5 Apr 2020
A Sermon For Today
This will be the first time in this journey that I have not celebrated the Passion-of-Christ, Palm-Sunday & Easter, but I keep the fires burning not only in my heart but around the world to those who permit me to share the God’s love with them.
SINCE April 1, 2020 as we reach out to the world we have heard from Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, South-Africa, Tanzania & Ghana in Africa, Hong-Kong, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore & the Philippines in Asia, United-Kingdom, Germany, Malta & Denmark in Europe, Canada, Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, St. Barts & Trinidad and in 27-USA-States in North America, Brazil, Columbia & Guyana South-America.
Now today we share with you our personal prayers for PASSION---- PALM-----EASTER Sunday. We invite you to meditate on them in your daily walk. Let not being in the edifice of church hinder your faith. Our Lord is with you always.
The theme hymn for Sunday is Ride on in Majesty. But I look to the words of Horatio Palmer who replenishes our thoughts with encouragement not to in this age world crisis to “Yield Not to Temptation”. He delights in telling us Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue, Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through, hear his epic “Ask the Savior to help you, Comfort strengthen and keep you, He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through”. We will get thru this crisis.
Our prayers so ably written by Bishop Edwin Tompkins guides us to the cross...
Passion Sunday: In this time of great sickness, let us be mindful of Our Lord's suffering and death for us. And let us echo His appeal to the Father to save us all from the evils that we must face in this life. May the sacrifice of Calvary cleanse us from our sins and help us to live in His divine grace.
Palm Sunday: (Today) Holding our palms high in the victory of Our Lord, let us hold close in our hearts His great victory over sickness and death for us. Hail too to today's heroes, all those who with skill and strength minister to the sick and suffering. We pray in joy as we share in Jesus' glory, "Hosanna in the Highest!"
Easter Sunday: O Lord, we glory in your joyous and triumphant Resurrection! Through your victory, the gate of everlasting life is opened to us! Though the current troubled times may remind us of our frailty and the uncertainness of our life, this day we are once more assured of our salvation through you. "This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
HEAR Horatio one last time...
To him that ore cometh, God gives them a crown
Through faith we will conquer, though often cast down
He who is our Savior, Our strength will renew
Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through
A blessed Palm Sunday to you.
++Hartley, Presiding Bishop of the ACW
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