Monday, March 29, 2021

Opening Prayer

O God, to you our creator,
Our rock and our redeemer,
To you our ever present help in all things,
To you we pray.
In your truth and wisdom,
Please add a blessing to this worship time,
And to our understanding of a week long ago
in the life of Jesus, your Son.
Amen.

Scripture
John 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

Prayer

For three years you wander from the wilderness to Bethphage.
Along the way you heal the sick, cure the lame and command the evil spirits
You confounded and challenged the religious in crowd
While welcoming the least, the outcast and unfathomable

Your disciples and the crowds wondered throughout “what are you doing?”
“Why have you come and who are you really?
Will you be the one to save and redeem?
To renew and rescue? Is this the time?”

And here you are finally outside of Jerusalem!
And you come riding in on a donkey. An ordinary, lowly, stinking donkey!
To deliver us from our viral enemy as our hope is dwindling
What in the world are you doing riding in like this?

Oh Lord give us eyes to see what you are doing in this world
Especially when it does not look the way we hope
And when we find ourselves isolated rather than together
With promenades of palms and organs booming, singing in one voice

“Hosanna in the Highest, That ancient song we sing
For Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven our King
O may we ever praise him with heart and life and voice
And in his blissful presence eternally rejoice!”

God strengthen us in faith, and courage to sing in praise
To proclaim your good news of healing and reconciliation.
Ignite our creativity and brighten our imagination
To lead and preach, to serve and care

And help us to remember you enter in so that we may know
In life and death, we are not our own
But belong, body and soul, in life and death
To you our faithful Savior and donkey riding King

Hosanna in the Highest!
Amen.

—Rev. Joel Adams, Presbytery Associate for Congregational Care

Benediction

Believe in God’s love. Take time to know this love and find ways to share it each day. Amen.