Pastoral Prayer: Baptism of Christ

Here’s a prayer from Rev. Abi for the Sunday after Epiphany (Year A)—the Baptism of the Lord.  It is inspired by Isaiah 42: 1-9 and Matthew 3: 13-17.

Pastoral Prayer

(inspired by Isaiah 42:1-9, Matthew 3:13-17)

God who shows no partiality,
show your favoritism on all your people.
Send forth your justice for all to see.
Save us your people.
Empower us to preach and testify to your great love and mercy.

God who makes and keeps covenant with your people,
You called us to be a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to set the prisoners free,
Help us to answer your call that these things come to pass.

God of grace and glory,
We pray for those who suffer from pains and sorrows.
We pray for those whose hearts are broken.
We pray for those whose families are fractured.
We pray for those whose lives are ravaged by war.
We pray for those who struggle with poverty, and starvation
We pray for our brother and sisters in Christ

who are being martyred and tortured for their beliefs.

Thank you for hearing our prayers.
Thank you for pouring out your Spirit on your son
and pouring your spirit out on us too.
May we too hear you say to us this day that

“This is my son, my daughter, the Beloved,

with whom I am well pleased.”
Amen

~ written by Rev Abi, and posted on the RevGalBlogPals website. http://revgalblogpals.org/2011/01/09/sunday-prayer-for-baptism-of-christ-a/