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World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, March 20th 2014

Thursday, March 20th 2014

“If God is your co-pilot, swap seats!” (cartoon)

“Purity does not come in separation from but in deeper penetration into the Universe … Bathe yourself in the ocean of matter; plunge into it where it is deepest and most violent; struggle in its currents and drink its water. For it cradled you long ago in your preconscious existence: and it is the ocean that will raise you up to God.”
Teilhard de Chardin “Hymn of the Universe”

Jesus said to her (the Samaritan woman at the well), “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.”
John 4: 13 – 14

So many stories in the news this week seem to center on the in-crowd and those marginalized in so many societies and situations. This reflects the gospel story of Jesus’ remarkable extended conversation at the public well with the Samaritan woman whose sexual behavioral choices has cast her out to the margins of her society. Jesus chose not to conform to the accepted patterns of behavior by not only speaking with her in public, but engaging in deep and frank conversation with her, expressing God’s love for each person regardless of their nationality, gender or history and pointing the way to a truly fulfilled and purposeful life.

Come Lord, come light, come love.
Come down,
Come in,
Come among us.

Lord, we so often want to play it safe, to be approved of by others, not to rock the boat too much – fearful of ostracism and the consequences of being excluded and marginalized. Help us to discern what we should do according to what is right in Your eyes, and so worship you in spirit and in truth in our actions and daily choices of living… But give us grace and humility as well as integrity and strength of purpose, and fill us with your light and love…

Come Presence, come peace, come power.
Come down,
Come in,
Come among us.

We pray for all those from many countries still waiting for news of their missing relatives and friends on the missing Malaysian Airlines flight… for those involved in the search … for compassionate treatment of those stuck in the quicksand of not-knowing the fate of their loved ones . . .

Those facing uncertainty through the planned mega-dams on the Brahmaputra both in Tibet and India which could cause untold consequences for millions…

The flooding of the Mid-West of the USA with very cheap heroin smuggled in from Mexico . . .We pray for protection of the thousands of young teenagers trying it and becoming hooked. . .

The carnage in Syria, the Central African Republic, Afghanistan, Iraq, the unrest in Ukraine, Crimea, Brazil, Taipei, and so many other countries. . .

Come Grace, come glory, come goodness.
Come down,
Come in,
Come among us.

We pray for all those fighting corruption wherever it is found:

Charges placed against President Zuma of South Africa, some senior politicians in China, a few policemen in the UK, allegations of bribery and corruption in so many sporting fields and organizations.

We give thanks for so many quietly working often without publicity to try and bring reconciliation, justice and peace rather than war, bitterness and brokenness. . .

We give thanks for those courageously blowing the whistle on what so many try to keep hidden…

We give thanks for millions in the UK involved in so many events this week for Sport Relief to help people improve their own lives in the UK and throughout the world. We especially give thanks for the children and young people who give of their time, energy and creativity to try and help others in so many ways in all our communities.

Come Creator, come Redeemer, come Strengthener.
Come down,
Come in,
Come among us.

Help us, Lord, to get down and dirty in the often messy confusion of our lives and those of our neighbors both in our own communities and far away… Remind us daily to have You as our Pilot and not co-pilot! That we may do everything we can to make sure everyone has clean water to drink and to know they are loved by You. Use us as Your hands, your touch, your channel of love, healing and peace. . .

Come Father, come Son, come Spirit.
Come down,
Come in,
Come among us.
David Adam “Border Lands”

AMEN

World News This Week In Prayer – Thursday, February 28, 2014

Creativity God, we search for wholeness because your energy within us desires such. With this in mind, we see the incessant news from our world that seems to portray more brokenness than ever before.

A week ago, those in the United States were reminded by one Olympic national news correspondent that “…no amount of Olympic glory can mask those [Russian imprisonment of dissidents, hostility to gay rights, and support of a vicious Syrian regime] realities.” Perhaps, more than ever God, we need to be ever-searching for the Olympic goodness in our world. Yes, it can’t mask other realities – realities that are very un-Godlike – but perhaps it can be the starting point or the turning point for a better tomorrow.

As we continue to witness natural disasters and an excessively disturbed weather pattern that spreads around the globe, perhaps our divine nature can bring hands and feet necessary to rebuild, clean, and heal destroyed communities, all the while remembering that for every “wet season” or uncontrollable moment of flooding, such as the experience in the UK this year, there is the gorgeous Aurora Borealis, better known as the Northern Lights.

When we are faced with war, the results of war, and loss of human life from curable disease or hunger, perhaps the God-within-us can spring forth the knowledge, creativity, and sense of reconciliation that is needed for peace-making, peace-keeping, and peace-sustaining within our broken communities, all the while remembering that for every deadly bomb blast that harms and kills, such as in the Somali capital of Mogadishu this week, there are communities like Ginghamsburg Church that has invested over $7M since 2004 into the Sudan Project which has built schools, health care facilities, clean water and sanitation devices, and affordable housing.

God of Unity, those of all Abrahamic faith traditions are called to be agents of reconciliation and love. May we, through you gracious God, find ways to manifest the love and hope within us, and the realm of God around us in our own communities so that Olympic glory is not just masking evil realities, but instead is doing the necessary work within your creation to bring about wholeness to transform the world.

Amen.

World News This Week In Prayer – Thursday, February 13, 2014

Calm me, Lord

Calm me, Lord, as you calmed the storm;
Still me, Lord, keep me from harm,
Let all the tumult within me cease,
enfold me, Lord, in your peace.

