Prayers

Prayer: You Offer Us the Kingdom

We name you gracious Master and our God,
Great Redeemer and King.
You offer us the kingdom, Lord Jesus;
a realm where the hungry are fed,
the thirsty are given something to drink;
and the homeless are housed,

You offer us a realm where
those who are shivering are clothed,
the sick are visited,
those in prison hear good news.

We wonder how we are to receive such a gift:
Will you require of us more than what we are already doing?
Will you judge us for
what we have done and what we have left undone?
Will you leave us out of your community of salvation?

In your great love and mercy,
move us beyond fear;
move us beyond guilt;
move us beyond our anxious worry.
Move us deeper into your surprising grace;
Heal the blindness that does not see you
when you come to us in distressing disguise.

Set us free from serving lesser gods.

Most of all, form in us the mind of Christ,
so that we see the world through your eyes,
so that our hearts are broken by the things
that break your heart, and
so that we delight in the things that delight you,
and you create in us courage enough not to duck.

We ask in your life-giving name.

~ written by Christine Jerrett, and posted on Christine Jerrett: Reflections on being the Church in God's new creation.
http://christinejerrett.wordpress.com/

Prayer of Commitment

Let us pray that our love of God
may become real and tangible
in our love of our neighbor.
(pause)

God, you display your almighty power
in loving us without regret.
In the human heart of Jesus your Son
you have shown us how far love can go.

Give us a love that is forgiving,
generous and gentle like his,
that we may recognize and welcome him
in our brothers and sisters.
And may our hearts reach out first
to the poorest and the least lovable,
with the gratuitous love you have given us
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

~ from Liturgies Alive, Models of Celebration.
http://www.bibleclaret.org/liturgy/CycleA/

Love in Action

Your love, O God,
is an active love:
engaged,
involved,
immersed.

Your love, O God,
is seen in what you do, not just in what you say:
in the blessing of children,
in the meals with outcasts,
in the touching of the untouchable,
in your presence,
and your self-giving,
in your opening of the way to life
to all who will come;

And your love, O God,
is expressed through people like us:
as we share our wealth in simplicity and generosity;
as we share wholeness in care and healing
of the sick and broken;
as we share hospitality by being truly present
to the lonely, the imprisoned and the marginalized;
as we share peace in kindness, listening and acceptance
with those who challenge us, confront us and threaten us.

As you have loved us in incarnate action, O God,
may we learn to be little incarnations
through whom your love is expressed and experienced
in action.

Amen.

~ Written by John van de Laar, and posted on Sacredise.com.
http://sacredise.com/