THE PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Ash Wednesday, Cycle B (February 17, 2021)
THE PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Let us humbly beseech God for his mercy upon the Church, the world, and one another.
A brief silence
Father, thank you for being full of mercy, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Thank you for Jesus, the remedy for our sin and brokenness. Thank you for the Holy Spirit, who stirs up faith, hope, and love in our hearts.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Have mercy on your Church. Cleanse it from false teaching, feigned holiness, and fake discipleship. Form it in the likeness of your dear Son, fill it with your Holy Spirit, and use it to draw all people to yourself.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Have mercy on your persecuted servants. Cleanse them from bitterness or thirst for revenge. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and use them to lead the enemies of Christ to repentance and salvation.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Have mercy on this congregation. Cleanse us from apathy, inattention, and contention. Form us into the likeness of your dear Son, fill us with your Holy Spirit, and use us to draw our families, friends, and communities to the foot of Jesus’ Cross.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Have mercy on all who doubt your existence or your goodness. Cleanse them from spiritual darkness, intellectual pride, or emotional despair. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and bless them with faith in you.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Have mercy upon all who are entrusted with power and authority in this sin-shadowed world. Cleanse them from cruelty, lust for power, and deceit. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and use them to bring your blessings of peace, prosperity, and concord to all people.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Have mercy upon all who protect our health, safety, and freedom. Cleanse them from wrong judgment or base motives. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and use them to do your will in this broken world.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Have mercy on all whose lives are shadowed by any kind of evil. Cleanse them from all that troubles them and prevents them from turning to you, their Strength and their Redeemer. Form them into the likeness of your dear Son, fill them with your Holy Spirit, and restore them to wholeness and hope, in the company of all who love them.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Most holy and gracious Father, we commend into your mercy our beloved dead. We who are ashes and dust beseech you to be merciful to us as well. Cleanse us from every sin which separates us from you and from one another. Form us into the likeness of your dear Son, fill us with your Holy Spirit, and use us to help lighten our neighbor’s burdens throughout our earthly pilgrimage. Lead us, with all whom you have redeemed by the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus, into your Kingdom, where, untroubled by sin, evil, or death, we may rejoice in your goodness and gaze upon your glory forever.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For these things, and for whatever else is needful, dear Father, we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns, one God, now and forever. Amen.
