Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 2nd Week of Lent: Year 2
Morning, Psalms 56 and 57; Evening, Psalms 64 and 65;
Genesis 41:46 to 57; 1st Corinthians 4:8 to 20(21); Mark 3:7 to19a
“Have mercy on me, O God, for my enemies are hounding me; all day long they assault and oppress me.” (Psalm 56:1)
This Psalm, as does many of the Psalms of lament, ask for mercy from God. I especially ask for God’s mercy for Ukraine, her people now dispersed, and for the good Russian people who have protested against the criminality of their governmental leadership.
With things the way they are, the NATO nations not getting involved, only God and heaven above can help Ukraine now. However, they may do it through us. This kind of help can only come from the prayers of you and me and people all over the world, including the people within Russia, Our prayers are for our God of mercy to sustain the Ukrainian resistance. It has been more than a year now.
I pray for God to intercede and turn their suffering into some kind of peace if not a distant joy. How can they ever be happy again? The first verse of Psalm 57, also for today, is likewise appropriate: “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful, for I have taken refuge in you; in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge until this time of trouble has gone by.” (Psalm 57:1)
So I pray that this time of trouble quickly goes by and peace and reconciliation is restored. I don’t know how this is done. I just pray that it gets done, and soon. Please come to their help O Lord. We, the world, will be looking and listening for your presence in this matter.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 