Sunday Prayer

Holy and Gracious God, We give you thanks for this gift of life; for those we love and those love us, especially for the gift of your Son. We thank you for this new day, for the unchanging gift of your presence in the sunrise and the sunset, and all the hours in between. We thank you for those occasions when your presence is made known to us, and especially when we have the eyes to see you, the ears to hear, and a heart open enough to receive you. Help us to not be sidetracked by the distractions of this life. Help us to understand that all that we are and all that we have is of you.

Tender love of God, be with those who weep this day, who are in the darkness of despair and all who cry out for justice, for hope. Help us, guide us, to an awareness of your open arms, and in that embrace may the suffering find solace and peace. We pray that your mercy will be our mercy. Help us to give as you give, with gratitude and joy, help us to love as you love, with a radical graciousness. Be with us this day, and every day, that we may be the face of Christ and the means through which your love is poured into the broken places of this world. Amen.