“…it happens that sometimes we pray and do not receive it at the time; in spite of this one should not despair nor cease to pray. At times it comes when we are not praying for it, as God knows and wills; for it will be free and unbound: then man is distressed in conscience and is wickedly displeased with his own life, and it may easily happen that he does not know that Christ’s Passion is working this very thing in him, of which perhaps he was not aware….”

From:  A Good Friday Sermon on How to Contemplate Christ’s Holy Sufferings (1519)

Maundy Thursday Service:  a joint service with Trinity Lutheran, Resurrection Lutheran, Christ Anglican, and King of Glory at Trinity Lutheran 7:00 p.m.
Good Friday Service:  A joint service with St. David’s/Trinity and King of Glory at St. David’s/Trinity 10:30 a.m.
Easter Service:  at our regular time Sunday, 6:30 p.m. 

“This bread is our Lord Jesus Christ who feeds and comforts the soul.  Therefore, oh heavenly father, grants us grace that the life, words, works, and sufferings of Christ may be preached, made known, and preserved for us and all the world.”

From Luther’s Prayers, Herbert F.  Brokering (ed.)

“Teach us to realize that people cannot harm us without in so doing hurting themselves a thousand times more in your sight.  So may we show compassion more than anger to those who offend us, and pity rather than punish them.  Help us not to rejoice when misfortune comes to those who have not done our will, or who in some other way have displeased us with their lives.  May we not grieve when they have prospered.  Amen.”

From Luther’s Prayers, Herbert F. Brokering (ed.)

“Help us so that by our lives and works others may be prompted not to exalt us but to praise you in us and to honor your name.  Grant that no one may be offended by our evil works or shortcomings, and so dishonor and praise you less.  Keep us from desiring anything temporal or eternal that does not praise and honor your name.”

From Luther’s Prayers, Herbert F.Brokering (ed.)

“O Father, it is indeed true that we cannot be strong by our own power.  How can we stand before your might if you do not strengthen and comfort us?  Therefore, dear Father,  embrace us, accomplish your will in us, that we may be your kingdom to your praise and glory.  But, dear Father, strengthen us in this life with your holy word.  Give us our daily bread.  Establish in our hearts your dear son Jesus Christ who is the true bread of heaven.”

From:  Luther’s Prayers, ed., Herbert F. Brokering.

Martin Luther’s prayers emphasize the fact that the Gospel is for us.  This can be seen in a nice anthology edited by Herbert F.  Brokering, Luther’s Prayers.  Over and over again, Luther prays to God – help us, hear us, guide us, teach us, convince us, assure us, guard us, protect us, defend us, grant us, inspire us….  Over the next few weeks we will be posting some excerpts from this book.

“Nowhere else in the Holy Scriptures do we find anything like Paul’s declaration here concerning the earnest expectation and waiting of the creatures for the revelation of the children of God; which waiting the apostle characterizes as a sighing in eager desire for man’s redemption. A little later he compares the state of the creature to a woman in travail, saying it cries out in its anguish. The sun, moon and stars, the heavens and earth, the bread we eat, the water or wine we drink, the cattle and sheep, in short, all things that minister to our comfort, cry out in accusation against the world because they are subjected to vanity and must suffer with Christ and his brethren. This accusing cry is beyond human power to express, for God’s created things are innumerable. Rightly was it said from the pulpit in former times that on the last day all creatures will utter an accusing cry against the ungodly who have shown them abuse here on earth, and will call them tyrants to whom they were unjustly subjected.”