16 March 2020

Praying through Lent with
USPG (20): 16 March 2020

This monument on one side of the Ghetto Nuovo Square in Venice remembers the 243 people deported by the Nazis from Venice to Auschwitz; the seven bronze panels were designed by Arbit Blatas (1908-1999) in 1980 (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

During Lent this year, I am using the USPG Prayer Diary, Pray with the World Church, for my morning prayers and reflections. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the end of the Holocaust, so I am illustrating my reflections each morning with images that emphasise this theme.

USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) is the Anglican mission agency that partners churches and communities worldwide in God’s mission to enliven faith, strengthen relationships, unlock potential, and champion justice. It was founded in 1701.

This week (15-21 March), the USPG Prayer Diary is focussing on the theme of ‘Standing with Indigenous Communities in The Philippines.’ This theme was introduced in the Prayer Diary yesterday.

‘All over the world, indigenous people groups are some of the most excluded and disadvantaged sectors of society, suffering as a result of discrimination, poverty and human rights abuses.

Monday 16 March 2020:

Let us pray for the indigenous peoples of the Philippines, especially for an end to the discrimination and injustices they have suffered for so many years.

Readings: II Kings 5: 1-15; Psalm 42: 1-2, 43: 1-4; Luke 4: 24-30.

The Collect of the Day:

Merciful Lord,
Grant your people grace to withstand the temptations
of the world, the flesh and the devil
and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Lenten Collect:

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Continued tomorrow

Yesterday’s reflection

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