Holy and Mysterious God, the light of your love shines on, illuminating the places where you are present. As the disciples pondered the stories of your appearance, you penetrated the darkness of their fear and doubt with your word of peace. You showed them the appalling marks of evil pierced on your hands and feet. You opened their minds to understand why you had to die to defeat such evil and death. Increase our understanding, we pray, and open our minds and hearts to receive you.
You have called us to follow in the way of your risen Son, and to care for those who are our companions, not only with words of comfort, but with acts of love. Seeking to be true friends of all, we offer our prayers on behalf of the church and the world.
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
You hear us calling,
You hear us calling,
Abba Father.
We also keep company with the travelers on the Emmaus road who felt the strange burning of the truth and hope and love weaving into the sadness that consumed them on their walk. We find ourselves in the eternal movement between fear and faith, doubt and conviction, wonder and worry, and we trust that you are present with us, O God. We pray that like the disciples, we will be able to stand and tell the whole message about this life.
We give thanks for those who:
rise early in the morning to prepare food at countless soup kitchens around the world;
search the night streets for lost children and shepherd them to places of safety;
keep watch amidst the sick and dying in countless hospitals and in countless places.
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
You hear us calling,
You hear us calling,
Abba Father.
Bring to us O God, the sense of your living presence as we go into this new week. Renew in your Church the faith you want us to have, the faith that is not afraid to reach out in your name and to share the treasure you have given us, that treasure which is greater than silver and gold.
Finally, O Lord, we ask that you would bless us at Sanctuary with vision for the future and reverence for the past. Guide us each day as we minister to one another and to world for which you gave yourself. Help us each day to bear witness to your name and to do that which you would have us do. We ask it through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy.