Friday prior to Proper 7

 

[1]

Luke 8:26–39—Jesus travels across the Sea of Galilee, to the east side, where a number of Gentiles lived. There he met a man who was tormented by demons, who did terrible things to him. The demons who possessed this man knew who Jesus is: the Son of the Most High God, and the one who would send them to eternal torture in the abyss of hell. Jesus casts them into a herd of pigs, and they destroy the pigs. We see in the demon-possessed man a picture of total helplessness in the face of an ungodly spiritual foe. Jesus, the Son of the Most High God, could only rescue him.

We, too, are helpless in the face of adversity from the devil and his demons, for our fallen nature is unwilling and unable to fight against him. Like the demoniac, we need rescuing by Jesus. He has accomplished our rescue by His death on the cross, where He defeated Satan and the powers of darkness.

Prayer for grace and forgiveness: Spare us, O Lord, and mercifully forgive us our sins. Though by our continual transgressions we have merited Your chastisements, be gracious to us. Grant that all these punishments which we have deserved may not come upon us, but that all things may work to our everlasting good; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer for steadfast faith: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, because of Your tender love toward us sinners You have given us Your Son that, believing in Him, we might have everlasting life. Continue to grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may remain steadfast in this faith to the end and finally come to life everlasting; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.[2]

Collect for Friday of the week of Pentecost 2:  Grant us, O God, to be mindful now of thy presence, that what we think and say, and all we do, may learn to arrange itself as before Thy face. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.[3] -17 June 2022

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[1] Luther’s Seal, copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] Collects for grace and forgiveness and for a steadfast faith, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St, Louis

[3] Collect for Friday of the week of Pentecost 2, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY