Prayer for All Saints ...

Holy One, be with the people of Bella Coola
and be with the family who gather today to say farewell:
his mischievious grin will be missed,
his wise counsel will linger, but his blunt voice will be mourned,
his laughter and humour and generosity will remain as his legacy,
but we weep for what we've lost ...

Loving God, on this day of Remembrance
as the Saints who have gone before us are remembered and celebrated,
be with those who remember and celebrate this unlikely saint ...

He was a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather,
and he was most of all a friend ...
he shared his care and love with those around him,
and he offered himself without apology or regret ...
and for that we thank you for the gift that was his life ...

Holy Creator, embrace your people in thier grief,
bind up their breaking hearts,
wipe away their falling tears,
and whisper to their souls reminding all of us
of the gift of life everlasting ...

Blessed One, the earthly journey has ended,
his legacy remains,
and we entrust him into your keeping
with the ancestors and saints who have journeyed before us,
and who with you, continue thier journey in a place of
love, laughter and live everlasting ...

Hear our prayers O Holy One,
and be with those who this day mourn
those who have gone on before us ...

AMEN.

Prayer for today ...

Holy One, in our busy and noisy world, may we find room and time to pray ...

May we remember your holy presence, and your gift of grace and shalom ...

May we pause in the midst of our busy-ness, and stand in your love ...

Hear us today as we pray for those in need in our world, our community
and in our circle of family and friends ...

Hear our prayers for those who are hurting ... struggling ... feeling alone ...

Send healing to those facing illness and uncertainty ...
sending your Spirit to rest with them, bringing healing, comfort, wholeness and peace ...

Send strength and courage to those rest in hospital beds and care facilities ...
may they feel the care our prayers, and the wholeness of your loving grace ...

Send tranquility and calm to those who struggle and feel alone and frightened ...
may they know that place of shalom - that place of peace that you alone offer ...

Loving One, our friend, our companion ... be with us on this journey ...
Hold us in our weakness,
dance with us in our joy,
comfort us in our sorrow,
uplift us in our praise for you and all you offer us ...

Hear our prayers today O Loving God,
and be with us now and always ...

AMEN

It is time to pray ...

Holy One, it has been one of those weeks ...

Busy-ness has kept me from pausing to remember you ... yet, you break in and remind me that you are not far from me, and that our conversation continues even if I fail to pause and properly pray ...

Loving One, I remember those in need today:

Young D and his Mom as they recover from their surgeries and treatments ... be with them, holding them in your shalom and love every moment of this journey ... be with their circle of family and friends as we pray ...

Be with M as she continues her journey, having said farewell too soon, and too quickly to one whom we've loved and lost ... hold her and her circle in your love and strength ... pour out your spirit on them as they mourn and heal ...

Rest with S and others in care homes, hospitals and places of rest and recuperation from illness ... bring strength and healing and wholeness to them and to their circle of care and support ...

Continue the healing of R and J and P and others who have had surgeries and who struggle to be well and to return to normalacy ... and be with their partners, their children, their friends as they offer support and as they themselves sometimes falter and struggle ...

Be with those of us who grieve and mourn and who realize the burden that weighs heavily on our shoulders ... the journey sometimes is long and challenging and just as we crest another hill we find our steps faltering and the path becomes hard to see ... hold the light for us, and take us by the hand O Holy One, that we may know your presence, your courage and your love ...

Loving One ... hear our prayers ... those we've dared to speak, and those we've held within ... hear our prayers and pour out your love and blessings upon us ... In your name we draw before you, and in your name we dare to pray.

Dayenu!!

A prayer for those in need ... (Sept. 12th 2012)

Oh St Benedict Joseph ... hear our prayers ...
Our prayers for those who are broken,
our prayers for those who are frightened,
our prayers for those who are struggling,
our prayers for those who are alone ...

O St Benedict Joseph ...
you know the lonely struggle of those who have no home,
you know the gut wrenching fear that grips those living at the margins,
you know the yearning of the soul of those who are alone and frightened ...

Hear our prayers O Loving God,
our prayers for those who are struggling,
our prayers for those who are ill of mind, body and spirit,
our prayers for those who are frightened,
our prayers for those who are fighting illness and waiting ...

Loving God ... into your hands we offer our prayers,
our worries our concerns, our fears, our burdens ...
Hear our prayers and in your love answer them with love, grace and Shalom ...

a prayer for today ... (August 30th 2012)

Holy One,
all about us people are in turmoil ...
economics have alienated and battered many ...
politics have divided and angered even more ...
people yearn for answers and certainty, but find only questions ...
and even in our Congregations and faith communities,
we are torn apart by divisive opinions and misunderstandings ...

