Prayers of the Church, 8.9.09

Wonderful God, we rise up and cry in a loud voice, “Hosannah, The day of the Lord is here. Now is the day of Salvation!”

In the silence, Father, hear our prayers of joy that you saw fit to send your son, Jesus Christ, to earth to initiate your plan of redemption.


God of forgiveness: You see us totally; you see us naked; and try as we might to hide from you, you see us ugly. You hear us beg for forgiveness because of so many transgressions, so many shortcomings. You could so rightly turn away from us. We plead for you to turn your face toward us. “Don’t abandon us to our own devices. We will surely perish.” We sin against you, yet you choose to clothe us in your righteousness. Because you love us so very much, you cannot stand to have us apart from you. Regardless of our actions, you remain ever faithful.

God of reconciliation: we are a new creation; reconciled to you through the Christ. We are clean, we are pure, washed in the blood of the lamb. And we have been given a mission, a ministry: to be Christ-like ambassadors; to share the message of reconciliation to all the world. Prepare our hearts, Lord, prepare our minds. Help us as we work to spread the Good News of salvation to all your children.

God of grace: bless our enemies. Your grace covers us all who call you Father. Blessed be God, the Father.

We live by faith, not by sight. We have died and risen because of the empty cross and we join with the rest of your kingdom on earth to live a life of faith and participation in the work of Jesus.

We ask your abundant blessings on the Interfaith Hospitality Network and its staff. In particular, we lift up Brian Rosecrans, the director. Strengthen IHN and its support churches as they strive to serve their guests who are experiencing difficult times. Bless the families who come to IHN and let them see Jesus in the faces of the IHN servants.

Now, we pray together as Jesus Christ, the Messiah, taught us to pray: