Light of the world, shine in our hearts, that we might see and act with compassion.
Shine in our minds that we might love justice, and act wisely.
Dispel our fears, our anger, our resentments, our sorrows and despair.
Shine on our hands that we might reach out in love.
Shine on our feet that we might find the path of peace.
Guide us O Lord through the new year.
Amen
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood. John 1:5
Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. 2 Chronicles 20:16
Lord God of light, in your word we find hope,
In your presence we find joy,
In your guidance we find peace,
In your love we find rest.
Even in the darkest times, your light is there, if we are willing to look.
Help us to see it, embrace it, and share it. (John 1:9)
Amen
We are wandering in the wilderness Lord, and even though it is of our own making, we are lost and confused and afraid.
Help us to hear and to follow the voices of your prophets calling out, inviting us into a better way. (Is. 40:3).
Lead us through the change, the adversity, our fears and anxieties.
Let us, like Abraham, follow your love, even though we do not fully know where we are going. (Heb. 11:8)
Sustain our hope in what we cannot yet see (Heb. 11:1), and guide us towards your peace.
Amen
You call us forward Lord,
Guide us by the light of your love
From our fears and sins release us, that we might have
to heal, to hope, to seek, and to be the “heroes of the future.”*
Amen
*From the papal encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” by Pope Francis, October 3, 2020, paragraph 202.
202. Lack of dialogue means that in these individual sectors people are concerned not for the common good, but for the benefits of power or, at best, for ways to impose their own ideas. Round tables thus become mere negotiating sessions, in which individuals attempt to seize every possible advantage, rather than cooperating in the pursuit of the common good. The heroes of the future will be those who can break with this unhealthy mindset and determine respectfully to promote truthfulness, aside from personal interest. God willing, such heroes are quietly emerging, even now, in the midst of our society.
Prayers For Our Country 