Text: David Adam

What a maelstrom of events is present in the news this week. Torrential unseasonal rain in Indonesia has affected the Pacific gulfstream, which in turn has affected the gulfstream over North America causing drought in California, the polar freeze over large sections of the rest of the continent. This in turn has disrupted the Atlantic gulfstream so Ireland and the United Kingdom have been battered by hurricane strength winds, and the wettest winter in over 250 years resulting in extensive floods. And the end is not in sight… And this is not just occurring in the northern hemisphere… You have given us charge to live in harmony with all of your creation and with each other… Lord, teach us how to live in this way, but first of all teach us daily how to live in harmony with You.

Hear our cry and teach us, God.

Lord, we pray for all working to ease the havoc and destruction caused by the weather. We pray for wisdom in how we work together to prevent such catastrophes or at least for learning how to mitigate their effects. The ribbon of life binds us all together wherever we are in the world, and our actions have reactions and our choices have consequences. Open our eyes to the life force breathed into us by you at Creation, so we can live truly as members of one body.

Hear our cry and teach us, God.

We give thanks for the extended temporary ceasefire in Syria to rescue some people from Homs. We ask for forgiveness for the actions and inactions that have prevented bringing peace to this horrendous conflict. It brings to mind the horrors of Srebrenica in Bosnia, and the pattern is being repeated in Syria, Israel, the West Bank, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and so many other countries.

Lord, have mercy, and bring peace to your suffering peoples…

We celebrate the good news and joy that is brought from the efforts of the athletes at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. We recall all those who have been displaced or suffered in any way for the Olympic facilities to be made ready. We give thanks that in the middle of such human mess, there are flashes of inspiration and truly generous, open-hearted support of each other by athletes of competing nations.

Lord, we praise you and give you thanks.

We give thanks too for the good news of communities, often themselves facing hardship, like the small church of Tron St. Mary’s, in Balornock, Glasgow, Scotland, who, faced with a large immigrant population and great deprivation, have sought and obtained funding to extend their work within the community, growing and sharing food, skills, and helping people settle and be welcomed as part of the community no matter their faith or country of origin.

Lord, bless them and all like them as they spread your light and love where they are.

As so many celebrate or feel pressured to celebrate St Valentine’s Day, we remember those who produce flowers for us in developing countries often in conditions which would not be allowed where we live. We pray for those for whom there is no one to make them feel special, or those who have lost that special someone… Lord, help us to share with each other, whether as a couple or as single people, the deep abiding love which can only truly be found in You and which even in the best human relationship is but a faint reflection of Your love for each one of us.

And so Lord,

“My whole being desires you … Your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you … I will give you thanks as long as I live … My soul will feast and be satisfied.. all night long I think of you … I cling to you…”

-Selected from Psalm 63: 1 – 8

Amen.

World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, December 5, 2013

In intercession we, the intercessors, need to know something of the circumstances to kindle our concern. God already knows it all, but it seems in the mystery of humanity where God has given us free will, he will not bypass this and treat us like robots. Our love and concern seem to open the way for God’s energy to flow into the world. Meister Eckert said: “Every act reveals God and expands God’s being.” We can think of intercession as expanding God’s being in every situation we open to Him. – Sr. Margaret Mary, SPB, in “Seeking God in the Silence”

So, God, source of all life and being, we bring our concerns for the world to You, that Your energy, light, and love may be unleashed to transform what is broken; to heal who and what are wounded; to make straight what is crooked and destructive; to build up and enliven what is good and true, that Your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord, in the stillness of our deepest hearts beyond all words, lighten the darkness…

Of those still struggling to cope and recover from the 100 mph winds in the UK, leaving more than 40,000 homes without power as sub-arctic temperatures move in and threatening severe floods in coastal areas
The continuing slow recovery from the devastation of Typhoon Haiphen in the Philippines
Cyclone Lehar in the Indian and Far Eastern countries and all other natural disasters
As the world mourns the loss of Statesman Nelson Mandela and all he meant to South Africa, the world, and the devastation of apartheid
Of those facing unremitting violence and unrest in so many countries including Thailand, Afghanistan, Mexico, Peru, Syria, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Egypt, South Africa, the Central African Republic. These situations bring the words of Nelson Mandela to mind, “The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come.”
Of those mourning the dead and wounded in the police helicopter crash on a pub in Glasgow, Scotland
And we give thanks for all those, who forgetting themselves, run toward these disasters to help others

God, ever merciful and full of forgiveness, compassion and faithful love, bless and encourage…

All aid workers helping others in disaster zones and also in our local communities often caring for the marginalized and forgotten
All those relatives, friends, and care-takers providing loving support for those seemingly lost in dementia, but not lost to You
Every act of kindness, love and selflessness, that it may spread a web of love and peace in the world to counteract the malign selfishness and greed encouraged by so many interests at this time of year

At this time of waiting and preparation for Your coming, remind us again daily that your way is not the way of power and domination, but of self-giving love and sacrifice for all. Challenge our narrow and often sadly judgmental views.

Remind us that because You chose to forsake all to come as a helpless human – to live and learn and grow as we do – you enabled Easter to happen. Your death and resurrection opened the gateway to reconciliation with You. Give us the courage to say “Yes” to You as Mary did when Gabriel came and disrupted her life with the news of what You wanted of her. This life we live is a construction zone for each one of us and also for Your world. Transform us, by Your light and love, into the people and world You created us to be.

Amen.