Praising God for the Gift of Today

Gathering Reflection As we gather from far and near in this Joyous Eastertide let us still our thoughts bow our heads and lift our minds and hearts to God in prayer and praise.

In silence we hold all those we love, serve and care about in our prayer

Be still, for the presence of the Lord, The Holy One is here. Come, bow before Him now, With reverence and fear. In Him no sin is found, We stand on holy ground. Be still, for the presence of the Lord, The Holy One is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord, Is shining all around. He burns with holy fire, With splendour He is crowned. How awesome is the sight, Our radiant King of light! Be still, for the glory of the Lord, Is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord, Is moving in this place. He comes to cleanse and heal, To minister His grace. No work too hard for Him, In faith receive from Him. Be still, for the power of the Lord, Is moving in this place.

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice. He has turned all death to life. Sing to the glory of God

Psalm 92 How good it is to thank you, Lord to sing your love at dawn

(A) How good to thank you, Lord, to praise your name, Most High, to sing your love at dawn, your faithfulness at dusk with sound of lyre and harp, with music of the lute. For your work brings delight, Your deeds invite song.

(B) I marvel at what you do, Lord, how deep your thought! Fools do not grasp this, nor the senseless understand. Scoundrels spring up like grass, flourish and quickly wither. You Lord stand firm for ever.

(A) See how your enemies perish, scattered to the winds, while you give me brute strength, pouring rich oil upon me. I have faced my enemies, heard them plot against me.

(B) The just grow tall like palm trees, majestic like the cedars of Lebanon. They are planted in the temple courts and flourish in God’s house, green and heavy with fruit even in old age. Proclaim that God is just My rock without fault.

(All) How good it is to thank you, Lord To sing your love at dawn

Give us hearts of flesh, O God, That we may serve you (A) I'm going to gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. (B) I'll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you.

(A) I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed. (B) I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands.

You will be my people! I will be your God! (All) Give us hearts of flesh, O God, That we may serve you

Scripture Reading Colossians 1: For by Him all things were created, in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible— all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.

Intercessions Jesus you call us to complete the work you have begun on earth; (All) - teach us to put no limits on the power of your Spirit in our lives Those who have seen you have seen God; (All) - do not let the familiarity of your Gospel blind us to seeing you as you are, son of Mary, son of God.

You fed your people bread in the wilderness; (All) - nourish our hungry minds and hearts, open our hearts to share our riches with others. You showed yourself to your disciples and their eyes were opened; (All) - Open our eyes to know you in those we meet so that our meeting may change lives for the better. In faith and trust we pray (All) - Our Father

Concluding Prayer Loving God, your light is eternal. Grant that we may draw new faithfulness from the hope you give us so that the victory of Christ will be our joy. We ask this in the name of Jesus who is Lord forever and ever. (All) Amen

St Vincent and Blessed Frederic intercede for us

Praising God for the Gift of Today