SUNDAY PRAYER
by Rev. Frederick Boyle
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1) God of light, God of glory, send your Holy Spirit among us today. Strengthen us in our faith, our unity and our love. Help us to be your church inviting others in to remember the holiness of the Christmas season. Fill us with Hope and the Promise of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen
2) Lamb of God, enter into our heart and teach us The Way of gentleness and peace. Help us to lay aside our self-reliance so that we can become a sheep in your pasture and a disciple of your Word. In the unity of your Holy Spirit, help us reveal The Way of love to the world. We praise your Holy name, Lord Jesus, in our prayer. Amen.
3) God of power and might; God of mercy, joy, and grace; set us free to serve You with our whole heart. Give us a joyful servant heart, and help us to keep a joyful song of praise on our lips. We ask these things in the name of Jesus, our joy, whose coming we celebrate, and whose joy we share. Amen
4) God of Light, we praise you for lifting us from the darkness in the world. Your love, grace and mercy dwell in our heart, and in your Light we have brightness greater than the sun to illumine our soul. Help us, Divine Light, to be a worthy servant of your mission, your justice, and your Light. In the name of Jesus, the Light of the World. Amen
5) God is the source of all joy. God reaches into every heart. God seeks to comfort all who are burdened. God yearns to touch every soul. God invites all people to share His Divine Love. God has done all these things by coming to us as our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen
6) We worship God because He can, and will, deliver us from all of the enemies that tempt us away from His love. God can, and will, defeat every adversary that seeks to destroy our peace. We pray, O Lord, that you will restore our faith, hope, and love when we seek you with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. In the name of Jesus. Amen
7) Bountiful God, we praise your Holy Name. We come before You as little children. Our eyes are wide open in the presence of Your majesty. Our hearts are astonished at Your magnificence. Our minds are amazed at the miracles You perform. Make us innocent by Your grace, and help us restore peace in our world. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen
8) Loving God, we praise you and give you thanks for the multitude of gifts that you provide. Yet, in all of creation, there is nothing so generous and gracious as the gift of your love in Jesus Christ. Open our hearts and our eyes. Let us truly experience the fullness of your love among us, binding us together with your Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, Amen
9) Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, we begin the journey of Lent with a humble heart. We confess that our lives are not wholly dedicated to serving your Divine Love. We settle for so much less than what you seek to give. Restore us, guide us, and help us to live more fully in the unity of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
10) Holy One of Israel, we adore you. We open our hearts to you and invite you into the deepest places in our heart and soul. Cleanse us, Gracious God, and make us one with you and with our neighbor. In your love, O Lord, remove the pain we have by separating ourselves from you, and restore our life with your grace and mercy. In the name of Jesus. Amen
11) We were once many people. We were once lost in our separate journeys. But you, Loving Creator, have called us here to unite us in your Spirit. Help us to extend a caring heart to our neighbor, and give us the wisdom and strength to share their burden. You are our protector, deliverer, shield, and strength. We give you thanks, and praise you as we journey together in the name of Jesus. Amen
12) O God, your mercy endures forever. Though you are mighty, and glorious, and far beyond our understanding, you are mindful of us. You are forgiving, and gracious, and kind. Though we are often lost and rebellious, still you seek to guide us with your love and give us your peace. In the name of Jesus, we thank you, Blessed Lord. Amen
13) The Creator of Life and Provider of Hope sustains us. The Beacon of Grace and Light of Love has led us through dark and distant places. The Promise of Eternal Life and Gift of Faith gives us strength. Receive our grateful and humble praise, Almighty God, now and forever, in the name of Jesus, the Living Christ. Amen
14) On mountaintops, and deep in painful valleys, we seek your steadfast love, O God. In the dawning of the day, in the heat of the afternoon, in the twilight hours, and in the midnight darkness, help us to remember the promise of deliverance that shines in Jesus Christ. Help us to rejoice as we shout, Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest! Amen
15) God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; God of deliverance and freedom, hear our prayer of thanksgiving and praise. You have defeated death. You have given us the way to eternal life. Help us to follow the way that you have shown in Jesus. Help us to live like him, and to be grateful for the gift of your love, the gift of your grace, and the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
16) In the presence of such a great cloud of witnesses, we lift our voice to God. We surrender our life to the purpose of the Almighty. We turn our hearts toward the perfect love of Jesus. We seek to change all that is wrong in our action and word. We open our hearts to the Divine source of mercy, grace and love – the Living Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen
17) The time for celebration has arrived. Come among us, O God, and we will run to meet you with cries of "HOSANNA! HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!" We will greet you as our Messiah. You have performed many miracles, and you bring righteousness and truth. Come among us, Messiah! Come among us and be our Lord. Amen.
