Praying Together 2021

93 Gather Light a candle as a sign of God’s presence and sit quietly. Ring a bell or chime to start the prayer. The love of God be with you! And with your spirit. COLLECT Let us pray that we will grow in love. (pause) O God who gave us the command to love you and one another, by this love prepare us for eternal life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 5:46-48 Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors love their friends. If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that? Don’t even unbelievers do that? But you must always act like your Father in heaven.” The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. RESPONSE Trusting that our God is near, we pray for the world in which we live. For hearts to love all people, not just our friends: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For wisdom to act as God would want us to: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For those who work for justice: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For people who are lonely: (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 God look upon us with kindness and give us peace. 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. “If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that?” Monday Week 10 Ordinary Time 7 June 2021