Lord God, friend of those in need,
Your Son Jesus has untied our burdens
and healed our spirits.
We lift up the prayers of our hearts for those still burdened,
those seeking healing,
those in need within the church and the world.
O God, oftentimes we choose law over love,
Habits over creativity,
Rules over compassion
Because it’s simply easier
Than facing the chaos of creation;
Grant that our lives would speak
With the voice of compassion
Instead of the voice of oppression.
May we choose love over law.
And teach us to care for one another
after the pattern of Jesus Christ
Your Son, our Lord.
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
You hear us calling,
You hear us calling,
Abba Father.
O God, you are acquainted with all our ways,
You know when we sit down
And when we rise up,
You know our thoughts before we think them.
You fill ordinary bellies
With ordinary bread.
And ordinary lungs
With ordinary breath
But we know each bite, each breath,
Is a gift.
O God, Your son took bread
And it became for us His body.
He took wine
And it became for us the cup of salvation.
In this season of Ordinary Time,
Open our eyes to see You
In the most ordinary places,
And all of the ways in which
You make the common divine.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
You hear us calling,
You hear us calling,
Abba Father.
O God, on the anniversary
Of the Tulsa race riots,
We remember that You created all people
in Your image.
Save us from jealousy, hatred, and fear,
and help us to live together
as members of one family at home in the world,
sons and daughters of one Father
who live in liberty as the children of God.
We pray for those whose position and authority
affect the lives of others.
Inspire them with a vision
of the community as it might be,
where love of neighbor
and concern for one another
drive out discontent and strife, anxiety and fear.
Help us to be present
in love and in justice and in truth
and in commitment to others,
so we can make of this old world a new world.
Hear our prayers
that we may love You with our whole being
and willingly share the concerns of our neighbors. Amen.
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy