witness

witnesses to your resurrection

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Birth, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Christ triptych, Hans Memling, 1510 via Wikimedia Commons
 
Lord Jesus Christ, by your glorious resurrection,
    in which you appeared alive and immortal
    to your disciples and faithful followers,
    by your forty days abiding and sweet converse,
    in which by many infallible proofs,
    speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God,
    you comforted them and assured them of your actual resurrection,
    removing all doubt from their hearts;
grant that we may be numbered
    among those appointed to be witnesses to your resurrection,
    not only by the words of our mouths,
    but by the evidence of our good works;
to your honor and glory,
  for you are alive and reign,
    with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
      one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Ludolph of Saxony, c.1295 – 1378, German Carthusian & Catholic theologian
2000 Years of Prayer
 
_______________________


During the forty days after he suffered and died, 
    he appeared to the apostles from time to time, 
     and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. 
And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

_____________________________

Question

In what way can you be a witness to Jesus’ resurrection before people who do not believe?

All Saints Day prayer

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment

image by geralt via pixabay
 
 
Before you, O God,
    we remember today the ones who went before us.
Not held back by the awesomeness of the task
    they followed you with tenacity and joy.
Full of courage and trust they went to new places,
    ready to stand and suffer with you.
 
Like a cloud of many witnesses
    they stand around us.
 
Before you, O God,
    we remember the saints of our day,
    who do not live by the rigid letter of the law
    but by the wild demands of faith,
    always prepared to give more,
    always ready to be turned inside out,
    knowing that new ways can only be found
    through risk and pain.
 
Like a cloud of many witnesses
    they stand around us.
 
Eternal God,
    we thank you for the witnesses of all times and all places.
May the stories of their lives show us the richness of your grace.
May they inspire us to look deep within our souls.
May they encourage us to take the risk of faith
    and to serve you in new ways.
 
Francis Brienen, United Reformed Church, UK
 
__________________________
 
 
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 
    let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, 
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 
    looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, 
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, 
    despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, 
    so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

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Romanian witness

/ Eric Mathews / 2 Comments

Church of the Holy Archangels, Rogoz

O Lord, whose holy saints and martyrs
   in all times and places have endured
      affliction, suffering and tribulation,
   by the power of the Holy Cross,
   the armor of salvation:
so likewise, we pray, send your Holy Spirit,
   the Comforter and Advocate of all Christians,
   to sustain these Churches in their
      martyrdom, witness and mission.
The world without provocation hates your Church,
   but you have taught us not to despair.
Therefore, you who are a God at hand
   and not a God afar off,
   grant these Christians the power to lift up
   their hands, their eyes and their hearts
   to continue their living witness
   in unity with the universal Church,
   to the glory of your most holy name.

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