“O God:
You bring hope out of emptiness, energy out of fear, new life out of grief and loss.
As Mary returned to mourn yet found unspeakable joy, so comfort all who have lost their homes
through persecution, war, exile, or deliberate destruction.
Give them security, a place to live, and neighbors they trust to be, with them,
a new sign of peace to the world.
Amen.”
Found at ucc.org
“Heavenly Father, we pray for the poorest and most vulnerable. Let us not just speak of justice, but let us act in just ways. May the oppressed and needy feel justice and equality and experience a world without hunger and poverty.”
Attributed to Guideposts // Found at Social Justice Resource Center
“Those who are worn out and crushed by this mourning, let your hearts consider this:
this is the path that has existed from the time of creation and will exist forever.
Many have drunk from it and many will yet drink.
As was the first meal, so shall be the last.
May the master of comfort comfort you.
Blessed are those who comforts the mourners.”
Found at Jesuit Resources
“Bless those who mourn, eternal God,
with the comfort of your love
that they may face each new day with hope
and the certainty that nothing can destroy
the good that has been given.
May their memories become joyful,
their days enriched with friendship,
and their lives encircled by your love.”
Found at Jesuit Resources
Thanksgiving:
What am I especially grateful for in the past day?
The gift of another day?
The love and support I have received?
The courage I have mustered?
An event that took place today?
Petition:
I am about to review my day; I ask for the light to know God and to know myself as God sees me.
Review:
Where have I felt true joy today?
What has troubled me today?
What has challenged me today?
Where and when did I pause today?
Have I noticed God's presence in any of this?
Response:
In light of my review, what is my response to the God of my life?
A Look Ahead
As I look ahead, what comes to mind?
With what spirit do I want to enter tomorrow?
Found at at Jesuit Resources
“Honour and praise be given to thee, O LORD God Almighty, most dear Father of heaven, for all thy mercies and loving-kindness showed unto us, in that it hath pleased thy gracious goodness freely and of thine own accord to elect and choose us to salvation before the beginning of the world.
And even like continual thanks be given to thee for creating us after thine own image; for redeeming us with the precious blood of thy dear Son, when we were utterly lost; for sanctifying us with thine Holy Spirit in the revelation and knowledge of thine holy word; for helping and succouring us in all our needs and necessities; for saving us from all dangers of body and soul; for comforting us so fatherly in all our tribulations and persecutions; for sparing us so long, and giving us so large a time of repentance.
These benefits, O most merciful Father, like as we acknowledge to have received of thine only goodness, even so we beseech thee, for thy dear Son JESUS CHRIST's sake, to grant us always thine Holy Spirit, whereby we may continually grow in thankfulness towards thee, and be led into all truth, and comforted in all our adversities.
O LORD, strengthen our faith; kindle it more in ferventness and love towards thee, and our neighbours, for thy sake. Suffer us not, most dear Father, to receive thy word any more in vain; but grant us always the assistance of thy grace and Holy Spirit, that in heart, word, and deed, we may sanctify and do worship to thy name.
Help to amplify and increase thy kingdom; that whatsoever thou sendest, we may be heartily well content with thy good pleasure and will. Let us not lack the thing - O Father! - without the which we cannot serve thee; but bless thou so all the works of our hands, that we may have sufficient, and not be chargeable, but rather helpful unto others.
Be merciful, O LORD, to our offences; and seeing our debt is great, which thou hast forgiven us in JESUS CHRIST, make us to love thee and our neighbours so much the more. Be thou our Father, our Captain and Defender in all temptations; hold thou us by thy merciful hand; that we may be delivered from all inconveniences [i.e. hardships], and end our lives in the sanctifying and honouring of thine holy name, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord and only Saviour. Amen.
Let thy mighty hand and outstretched arm, O Lord, be still our defence;
thy mercy and loving-kindness in Jesus Christ, thy dear Son, our salvation;
thy true and holy word our instruction;
thy grace and Holy Spirit our comfort and consolation, unto the end and in the end.
O Lord, increase our faith.”
- John Knox
Found at Jesuit Resources
“May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness;
May all be free from sorrow and the causes of sorrow;
May all never be separated from the sacred happiness which is sorrowless;
And may all live in equanimity, without too much attachment and too much aversion,
And live believing in the equality of all that lives.”
Found at Jesuit Resources
“We are a link in Amida's golden chain of love that stretches around the world, we will keep our link bright and strong.
We will be kind and gentle to every living thing and protect all who are weaker than ourselves.
We will think pure and beautiful thoughts, say pure and beautiful words, and do pure and beautiful deeds.
May every link in Amida's chain of love be bright and strong, and may we all attain perfect peace.”
- Buddha
Found at Jesuit Resources
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu ::
“May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.”
“A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies. We are called to play the Good Samaritan on life's road side, but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. Compassion sees that an edifice that produces beggars needs restructuring. A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth.
Let us pray:
“Ever present God, you called us to be in relationship with one another and promised to dwell wherever two or three are gathered. In our community, we are many different people; we come from many different places, have many different cultures. Open our hearts that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us. We pray in faith.
Amen.”
“Eternal Savior,
how can my heart show its appreciation for Thy love?
How can I serve Thee best,
who has loved me and given Thy life for me?
Thous has sealed unto me the forgiveness of all my sins
and offered me reconciliation and peace
in the blessed Sacrament
which Thou didst institute on this day.
Thou hast promised to give me with the bread and the cup
Thy body and blood for the remission of all my sins.
Oh, what Amazing Love!
What riches of divine wisdom!
In awe and wonderment I ponder this gracious gift.
May I ever appreciate this blessed Sacrament
that Thou has bidden me to use oft in remembrance of Thee.
May I come worthily each time when I approach Thine altar.
O Savior, cast me not away from Thy presence.
Let not my sins remain with me because of impenitence of heart
or because I doubt Thy Word and promises.
Let me become one with this blessed Sacrament.
Make me Thine, and give me strength to amend my sinful life
and walk closer to Thee.
Preserve in Thy Christian Church
this blessed Sacrament given on this day.
Let thousands and ten thousands find through it the
assurance of forgiveness, peace, and salvation.
And grant to me and all those that are Thine
to be faithful to Thy Word and Sacraments,
that Thy name be glorified,
Thy will be done,
and we at last live with Thee in Thine eternal kingdom, Thine forevermore.
Amen.
From the 1951 Lutheran Book of Prayer
“May the sweet light of change shine in the darkness,
May the first breath of each morning begin life again,
May the memories unfold as prayers for life,
May the love continue to fill the silence.
(Attributed to Zenju)
Found at Jesuit Resource.org
“One breath to let go.
One breath to be present.
One breath to ask, “Now what?”
(Credited to Thich Nhat Hanh and found in the Interfaith Ministry Handbook)
“How wonderful!
Quite miraculous!
I am fetching water,
and carrying wood!”
(from Interfaith Ministry Handbook: This 8th Century Chinese Zen master has expressed the wonder and joy found in the here-and-now of life.)
“Breathing in, I calm body and mind.
Breathing out, I smile with joy.
Dwelling in the present, this is the only moment.”
(Credited to Thich Nhat Hanh and found in the Interfaith Ministry Handbook)