First-Friday service

Every month, on the first Friday, I lead a service of contemplative song and prayer, held in the side chapel of the local Episcopal church. This month, the theme was "Christ, judge of the nations." I chose that theme to try to pull against the nationalistic fervor of the Fourth of July weekend.

Here are the readings and prayers. As usual, the renderings of scripture are my own, created in consultation with a range of translations.

************

ISAIAH 26: 4-9, 12-13

Holy God,
in you we trust forever!
You are a rock that stands through all the ages.

The strength of the loftiest city
cannot compare to your power.
In time, that city will be left a ruin—
toppled, leveled to the ground.
The poor will scavenge in the rubble;
the homeless will take shelter there.

God of justice,
you clear away obstructions
from the path of those who do right.
To you we look for righteous judgment.
Your name is our dearest hope.

My heart yearns for you by night,
and in the morning, still I seek for you.
For when your judgments are fulfilled on earth,
then all the world will learn what is just.

Holy One, give us peace!
We have suffered because of our wrong-doings—let it end!
Sovereign God, others beside you have ruled over us,
but your name only do we praise.

************

REVELATION 14:6-7

I saw an angel
flying across the sky,
sent to proclaim good news
to all who live on earth—
every race,
every tribe,
every language,
every nation.

The angel shouted:
“Praise God,
and give reverence,
for the hour of judgment has come!
Worship the One
who made heaven and earth,
the sea and all flowing waters!”

************

MATTHEW 25: 32-40

When the Promised One comes in glory,
escorted by all the angels,
he will sit in judgment
with all the nations assembled before him.

Then he will divide them into two groups,
as a shepherd sorts the sheep from the goats—
the sheep on the right,
the goats on the left.

He will say to those at his right hand:
“God’s blessing is upon you!
Come—receive the inheritance set aside for you
when the world was created.

“For when I was hungry, you gave me food.
When I was thirsty, you gave me drink.
When I was a stranger, you took me in.
When I was destitute, you provided for me.
When I was sick, you took care of me.
When I was imprisoned, you came to me.”

Then the righteous will answer: “But sir—
when did we see you hungry, and give you food?
Thirsty, and give you drink?
A stranger, and take you in?
Destitute, and provide for you?
Sick, and take care of you?
Imprisoned, and come to you?”

Then he will answer them:
“This is the truth:
Whenever you did it
to any
of my sisters or brothers,
you did it to me.”

************

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Jesus Christ,
loving guardian, righteous judge—
we pray today for our nation.

We pray for justice and equity in our land.
We pray for harmony, prosperity, and generosity.
We pray for government that is wise and good.

We pray for our nation’s poor and others who are in need.
May the hungry be fed.
May the destitute be provided for.
May the sick be cared for.

We pray for those who are strangers among us.
We pray for those who are in prison
and those who are imprisoned in spirit.

We pray for peace.
We pray for those who are threatened by violence.
We pray for our enemies.

************

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Jesus—
you are both our judge
and our advocate.
When your justice rebukes us,
your love envelopes us,
and we are renewed.