O God, you come to us wherever and however we might be. No matter how much we may not believe it, we are worthy of your love and grace. Therefore, we uplift to you all of our raggedy and incomplete prayers to you—the ones that fall from our lips, the ones that remain hidden within our hearts, and the ones that we might not know how to articulate yet. Dwell within us, Holy One, and speak to us from that place where the deep calls to deep.
Maker of Heaven and Earth the beauty of creation reveals your glory and the gifts of abundance that you have given to us. You call us to care for the world around us just as you care for us and we pray that you guide us in our efforts to be good stewards.
- We are grateful for the agreements being negotiated between the United States, Japan, South Korea and Canada to bolster their carbon emission reduction targets in anticipation of Earth Day next week.
- We pray for indigenous islanders from Torres Strait, Australia bringing a case to the UN Human Rights Committee with the hope to protect their homes from rising sea levels, coastal erosion and flooding in recent years as a result of climate change.
Great Creator, we give thanks for the large and small ways that we recognize our lives and wellbeing are mutually tethered to one another. And yet, so often we fall short of this calling. Instead we scar the earth with markers of destruction, dominion, and death. May your transformative, re-creating grace be made known where life is broken, abused, and oppressed. God, give us a vision so that we might see the world as you it– interconnected and interdependent.
O Source of Light and Life, we pray for the places where violence and tyranny cause so much suffering. We pray for peoples living with trauma and uncertain futures. May greed and hatred loosen its grip on humanity. Holy Spirit, descend upon the many corners of this world in need of your saving love and abiding peace.
- Our souls are weary with the news of the death of Daunte Wright in Minnesota, United States. Another Black life cut too short at the hands of a police officer.
- Our grief hangs heavy learning of a militant attack of a humanitarian hub in Borno State, Nigeria.
- Our hearts break for the families of the 20 children who died in school fire in Niger.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Shepherd, gather in your hurting and scattered flock. Protect the vulnerable, neglected, and marginalized where peace is tenuous, and fear is mounting.
- We pray for the Syrian refugees in Denmark as it becomes the first EU country to deprive them of their asylum status, even as Syria remains shattered.
- We pray for the people of Afghanistan as the United States decides to withdraw from the country by September 11th. This marks the end to the longest war in US history, but it remains unlikely that fighting within the country will end.
- We pray for the people of Iran as its political leadership has decided to boost its uranium enrichment to 60 percent, its highest level ever.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
And, God, the pandemic still remains the backdrop to our lives. We are grateful for the arrival of vaccinations and the glimmer of hope that they bring. Yet, the World Health Organization tells us that the pandemic is “a long way from over.” It is hard not to be discouraged by the news that the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines might have some adverse side effects. Hold in your safekeeping all those working tirelessly and overtime to research these vaccines. Holy Spirit come alongside all who are sick, caregiving, and on edge. Comfort those in places, such as India and Brazil, where the pandemic still rages on.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
God, sometimes life is too much for us to bear on our own. Remind us that you keep track of our sorrows, collect our tears in a bottle, and record each one. Please share your peace which surpasses all understanding with everyone who is hurting and mourning this day. Equip us to confront hardship with strength and justice.
Christ, you came to this world to share with us a proclamation of love. Let us be extravagant in our sharing of grace. When see the empty tomb, may we be filled with the promise of hope, possibility of life, and celebrate your resurrection. May we drench the world with our outpouring of your love.
We pray this in your name, Amen.