Isaiah 11:6-9, John 14:27, Romans 14:19, Philippians 4:4-9,
God of mercy and grace, you have set before us life and death, blessing and curse. We pray this day that through our search for peace we will choose life and blessing. We pray that nations will beat their swords into plowshares and that war will be no more. As your children you have called us to act in the spirit of gentleness and kindness toward all of our sisters and brothers. In so doing we announce to the world that we will strive to bring peace among our communities as well as in foreign lands. We know that such efforts cannot be accomplished by our labors alone. We need your Holy Spirit to energize us to discover that peace comes not only in the absence of war but also in the peace within our hearts and minds. May our legacy be one of new beginnings that place our feet on the journey of love and justice for all people. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, peace; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Prayers and Scriptures for Mothers and Fathers
Proverbs 31:10-31, Proverbs 4:1-4, Luke 2:41-51
Almighty God, Mother of all humanity, we seek your eternal care for all who are mothers. Give them strength and patience in the most challenging yet rewarding of all careers, motherhood. Give them wisdom to teach their children the values of your realm so that they may grow in the knowledge that life is richer and fuller with faith in you. We know that motherhood is not a synonym for perfection. May we guard against such lofty expectations of one who is a mother, accepting that we all need your grace. Be with us all that we may know our need for forgiveness. Finally we thank you for our mothers and all that we have learned from them and the love that they have given us. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Almighty God, Father of all humanity, we seek your blessing on all who faithfully accept their role as fathers. Help them to live in a just and loving relationship with their children. Sustain them in the difficult task of balancing career and family. May they offer to their families the affection that is vital for growing into caring human beings. Help them to admit when they are wrong and to stand firm when they are right. Since we are all your children, O God, it is through faith that we are called to be channels of your love for one another. As we remember our fathers may we be thankful for all they have done to mold our lives, and forgiving if we believe that they have erred. In so doing we are freed to live in the light of your grace for us all. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, Mother of all humanity, we seek your eternal care for all who are mothers. Give them strength and patience in the most challenging yet rewarding of all careers, motherhood. Give them wisdom to teach their children the values of your realm so that they may grow in the knowledge that life is richer and fuller with faith in you. We know that motherhood is not a synonym for perfection. May we guard against such lofty expectations of one who is a mother, accepting that we all need your grace. Be with us all that we may know our need for forgiveness. Finally we thank you for our mothers and all that we have learned from them and the love that they have given us. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Almighty God, Father of all humanity, we seek your blessing on all who faithfully accept their role as fathers. Help them to live in a just and loving relationship with their children. Sustain them in the difficult task of balancing career and family. May they offer to their families the affection that is vital for growing into caring human beings. Help them to admit when they are wrong and to stand firm when they are right. Since we are all your children, O God, it is through faith that we are called to be channels of your love for one another. As we remember our fathers may we be thankful for all they have done to mold our lives, and forgiving if we believe that they have erred. In so doing we are freed to live in the light of your grace for us all. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer and Scripture for Those We Love
I Samuel 18:3-4, 19:1-5, 20:41-42, John 13:1-15, Luke 15:11-32, I Corinthians 13
O God, who has set love at the center of your universe, we pray today for those who are dear to us. We ask that you would keep all families, whatever form they may take, in the hollow of your hand. Take from us any bitterness, vanity, or pride that curdles and corrodes our unity. Fill us with faith in you and one another so that we might live in a trusting relationship. Grant us your love so that we may treat one another with patience and kindness. Knit us together so that we might understand the power for good that can encompass our life together. Encourage us in time of struggle. Give us the joy in the company of each other that we might live in loving unity. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, who has set love at the center of your universe, we pray today for those who are dear to us. We ask that you would keep all families, whatever form they may take, in the hollow of your hand. Take from us any bitterness, vanity, or pride that curdles and corrodes our unity. Fill us with faith in you and one another so that we might live in a trusting relationship. Grant us your love so that we may treat one another with patience and kindness. Knit us together so that we might understand the power for good that can encompass our life together. Encourage us in time of struggle. Give us the joy in the company of each other that we might live in loving unity. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayers and Scripture for Our Time
These are troubled times for all of us, God. We have many anxieties about the economy, the threat of terrorism and the ongoing environmental concerns. We worry about an expanded war that may lead to more violence and not a lasting peace. We come to you, though, in confidence and faith - believing you understand us and can grant us the wisdom and guidance we need. We look to you for the strength and insight we don't have. Hear our prayer and show us your way. In Christ's name. Amen.
Gentle God, giver of good gifts, give us patience as we face challenges that seem too big for us. Enable us to endure the trials and tribulations of personal loss and the perils that come from others. Give us courage as we seek to follow the ways of peace and compassion in a world filled with conflict and hate. In Christ's name. Amen.
Gentle God, giver of good gifts, give us patience as we face challenges that seem too big for us. Enable us to endure the trials and tribulations of personal loss and the perils that come from others. Give us courage as we seek to follow the ways of peace and compassion in a world filled with conflict and hate. In Christ's name. Amen.
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