18) As we have prepared the sanctuary today for the coming of Jesus, may our hearts also be made ready to receive your love, O God. Remove from our hearts all doubt and despair so that the light of faith may burn brightly for the whole world to see. Fill us with hope and assurance as we wait for Emmanuel. Amen
19) Divine Light, your love shines in our heart and warms our spirit with the glow of your presence. Though we sometimes walk in dark confusion, your Light shines in our soul, illuminating the truth of lovingkindness, and guiding us on the path of right living. We give you thanks and praise for your Light, and for your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
20) What wondrous joy we have today. The old year passes away to make room for the new life to come. The light of our heart has been renewed by the celebration of our Savior’s birth. The Holy Spirit has been set free to once again restore our unity with Christ, and with each other. In your infinite love, O God, you have given us a glad heart and a joyful song to sing your praise. Hear our grateful prayer. Amen
21) Merciful and bountiful God, in the peace of your Son, Jesus Christ, we find hope, we find strength, and we find wisdom to live our life according to your perfect plan. Grant that we may have gratitude in our hearts, and love as we live in your Holy Spirit. Help us to fulfill your mission in this world with courage, and to share all of the blessings that you have given. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
22) Help us to give ourselves totally to you, O God. Reach into the deepest and most hidden place in our heart, that place where we save our most precious self for our self, and help us to give that place to you. Help us to understand and to trust what you have said; “whoever loses his life for me will save it.” Help us to know that in giving our whole heart to you, Gracious God, we gain a life that is whole. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
23) Lord Jesus, you are in this world amid meek and humble people. You heal the faithful and give strength and hope to those who are rejected by the powers of the world. You comfort and console the lonely and the broken hearted. You have promised to be with us always – among the meek, humble, faithful, those seeking strength and hope, those who are rejected and broken hearted, and those who seek comfort and consolation. May we be among these people, Lord Jesus, so that you will be among us. Amen.
24) In all of heaven and throughout the earth, there is none as loving, kind and gentle as you, our Creator, Friend, Sustainer, and Desire of our Soul. Even when we turn our mind away from your mercy and constant invitation, your Divine Grace follows us into the valleys that will surely come. By your mercy, O God, we are forgiven; and in your lovingkindness our hope remains eternal. In the name of Christ Jesus, we offer our thanks and praise. Alleluia! Amen.
25) Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to unite us. Jesus promised that he would give us peace – a peace beyond our understanding. Let it be so with us today, O God. Unite us in praise with the power of your Holy Spirit, and fill our hearts with your peaceful presence in our prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
26) Heavenly Father, we come to you in the quiet place of our deepest heart. We set aside the concerns and hurriedness of our life. We enter into the peaceful certainty of your love, knowing that it is a love that surrounds us, strengthens us, gives us hope, and feeds our greatest desire. In your love, O God, our soul is nourished and our neighbor becomes an essential part of ourselves – sharing our heart, fulfilling our dream and making our life complete. Thank you for your love, Divine Love, and thank you for giving us love to share. In the name of Jesus, Amen
27) God of Light and Love, fill us. Take away the burdens, the darkness, and the heaviness of our world. Let us spend this time with You, and with our neighbor, in joy and peace. Fill us with the power of your Holy Spirit. Transform this hour into a celebration of faith, as we give thanks for your Light and Love, given as a gift for our Joy. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
28) Though we are caught in the temptations of the flesh, Your mercy remains steadfast. Though we often fail to be obedient to Your Word, Your guiding Spirit continues to call us back to You. Though we sometimes wander far from the truth of Your love, Your voice calls to us, in depth of our heart, and we return. Though our words cannot express the pain and suffering that we feel when we fail to be Your people, may our prayers and hymns of praise be a blessing to all who seek Your Glory and Grace. In the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
29) In the midst of tragedy, You are with us. In the midst of trial and tribulation, You are there. In the midst of pain and agony, You bring comfort. In the midst of loneliness and despair, You bring hope. In the midst of darkness, You offer light. In the hour of our death, You bring us to eternal life. In this moment of prayer, You hear our voice and give us Your peace. Thank You, Loving God, for Your presence in Christ Jesus, our Savior. Amen
30) Though we are an imperfect people, still you love us. Though we too often go off our own way, still you find us and invite us home. Though we rebel against your love, still you forgive us and have mercy. Thank you, God of grace and lovingkindness. Grant that we also might learn how to love, invite, have mercy, and forgive others as you have done for us. In the name of Christ. Amen
