forever.
"There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3:18)
Holy Father, the Episcopal Church no longer fears you for it has made other gods in its own image; your mercy endures forever, have mercy on us.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19)
LORD, stop our mouths in the Episcopal Church for we speak vanity and fraud and are guilty before you. Your mercy endures forever -- have mercy on us.
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)
Lord Jesus, we have seen in the General Convention and in the Episcopal Church the deeds of the law and of sin. The Episcopal Church knows sin but forgets your cross and can no longer bring itself to say that you are the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through you. Have mercy on us for we have gone off into a far country.
Holy Spirit, help us consider others better than ourselves; teach us humility for your mercy endures forever.
As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;" (Romans 3:10)
Jesus, we have no righteousness of our own, but your mercy endures forever.
"There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God." (Romans 3:11)
Jesus, you seek those who wander off to a far country; seek us for your mercy endures forever.
"They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." (Romans 3:12)
Father, we have all been prodigal sons at one time or another, now we are prodigal as a church; but you waited for the son to come back to his senses and return to you for your mercy endures forever. Help us return to you.
"Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips"; (Romans 3:13)
LORD, the General Convention has produced poisoned words and words of deceit, but your mercy endures forever; have mercy on us.
"Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." (Romans 3:14)
Lord, help! The fruit of the General Convention is cursing and bitterness, but your mercy endures forever.
"Their feet are swift to shed blood;" (Romans 3:15)
Lord Jesus, we now even sanction the killing of the unborn, but your mercy endures forever.
"Destruction and misery are in their ways;" (Romans 3:16)
Jesus, we are seeing the destruction of the Episcopal Church; have mercy on us.
"And the way of peace they have not known." (Romans 3:17)
Holy Spirit, lead us back into the ways that make for true peace; for your mercy endures forever.
"There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3:18)
Holy Father, the Episcopal Church no longer fears you for it has made other gods in its own image; your mercy endures forever, have mercy on us.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19)
LORD, stop our mouths in the Episcopal Church for we speak vanity and fraud and are guilty before you. Your mercy endures forever -- have mercy on us.
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)
Lord Jesus, we have seen in the General Convention and in the Episcopal Church the deeds of the law and of sin. The Episcopal Church knows sin but forgets your cross and can no longer bring itself to say that you are the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through you. Have mercy on us for we have gone off into a far country.
