Prayer of the People for this Third Sunday in Advent

(painting from the Brooklyn Museum, by James Tissot)

 

God of boundless compassion, at times such as these, on this 3^rd Sunday of Advent, our words seem inadequate to describe our sorrow and disbelief. Help us focus on your promise in Psalm 147: to heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.

We pray for all around this world who are traumatized. But especially today we pray for those suffering as a result of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, CT,:

• We bring before You, Lord, our deep grief and anger at the massacre of so many children, teachers and the parents of the gunman.
• We pray for the parents, children and staff of those who are dealing with post traumatic stress.
• We pray for all who responded to the call from the school and have the images of disaster in their minds.
• We pray For those who are using their gifts and talents to "heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds."
• We also ask for your wisdom to guide the decisions made now to prevent such tragedies in the future.

·        Show your face, O God, in the midst of such distress
and grant your peace where great loss and sorrow abound.

Help us, Lord, bring light into this darkness. Show us Your Way and bring us peace as we continue to prepare the way for others to know and trust in your love.
Help us, Lord, persist in trust and hope in your goodness and justice as shown in the life of Christ who channeled your love wherever he went. Lighten the darkness of this world with the light of your presence.
Bring healing where it is possible
and patience in the waiting.

Remind us of the hope you bring
and of your great love for this world
at all times and

Lord God, Creator, and Savior of all, we hold up in our prayers those who also suffer as a result of war, oppression and violence in other parts of our world. So often we cannot seem to grasp that there too are  suffering parents, relatives, friends, school-children and ordinary folk like ourselves in Syria, Afganistan and the Congo.

We pray for all suffering in these hard financial times....In this month of great excess and consumerism, call the financial and business communities to act justly and generously. Make known your deeds among the people, O God. Save the lame; gather the outcast and inspire each of us to invite those in need to share with them our lives of plenty.  Lighten the darkness of this world with the light of your presence.
Bring healing where it is possible
and patience in the waiting.

We pray for those in ministry in your churches around the world who are asked to provide a ray of hope to the downtrodden.  May those without coats be clothed and those without food be fed. We pray for God's mercy to come forth in all the corners of the world in need. Bring healing where it is possible in body, mind, and spirit and give patience in the waiting.

Holy Beloved, we thank you that we are alive in your creation where grace breaks out like a flowing stream in wilderness places. May your springs of salvation renew the earth. Heal our planet and restore in us a sense of responsibility and gratitude.

 

Lighten the darkness of this world with the light of your presence.
Bring healing where it is possible
and patience in the waiting. Lighten the darkness of this world with the light of your presence.
Bring healing where it is possible
and patience in the waitinHelp us Lord God: to love as you love us; to forgive as you forgive us; to serve as you serve us and may each of us be peace where trouble is found. Keep us trusting you and in your way; let us not propagate doom and despair, for Your kingdom is near. On this 3^rd Sunday in Advent we plead for a strong sense of your everlasting presence remembering that you also weep along with us.  Come, Lord Jesus! Amen

Time for an Epiphany?

 

Epiphany history and origin of the Epiphany painting

 

At this moment I am listening to a child in our nursery school loudly chant: "I love you, I love you, I love you!" to another child who is giggling and delighting in the moment. What a reminder of Epiphany! The magi who visited our Lord communicated the same message with words,gifts and other adorations of the Christ child after making the long journey to meet him. And in some way I am certain the Christ child responded back to them, "I love you, too!"

 

Where do we journey to meet Jesus and show him our love? By attending worship? While on a mission trip? At the grocery store? All of these places are important. God calls us to demonstrate our love for Jesus in our words and deeds in every moment along our life journeys? In this new year, a wonderful resolution would be: "To love Jesus more and more each day by loving those in my life more and more each day." God is in our midst all around us. And yet we fail to see Jesus in one another most of the time.

 

Brandon Heath wrote an inspiring song: "Give Me Your Eyes." It beautifully repeats: "Give me your eyes for just one second, give me your eyes so I can see, everything that I've been missing, give me your love for humanity. Give me your arms for the broken-hearted, the ones that are far beyond my reach. Give me your heart for the one's forgotten; give me your eyes so I can see."

 

Here is the "official" video recording of  "Give Me Your Eyes."

 

As an Epiphany gift to Jesus, let us become even closer to God by connecting with love to all we meet. See them through the eyes of Jesus and seek to find God in the people you meet along your life journey. Our Epiphany lectionary scripture reading guides us to do our part to "save the lives" of those in need: "For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy, from oppression and violence. He redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight." (Psalm 72: 12-14)

 

What will you do this Epiphany 2013? Don't let it go by uncelebrated! Celebrate Epiphany by giving the gift of YOU to someone who needs a helper. Watch "Your Love" - and feel inspired to share this message wherever you are in 2013! Love YOU!