A Concord Pastor Comments: NIGHT PRAYER: Sunday 5/29

On Sundays, Night Prayer will focus on an element from the day's celebration of Mass. Tonight we reflect on some words from today's second scripture from the Book of Revelation. There we find the Lord renewing his promise to come again - and the Church praying for the Lord to come soon. The Book of Revelation was written in Greek but in this instance the text uses an Aramaic phrase μαρὰν ἀθά for "Lord, come!" That Aramaic term is the refrain in this evening's song.

We need your help:

come, Lord Jesus!

We need your wisdom:

come, Lord Jesus!

We need your word of truth:

come, Lord Jesus!

We need your gift of peace:

come, Lord Jesus!

We need your counsel and guidance:

come, Lord Jesus!

We need your forgiveness:

come, Lord Jesus!

We need to see with your eyes,

to hear with your ears,

to love with your heart,

to heal with your power,

to forgive with your mercy,

to live by your grace:

come, Lord Jesus!

We need you, Lord,

for by our own wits and will

we have failed:

come, Lord Jesus!

Come, Lord Jesus,

come soon, come soon, come soon...

Protect us, Lord while we're awake
and watch over us while we sleep
that awake, we might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Tonight's song may sound like it belongs in Advent, before Christmas - and indeed, the Maranatha theme is very apt for when we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ at his birth. But we need him to come again - and not only at the end of time - we need him to come now to our side, with the power of his grace and his truth...