A Prayer for Thanksgiving: Speaking to the Soul, November 24, 2022

God of Abundant Grace,
your love preserves us
and calls us to wakefulness and compassion:
we raise our hearts in thankfulness and praise.

You, O God, call all the stars by their names,
and set them dancing overhead to our wonder and delight.
You teach the birds their songs
that lighten our hearts and call us to joy.
You have called us into community for our flourishing,
and called us to companionship in your Way of Love.

May we tend to the earth, and to each other,
with steadfastness and gratitude,
always seeing your imprint, Lord Christ,
wherever we look.

May we treasure friends and loved ones,
companions and fellow travelers on this earth,
and reach out to those around us in love and kindness.

May we be brave in loving,
bold in giving,
steadfast in hoping,
and grateful in all things.

May we seek to mend the wounds we have created,
and forgive those who have hurt us.

May we ever cultivate being honorable and compassionate,
being just while loving mercy and grace,
seeking purity while acknowledging our humanity.

Holy One, send your angels to tend to those
who call upon You and depend upon your care,
especially those away from home,
and those whose needs we place before You,
that your peace, surpassing all our knowing,
may be our embodied prayer.

Amen.

This was first published at Episcopal Journal and Cafe's Speaking to the Soul on November 24, 2022.

Prayer, day 2862

Great is our God, and greatly to be praised: 

God's mercy is everlasting!

You welcome us into Your embrace, O God,
and there we take our rest and find new strength.

You number the stars and comfort our sorrows,
knowing us all by name.

You teach the sparrow its song
and fill our hearts with thanksgiving;
all creation sings its praise of Your goodness.

Let us abide with You in this moment, O Loving One:
Your love envelops us now and forever
as we lift up our intercessions
before your gracious countenance and pray.


Amen.

Prayer, day 2660

Blessed Lord Jesus,
we rise to gather in your courts
to give honor and praise to your holy name! 

Holy One, we thank You
for all who have guided us
with a mother's hand in our lives.
O God, bless all mothers: 
birth mothers, 
step-mothers, 
mothers-in-law, and 
mothers of the heart. 

Open our eyes to see your presence
in those who have adopted us,
loved us,
taught us,
and nurtured us,
drawn to us in love. 

Help us to ourselves be loving signs of grace
and acceptance in the world,
that we may spread motherly love throughout our lives. 

Bless those mothers who are gone from us,
or are far away,
as we remember them and honor them in love. 

With your arms stretched wide, Lord Christ,
envelop us in your truth,
and give us a new birth of hope and faith, we pray.
Gather to your heart, sweet Jesus,
those whose needs we lay before you.

Amen.

Prayer, day 2471: Sustained by the Bread of Life

God of Mercy, we praise You and bless You
for abiding with us always,
in gratitude and awe for your saving deeds in our lives.

Bread of Life,
you nourish us and sustain us ever with your love,
sweeter than honey on the tongue.
May we look with eyes of wonder today
on the glory of your handiwork, O Holy One,
remembering that you have knit us together
as one body, one community
regardless of our differences.

Blessed Savior, help us to see deeper
into the mystery of your abundant grace,
and lift each other over the hindrances that impede us.

Gather into your embrace
all whose hope is in you, O Christ,
and grant your peace and comfort to those for whom we pray.

Amen.

Prayer 2443

Holy One, 
we give You thanks and praise 
for your grace and love that sustains us always. 

Steadfast Redeemer, 
lead us into all wisdom and truth, 
teaching us to live in humility, kindness and wisdom, 
walking gently with each other 
upon this beautiful earth of which we are a part. 
Bring us to new awareness, O Lord, 
of the web of life that sustains us, 
from the smallest bacteria to the teeming oceans. 
Make us steadfast witnesses, O God, of your abundant love, 
and make us bold in living out your gospel 
in all that we say and do this day. 

By the power of the Holy Spirit, 
anoint us to the service of hope and healing today, 
and grant your peace and comfort to those for whom we pray.

Amen.