Here’s a pastoral prayer from Richard Einerson. He has based it on the lectionary texts for February 5, 2012 (the fifth Sunday after Epiphany).
Pastoral Prayer: Epiphany 5B
(inspired by Mark 1:29-39)
O holy One, we come to you in need of your leading and instruction. We so often become bogged down in the details of life and forget to see the bigger picture of life and its needs. We so often give ourselves to what we think is necessary and fail to see what is needful. Forgive us our short-sightedness and save us from our spiritual myopia.
We have been reminded today of how Jesus met needs all about him but did not succumb to the tyranny of demands and many clamouring voices. Help us to follow his example.
Whereas we tend to think in terms of doing things primarily where we live he thought of people elsewhere who had needs.
Whereas we tend to take our signals from others he took his direction from within.
Whereas we tend to live life at a frenetic pace he went out to the desert alone and prayed to find renewal.
Whereas we tend to be provincial in the scope of our concerns he thought of other communities who needed the good news.
As we walk the Christian journey we pray that you will provide us a greater vision. Interrupt our frenetic activity. Help us to find the creative spiritual pause which will make clearer our mission and refresh us for it. Help us to see all people as your people and to know that we have the responsibility to love them. Help us to have the courage to change the way we have gone about life and to make it both more rewarding and more fruitful.
We ask your care for all of the suffering of the world. Be with those who are living with the effects of natural disasters. Be with who are those living with the effects of war. Be with those who are hungry. Be with those who are homeless. Provide them comfort. Amen.
We have been reminded today of how Jesus met needs all about him but did not succumb to the tyranny of demands and many clamouring voices. Help us to follow his example.
Whereas we tend to think in terms of doing things primarily where we live he thought of people elsewhere who had needs.
Whereas we tend to take our signals from others he took his direction from within.
Whereas we tend to live life at a frenetic pace he went out to the desert alone and prayed to find renewal.
Whereas we tend to be provincial in the scope of our concerns he thought of other communities who needed the good news.
As we walk the Christian journey we pray that you will provide us a greater vision. Interrupt our frenetic activity. Help us to find the creative spiritual pause which will make clearer our mission and refresh us for it. Help us to see all people as your people and to know that we have the responsibility to love them. Help us to have the courage to change the way we have gone about life and to make it both more rewarding and more fruitful.
We ask your care for all of the suffering of the world. Be with those who are living with the effects of natural disasters. Be with who are those living with the effects of war. Be with those who are hungry. Be with those who are homeless. Provide them comfort. Amen.
— written by Richard Einerson, from his published collection of prayers, Prayers of the People. Posted on Richard Einerson: Prayers of the People.
For more worship resources for February 5, 2012 (the fifth Sunday after Epiphany), click on Epiphany 5B in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page.
For more prayer resources on this blog, see the Scriptural Index of Prayers at the upper right side of the page.