Whisper to us again O Blessed One ...
remind us of what is important ...
hear us in our moments of weakness,
and hold us when we stumble ...

Call to us over the clamour and the tumult ...
Speak to us with love and care ...
and bless us with your gift of Shalom ...

We yearn for peace in a world torn apart ...
We crave comfort in a world that offers none ...
We stumble through the darkness searching for light ...

And through it all you are still there ...
loving us ...
caring for us ...
holding us ...
and strengthening us ...

Hear our prayers O Blessed One,
and be with us today and always,
as we seek your strength and comfort,
trusting always in your grace and love ...

In your name we pray ... AMEN.

A prayer for today - June 7th 2012

O Holy One,
break through our moments of tired cynicism,
illuminate the darkened corners of our souls,
lift our spirits and
remind us again that You are Our God,
and that our days and moments are in your hand.

Loving One,
whisper to our hearts and souls
and soothe our worries and apprehensions,
take from us our fears and burdens,
and grant us strength and courage
even in the face of a troubled and tumultous world.

You alone know the breadth of what faces us Creator God,
and you alone can bring to us the courage and strength we need.

Be present in our lives, and in our hearts,
be present in our communities, and in our world.

Touch those who are ill,
comfort those who are frightened,
calm those who are angry,
accompany those who are lonely,
strengthen those who are weak,
welcome in those who are marginalized,
and remind us again that together we are
your church,
your children,
the very incarnation of your Kingdom,
and send us into the world to live and share the Good News,
now and always ...

Prayer for today - June 3rd 2012 ...

Your words echo through us O Holy Servant:
Father forgive them for they know not what they do ...

Today, we feel those words more than we should ...
our media is filled with disturbing images and news
of violence and suffering,
of fear and anxiety,
of senseless actions against innocent people ...

And we feel those words:
Father forgive them for they know not what they do ...

We hear of the woundedness of others,
of the fear and suffering,
and we ache for a place of serenity and peace ...

Father forgive them for they know not what they do ...

Your call echoes through us and into the cosmos ...
The senselessness hurts and scares us ...
The Violence cuts across ages and social standings ...
The foolishness of it all leaves us weeping ...

Yet, even in those words uttered from the cross so long ago,
the end was not what it seems ...

Father forgive them for they know not what they do ...
... was answered in the Resurrection.

In the face of death
comes life.

In the face of suffering
comes wholeness.

In the face of fear
comes HOPE.

You not only forgive, O Loving One,
you heal and render whole what the world has broken.

Into your hands we commend our spirits and our lives,
into your love we offer ourselves and our communities,
into your gift of grace we plunge our fear filled moments ...

and with wholeness, healing, grace and love,
we are transformed and resurrected.

Father for give US for our doubts as you forgive
the thoughtlessness of others ...

In your name we pray ...

Prayer for today - May 31st 2012

O Holy One ...
We live in a troubled and tumultous time ...
around us voices cry out for justice and righteousness ...
voices cry out in pain and distress ...
voices cry out in anger and disgust ...
voice simply cry out ...

Around us we hear and feel the burden of pain others carry,
we yearn through faith to respond and reach out ...
yet fear enters in and anger overwhelms us ...

Teach us again your gift of patience O Holy One.

Guide to the springs of living water
where we can refresh our souls and restore our troubled hearts.

Grant us your wisdom and gift of discerning
that we may lead rather than follow,
that we may inspire rather than react,
that we may offer your love and care rather than resentment and anger.

We live in a troubled and tumultous time O Holy One,
be with us every step of the journey ...
opening our beings to the splendour that is your love
and holiness in our world ...

These things we ask in your Blessed and Most Holy Name.

Prayer for today ... May 16th 2012

O Holy One,
in the quiet moments we search for you,
in the silence we call for you,
in the whisper of the wind we yearn for you ...

And we know you find us,
you hear us,
you accompany us ...

Breath hope into our uncertain souls,
whisper comfort in our uneasy hearts,
and soothe with love our troubled minds ...

Touch us with your holiness
and comfort us with your love.

Hear our concerns and worries,
take from us our burdens and fears,
remind us again of our place as your children ...

Holy One,
be with us,
comfort us,
strengthen us,
and bring wholeness to us and our lives ...

Hear the cries of our hearts
and the yearnings of our souls.
Bless us with your presence and your love
today, tomorrow and always.

Love us O Holy One ...
... in your name we pray.

