Prayer

Almighty and eternal God,

Today we celebrate the feast of one of your son Jesus’ closest followers. James was willing to leave behind his father and a thriving business to follow in the footsteps of your son, ultimately giving his life in fidelity to the gospel. Fill us with your Holy Spirit that we too might have the courage to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, proclaiming the good news of the gospel by the way we lead our lives. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer

God of goodness,

Throughout history, you have called us to care for one another, to make a positive difference in the lives of those we touch. Open our hearts to your presence in our sisters and brothers. Inspire us, through your Holy Spirit, that we might embody your kindness to and for others, seeking to improve the lives of others. We give you praise and glory for your kindness forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer

God of fortitude,

We live in such challenging and divisive times. Provide us with the strength to confront our divisions with honesty and openness. May we strive not to shout louder but listen harder, not raising our voice but improving our argument. Help us to foster understanding and to promote justice not by seeking punishment but encouraging solidarity and love. We offer this prayer in the name of the God of justice and goodness. Amen.

Prayer

God of justice and right,

Today, we celebrate the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, the first witness of and to the risen Jesus, the apostle to the apostles. Through her example of love and devotion, move our hearts to similar love and devotion to you and to all your people, especially people who are poor and vulnerable. May our celebration of her feast day deepen within each of us a greater awareness of the presence of the risen Jesus in our midst and foster a greater devotion to embodying the kingdom he proclaimed. We make this prayer through Christ our risen Lord. Amen.

Prayer

Loving God,

We thank you in a special way today for giving each of us a unique call. Strengthened by an awareness of your presence and love for us, we pray that we might respond with courage and compassion to your call. May the light of your love guide us as we strive each day to respond generously and humbly, offering our gifts for the betterment of the broader community. We pray in the name of the God is the source and destiny of our call. Amen.

Prayer

God of goodness and love,

You established a covenant with Abraham, our father in faith, promising that all nations of the earth will find blessing in and through his descendants. Today, we join with our Muslim sisters and brothers as they celebrate Abraham’s faith and devotion to you. May this celebration strengthen the bond between people of different faith traditions and unite us in the mission to be a source of blessing for all the world. We pray in the name of the God who called Abraham to faith. Amen.

Prayer

Creator God,

On this day in 1848 the Seneca Falls Convention, a women’s rights convention, began. As we continue to struggle to bring to birth a nation and world committed to the inherent dignity of all, fill us with your Holy Spirit that we might unite our voices and lives with others in the effort to build a more equitable, just, and humane society. We pray in the name of the God who is the source of all life. Amen.