Thanksgiving and intercession prayer 26 March 2023

Father

though you are in heaven

you are near us, with us,

attentive to our cries for mercy

our cries

shouting joyful thanksgiving for all you bless us with

family, who surround us with love

friends who support and care for us

our siblings in Christ, united to one another by the Spirit

we recall how, when they are ill, in pain, we join in their suffering

calling to you

Lord, the one you love is sick.”

like Mary and Martha

we call in faith and trust

to our friend and sibling

Christ Jesus

knowing he understands and shares our pain and concern

knowing he weeps with us, when we mourn

knowing he is the resurrection and the life

Resurrected One

your body was raised from death to life

removing the power of death over us once and for all

you bear the scars of the cross

and bore the scars our your humanity

at the grave of Lazarus

we grieve today, Lord Jesus

for family and friends who linger in the shadow of death

for the loss of what has come before in this place

for our failure to be people of your spirit, trusting on you as the resurrection and the life

and, Jesus,

we know you weep when we weep

we know you answer all our prayers

but, we also wonder why not always as we’d want

especially where we watch as we lose something or someone dear to us

thanksgiving we bring we can articulate this

that you listen to us

in our cries for mercy and lament

Relieve us

God, Father, Son, Spirit

in your great mercy

relieve us

fill us with the spirit of Christ

that as we die with him, we live with him

and relieve your world

where there is distress, bring calm

where there is suffering, bring ease

where there is conflict, bring peace

all this we pray

through the one who brings peace, beyond all human understanding

Christ Jesus

Amen