Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and intercession for Proper 27A (November 6, 2011). It was written by Rev. Marjory MacAskill, Chaplain at Strathclyde University.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
As for you
You did not keep earth waiting
When darkness covered her shores
And chaos hurried to destroy
As for you
You did not keep silent
When you knew a word
Was all the difference between life and death
As for you
You did not hide
When discoveries threatened to change
The world we thought we knew
As for you
You did not keep away
When wanderers walked the earth
In search of home and purpose
As for you
You did not lie still
When the faithful few departed
And even prophets were afraid
As for you
You did not leave us
But came as one of us
In the hour of deepest need
As for you
You did not let death contain you
But rose in garden and city street
Love and hope in your wake
So to you is due our praise
Our thanks, our hearts
To you is the glory now and always
From all peoples and places of earth
As for me
As for me, Lord
You know me better than I know myself
As for me I would serve the Lord
Put off waiting
Find my voice
Enter life in its fullness
Offer hope where there is none
Take the hand of friend and stranger
So for the courage to do all this
Hear my prayer
As for me and my household, my church, my community
As for us together though often apart
You know our strengths and weaknesses
Our gifts and shortcomings
As for us we would serve the Lord
In the small things
Of friendship
Kind words
Visiting the sick
Caring for the grieving
So for the love to do all this
Hear our prayer
As for us we would serve the Lord
In the big issues
Of poverty
War
Violence
Greed
Giving where there is need
Speaking for those who cannot be heard
Challenging the system that divides your world
So for the patience to do all this
Hear our prayer
As for you Lord God
Come again to cold hearts
Weary bodies
Confused minds
To fill with spirit
And renew with life
That service will be true
Love be real
And glory be to Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Now and always
Amen
— written by Rev. Marjory MacAskill, and posted on the Starters for Sunday on the Church of Scotland website.
