Epiphany Prayer: Christ of the South

Here’s a prayer for the first Sunday after Epiphany Sunday from the Christian Aid website. It was adapted from “Invocation to the Christ of the Four Directions” (South, West, North, East), written by Suzanne Fageol.

 

Prayer for Epiphany

 

We call upon the Christ of the South:

You, who in fresh youth were drawn, unsated,

to grow in wisdom in the temple. 
You, who grew in stature as you grew in spiritual strength, 
You, who through abiding trust in your Father,

taught others to trust in you, 
You, who transformed fish and bread

into a midday meal for thousands, 
You, who at a wedding,

led many to shed old skins of self

as you shed old wine skins for new wine, 
You, who, in parable, planted abundant energy

in those who truly listened, 
You, who in healing touch and word,

brought wholeness to the ill and broken.

As the warm south wind caresses the summer, 
O Christ of the South:

Enter our hearts and heal us. 
Grow us back to laughter, trust and innocence. 
Warm our souls with gentleness, 
refresh our wilted wills, 
Cultivate in us new green, growing aspects to our lives. 
reconnect us to the web of life.

O Christ of the South, cultivator of souls, 
we call upon you. Amen.

~ adapted from “Invocation to the Christ of the Four Directions” written by Suzanne Fageol. Posted on the Monthly Prayers page (now Weekly Worship) of the Christian Aid website. https://www.christianaid.org.uk/churches/weekly-worship