27 December 2017

Praying at Christmas with USPG
and Lichfield Cathedral
(3): 27 December 2017

‘Our Lady who Brings Down Walls’ … a display at the Elias Icon Exhibition in Lichfield Cathedral in 2014 (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

Today is the feast of Saint John the Evangelist, or Saint John the Divine [27 December 2017].

Until the end of December 2017, I am continuing a practice I began at the beginning of Advent this year. I am spending a short time of prayer and reflection each morning, using the prayer diary of the Anglican mission agency, USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) and the Advent and Christmas Devotional Calendar from Lichfield Cathedral.

USPG, founded in 1701, is an Anglican mission agency supporting churches around the world in their mission to bring fullness of life to the communities they serve.

Under the title Pray with the World Church, the current prayer diary (22 October 2017 to 10 February 2018), offers prayers and reflections from the Anglican Communion.

This week, the Prayer Diary visits the Holy Land, and this theme was introduced on Sunday by Salwa Khoury, who is based at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Nablus on the West Bank.

The USPG Prayer Diary:

Wednesday 27 December 2017, Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist:


Pray for Palestinians whose homes are being seized, bulldozed and destroyed.

Lichfield Cathedral Advent and Christmas Devotional Calendar:

The calendar suggests lighting a candle each day as you read the Bible and pray.

Today, the calendar suggests reading John 20: 1-8.

The reflection for today offers this challenge:

As we reflect on Christmas, pray for the way we may follow Christ: for grace to believe, to follow, to serve and to understand.

Yesterday’s reflection

Continued tomorrow.

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