Remembering who God is for us, especially through the Son, is pivotal to enduring faith. So together we pray that we and our sisters and brothers would find all we need in Jesus through this prayer adapted from John Ballie. Let us pray…
O God, immortal, eternal, invisible, let us remember with joy and thanksgiving all that you have been to us:
Companion of the brave;
Supporter of the loyal;
Light of the wanderer;
Joy of the pilgrim;
Guide of the pioneer;
Helper of all whose work is heavy;
Refuge of the brokenhearted;
Deliverer of the oppressed;
Relief of the tempted;
Strength of the victorious;
Ruler of rulers;
Friend of the poor;
Rescuer of the perishing;
Hope of the dying.
Give us faith now to believe that you can be all in all for each of us, according to our need, if only we renounce all proud self-dependence and put our trust in you.
Forbid it, O Father, that the sheer difficulty of honoring you in our lives should ever tempt us to despair or give up trying. May we always keep in our minds that this human life was once divinely lived; that this world was once nobly overcome; and that this physical body, which so sorely troubles us now, was once made into your perfect dwelling place.
Show your loving kindness today and this week, O Father, to all who are in need of your help. Be with the weak to make them strong and with the strong to make them gentle. Cheer the lonely with your company and the distracted with your solitude. Prosper your Church in the fulfillment of its mighty task, and grant your blessing to all who have worked hard today and this week in Christ’s name.
Amen.