God of mercy, God of
justice,
I am not sure that you
have brought us
desolations on our
earth, but we have them.
Orphans and widows
are in distress from hunger
and diseases, many
that should be curable.
Evil men are in
power, who persecute
and kill out of
prejudice and hate.
Surely it is your
will that we
pray for their
victims--
not to display our
piety
or to receive some
award--
but because mercy and
justice
demand our prayers
and our action.
Lead us in our
prayers so what we do
may be done in love,
and as you will it.
Lectionary Readings
Ps. 67; 150; 46; 93
Esth. 3:1-4:3
James 1:19-27
Matt. 6:1-6, 16-18
Selected Verses
Ps. 46:8
Come, behold the works of the LORD;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
Esth. 3:8
Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain
people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your
kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do
not keep the king's laws, so that it is not appropriate for the king to
tolerate them. …"
James 1:27
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father,
is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself
unstained by the world.
Matt. 6:6
"And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites;
for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so
that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their
reward. But whenever you pray, go into
your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your
Father who sees in secret will reward you.
…" [Jesus, to the crowd on
the mountain]
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