A Prayer For the Unity of the Church

July 06, 2021 by Brent Thomas in Pray, Prayer

“O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Amen.

Found at the Online Book of Common Prayer

Prayer After Election Day 2020

November 04, 2020 by Brent Thomas in Litany, Liturgy, Mission, Prayer, Prayer For Peace, Prayer for Social Justice, Social Justice

Creator God,
Three in One.

Creator
Savior
Spirt.

We admit that we don’t know how to pray for a country that is but an afterthought.

We remember that Israel’s “physical” king wasn’t necessarily a blessing.

Yes, you gave them what they asked for. But they lacked imagination and only asked for what they could see.

As do we.

Please forgive our blandness. Please forgive our indifference.

Please forgive us for trusting in fleeting Empire.

Please forgive us for fighting for our liberties rather than laying them down.

Please forgive us for protecting the rich instead of lifting the Lowly.

Creating, Sustaining, Forgiving, and Liberating God,

Please show our country grace. In spite of us and yet for us.

Even though we don’t deserve it.

Please forgive our arrogance. Please forgive “Manifest Destiny.” Please forgive our slaughter of the Innocents for the sake of land, money, and power, both on our own soil and others.

Please forgive the spirit of Systemic Racism which has infected our power structures. Please remind us of our neighbor.

Please fill us with Love.

Please let your face shine rather than ours.

"Christ Has No Body But Yours"

October 19, 2020 by Brent Thomas in Gratitude, justice, Lamentation, Prayer, Peace Prayer, Prayer For Peace, Prayer for Social Justice

“Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks with
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”

:: St. Teresa of Avila ::