Prayer

God of light,

As many of our colleagues begin the festivities of Diwali, we pause and give thanks for the power of light over darkness. Shed your light abroad in our hearts today, that we might illumine the places we serve and put the shadows to flight. Brighten the world through our lives of service and dedication, as we strive to express your compassionate love to all those in need. Amen.

Prayer

God of justice,

As your word proclaims, so we shall pray: Let the prayers of the lowly pierce the clouds. Let the cry of the oppressed inspire your action on earth. Without partiality, use us to minister justice in our relations, neighborhoods, and world. For the sake of those most in need, Amen.

Prayer

God of life,

We know the life of faith involves risk, yet we often find reasons to hunker down and remain in our respective zones of comfort. Give us courage instead to step out more. Lead us to become more like Peter your disciple, who followed your voice and walked on water. Yes, may we follow the examples of all of those who stand out in our ministry’s history, risking their own sense of safety and security, so that your compassionate ministry could freely reach those most in need. Amen.

Prayer

God our joy,

May we never underestimate the power of a smile. A face shining with joy can be such a genuine comfort to people in pain, experiencing loneliness and isolation, all those who are desperate for hope. As we gather our hearts and minds in prayer today, we ask that each one of our associates might have a new experience of your indwelling spirit and the joy that it brings. Let it spring up from within, so that every patient, family member, colleague and neighbor might be graced with the gift of a hospitable smile. For our sake as much as for those that we serve, Amen.

Prayer

God of our journeys,

So often you call us, out of the harbors of safety and into uncharted waters. It can be hard to follow that call, whether in our personal lives or in the organizations that we form together. And yet we have seen and believed that it is better by far to answer your call, stay close to your voice, and let you lead the way. Therefore, we ask you: lead us. May we always remember that our safety depends not on the stability of the familiar, but on our constant pursuit of who you made us to be. Amen.

Prayer

God of order,

We live in a society where it seems increasingly difficult for our politics to embrace the “both/and” of justice and charity, together. And yet in your vision of persons in community, these virtues together form the one foundation of any society that hopes to cultivate deep and genuine peace. Help us to work towards a more peace-filled social order, as we respond compassionately to the wounded and the vulnerable that you put in our path. And may we be just as proactive in protecting our neighbors from the forces that would try to inflict harm. Amen.

Prayer

God of all wisdom,

In our personal and professional lives, we are often beset by a lack of self-awareness. In times of stress and anxiety especially, we make decisions and respond to others without even thinking, basing our words and deeds on instinct and reflex, rather than self-conscious attention and foresight. Heal us of our weakness and lead us to be more conscientious, level-headed partners with the people around us. You saw fit to gift us with such powerful minds—help us to use them rightly! For the success of your mission, together we pray, Amen.