31) Without you, God of love and mercy, we do not have the strength or courage to complete the work you have begun. The work you have begun within each of us, and the work you have begun throughout the world. Help us to seek you with our whole heart. Empower our lives with your Holy Spirit. Lift us from the valleys of illness, despair, broken homes, broken hearts, and broken Spirits. In you we have hope. In you we have love. In you we have faith. In you we have the freedom to truly live. In the name of Christ. Amen
32) We seek your presence and your love. We wander through the world in search of your peace. We look for your Holy Spirit to unite us. Our eyes look up and down. Our ears strain to hear your voice. We yearn to taste the sweet nectar of your grace. Our body aches to feel the comfort of your healing touch. We seek, we wander, we look, we listen, we yearn, and we ache. All the while you wait for us to experience you in our soul. Guide us, O God, to your image withinin ourselves. Amen
33) Whether we find ourselves on mountaintops, or deep in painful valleys, your presence and steadfast love remains. From glad songs of joyful praise, to sullen melodies of funeral dirge, the voices of your children fill your loving ear. Between the joyful arrival of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the tragic crucifixion that ended his human life, your promise never faltered. In the dawn of day, in the heat of the afternoon, in the twilight hours, and in the midnight darkness, your promise of eternal life remains. Thanks be to God. Amen
34) God of heaven and earth, God of power and glory, we are thankful for the new life we have in Jesus. We are thankful for the love he gives, the forgiveness we receive, and the joy we have in his presence. Help us to remove the barriers in our heart that prevent us from sharing the power of his love, the grace of his mercy, the peace of his heart. Help us, O God, to make Jesus the center of our life. Amen.
35) We give You thanks today for our mothers, and for all women and men who love and care for children. All of us are nourished and fed by Your love, Gracious God, and by the love of women and men who care for us. For the sacrifices they have made, for the food they have prepared, for the love they have given, and for the mercy they have shown; we give thanks. In the name of Jesus. Amen
36) The moon depends upon the sun for light. The flower depends upon the clouds for rain. The wave depends upon the water for substance. The horizon depends upon the earth for form. The breeze depends upon the wind for direction. And we depend upon you, O God, for life. In the name of Jesus Christ, upon whom we all depend. Amen
37) The Holy Spirit that Jesus told his disciples would come is still with us today. The love that Jesus gave unites our heart this very moment. The promise of eternal life that Jesus earned for us at Calvary brings us joy. The truth that Jesus speaks to us through the Scriptures still gives the hope that sets us free. For all of this, Bountiful God, we give you thanks and praise in the name of Jesus, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen
38) Jesus he promised his disciples that he would send the Holy Spirit to comfort, teach and set us free. We invite you now, Holy Spirit, to enter into our heart. Set us free to love each other as never before. Set us free to serve God with our whole self. Set us free to sing and dance. Set us free to live in your presence. Set us free in the promise of eternal life. Set us free in the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus. Amen
39) Holy ONE, we gather today to give you thanks and praise for all that you have given. We give our hearts to you to make us whole. We pray for your Creative Power to strengthen our journey. We pray for the unity of your Holy Spirit to bring peace in our world. Help us, O God, to help you. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
40) In your peace, our heart finds joy. In your love, our heart grows in grace. In your strength, our heart is given courage. In your mercy, our heart receives new hope. In your Word, our heart rejoices in the truth of Jesus Christ. And in You, Divine Creator, our heart finds everlasting life. Amen
41) In God’s perfect love, our hearts are opened to be the church. From lonely places, our lives become a community. With God, we walk and work with each other as one. Help us, O God, to be one. Help us to be whole as persons, and as a family of faith. Help us to be renewed and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit to be your church. In the name of Christ. Amen
42) By Your grace, Eternal God, we have a friend who journeys with us every day. We have a friend who knows our every weakness, and strengthens us just as we have need. In Your love, Merciful God, we have a friend who comforts us in every way. We have a friend who has felt all of our sorrow, and dries each one of our tears. With thanksgiving in our heart, and gratitude in our soul, we strive to be like our friend. Gracious God, help us be like Jesus. Amen
43) Breathe on us, Blessed Creator, so that we can feel once again the power of Your love. Breathe on us, Son of God, so that our hearts will be filled with your peace. Breathe on us, Holy Spirit, so that we will be united in Your flame. Breathe on us, breath of God, and make us whole. Amen
