Patrick Comerford
I am continuing to use the USPG Prayer Diary, Pray with the World Church, for my morning prayers and reflections throughout this Season of Easter. 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.
Throughout this week (26 to 2 May 2020), the USPG Prayer Diary is focussing on the Church of North India’s Year of Jubilee. This theme is introduced in the Prayer Diary this morning:
On 29 November 1970, the Church of North India was born when six Protestant denominations came together to form one Church. Leaders of the six denominations gathered at All Saints’ Cathedral in Nagpur for CNI’s inauguration. This year, CNI marks a half century of ‘unity, witness and service’ with a year-long Golden Jubilee celebration. Bishops and representatives of all of CNI’s 27 dioceses came to the celebrations, which involved a joyous procession in the streets of Nagpur and a thanksgiving worship service.
The events to mark the jubilee fall into three phases: ‘refreshing memory’, ‘revisiting the mission of the Church’ and ‘celebration’. The first phase involves thanking God for the people who first brought the Gospel to India – going all the way back to St Thomas, who was a missionary to India in the year 52 AD. The second phase involves taking stock of the past 50 years to see how well CNI has upheld its mission of ‘breaking down the barriers of caste, class, gender, economic inequality and exploitation of nature’. The third phase started with a huge ceremony in Nagpur last November, and continues throughout 2020.
Sunday 26 April 2020:
Lord, thank you for giving us the grace
to live with a world of difference.
Please help us to share that grace with everyone we meet.
Amen.
The Readings: Acts 2: 14a, 36-41 or Isaiah 43: 1-12; Psalm 116: 1-3, 10-17; I Peter 1: 17-23; Luke 24: 13-35.
The Collect of the Day (Easter III):
Almighty Father,
who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples
with the sight of the risen Lord:
Give us such knowledge of his presence with us,
that we may be strengthened
and sustained by his risen life
and serve you continually in righteousness and truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Post Communion Prayer:
Living God,
your Son made himself known to his disciples
in the breaking of bread.
Open the eyes of our faith,
that we may see him in all his redeeming work;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Yesterday’s reflection
Continued tomorrow
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