Liturgy

Lord Jesus Christ,
pierce our souls with your love that we may always long for you.
You, the bread of angels and the fulfillment of the soul’s deepest desires.

May our hearts always hunger and feed on what you provide,
so that our souls may be filled with sweetness in your presence.

May our souls thirst for you, the source of life, wisdom,
knowledge, light, and all the riches of God our Father.

May we always seek and find you, think about you, speak to you,
and do everything for the honor and glory of your name.

Be always our hope, our peace, our refuge and help
in whom our hearts are rooted, now and forever.
Amen.

— St. Bonaventure, 13th century

Congregational Prayer

In prayer, let us confess to God as a community.

Most holy and merciful Father,
We confess to you and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ, and
we have grieved your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness:
the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience in our lives.
We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways,
and our exploitation of other people,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts,
and our dishonesty in daily life and work,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship,
and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,
We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done:
for our blindness to human need and suffering,
and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us and let your anger depart from us,
Favorably turn your face to us for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in each of us and all of your church the work of your salvation,
That we may show forth your glory in the world,
God in community, holy in One, we pray.
Amen.

Reflection

What does “abundant life” look like to you?
Would you describe what you experience in your day to day living as “abundant life”?

Benediction

Now go, all you who are loved by God,
hear his call to serve others
as he has served you;

hear his invitation to be part
of his plan to rescue the world;
and join in community with those
who walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Help us to receive Christ’s life,
walk in his strength,
and follow his ways every moment of our lives.

May God’s care embrace us,
Jesus’ words embolden us,
and the Holy Spirit’s presence renew us
today and always.
Amen.

Go in peace and live the church.
See you throughout the week.

[Photo by Gideon Tsang @ Flickr]