Mark 15
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
Acts 24
1Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor. 2When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. 3Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. 4But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.
5“We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect 6and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. [7] 8By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”
9The other Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true.
Let Us Become the Citizens Who Take Possession of the Kingdom of Heaven
Rev. Sun Myung Moon
June 2, 1957
33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
Matthew 21:33-46
Prayer
Loving Father! We have brought all of our situations before You. You have been guiding us in various ways, so please admit us.
Every time we prostrate ourselves before the holy presence of the solemn Father, we feel that we are inadequate. Therefore, Father of compassion, please govern the entirety of this hour. By constantly dwelling in each of our hearts, allow us to live within the will of God.
Father, we earnestly wish that You will allow us to relinquish our evil minds and to follow and harmonize with the original mind that the heavenly nature seeks. Let us be the sacrifice that will become the root of original nature.
We are exhausted from fighting with the sin of darkness for one week. Father of compassion, please appear and hold onto us. Teach us lessons, and by advising us, guide us to climb over the ridge of death and dash toward a clear goal regarding the will. We earnestly hope that the Father will rejoice about this and be with us.
Beloved Father! Please manage every detail of the many children who have gathered here this hour. Beloved Father, we earnestly hope that the Father will sanctify everything about each of us in this hour. By eliminating all the conditions that You do not want, we pray that You will let us have purified minds and bodies and bring joy to You. Allow us to become a group of the whole who can serve You and bow to You.
Father! We feel awe-stricken before the toilsome will of the Father who has called us. Father, please look down upon us with compassion. Father, we desire with utmost sincerity that only You will become our friend, that only You will believe in us, with the result that You will allow us to become beautiful sons and daughters who can demonstrate our full loyalty before the eternal will.
Father! We have fallen prostrate before the grace of the Father who has strained to gather us like this. Please vividly manifest what You will.
Father, You are working hard to realize the will of the dispensation. We sincerely wish that You will allow us to become lovely sons and daughters who can console Your loneliness; to become sons and daughters who can put everything aside to fight and dash forward only for the sake of the will of the Father.
Please give blessings upon the countless altars that are gathering on behalf of this people today. Please reveal the grace of joy upon all these people and the countless altars that represent these people. May this people relate with the will You have commanded with a single, true heart. By doing so, beloved Father, we hope sincerely that You will allow them, as Your chosen people and Your chosen religious group, to fully accomplish the responsibility entrusted to the 2.4 billion people of the world in the last days. Though we may have all kinds of personal situations, Father, please allow us to report everything to the Father and follow in obedience.
We are trying to offer bows to the Father this hour. Let the Holy Trinity operate over everyone and rule each of their minds and bodies. Father, we earnestly wish that You will not let us be in the position to relate with the will of the Father according to our whims. Please let this be the hour when we can be in harmony before the entire will of the Father through the inspirations of the sacred spirit. Father, please be with the members who are spread out in the countryside at this hour. Please allow us to fulfill the victorious will, the will that the Father has established, as the grace of joy.
We have entrusted everything this hour. Therefore, earnestly hoping that the Holy Trinity will govern us, we prayed in the name of the Lord. Amen.
