Prayers of the People for the Start of Lent

Here’s a pastoral prayer for the start of the Lent season. It was written by Patrick Ryan, Pastor at Kuhn Memorial Presbyterian Church in Barboursville, West Virginia.

 

Prayer for Faithfulness

at the Beginning of Lent

 

Loving Lord,

at the beginning of this Lenten season,

we are met with the challenge of handing over

every bit of our lives that do not come from You.

To rid ourselves of what clutters our lives,

and all that distracts us from the simple truth

of Your love for us.

 

Your prophets have called us to change the way we worship—

to make internal sacrifices instead of external ones.

To seek justice, and love kindness,

and walk humbly with You

each and every one of our days.

 

If we don’t give anything up for Lent,

then let us at least give up this:

that we might live cease living in ways that disconnect us from You,

for every one of our steps is like a circle around Your temple.

Perhaps this Lent,

we can give up our way

and give ourselves to Your way for us.

 

So, lead and guide us on this Lenten way.

May we walk with Jesus toward the hill just outside of Jerusalem.

May we like Him take up our cross and follow,

spending each moment of our lives living responsively to You,

just as Christ Himself did.

For that is the faithful way. Amen.

 

~ written by Patrick Ryan, Pastor at Kuhn Memorial Presbyterian Church in Barboursville, West Virginia.