A prayer for today - May 15th 2012

O Holy One,
sometimes in looking forward we glance backwards
and see your presence and feel your support ...

Too often we can step past the weak and broken,
we can over look the bloodied and forgotten,
we can ignore those crying out ...

But then you break thru like a rainbow after the storm
to touch our hearts and open our souls
and to call us to something more than simply journeying ...

Holy One, we give thanks for those moments
when you break through our walls and our reluctance
when you transform our hearts and our beings
when you inspire us to something more than we can imagine ...

Holy One, we give thanks for your presence in our lives ...

In those unexpected moments and overlooked corners
when we encounter you and our breath is taken
we say 'Amen' and 'Thanks'.

In the opportunities you offer to live our faith
and to reveal your presence to others
we say 'Amen' and 'Hallelujah'

And for the quiet saints who labour in your name
and often are neglected with honours are bestowed
and thanks is lavishly given
we say 'AMEN' and 'Praise to You O God!'

Open our eyes, our hearts, our souls and our beings
to your glorious presence in our midst
and transform our reluctance into faithful service ...

We ask these things in your name O Holy One ...

Prayer for today - May 3rd 2012 ...

Holy One, as we pause before the day begins,
be with us as you have always been ...
Open our eyes to new possibilities,
to overlooked and unheeded calls to faith,
to needs and yearnings within ourselves,
and in our community ...

Be with us as we make our way into our day ...
Guide our steps,
hold our hearts,
inspire our spirits,
and open our minds to you and your Holy Call ...

From the deserts of Sinai,
to the wild places of Northern Canada,
to the busy urban centres of our cities,
to the profound aloneness of the open ocean,
you are there to guide, inspire, nurture and accompany us
whether we see or acknowledge you or not ...

Be with us in our day O Holy One,
hold us in your shalom, and carry us in your love ...
Inspire us to become the people you yearn us to be,
show us the way of your faith and grace,
and help us to move into the world unafraid
to be your Church and to be your Children ...

Be with us in the quiet moments
and in the busy hush ...
Be with us always ...

God of all seasons,
it has been a week of change and unexpected surprises.
it has been a time of sadness and sorrow,
at time of comfort knowing you are with us ...

Be with us as neighbours, friends and family
struggle with the loss of loved ones,
and the sorrow that washes over us in those moments ...

Be with us as our circle of community
seeks to make sense of happenings and events
that have touched us and left us reeling ...

Be with us as we yearn for spring
but still feel the cold bite of winter ...

Be with us as we lift our voices in song and prayer to you,
yet still wonder if you are listening and if you hear us ...

Holy One,
God of all seasons, God of all time and space,
God of all that is and that shall be ...

Be with us ...
send your spirit to move among us and within us,
bring comfort and strength to lives,
and fill us with the hope
that sent the disciples forth from the upper room
boldly out into the world
joyously proclaiming their certainty of The Resurrection.

We are your children O Holy One,
We are your Church,
Be with us as we seek to embody and proclaim,
the faith and hope you have given us.
In your blessed and holy name we pray ...

Prayer for today - April 24th 2012 ...

God of infinite suprises ...
We awaken to a world of breathtaking beauty
and soul embracing awe ...

When we think we have it all together,
You shake it up and leave us laughing ...

Be with us in the midst of the cold and snow,
just as you are with us in the sun and warmth ...

Be with us as we gaze outside in bewilderment
and comfort us with the knowledge that we live in your world ...
your creation ...
your garden ...
your playground ...

O God of infinite and bewildering suprises,
today the world beyond the window is ful
full of awe and wonder
full of blessings and gifts galore ...

Be with us in the frustrations and fears
that come with inclement weather and unexpected moments ...

Be with us as we journey through our day
and hold us in your love and care
today, tomorrow and always ...

In your name we pray ...

Prayer for today - April 23rd ...

"Peace is not the silence of cemeteries." - Oscar Romero

Holy One ... we tread through the hallowed halls of memory,
we walk the gravel path through aged and cracking stones,
we hear the brush of the wind through the sprouting grass,
we feel the warmth of spring sunshine as we linger ...
as we remember ...
as we say farwell ...

Holy One, this week our Easter Journey has meandered
into the peaceful silence of a cemetery filled with saints and sinners,
filled with memories and recollections,
filled with lives both celebrated and forgotten ...

Holy One, through our remembrance
we have recalled the lives of those who have gone before,
and we have celebrated where those lives have touched ours,
but more importantly, we have recalled
the gift of life everlasting ...

Be with us in our memories O Blessed and Holy One,
and be with us in our flickering moments of sorrow ...

