St Peters RC Church Hamilton

“He brought this Good News of peace to us Gentiles, who were far away from Him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to You Father through the same Holy Spirit, because of what Christ has done for us.” (based on Ephesians 2 v 17, 18) 

“All of His faithful followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen” (Luke 19 v 37 NLT) during the Lord Jesus’ ministry of loving kindness.        

We too, experience this in manifold ways, not seeing the Lord Jesus in Person, but the result of His actions working within and through us by the Holy Spirit of love, of faith, of prayer.  

We too, should be joyously proclaiming “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!” (v 38) All praise ever be from Your Easter family.  

Be with us Lord Jesus, even when we do not yet see You face to face. Be please, the reality of our hope of heaven. Be our decision to worship, offering Your broken body and the blood shed at the †for our salvation, back to our Father in heaven.

You are the Bread of Life, able to feed a world starving if without faith in You. For then there is a sure loss of hope, of peace, of joy and purpose in life. 

Shine Your love over us as the living Word of our Father’s every promise fulfilled by You, through Your hard working Spirit of holiness, ever seeking to purify and sanctify us. 

Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, so Your family will be well strengthened and supported in this hostile, increasingly secular world, where hedonism is the culture, not faith and prayer. 

O Lord, dearly loved Brother, let us involve You more fully in all aspects of our life, whatever we are trying to accomplish in love’s charitable service, undertaken in Your name. Thank You for taking the blame, our shame of being sinful, so forgiveness can renew our effort to be Christlike. 

We are a people of the world, yet do not belong to this world, because we belong to You, and You have told us that Your kingdom is not of this world. We are preparing for a better, brighter, holier future here, as a foretaste of heavenly glory. Yours, risen Lord Jesus, is the transforming power of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. 

How fully You come to us in the sacred Scriptures, the sacraments and most especially the manifold blessings of the Holy Eucharist, where You share Your holiness to enhance any goodness already developed as Your disciple. 

Steer us on the road of life as You are the Word of Life, our Father’s firm offer of love and mercy, and together You gift us the sanctifying Spirit, helping us to pray and make sound progress in pursuit of holiness.  

We cannot experience peace of heart nor mind without knowing You, Father God, understanding at least something of Your personality and will for us. Thank You that both are revealed in the life of Christ Jesus.

“Christ is the visible image of the unseen God…God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.” (Colossians 1 v 11, 19, 20 NLT)  

It is through our belief, our understanding of this reality, we believe You when You say, such as: “ ‘Don’t be afraid, for I am with you’.” (Isaiah 41 v 10 NLT) 

The Lord Jesus promises to reassure us, “ ‘I am with you always, even to the end of the age’.” (Matthew 

28 v 20 NLT) speaking as truth as He always does and truth cannot lie. We see and hear You in Your Son 

and we are blessed in the light of this knowledge. “He is My chosen one, who pleases Me. I have put My Spirit upon Him.” (Isaiah 42 v 1 NLT)    

May our faith come actively alive as we trust in Your promises to us, especially that of salvation, all being fulfilled by the Lord Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer. “He will not falter nor lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth.” (v 4) 

What hope we are given in the peace of knowing and following the Messiah Saviour, the Word of life, the Light of all holy wisdom and truth, Your most precious gift to us, thank You.

The Lord Jesus, by the Spirit, teaches us to pray. “Pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority, so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by goodness and dignity.” (1 Timothy 2 v 1, 2 NLT) 

We have just witnessed a fine example of this in the dignity of a Christian life well led, responsibly carrying out all he was asked to do, and that was in the Duke of Edinburgh, recently deceased. May he rest in peace.  

Thank You that during his funeral service televised world wide, this man’s Christian belief and principles and his support for our Queen living as an active Christian, were keenly evident.  

Oh that some none believers watching and listening to the biblical message, would come to faith in Christ. “ ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never die’.” (John 11 v 25 NLT)  

Thank You that the Lord Jesus’ help, the hope, the peace and the joy He brings to us by means of the Holy Spirit, remains the same as when Jesus spoke these words to Martha.

“May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in You,” (Psalm 33 v 22) for You are our merciful Deliverer, acting by means of a Saviour and Sanctifier. 

“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in Him, for He shields him (her) all day long…” (Deuteronomy 33 v 12) “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.” (Psalm 62 v 5 NIV) 

Lord God, as a Trinity, almighty in power, in love, in mercy “You alone ae my rock and my salvation; You are my fortress. I will not be shaken,” (based on v 6) not snatched away by satan.    

We rely upon Your mercy and trust in Your unfailing love. The Light of Christ Jesus shines over us displaying our faults and failings in order to cleanse, heal and help us. Our Saviour is our Healer, the Divine Physician, through whom we gain knowledge and understanding of the nature of love and mercy.   

Thank You for everything, for life, for salvation, for Your friendship, for allowing us to worship. “Teach me Your way, O LORD, I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name,” (Psalm 8 v 11) that with purity of heart I may love, honour and serve You, through Your Son, by Your Spirt.    

Bathed by the Light of Christ, I ask heavenly Father, for Your greatness to be accomplished in all believers, that we work and pray in tune with the living Word of love, as led by the Holy Spirit. 

Herein is Your pleasure and our full joy, thank You, as we become filled with a glorious sense of hope and peace, and a sure confidence of all that we will achieve together.

I thank and praise You for making the Master our Saviour and Teacher, living to redeem us from all that is sinful, displeasing and dishonouring to You. As we pray and persevere to gain Christlikeness, may we become the very person You created us to be.   

I ask this in the highest, holiest name of Jesus, Light of the world, our fullness of life now, and the hope of our resurrection, whilst always wanting to praise and thank You, Father of mercy, for all that You are and all that You do through the Holy Spirit.   

May we ever give to the Holy Trinity all the glory due to Your name, as “In every place we worship, praying with holy hands lifted up to You,” (based on 1 Timothy 2 v 8) as we delight to be with You, 

prayerfully rejoicing. Amen.