Prayer cycle
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama
06 - 12 October 2024
Intercessions
We are thankful for:
• the natural beauty in this region
• the cultural and spiritual contributions made by the indigenous peoples living in these countries
• church leaders and others who continue to struggle for justice, human rights and dignity, and who work for reconciliation in these lands
• those who have turned away from violence and live with others in peace.
We pray for:
• children and youth who are traumatized by violence and flee to other lands
• an end to gang violence and drug trafficking
• more just distribution of wealth that enables the millions who have been excluded to have access to a dignified life in these countries
• Christians to have the courage to live out the liberating gospel.
Prayers
Prayer: ‘God of justice’
Hear, O God, the cries of your oppressed people.
It is a fight between good and evil,
between justice and injustice.
Lord, make your light shine upon us,
and guide us by your Spirit,
for we are cast down, but not defeated,
afflicted, but not in despair.
This is not a fight against flesh and blood,
but against principalities,
against powers,
against the hosts of evil in heavenly places.
Come, Lord, free us from the yoke of oppression
that has been laid upon us!
It is as if we were in a dark tunnel,
but we know that in your light we shall see light.
Do not leave us in the hands of our enemies,
who have joined against us,
all those who selfishly seek their own good
and act violently, trampling over their neighbours,
so as to reach their goals.
They thus hate justice,
they wish to devour us, destroy us,
day and night they are plotting evil.
Why do you tarry, Lord, in making your power felt?
They put their trust in money,
in influence, in bribery…
But we, Lord, put our trust in you,
our salvation comes from you.
May those who desire evil for us
be confounded and put to shame.
Amen.
(Mendelson Dávila Amaya, Nicaragua)
Loving God, I offer myself to you.
May my mind think of you,
and my eyes see the needs of others.
May my ears hear the cries of the world
and my voice speak of you.
May my hands work for your reign
and my feet walk on your path.
May my life be used in your service
and my heart love you more than anything else.
May the joy of the Lord be my strength to serve him
all the days of my life.
(Opening worship of the regional meeting of the Methodist Church in Latin America and the Caribbean, 11 May 2002, Panama)
Blessing
Christ our true God,
risen from the dead,
whose tomb is brighter than any royal hall,
will have mercy on us,
and save us,
for this is a good God who loves us all.
(From a memorial service for Oscar Romero, El Salvador. Living Beyond Our Means, World Student Christian Federation, Geneva, Switzerland.)
