Praying at Home Today: Thursday 16 July 2020
Welcome to PrayingAtHome.com, where you can find some worship resources for praying at home today or wherever you are.
We hope these readings, prayers, music and the short reflection will help you stay in touch with the Church and to sustain you on your journey through life.
If this is your first visit to this website, then you might like to read about the common elements and the suggested structure for each day’s prayer.
Please note that with effect from 29 June 2020, we have reverted to the Track 1 “semi-continuous” Old Testament readings (this also affects the psalm or equivalent response); the New Testament and Gospel readings remain unchanged.
Opening to the Word
You can spend a few moments in silence,
focussing on your breathing
to become more mindful of the present moment
and to open yourself more fully
to God’s presence within you.
In the name of the living God,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Short reading
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise.Domine, probasti me, et cognovisti me;
tu cognovisti sessionem meam et resurrectionem meam.Eternel, tu m’examines et tu me connais,
tu sais quand je m’assieds et quand je me lève.
Psalm 138 (139):1
The Liturgy of the Word *
Here are today’s Bible readings.
You can read just one, or all of them if you have time.
Short Reflection
God’s presence within and around us
This is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days,
says the Lord:
I will put my law within them,
and I will write it on their hearts;
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
There are times when we feel distant from God and from one another.
This is natural. We cannot always feel God’s presence.
Yet God is always present,
“The Kingdom of God is within you”, just as a seed contains the fulness of its new life: the Kingdom, God’s reign, in and for humanity.
God’s searching presence
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I climb the heavens you are there;
if I go to the ends of the earth you are there.
Psalm 138 (139):7-10
This constant presence is one that holds us fast, even when life is stormy. We may not recognise God’s presence, but God is always there.
Refreshment
Although we may feel dried up, God is constantly offering refreshment, new life, food for the journey.
I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;I will pour my spirit upon your descendants,
and my blessing on your offspring.They shall spring up like a green tamarisk,
like willows by flowing streams.
Isaiah 44:3-4
aw
Prayer Suggestions
We pray for those for whom life is hard at this time:
for those in abusive relationships,
for those who are struggling to make ends meet,
for those in places of conflict,
for the people of Yemen,
for refugees seeking a place of safety.
We pray for doctors and nurses and all who care for our sick.
For those who are grieving one they love.
We pray for those who feel cut off from others,
those who are lonely,
those who are depressed.
We give thanks for those who bring comfort and good cheer to others.
We pray for artists and musicians,
for those who give us a fresh perspective on life.
At this time,
pray for us all.
Music for reflection *
Glory to God in the highest
The Lord’s Prayer
We can say the Lord’s Prayer in any language or version we choose.
Here it is, in English, Latin and French.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever. Amen.
Pater noster, qui es in cælis;
sanctificatur nomen tuum:
adveniat regnum tuum;
fiat voluntas tua,
sicut in cælo, et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie:
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris:
et ne nos inducas in tentationem:
sed libera nos a malo.
Quia tuum est regnum,
et potestas, et gloria, in saecula.
Amen.
Notre Père qui es aux cieux,
que ton nom soit sanctifié.
Que ton règne vienne.
Que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel.
Donne-nous aujourd’hui notre pain de ce jour.
Pardonne-nous nos offences
comme nous pardonnons aussi
à ceux qui nous ont offensés.
Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation,
mais délivre-nous du mal.
Car c’est à toi qu’appartiennent le règne,
la puissance et la gloire
pour les siècles des siècles. Amen.
Concluding prayer
God of the running streams and still waters,
you are there to comfort us and refresh us for the journey;
help us to search for your presence deep within us.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Benedicamus Domino.
Deo gratias.
Thank you for joining us in praying at home.
Oremus pro invicem.
* You can find more organ music from Holy Trinity Church, Stirling
on Alistair Warwick‘s website and on SoundCloud
There are several books by Brother Roger of the Taizé Community from many booksellers
In these strange times, we are called to trust
Other worship resources
Praying at Home Today: Acknowledgements
* Beginning with the week after Pentecost, the lectionary for weekdays is taken from the Vanderbilt Divinity Library. Currently, we’re following the semi-continuous readings (Track 1).
In that lectionary, the readings are in the following order: Old Testament reading, Psalm, New Testament reading; we have changed the order to the more usual OT, Psalm and NT.
English Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Latin Bible texts are from Biblia Sacra Vulgata, and are in the Public Domain.
French Bible texts are from Version Segond 21, copyright © 2007 Société Biblique de Genève by Société Biblique de Genève.
Images, unless otherwise stated, are from lockdown in Scotland, by Alistair Warwick.
Music engraved by The Art of Music.
Purchases made by clicking links on this website will cost you no more than buying directly from the supplier; we may receive a small commission, which helps with the costs of maintaining and running this website.
Praying at Home (part of The Art of Music) is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.
