Imagination

Imagination

Prayer

God of goodness, we thank you for the many gifts you give to us, for the many blessings you bestow upon us. In a special way today, we thank you for the gift of the human imagination. The power of the imagination not only creates works of art that move and inspire, the imagination also creates solutions to problems and envisions a future better than the present we experience. Inspire within us a desire to cultivate our imagination and contribute its fruits to making a better world. In God’s name we pray. Amen.

Teaching

Teaching

Prayer

Gracious God, today, the world celebrates teachers. Fill our hearts with gratitude for the many teachers who have opened our minds and touched our hearts. Inspire us to learn throughout our lives and give us the courage to embody in our lives the lessons we learned in the classroom. Bless all teachers with a sense of satisfaction and contentment knowing they have contributed so richly to the lives of their students. We pray in gratitude. Amen.

Peace

Peace

Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, let me sow pardon. Where there is doubt, let me sow faith. Where there is despair, let me sow hope. Where there is darkness, let me sow light. Where there is sadness, let me sow joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness

Prayer

Loving God, we live in a time when sins and failings, past or present, are often used as weapons to injure rather than as opportunities to promote growth and communion. Help us to recognize that we are all imperfect together. Open our eyes, that we might see each other as sisters and brothers. Open our hearts that we might, in a spirit of forgiveness, seek to overcome wrongs and promote solidarity among all. Amen.

Dependence

Dependence

Prayer

Eternal Lord, today our Jewish sisters and brothers celebrate this feast emphasizing the dependence of the people of Israel on the Lord, particularly during their sojourn through the desert during the Exodus. Too often we think of dependence as weakness. Help us to see that dependence upon you is the path to true freedom. May we join with our Jewish sisters and brothers in acknowledging our dependence upon you and enjoy the blessing of freedom that only you can give. In confidence and gratitude, we pray. Amen.

Diversity

Diversity

Prayer

God of all, you have created each of us as unique individuals yet one in dignity. Help us to respect the diversity of persons with whom you populate the earth. May our celebration of diversity enrich our appreciation of the beauty of the human person and shape communities where the voices of all are heard. Open our eyes that we may see your image and likeness in all we meet. We pray in the name of the God who creates us all. Amen.

Enjoying Life

Enjoying Life

Prayer

God of all good things, it can sometimes seem as if difficult news swirls around us constantly. COVID-19 updates, racial tension, raging fires, and a host of other issues threaten our well-being and assail our hope. And yet, we also know there is more to life than the challenges we face. Fill our hearts with the joy that flows from the inspiration of your Holy Spirit. Help us to enjoy the life you have given us and to grow in our appreciation of those with whom we share it. Amen.