“Lord, take me where You want me to go
Let me meet who You want me to meet
Tell me what You want me to say and
Keep me out of your way.”
~ Fr Mychal Judge,
Franciscan friar and RC priest, chaplain to New York Fire Department and first official victim of 9/11
On being asked how he prayed, Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, replied: “I turn up, and shut up.”
Creator God of all and everything, all too often, in the face of the seemingly interminable doom-laden. fear and paralysis-evoking news from around the world, we find ourselves saying, “But what can we do other than pray?” Then these words of Fr Mychal and Archbishop Rowan come to mind and prompt us to be still before You. By being open to You, Creator God, remind us always that we enable You to use us as channels of Your grace and love in our beautiful, radiant but wounded, broken world – for healing, reconciliation and redemptive transformation.
But do we believe that in every fibre of our being?
Creator God, we believe; help our unbelief so we may totally trust and follow Your will and way.
Such a choice will have impacts on our lives, as well as on those who work and produce (often at risk to their lives) the benefits of minerals, harvest, sea and land which contribute to our comfort, health, wealth and mobility.
Loving Creator God, in gratitude may we seek the common good.
Standing up against big business to protect communities and fragile resources such as forests, rivers and biospheres – all essential to counteract unsustainable global warming – has cost activists their lives. Some, like Fikile Ntshangase, of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, have been killed in their own homes. At least 227 people were murdered in 2020 protecting the environment and land rights for indigenous peoples, according to Global Witness. Other environmental activists are in prison in so many countries.
Loving Creator God, in gratitude may we seek the common good.
We pray for all who make difficult decisions, whether in churches, education, health, business, I.T., government, and so many areas often hidden from our scrutiny and knowledge. We pray for the various countries where elections and government changes take place often at the expense of justice, equality and truth. We remember the people of Russia, Afghanistan, Guinea, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Brazil and El Salvador.
Loving Creator God, in gratitude may we seek the common good.
May we always consider the sacred life-giving waters of the world, the oceans, aquifers, lakes, rivers, and streams. We pray for our thoughtful use of these waters, and pray for their healing, just as we pray for all who are sick or suffering. We pray that the unequal availability of vaccines be addressed promptly, as it affects us all. We remember those who are barred from going to work if unvaccinated, including all civil servants in Zimbabwe, which will severely impact public schools and health services. We pray for those already suffering hardship, poverty and malnutrition through lack of opportunity now facing these extra burdens.
Loving Creator God, in gratitude may we seek the common good.
Creator God who gives life to us all, may we remember those who have died, who have given their lives in so many different ways so we may have life. We pray for wisdom and commitment to seek a path that honors their sacrifice and You.
Loving Creator God, in gratitude may we seek the common good.
Gracious God, teach us about unity in this time. Let us seek what is good, compassionate and true. Let there be justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in our dealings with each other. Grant us the insight to relate to that of You within all whom we meet and with whom we interact. Remind us you created each one of us in Your own image, and therefore all are members of the one family -however different we may appear to be, act and think. We pray for peace, harmony and love.
Lead us from darkness to Your Light.
Loving Creator God, in gratitude may we seek the common good in You and through You.
AMEN.