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St. Thomas à Becket Foundation |
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making a
difference |
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| 4th
May, 2008 |
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| Theme:
Christ is constantly praying for
us |
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| Thought: |
“If I could
hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not
fear a million
enemies. Yet distance makes no difference he is praying
for me.” R.M.McCheyne |
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For 40
days after Jesus had risen from the dead, he was seen by many
people. The feast of the Ascension recalls his return to God
the Father. We read in the New Testament that Jesus now “sits
at the right hand of God the Father” and there prays for us.
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The following words are based on a reflection
thought to be by
G.K. Chesterton:
‘When Jesus returned to his Father, perhaps his
father said to him:
“Son, what was the worst of it all? Was it the
nails?”
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“No,
Father, The hardest thing wasn’t the nails,
It was the kiss of betrayal - the kiss from someone
I had trusted as a close friend.” ’ |
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The Betrayal of Judas |
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William Temple, former
Archbishop of Canterbury (1942-44), wrote:
“The Ascension of Christ is his liberation from all restrictions
of time and space. It does not represent his removal from earth,
but his constant presence everywhere on earth.” |
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Readings:
Acts 1:1-11;12-14; John 17: 1-11; Matthew 28:16-20 |
Prayers:
Mon:
God our Father, to those who love you everything works out for
the good, because you have chosen us to bear the image of Jesus,
your Son, who not only died for us but rose from the dead, and now
sits at the right hand, praying for us, as we recall the Feast of
the Ascension we praise you and thank you. Amen. |
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Tues:
And so, with you on our side, who can be against us? Even if we
face hard times or are threatened – your love is greater still, and
nothing can ever separate us from your love. Even in difficulties,
Father, we can never be failures or losers because of the power of your
love. Our Father we praise you and adore you. Amen.
Wed:
As the Feast of Pentecost approaches, we ask you, Father, to fill us
to overflowing with your Holy Spirit, that we may be empowered to be the
people you call us to be, and enabled to fulfil the calling and mission
that you have for each one of us. Our Father we praise you and love
you. Amen.
Thurs:
If God is for us who can be against, if the spirit of God has set us
free?
We know that nothing in this world can ever take us from his love.
There is nothing that can take us from his love, poured out in Jesus,
the Lord. (Amen) |
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Fri:
If God is for us who can be against, if the spirit of God has
set us free? And nothing present or to come can ever take us from
his love. We know that neither death nor life can ever take us from
his love. (Amen)
The prayers of Thursday and Friday are from the hymn composed by
John Foley S.J. based on Romans 8: 31-39
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