On our Emmaus journey we pass the cold etched stones
and we remember ... but our companion bids us on ...
on to life ...
on to life everlasting ...

Holy One, be with us in our journey,
and hold us as we linger in a place of death
remembering the life that has been,
and affirming the life that continues unabated
in your Holy and Grace-filled presence ...

In the peace of our remembrance,
may we find the peace that surpasses all understanding ...

In the peace of our remembrance,
may we find the peace of your presence ...

Prayer for today - April 17th ... in the quiet of the morning ...

Gentle One, in the quiet of the morning
we find ourselves in your presence without seeking you ...

in the soft music offered by the birds flitting here and there,
in the warm dappled sunshine that dances silently across the floor
in the the curling vapours rising from the mug of hot coffee
in the unfolding of the day ...
we find you and your indelible presence throughout creation.

As we pause before the hurry of the day begins
be with us, bringing serenity and shalom.

Grant us the peace of your presence as we ready for our day.

You alone know the many worries and concerns we carry
You alone know the hurts and burdens shouldered around us
You alone know the shadowy places that need your presence

Loving God as we think forward into our day
we see the faces of those around us who need you
illness
struggles
frustrations
aloneness
as names arise within us, we offer them to you
our concerns and care
rise like the tendrils of steam above our morning coffee
dancing, floating, lifting upward
our thoughts, concerns and worries
are taken from us and carried to you ...

Hear our prayers O Holy One,
the ones we dare to utter
and those we hide away afraid even to acknowledge.

Hear our prayers as they rise to you
and in your love answer them
by pouring out your love and presence
upon us and upon our circle of community ...

Loving God, in the quiet of the morning
we find you, and release our prayers,
be with us ... hear us ... comfort us ...

Prayer for today - April 16th 2012 ,,, Resurrection ...

Loving God, your servant Jesus spoke the words from the cross:

Into your hands I commend my spirit ...

Today you will be with me in paradise ...

Loving God in the quiet hush we yearn to hear those words,
to believe those words,
to feel the truth and power behind those words ...

Too many whispers around us speak of loss
and mask the weeping that comes with death ...

Our circle of community struggles
losses seem to pile upon losses,
brokeness breaks in upon brokeness,
tears of sorrow and sadness
are more abundant then smiles of joy ...

And yet in that moment when all seems lost
we hear the voice of comfort from within
speaking the familiar yet ancient words ...

Into your hands I commend my spirit ...

and we know you are with us ...

We hear that promise ...

Today you will be with me in paradise ...

and we know this is not the end.

Holy One, move within and among us
touch our hearts and minds

remove the doubt and fear
and replace it with hope and certainty,

remove the sorrow and sadness
and replace it with joy and trust.

Holy One, we know the promises of resurrection,
yet some days those words seem distant and cold ...

... today move among us and through us
transform us from an uncertain and doubt filled people
into a Resurrected community proclaiming our faith
and living our lives knowing we are never alone
and we are never seperated from that love
that holds and sustains us throughout our life.

Hear our prayers O Holy One,
and in your love answer.

A Prayer for today - St Benedict Joseph Labre ...

O Holy One, today I've read the story of your servant
Saint Benedict Joseph Labre,
one who lived on the margins of the Church,
one who was shunned from to the edges,
one who lived like those he has become a patron to ...
the homeless ...
the neglected ...
the rejected ...
the mentally ill ...
the forgotten and marginalized
who linger in poverty
and who struggle along the periphery.

O Blessed One, on this day as we hear again
the story of Thomas, the one who dared to express his doubt,
remind us again
that faith is not about comfort and complacency,
faith is about taking chances,
faith is about living on the edges,
welcoming in those who lurk at the periphery
embracing those who struggle to find a place.

O Risen One, be with us in the coming days
comfort us in our weakness,
grant us strength in our moments of fear,
embrace us when we find tears rising to our eyes,
and remind us again that we are never alone ...

In the coming days be our companion,
our guide,
our friend,
our companion,
and the one who challenges and comforts us ...

Be with us O Holy One as we remember
the many servants like St Benedict Joseph,
who have served and celebrated the Church
while living on the margins ...
and as we remember,
may we have the courage to include them
and welcome them ...

In your name we pray ...

Prayer for today - April 12th 2012 ... Thomas ...

Holy One, I am struck by the words:
behind locked doors ...
for fear of the Jews ...
The message of the Resurrection
loomed over them as they gathered,
the Good News hadn't sunken in,
they failed to comprehend,
the simply didn't know what to believe.

