Praying Together 2021

116 Gather Light a candle as a sign of God’s presence and sit quietly. Ring a bell or chime to start the prayer. May the love of God be with you! And with your spirit. COLLECT Let us pray that God will make us more like Jesus. (pause) God our Father, teach us to imitate the love and compassion of Jesus, and help us to be like him in word and deed. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 15:15 Jesus said to his disciples: “Servants don’t know what their master is doing, and so I don’t speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything that my Father has told me.” The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. RESPONSE At the beginning of this new day, let us pray that God will recreate the world and make it new. For those who are called to be leaders: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For those who are in need of a friend: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For those who spend their lives serving others: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For wisdom to understand the words of Jesus: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For the prayers in our hearts today: (pause while students offer their prayers aloud) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. DISMISSAL May Christ the Lord walk beside us. Amen. May God bless us in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Ring the bell or chime to signal the end of the prayer. Extinguish the candle. Thursday Week 14 Ordinary Time 8 July 2021 “I speak to you as my friends.”