Today is Friday, March 29th, and alongside the church across the world I am on the march with Jesus toward Jerusalem,

the passion of the cross, and the victory of the empty tomb.

As I enter prayer now, I slow my body and quiet my mind, setting my whole

being in the presence of the living God who is ever present to me,

aiming all of my desire at the father who loves to give good gifts to his children, who sets a table

for me in the presence of my enemies, and who prepares a place for me, even now. Oh, Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my groaning.

Give attention to the sound of my cry, my king and my God, for to you do I pray.

Abba Father, in this Lenten season of prayer and fasting, on this good Friday morning,

I remember Jesus laying down his life and dying a brutal public death for my sake.

On this day, Jesus carried not only a cross on his back, but my sin and suffering and that of all of history.

In his victorious death, Jesus showed me the paradoxical way to the fullest kind of living, laying down of my life that I might live by dying.

Would my day begin and my prayer flow from the sorrow, wonder, and gratitude of beholding Christ crucified. Today, Today we are reading from Psalm 5. Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my king and my God, for to

you do I pray. Well, Lord, in the morning you hear my voice in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch

for you are not a God who delights in wickedness

evil may not dwell with you the bothful shall not stand before your eyes. You hate

evildoers. You destroyed those who speak lies. The Lord appours the blood

thirsty and deceitful man, but I, through the abundance of

your steadfast love, will enter your house.

I will bow down towards your holy temple in the fear of you.

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness,

because of my enemies, make your way straight before me.

For there's no truth in their mouth,

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