And then you were there.
Peace Be With You
My Peace I Give to You
The words echoed within them
yet I doubt they knew what to think
what to believe ... the quivered in fear.

And so your reassured them,
you spoke to their fears
you soothed their uncertainties
you sought to comfort them ...
... and they struggled to comprehend.

Holy One, as we again approach these familiar tales,
open our eyes, our hearts, and our minds
to the whisper of Peace that you still offer,
speak to our fears and uncertainties,
comfort our doubts and confusions,
show us again what it means
to fall to our knees like Thomas
and utter those profound words of belief:

My Lord and My God ...

Risen One, we yearn to know,
be with us in the moments of crisis,
comfort us in the times of darkness,
and guide us through the shadows,
that we may once again
hear your voice,
feel your presence,
and celebrate our experience
of Resurrection in our lives and in your's.

Holy One,
Risen One,
our friend
and our Hope,
hear us as we pray ...

Prayer for today ... open tombs, mysterious strangers ...

Risen One ... our day began in deep dark silence,
tear fell too easily as we considered the loss,
as we embraced the enormity of death,
as we experienced the breadth of sorrow ...

In the darkness she went first to mourn and to weep,
in the darkness she found the tomb, broken and empty,
in the darkness she cried out and fled searching ...

Together in the breaking dawn they came to see ...
Running, hearts pounding, pulses racing,
they came to see if what she said was true ...

Empty ...
Gone ...

Uncertainty broke in upon them ...
from grief they fled to fear and horror ...

Death was one thing,
but a missing body was something different ...

Standing alone she heard her voice whispered
whispered by a familiar voice
whispered by the Risen One ...

Grief and fear gave way to joy ...

The missing one had returned ...
The missing one had risen ...
The missing one had been found and shows the way ...

"Mary" he called her by name ...
bringing her from a place of darkness
to stand blinking in the fullness of God's welcoming light ...

And so the day began ...

... and it ended in a room ...
They gathered, talking, discussing, arguing ...

what did all of this mean?
how has this happened?
what is happening now?

Confused and uncertain, they gathered in a familiar place
where he had prayed
where he had washed their feet
where he had broken bread
where he had poured out the cup
where he had taken a deep breath and plunged into the night ...

They gathered, waiting, wondering, praying ...

And suddenly he was there,
the missing one had come
the missing one had risen
the missing one was found anew ...

My Peace I give you,
he whispered with a smile,
My peace I give you,
he said breathing new life through the room ...

In the darkness the light had come,
in the uncertainty came awe and wonder ...

Risen One ... you called them by name ...
you guided them through the dark and lonely places ...
you whispered to thier hearts to trust in God ...
you revealed yourself in that moment that comes
when darkness gives way to light
when life continues on in the face of death
when hope glimmers and pushes aside cynicism and disbelief ...

Guide us from the garden through the streets O Holy One,
take us by the hand and lead us from doubt to believe ...
take our hands and place them in yours ...
reveal yourself in the unexpected place ...
show yourself in the breaking of the bread ...
Transform us from fearfilled disciples cowering in the dark,
to faithful messengers proclaiming the message:

He is Risen, He is Risen INDEED !!!

Hear us as we pray O Holy and Risen One,
and be with us in our journey.


---

Prayer for today - Good Friday

O Suffering One ...
the sound of the suffering still echoes within us ...
the slashing of the whips,
the sting of the slaps,
the thwhack of the blows,
the pounding of the nails ...

we hear and feel the sounds of today ...

we hear the fleeing footsteps of your disciples,
the denial of your friend,
and the mocking of the crowds ...

O Suffering One,
we can not begin to grasp what is happening around us ...

Our hearts cleave while our souls fear ...
We want to stay and we want to flee ...
We want to draw nearer the cross,
but we want to find a place away from the dying ...

O Suffering One,
as the warm sunshine beckons us to forget,
the silence and the suffering reminds we simply can't ...

Be with us in the darkness,
hold us as we pass through the shadowy places,
and carry us when we stumble down the lonely path we trod.

O Suffering One,
be with us as we struggle to stay with you
and to remember and once again witness
the suffering ... the loneliness ... and the dying ...

O Suffering One,
there are no words to offer ...
there are no more tears to shed ...
there is only silence ...
the silence of suffering and death ...
the silence left by those who turned and ran ...
the silence that came with the darkness ...
the silence of a world that would kills its hope ...

O Suffering One,
in the silence we wait ...
in the silence we wait ...
in the silence we wait ...

... and all we find is silence ...

... a deep and defeaning silence ...