Wednesday in Holy Week
This little reflection can be used as a compline. Compline is the night prayer at the end of a day. The English word is derived from the Latin completorium denoting completion of our working day.
As we have been doing, lighting a candle and dimming the lights then becoming quiet before God is a good way to start.
I have used parts of the Celtic Compline from the community of Northumbria as well as our own New Zealand Prayer book and a few other little pieces to make this time for us.
Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm.
Still me, O Lord, keep me from harm.
Let all the tumult within me cease.
Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace.
Father, bless the work that is done,
and the work that is to be.
Father, bless the servant that I am,
and the servant that I will be.
Psalm 70
1 Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
A reading from the gospel of Matthew 6: 31 – 34
Do not ask anxiously, What are we to eat? What are we to drink? What shall we wear? The whole world runs after such things. Set your heart and mind on God’s commonwealth and justice first, and all the rest will come to you as well. Do not be anxious about tomorrow. Today has enough problems of its own; tomorrow can look after itself.
Spend some time praying for the healing of our world ending with the Lord’s prayer as it is found on page 181 of our prayer book.
Eternal Spirit
Earth-maker, pain-bearer, life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created things!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In the times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
Now and forever
Amen.
And as it is night we say the Night Prayer.
Lord,
it is night.
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.
It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.
The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives
rest in you.
The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us,
and all who have no peace.
The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day,
new joys,
new possibilities.
In your name we pray.
Amen.
The peace of God
be over me to shelter me,
under me to uphold me,
about me to protect me,
behind me to direct me,
ever with me to save me.
The peace of all peace
be mine this night
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Holy Week with children
Readings, questions to ponder, activities and prayers for Holy Week
Wednesday John 13.21-29
Read
Jesus was having a special meal with his friends, the disciples. During the meal, he started looking very sad, and said, ‘One of you is going to betray me.’ That meant that one of them would start working with Jesus’ enemies, the people who wanted to kill Jesus.
Jesus’ friends were upset to think that one of them would let him down and tried to find out who Jesus was talking about. Jesus turned to Judas and said, ‘Go and do what you have to do quickly.’ The other disciples thought Jesus was sending Judas to do a job for him. They didn’t realise that Judas was the one who would betray Jesus.
Think
Think about times when someone has let you down. Maybe when someone has not kept a secret safe, or when they have said horrid things about you to others.
What did that feel like?
Do you think Jesus felt really hurt by Judas?
Was it hard to forgive those people?
Then think about times when you might have let someone else down.
Have you upset somebody because you have not done what they asked you to do?
Have you hurt a friend, or a teacher, or someone at home?
Think of times when you might have let Jesus down.
Do
Draw a place mat. Draw pictures on the mat of food that you like to eat, or cut pictures out of a magazine, and stick them onto the mat. Then write around the outside of the mat, ‘Thank you God for all the food that you have given us to eat. Thank you for special meals to share time with our friends. Amen.’
Write a letter to God, saying sorry for ways that you have let people down. Write a prayer in it, too, for anyone who has let you down. You might want to write out the prayer below, instead.
Pray
Dear Jesus, I’m sorry that I have been like one of your disciples and I have let you down.
I am sorry also for the times when I have let other people down, my friends, my teachers and my family.
Please help me to forgive the people who have let me down.
Thank you that I can always make a new start with you.
Amen.