The following prayer was written for worship at Central Presbyterian Church on January 27, 2019.
Hear the words Jesus reads to begin his earthly ministry:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
Let us pray.
We pray, O Lord, for people who are poor:
the ones to whom you came with good news.
Challenge us to bear that good news:
to be agents of change and witnesses of love;
to be makers of peace and sharers of bread.
We pray, O Lord, for people who are captives:
the ones to whom you came with release.
For people who are victims of war or violence;
for people who are captured by ideologies and systems.
Release us, O Lord. Release them, O Lord,
and teach us to unbind one another’s chains.
We pray, O Lord, for your spirit,
the spirit which blew over the waters of creation,
the spirit which was upon you at baptism,
the spirit which sustains your church through the ages.
As the spirit was upon you, O Lord,
may we notice her in our world:
Calling us to lives that reflect your justice and your mercy.
Amen.
And also with you. 