Prayer

God of love,

We long to be happy. Some of us desire happiness so desperately that we grasp at it fitfully, wasting our time by chasing illusions. Yet saints and sages alike have taught us the pathway to happiness is inseparable from a life lived on purpose, in step with the mission to which you have called us. Give us fortitude and resilience to follow your calling and respond to our vocation. May we dedicate ourselves to discovering our purpose and pursuing it with all our strength and conviction. For the joy set before us and the promise of true happiness, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Love in Action,

We will forever be grateful for the love you have poured out for humanity. May we always remember that to abide in your love never means less than showing compassion for others in this one human family, in real and tangible ways. Your love should inspire us to clothe the naked, liberate the oppressed, advocate for the weak, and heal those who are sick. Help us embody your love today in these ways. Let those who have extra share with those who have less and may we all draw closer to you by drawing close to those most in need of compassion. Amen.

Prayer

God of peace,

We tend to think of peace as a day without fighting. Yet the death and resurrection of your son Jesus have won for us a peace beyond all understanding. It transforms the world, effecting forgiveness within and between us, and healing the wounds of injustice. May we receive this peace today in our hearts and be willing to extend it through all we say and do. Whether it is our work at the bedside, the interventions we perform, our routine interactions at desks, in the lab, on the phone, in the café, wherever we happen to be serving today, help us be agents of peace, uplifting the dignity of everyone we encounter and serving the good of all. Amen.

Prayer

God our defender,

Recent events have put a spotlight on the awesome and awful responsibilities of the world’s military forces. For good and for ill, brothers and sisters are engaged in missions that transcend them, and for which their lives are already pledged. As we consider our own incredible blessings here in this nation, we give thanks and pray for all those who have devoted their lives to protecting and defending our freedom, peace, and security. May we never take them for granted. May we never forget the burden of responsibility they willingly carry for the sake of us all. Amen.

Prayer

God who knows our experience,

There is a vast distance between the way things are and the way they should be. We see the evils around us and we long for justice, weeping at all that is broken. Yet with deeply felt joy we laugh as well, when wrongs are put right, justice is served, and the good finally wins. It is comforting to remember that you have felt all this, too, that you walked in our shoes, weeping and laughing in the same ways we do. Help us, then, to follow the example you left us, that we might bring more of what ought to be into what is. May our mourning be turned into laughter today. Amen.

Prayer

Loving God,

We each had our reasons for joining this ministry, but we no doubt hold this much in common: we have tasted the joy of giving ourselves away for the sake of another’s healing. Such experiences leave us humbled and grateful—glad to be playing our part in what is ultimately your ministry of healing. And yet, as often as we have experienced the mountaintop, we have experienced the pain of the valley as well. So, for all those who need their joy renewed and restored, we pray for them, and ask that they would be drawn closer to your loving heart as they continue to give themselves in service to others. Amen.

Prayer

Perfect Love,

We say we desire to become our best selves, but really, sometimes, that is just lip-service. Actually changing, becoming people of character and intention, developing the gifts we have been given and learning to steward them wisely, all this takes time, attention, and a willingness to face those parts of ourselves we would rather ignore. Give us humility, so we can face the truth and embrace the work of self-transformation. Heal us of pride, so we will not be defensive but can learn every day how to “polish our mirror,” becoming the best we can be in the world that you gave us to serve. Amen.