44) Weave us together, Lord, in a tapestry of Your love. Remove the things that divide us, things of small significance. Turn our eyes and our hearts toward the most important matters of all, Your love, Your unity, Your power. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within us. In the name of Christ. Amen
45) Merciful God, sometimes we do not even know the depth of our hunger, nor the dryness of our thirst. Sometimes we chase phantom dreams, trying to satisfy our innermost yearning. Sometimes we are lost while seeking faith by clinging to old habits, trying to walk a new way in old shoes. In our wandering, O Lord, we ask that you shine your Light on our path, fill our soul with your Holy Spirit, and guide us in The Way of eternal life. Amen
46) The breath of our Creator fills our heart with gladness. The sighing of our Lord Jesus relieves the burdens of life. The wind of the Holy Spirit empowers our voice to speak of love. Help us to receive these gifts from you, Holy One, and help us to continue our journey worthy of your grace. In the name and spirit of Christ Eternal. Amen
47) Moments ago, we were alone in our struggle. Moments ago, there were few who celebrated our joy. Moments ago, we traveled our separate path. Moments ago, we brought our body to this place. Moments ago, our heart yearned for God. Moments ago, God united us in His eternal Kingdom. Thanks be to God. Amen
48) Open our hearts, Divine Love, and transform our lives. Help us to see beyond the things of earth, so that we can experience the truth of heaven. Release us from the burden of loneliness, and fill us with the unity of Christian love. Open our hearts, Divine Love, and help us transform our world to be your Kingdom. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
49) Eternal God, we thank you for the comfort you provide in our distress. We praise your Holy Name for the love and strength you freely give. In the Body of Christ, help us to renew our covenant with you. Help us to renew our promise and our pledge to serve your Holy purpose with our whole being. Amen
50) God of peace, grant us your silence. Let us hear your still small voice in the tumult of our world. Let the serenity of prayer overcome any anger in our heart. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen
51) Though at times we feel anxious and afraid, our faith remains strong in the certainty of your love. Though we turn from side to side and sometimes lose our way, the light of your grace always guides us home. Receive our prayer, Creator of Life, and comfort us in our fear, lead us in our darkness, and help us to mend our broken world. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
52) Love, grace, glory, power, mercy, forgiveness, strength, wisdom, creator, magnificent, comforter, light, healer, peace, vision, hope, freedom, purity, salvation. There is no end to all that you are, Almighty God, or enough words to express your awesome presence. We praise you and lift our hearts in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son and our Savior. Amen
53) God has provided for all of our needs. God has given us food. God has given us shelter. God has created the sun and the wind. God has colored the world with sky and clouds and trees and flowers. God has made friends for us to walk with, and talk with. God has thought of everything we need, and He has provided. We give you thanks, Blessed Lord. Help us to be content in the palm of your hand. Amen
54) We turn to you, Holy God, in times of distress, and in times of joy. Your peace and comfort remain a source of hope in our troubled world. We open our hearts to you, and seek your justice. Forgive us when we rely more on ourselves than upon you. Strengthen our faith, Eternal God, and help us to work for your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the name of Jesus. Amen
55) The world expects us to become something. But you, Lord, love us just as we are. You created us to be your hands and feet, to speak and demonstrate your perfect love. Help us, Precious Lord, to celebrate the essential goodness of each person. Help us to find that goodness in each relationship, and in each moment of our life. Help us to BE in the name and presence of Christ. Amen
56) It is good to be here in your presence, O Lord. Here, we find comfort. Here, we find strength to face another trial, another day of confusion, another time of anxiety and fear. Thank you, Gracious One, for your comfort, strength, and empowering love. In the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen
57) The flowers of the field - we adore them. The warmth of the sun – we feel it. The stars in the sky – we stare in awe. The sound of children laughing – we delight. For these gifts from you, O God – given freely – we lift our hearts and voices in joyful praise. In the name of Jesus. Amen
58) God of all Creation, thank you for the light you send into our world; the love and innocence of children; the healing power of friends who listen, pray and care. Thank you for the presence of your Son, Jesus Christ, who comforts your people. Help us carry His love into the world. Amen
59) God of Light, we praise You for the brightness that enters our heart whenever we enter Your presence. The dark hours of toil, loneliness, grief, doubt, and despair vanish in the glow of Your love. Help us to carry Your Light of hope and peace into the world. Fill our hearts with joy, and help us to share our good fortune and goodwill with those who are hungry, homeless, oppressed and lost. With praise and thanksgiving, we lift our prayer to you. Amen |