Prayer

Creator God,

As we answer your call to steward creation wisely, help us lean into the principle of harmony and let it serve as a guide for all our ambitions. Help us avoid short-sighted pursuits that fail to respect the interconnectedness of all things. Instead, may we expand our perspectives and learn to cooperate better across the globe, so that we might more effectively bring good help to the world. In search of greater harmony with all your creatures, the land and the sea, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

God over all,

As we advance your mission today, free our hearts from every hint of judgment and bias. Forgive us for trying to take short cuts in our encounters with others, categorizing and pigeon-holing people without really getting to listening to them or giving them a chance to reveal all their depth. May we strive instead to create a culture that welcomes and attends to the whole person in front of us, in every encounter, so that we might better serve them in mind, body, and spirit. Amen.

Prayer

God of celebrations,

No matter who we are or where we are from, this season provides us with many opportunities to connect and celebrate with those we love. For those who are especially lonely this time of year, we pray for your spirit to impel neighbors and friends to reach out in kindness and include them with loving attention. May we as a ministry be more attentive to all those who are suffering from a lack of connection, that we might serve them with the highest quality care and with a warm and hospitable spirit. Amen.

Prayer

Almighty God,

Sometimes it’s the most trivial of obstacles that can throw us off our game, showing us how much growing up we still have to do. Inspire us towards greater maturity so we can better embody the virtues we need for life and ministry. Give us patience with ourselves and with others during this often, stressful holiday season, believing that we are all at least trying to be our best selves. As we continue striving to extend your compassionate ministry, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Faithful God,

As a ministry united, we pause and invite your spirit to empower us this day. Remind us that being in communion with you doesn’t have to be complicated, nor does a prayerful spirit need to distract us from urgent tasks requiring focus and attention. Whether its serving our patients and families at bedside, managing complex operations that sustain our ministry, or working beyond our walls with vendors and partners… Throughout all the many activities that occupy as a ministry together, help us remain a community anchored in prayer. Amen.

Prayer

God who calls us,

The consequences of environmental degradation are all around us, yet the causes are so vast it can be hard for us to know how to respond effectively. Protect us from the false belief that, faced with problems of such magnitude, we are somehow excused from the call to action. Your holy word and our own experience teach us that you have called every one of us to nourish and care for the world you have made. Inspire us to do so, such as we can, each in our own way today. As those who bear your image, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Joy Divine,

Being made in your image and likeness means we have a natural desire to find our way back to you. Thank you for accepting and loving us just as we are, and for inviting us to share in the joy you have possessed from eternity and that you sent into the world through your son, Jesus. On this third Sunday of Advent, we meditate gratefully on the depth of this joy, and we commit to make room for more of your joy in our souls. For the life of the world, we pray. Amen.