NIGHT PRAYER: Wednesday in Holy Week

For Night Prayer, we'll pick up on the theme from this morning's Pause for Prayer which was based on this scripture:

 

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,
"What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. When it was evening, Jesus reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, "Surely it is not I, Lord?" He said in reply, "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.. It would be better for that man if he had never been born."
Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He answered, "You have said so..." 

Reflection

On the night before he died, Jesus was betrayed by the worst in us all...  It's easy to point the finger at Judas - in fact it's too easy...  Each of us, at one time or another,
plays one of the roles in the story of the suffering and death of Jesus - and that includes the role of Judas who betrayed his Lord...

Prayer
I come this night, Lord, with my heart aware 

of how I've betrayed you
in thought, word and deed
and in my failure to think, to speak, to act...

You are my Lord but you are also my brother,

    my companion and my friend
and many are the ways I've been unfaithful
    to you and all you offer me...

Sometimes I plot

    - if not against you -
then against the grace and the blessings
    you never cease to offer me...

Some days, some nights, I fail to honor
    the love in which you hold me,
    the embrace with which you protect me,
    the strength with which you shield me...

Judas was bold in what he did, Lord:
    my betrayals are often born of my weakness,
    my lukewarm faith,

    my timid witness,

    my cowardly spirit... 

I don't want to face the fact that I betray you, Lord

    - but I know I have, I know I do -
and so I pray to you this night:

    have mercy on me, a sinner...

Make me more faithful to you, Lord,
    to your word, your wisdom
and to the steadfast love
    you never fail to offer me...

I trust you, Lord, and pray that you'll trust me
    to return to you this holy week
with my whole heart, my mind and soul,

    in thought and word and deed...

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep rest in your peace...

Amen. 

 

Forgive Us, Lord by Nathan Surgenor

 

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!

 

 

 

Forgive me Lord for I have sinned 

I let temptation walk right in 

And now I need Your grace again 

Forgive me Father 

 

Forgive me Lord when I ignore 

Your signs of love that seek to warn 

That I've been down this road before 

Forgive me Father 

 

Remember Your mercy - Remember Your grace 

Oh Lord of truth and life 

And as we hold fast to Your loving embrace 

Forgive us Father 

 

Forgive me Lord when I excuse 

Those things that damage and abuse 

Oh give me wisdom to refuse 

To trust them Father 

 

Chorus 

 

We need Your love We need Your life 

We need Your truth and grace in us 

So breakthrough our hearts 

Reshape our minds 

Come have Your way oh Lord with us 

 

For we are the dust, children of sin 

But You are the hope in each new day 

So renew our lives And shatter our night 

Rescue us Father as we pray 

 

Chorus 

 

Father Forgive me Lord for all I've done 

That goes against "Your kingdom come" 

Oh may my will and Yours be one 

My Heavenly Father

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