a prayer for extending the kindness of God to others

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,  he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  Titus: 3-4-7 

Dear Heavenly Father,

I praise you for being so gentle, kind, and patient with me. You don't love me to the degree I love others; you love me to the degree you have hidden my life in Christ, which is completely. This Good News is my peace, my hope, and my joy. 

This kindness is always the basis for my repentance. Even as your kindness continues to lead me to repentance and leads me to more of Jesus, so I repent, Father. I repent of lingering resentments. Of withholding kindness, of holding on to hurts, and of not being quick to forgive as you have forgiven. 

 May I learn to rejoice in the grace you give to others, and not just in the grace you give to me. As I sit in the truth of your grace, Lord, show me the ways to extend this grace to others so that I may proclaim your glory. 

Amen

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that we might be like you

Help us to follow the example that you set when you walked among us.

Teach us to be kind when life seems cruel and merciless.

Lead us to love when we are hurt and wounded by others.

When we are wronged and treated badly, give us grace that we might forgive.

In all of our ways, work things together that we might be like Jesus.

Amen 

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a prayer for marriages

Most gracious God, 

We give you thanks for consecrating marriages.

Help newlyweds build trusting marital relationships.

Pour out your blessings upon couples as they join together.

Defend them from every enemy and lead them into all peace.

As they grow closer, help them to find you in their marriage.

Let their love for each other cause them to serve each other,

Bless their intimacy, companionship and friendship.

Help them to find rest in their sleeping and in their waking.

Cause grace to flow in their joys and in their sorrows.

In all ways, and at all times, teach them the ways of love

Amen

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teach me true generosity

Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God,

Teach me true generosity.

Teach me to serve you as you deserve.

To give without counting the cost,

To fight heedless of wounds,

To labor without seeking rest,

To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward

Save the knowledge that I have done your will.

Amen

 - St Ignatius of Loyola

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that we might celebrate our diversity

Almighty God, 

Through your Holy Spirit you created unity in the midst of diversity.

We acknowledge that human diversity is an expression of your manifold love for your creation.

We confess that in our brokenness as human beings we turn diversity into a source of alienation, injustice, oppression, and wounding.

Empower us to recognize and celebrate differences as your great gift to the human family.

Enable us to be the architects of understanding, of respect and love.

Through the Lord, the ground of all unity, we pray.

Amen.

- Author Unknown

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a prayer in new beginnings

God of Love,

You are with us in every transition and change, as we enter into this new era with excitement and even some anxiety, we recall your deep compassion, presence, and abounding love.

We thank you for the gifts, talents and skills with which you have blessed us. We thank you for the experiences that have brought us to this moment. We thank you for the work of others that gives breadth and depth to our own work.

Be with us as we move forward, rejoicing with you and supporting one another.

We ask this in your Holy Name.

Amen.

- Author Unknown

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a prayer of confession

                Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and Your steadfast love, 

                 for they have been from of old. 

For Your name's sake, O Lord, 

pardon my guilt, for it is great. 

Turn to me and be gracious to me,

for I am lonely and afflicted. 

The troubles of my heart are enlarged;

bring me out of my distresses

Consider my affliction and my trouble, 

and forgive all my sins.

                Amen

(Pulled from Psalm 25)

 

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A Juneteenth Prayer

Today, we commemorate the end of slavery in America. This day partially reminds us of the progress made. This day also partially reminds us of the progress we have not made. We celebrate the freedom of black lives in our nation. We grieve that we have not correctly reconciled racism in our nation.

You created each person in Your image. The two greatest commandments call us to love You with all our heart, souls, and minds; Then, to love our neighbor as ourselves. Your love for us motivates us to love each other. If we do not love each other, then ultimately, we have not experienced Your love.

As much as we commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth, we grieve this day. We mourn that our black brothers and sisters have not been loved as our neighbors. We mourn that our black brothers and sisters have been treated less than created in Your image throughout history. So, Lord, we confess our sins and repent. The healing and reconciliation we desire comes from the gospel.

On Juneteenth this year, we ask You to guide our nation. May the good news of the gospel motivate us to love each other. May the ideals of our words match the practices of our lives. May a fresh empowerment of Your Spirit unite us together. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear Your will and leading. Amen

- prayer by Peter Englert    

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father's day blessing

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a prayer for immigarnts

Merciful God,we pray to you for all the men, women and children who have died after leaving their homelands in search of a better life. 

Though many of their graves bear no name, to you each one is known, loved and cherished. 

May we never forget them, but honour their sacrifice with deeds more than words. We entrust to you all those who have made this journey, enduring fear, uncertainty and humiliation, in order to reach a place of safety and hope.

Just as you never abandoned your Son as he was brought to a safe place by Mary and Joseph, so now be close to these, your sons and daughters, through our tenderness and protection.

In caring for them may we seek a world where none are forced to leave their home and where all can live in freedom, dignity and peace.

Merciful God and Father of all, wake us from the slumber of indifference, open our eyes to their suffering, and free us from the insensitivity born of worldly comfort and self-centredness.

Inspire us, as nations, communities and individuals, to see that those who come to our shores are our brothers and sisters.

May we share with them the blessings we have received from your hand, and recognize that together, as one human family, we are all migrants, journeying in hope to you, our true home, where every tear will be wiped away, where we will be at peace and safe in your embrace.

- by Pope Francis

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when we have lost our spiritual thirst

Disturb us, Lord, when

We are too well pleased with ourselves,

When our dreams have come true

Because we have dreamed too little,

When we arrived safely

Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when

With the abundance of things we possess

We have lost our thirst

For the waters of life;

Having fallen in love with life,

We have ceased to dream of eternity

And in our efforts to build a new earth,

We have allowed our vision

Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,

To venture on wider seas

Where storms will show your mastery;

Where losing sight of land,

We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back

The horizons of our hopes;

And to push into the future

In strength, courage, hope, and love.

Amen

- Attributed to Sir Francis Drake

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a yielding prayer

You have the words of life Father.

It is to you that we yield our hearts and minds.

You led a life of love and sacrifice Jesus.

We yield our lives to your message and example of love.

You lead us into all truth Holy Spirit.

Fill us and bend our wills to yours that you might love through us.

Amen

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eyes on Him

He brought out his people with rejoicing,
    his chosen ones with shouts of joy;
44 he gave them the lands of the nations,
    and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—
45 that they might keep his precepts
    and observe his laws.

Praise the Lord. (Psalm 105: 43-45)

Father,

When we seek to examine the past for evidence of human accomplishments, gathering information to rationalize our pride... Lord, give us the ability to see it as a record of your covenant faithfulness, the gracious acts by which all may experience your love and salvation. 

Show us who you are, O God, and remind us of what you have done.

Help us hope in what you will do.

Amen

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a peacemaker's prayer

Dear Lord,

In these troubled times, help us to be peacemakers.

Lead us in ways that heal instead of hurt.

Bless our hearts to be ones that restore other hearts to you.

Teach us new ways to live lives that reflect your love.

In all ways, and at all times, cause us to be pleasing to you.

Amen

 

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