Just God,

The complaints people raise always stand out more than their praise. Meanwhile much of the good work that we do goes unnoticed. As we strive to continue extending your healing ministry, help us take comfort in knowing that you are always fair, that you see us when others do not, and that you do not forget the many ways we help those in need. While none of us are here to gain external awards, we are nonetheless thankful for this reminder from your word today: you are always attentive, and you see our good deeds performed in your name. Amen.

Liberating God,

You call us to embody some radical virtues, perhaps none more radical than forgiveness. As you have shown us, forgiveness means more than simply ignoring or overlooking the harms we have suffered. It means surrendering our rightful claims of justice to you, so you can transform our wounds into freedom. So challenging! For our own sake today, give us the strength to forgive those who have wronged us, that we may be freed of bitterness and hatred and filled with your transforming love. Amen.

Always Good God,

May we never take for granted those rare and precious days when everything seems to go right. Because we know that it is precisely when times are tough that you call us to rely on our inner strength and character to make it through. Help us, then, to be ready for the bad days, by devoting ourselves daily to the habits and practices that nurture our inner foundations. Amen.

God of the new,

Different perspectives can alter our expectations about even the most ordinary experiences. We need people around us who can refresh our vision in such ways. People who are blessed with unique insight and creative thinking. People who help us to see the world through new lenses, so that we might find new and accessible solutions to the problems we face together. Inspire us all towards new perspectives and fresh ways of thinking today, so that our work in this ministry can better serve the needs of our patients, families, and our broader communities. Amen.

God our refuge and strength,

We unite with others across the globe today, to remember those whose lives are upended by terrorism year upon year. We give them voice today and renew our commitment not to look away from the injustice they suffer. May we honor the memory of those who have died—those we have known and those who will never be known—by lending concrete support to those who presently live amid fears and threats of violence. In solidarity with them, we pray for your kingdom to come, with its healing and liberation, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Reconciling God,

We may struggle to imagine how all the wrongs will somehow be put right. How peace will ever come for all people, near and far. Yet your ways are higher than our ways and the plans that you have made are good and true. In the hope of faith, then, we look forward to a day when the earth itself will meet heaven’s justice. When a new day will dawn, and you will reconcile all things just as they should be. In our work today, may we all do our part in bringing your dream for the world one step closer to reality. Amen.