The Grace of the Daily Office Amid the Pain

It is truly amazing grace to live the liturgical life sometimes, especially when we need it the most.  As we awoke to the news of the terrible events in Aurora Colorado this morning, many prayed to God using the cycle of Bible lessons and psalms from the Book of Common Prayer.  There are three readings provided, one from the Old Testament, one from the New Testament Letters, and one from the Gospels.  This just happened to be the New Testament reading for today.  Here it is, in the Contemporary English Version, followed a prayer that seems appropriate for this Friday, the day on which God the Son, Jesus the Christ, suffered and died as human beings do.

The Letter of Paul to the Romans, chapter 9, verses 9-21


9 Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. 10 Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. 11 Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. 12 Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. 13 Take care of God’s needy people and welcome strangers into your home.

14 Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Ask him to bless them and not to curse them. 15 When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. 16 Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people.[a] 17 Don’t mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, 18 and do your best to live at peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, don’t try to get even. Let God take revenge. In the Scriptures the Lord says,

“I am the one to take revenge
    and pay them back.”
20 The Scriptures also say,

“If your enemies are hungry,
    give them something to eat.
And if they are thirsty,
give them something
    to drink.
This will be the same
as piling burning coals
    on their heads.”
21 Don’t let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.


Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.