Wednesday, February 14, 2018

LENTEN PRAYERS 2018: PRAYING THE DAILY GOSPEL

I was having difficulty determining a theme for this year's Lenten Prayers, so I decided to base them on the daily gospel readings from the Book of Common Prayer (Year 2). Daily readings are on a two year cycle. The Revised Common Lectionary for Sunday worship uses a three year cycle (Years A, B, and C). I will be writing a prayer for each Sunday, instead of suggesting an exercise, and the gospel for those prayers probably will not match what your congregation uses in worship that Sunday.

As usual, I have written prayers in the first person plural (we, us) as a reminder that we always pray as part of the church, the body of Christ. Most of us do not need encouragement to pray using I and me, so this is intended to help situate us within the wider people of God.

ASH WEDNESDAY
Luke 18:9-14

God of mercy, we so often look at other people through the lens of our own presumed righteousness that we are unable to perceive your possibilities for them. We congratulate ourselves for being reasonably good people, but our thoughts are loaded with judgment for those whose behavior does not match our own.

We presume to judge even though we cannot see into the hearts of those we judge. We get only a glimpse of their outward existence, see, perhaps some affiliations that are repugnant to us, but we do not know if, or how, the people we judge are grasping for You, perhaps with every fiber of their being.

God, we know that we are justified only by your mercy. Forgive us when we act as though we are not. We also know that You justify many whom we would reject and turn from. Forgive us for turning a cold shoulder toward those whom You welcome. 

When we come before You, enable us to turn to those we have commonly rejected with a look of acknowledgement, a word of welcome, and an offer of friendship and solidarity. Let us be justified together in your presence. Amen.

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