Pastor’s Prayers

Lord, may your kingship be established in the earth that is me. May your will be done in my life.  I am no angel Lord dwelling in the heavenly realm. I am me, a self living on Earth in an earth body.  I am earth living on Earth.  I am made of earth. Yet I long for your kingdom and your will to be done in my life. My kingdom has not worked out so well.  May yours be established in this oh-so-earthen vessel.  Doing my will has brought me nothing but frustration and failure.  Now, O Lord, let yours be done.  Amen.

–Dr. Mark Rutland

When everything was dark
 and it seemed that the sun would never shine again,
 your love broke through.

Your love was too strong,
 too wide,
 too deep
 for death to hold.

The sparks cast by your love
 dance and spread
 and burst forth
 with resurrection light.

Gracious God,
 We praise you for the light of new life
 made possible through Jesus.
 We praise you for the light of new life
 that shone on the first witnesses of resurrection.
 We praise you for the light of new life
 that continues to shine in our hearts today.

We pray that the Easter light of life, hope and joy,
 will live in us each day;
 and that we will be bearers of that light
 into the lives of others.
 Amen.

Prayer by the Rev. Michaela Youngson, Superintendent Minister of the Ealing Trinity Circuit of the Methodist Church of Britain

Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei,
quitollis peccata mundi:  miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei,
quitollis peccata mundi:  miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei,
quitollis peccata mundi:  dona nobis pacem.

The Breastplate Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through  a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief  in the threeness,
Through the confession of the oneness
Of the  Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through  the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism,
Through the  strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of  his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his  descent for the Judgment Day.
I arise today
Through  the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In  the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with  reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In  preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of  holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through  the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor  of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability  of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through  God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s  wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear  me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s  way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to  save me
From snares of demons,
From temptations of vices,
From  everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in  multitude.
I summon today  all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel  merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against  incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against  false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells  of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that  corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ to shield  me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning,  against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ  with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ  beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ  when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ  in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of  everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ  in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through  a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in  the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator  of Creation.

Heavenly Father, we come to you in prayer during this time of Lent. You who have created us, sustained us, lifted us in all times of our lives, create in us a strength of faith and resolve, so that no matter what trials we encounter in the world, our souls may be salved in the waters of your grace and salvation. May Jesus be our hope and our guide.  Amen.

The Aramaic Lord’s Prayer

as translated by Kevin Thew Forrester

O Breath of Life, your name shines everywhere!

Holy is your “I Am” now.

Embody your desire in every light and form.

Bring to us this moment’s bread and wisdom.

Untie the knots of failure binding us,

as we release our judgments against others.

Help us to remember our source,

yet free us to be reborn every moment.

From you comes forth every Vision, Power, and Son from gathering to gathering.

Amen.