Let us pray (in silence) [that we may be open to God’s goodness]
Pause
Almighty everliving God, [or Compassionate God]
you are always more ready to hear than we to pray,
and to give more than we desire or deserve;
pour upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things
of which our conscience is afraid,
and giving us those things
for which our prayer dares not ask;
through Jesus Christ
who is alive with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Check out the lengthy history of and commentary on this collect at Ordinary 27
Beyond this site:
Textweek
Girardian Reflection on the Lectionary
Preaching Resources Down Under
mage source: visiolectio.com More info on this new resource here
The artist, Rev Sarah West, writes:
Dig a little deeper into this passage and Jesus is once again defending the vulnerable. Whenever Jesus was being tested by the religious elite of his day, he was motivated by a deeper concern than simply following the rules. “…the cultural and textual particularities cast light on how Jesus’ teaching might protect women of his time from men who use divorce for their own benefit and so imperil women.” Want to read more.
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