Prayer

Almighty and ever-living God,

You sacrificed your son Jesus for love of us. Jesus sacrificed himself for love of us. Countless women and men throughout history have sacrificed themselves out of love and a desire to make the world a better place. Give us the strength to respond to your call to give of ourselves to improve the lives of others. May our sacrifices contribute to fulfilling your dream for the world and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve. We pray in God’s name. Amen.

Prayer

Liberating Lord,

You call us to serve people who are poor, sick, and underserved. Help us to respond generously to your call that we might make the world a better place, particularly for those who are vulnerable and marginalized. Inspire us by the power of your Holy Spirit to use the gifts and talents you have given each of us that we might be instruments of your justice and peace. Amen.

Prayer

Loving Lord,

So many people gauge their success in life based upon the size of their bank account, the strength of their retirement plan, or the lavishness of their home. Give us minds open to the truth that the true reward for work well done is our growth in goodness. Give us the gift of perspective, that we might recognize the purpose of life is not in financial reward or the accumulation of prestige but in our gradual becoming as people of compassion and mercy. We pray in the name of our ever-living Lord. Amen.

Prayer

Gracious God,

Open our hearts and minds to the truth that life is not about what we get but rather what we give to others. Renew our souls and give us the desire and the strength to empty ourselves in the cause of promoting the dignity of all we encounter this day. Help us see our greatest gift is the opportunity to improve the lives of others and our most noble accomplishment is creation of communities of compassion and care. We make this prayer in the name of the God who creates us all. Amen.

Prayer

Merciful God,

Sometimes we may feel the mountain before us is too tall to climb. Perhaps we have failed in our previous attempts to scale it and are tempted to despair that we could ever succeed in ascending those lofty heights. Give us the courage each day to try one more time, to never give up. No matter how many times we may fall, strengthen us through the gift of your grace to rise again and take the next step. We pray in God’s name. Amen.

Prayer

God of time,

We live in a time when we speak of work-life balance. Yet, we often fail to achieve that balance. In response to a question about taxes, your son Jesus replied, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God.” Help us to achieve work-life balance by giving to work what belongs to work and to our relationships what belongs to our relationships. Amen.

Prayer

Triune God,

Today, we celebrate the feast of Pentecost. Pentecost commemorates the day when the fullness of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples of Jesus, empowering them to proclaim the good news of your reign to the ends of the earth. We thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit in our own hearts and lives. May the same Spirit that empowered the first disciples inspire us to respond with generosity and courage to your call to be the good news for all we meet. May our celebration of Pentecost renew within us our commitment to the mission of your son Jesus, extending his compassionate mercy to others, especially people who are poor and vulnerable. We make this prayer to you, through your son, and in your Holy Spirit. Amen.