AUG. 27, 2020
A daily prayer during this COVID-19 crisis
During these difficult days, the Preachers' Aid Society of New England is sharing a daily prayer
based on the Revised Common Lectionary for the week. You are welcome to use these in worship or in your own devotions.
Today’s prayer
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, and persevere in prayer.” Romans 12:12 O God, I welcome this new day with hope, even though sometimes it’s hard — Hope for reconciliation and justice in the midst of tension, estrangement, and misunderstanding in my personal relationships and in our nation. Hope for a vaccine in the midst of a pandemic which continues to claim so many lives and has caused economic hardship for the already vulnerable. Hope for the opportunity to once again visit loved ones, sing together, and worship together in one space.
O God, help me to be patient, even though sometimes it’s hard — When reconciliation requires careful listening, validation, acknowledging my complicity, and the honesty to admit when I was wrong. When there is no clear end in sight to this pandemic and when I see effective strategies for reducing the spread of the virus being ignored. When ZOOM chorus rehearsals and Skype worship services and phone calls are a poor replacement to being together in the same space.
When hope and patience are hard and hard to come by, help me to keep on praying, to keep pressing on, to persevere. Remind me, O God, that to persevere in prayer is to persevere in love, and sometimes that’s hard too. Help me to draw my strength from you and to place my trust in you. Help me to live in hope, with patience, and motivated by love this day. Amen. Submitted by Rev. Cathy Anderson, retired elder, former Director of Pastoral Care Ministries for the Preachers’ Aid Society