God of grace and glory,
in Jesus Christ you come as the Light of the world.
Shine into our darkness.
Enable us to see
not just the things that can be perceived
with our mortal eyes
but the deeper and higher Reality
which permeates and fills all things.
Let us see your love at work in the world.
Even in those places of brokenness,
of failure and defeat,
loss and heartbreak,
fear and sorrow.
For it is through the cracks in things
that your Light shines
most fully and surprisingly.
We pray that your church,
your gathering of disciples,
may be less of an imposing and solid ediface
and more like the roots of a tree that crack the sidewalk,
showing that life is invincible.
We pray for the Earth,
your holy creation
which you declared very good.
May we join with creation in the song of life,
and let that song never be diminished because of us.
We pray for the world
especially for those who suffer as victims of violence.
We pray for the people under attack in Gaza.
We pray for the victims of the latest bombing in Iraq,
and for those suffering in the wars in Somalia, the Congo,
Afghanistan, and other places in the world.
May your Light break into such places
and bring life and peace to all.
We pray for those whom we know
who suffer pain of body, soul, or spirit.
Especially we pray for ....
Let them know that the dawn always comes
after the darkness.
Your Light and life always triumph in the end.
Bring healing into these lives
and restore to wholeness those now broken.
We give you thanks for the life of ....
And for all in her/him that was
good and kind and faithful.
Comfort those in the darkness of grief
and always give us the light of your saints,
people who show us some part
of what it means to follow you.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord,
in the communion
of all who have gone before us in the faith
and all who will come after,
we commend ourselves, one another,
and our whole life to you,
O Christ our God,
and to you we render glory,
now and forever.
Amen.
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