Matthew R. Green's Blog, page 92

A Holy Saturday Collect

Humble Teacher, who gave yourself into the hands of both your enemies and those who love you, teach us to wait in stillness, as did you and your followers on this quiet and mournful day, that we would be able to experience the full impact of what has been wrought and we would not shy away from our own thoughts and feelings, trusting in you as best as we are able, through you who will reign with the Father and Holy Spirit for eternity. Amen.

'So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.' - Matthew 27:59-61

A Good Friday Collect

Suffering Servant, who willingly endured such pains that we can barely understand, help us to recognize and admit the darkness of our hearts that brought you to the cross. May seeing your pain make our sin too unbearable to carry, that we would fall at your feet in worship, begging for your aid in leaving our broken ways behind, through you who suffered for our sake and was raised to new life by the Father in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them.' - John 19:18

A Maundy Thursday Collect

Lord of all creation, who knelt down to wash your disciples' feet, give us humble hearts, that we would serve one another in love willingly and gladly as you did, knowing that you do not lord your greatness over us but serve us, and we are called to the same, through you who reigns in heaven with the Father and Holy Spirit in compassion and grace. Amen.

'You call me Teacher and Lord--and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.' - John 13:13-14

A Holy Week Collect for Forgiveness

Beloved Jesus, who, knowing you would suffer, still went forward for our sake, we beg for your mercy for the times we have betrayed you and forsaken you. Forgive our fearful, sinful hearts that we would yet in your grace to become like you, holy and ready to do the Father's will, through you who died and rose and ascended to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me."' - John 13:21

A Holy Week Collect for Courage to Die to Self

Lord Jesus Christ, who set your face like flint toward Jerusalem, knowing that it was to your own suffering and death, we are afraid of dying. Give us courage to let die those sinful and distorted parts of ourselves that we cling to in desperate need, that though we may hurt for a while, we may like you flourish in the end, through you who is alive and reigns forever with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

'Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.' - John 12:24

A Collect of Gratitude After Palm Sunday

Jehovah Jirah, who has provided for all our needs, we give thanks to you for your endless love. Your goodness is beyond our understanding, and while our gratitude cannot match your generosity, we still praise you for all you have done with as much as our hearts enable us, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who walked into the lives of those he loves in your power and that of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!' - Psalm 118:1

A Collect for Palm Sunday

Lord Jesus, most glorious of all human persons, the whole earth speaks to your power and the wonders that you do. Open our ears to hear their message, that we would join into the chorus of praise and participate in the choir that has sung since you founded the universe, through you who reigns with the Father and Holy Spirit in majesty forever. Amen.

'He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."' - Luke 19:40

A Lenten Collect to Enter Into the New Thing God is Doing

Lord God Almighty, who set the foundation of the world and created all things from your will, ready our hearts for the new thing that you are doing, that we would enter into your goodness and receive what you are at work doing in and around us and be made new, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in glory, now and forever. Amen.

'I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?' - Isa. 43:19

A Lenten Collect for Gratitude

O Lord God, who gives living water to those who are thirsty, make us a grateful people, who praise you for the sustenance you give, that you might be honored and we might acknowledge you as our only source of life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who defeated death and sat down at your right hand in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.' - Isa. 43:20-21

A Lenten Collect to Not Become Entrenched in Old Ways

Spirit of God, who guides us through wilderness, keep us from becoming entrenched in what was before, unable to grow and change and become new, that we would follow you into new ways and new places and see the things you will transform from death into life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, upon whom you lit as a dove as a symbol of the Father's joy and presence and with whom you and the Father reign forever. Amen.

'Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.'