St. Nicolai Notes

EXCHANGES ON THE WAY: LENTEN PRAYERS
Day 9: Second Friday
Mark 9:14-29

     God of new life, we rejoice that in Jesus, your healing reign has entered the world with power.
We rejoice that Jesus is able to touch and heal both our physical and psychical wounds. We thank You that Jesus has freed some of us from oppressive spirits that diminished and debilitated us. We praise You for the freedom we have found to live in communion with You and with our many neighbors.
     As we follow Jesus, enable us to be agents of your healing and liberating reign. Help us to see those whom we encounter in their pain as your creatures, whom You love more deeply than we can comprehend. Give us discernment of the needs that may lie unspoken beneath the most obvious ones. Then, give us courage and patience to pray and fast on behalf of those who are wounded and those who bear many scars.
     Do not let us fall into the trap of thinking magically and expecting that the right words will automatically bring the results we desire. Neither let us fall into the trap of thinking fatalistically and acting as though You have no true ability to do marvelous healing in our midst.
     As we walk with Jesus, enable us to bring healing, by works of compassion, for your glory. Amen.