Document
Opening prayer
For what do we lament?
For what do we come before God this day and cry out?
For what do we confess?
Silence
Hear us, O God:
Hear us, O God.
Show yourself, O God:
Show yourself, O God.
Give us life:
Give us life.
Silence
Hear these words, receive their power:
The majesty of God the Mother and Father undergirds all that is.
The mercy of God the Son accepts our despair.
The comfort of God the Spirit embraces us in communities of care.
Thanks be to God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
(Service of Prayer and Lament at the The Lutheran Center Chapel, July 8, 2016, p.5)
Psalmody (Psalms 129: 1-7)
One: “They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,”
let Israel say; “they have greatly oppressed me from my youth
but they have not gained the victory over me.
Many: The Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”
One: Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long.
But the Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”
Many: The Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”
One: May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame.
May they be like grass on the roof, which withers before it can grow;
a reaper cannot fill his hands with it, nor one who gathers fill his arms.
Many: The Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”
Reflection: Psalm 129
Intercessory prayers
Where women and children are physically, mentally,
sexually and verbally abused by their family members,
their intimate partners, and their close friends.
Where women and young children cry “No, no!”
and are unheeded by their oppressors.
Come, Holy Spirit, hear us and heal us!
Where families are fractured by domestic upheavals,
and children forced onto the streets to fight for survival,
where more resources are spent on arms and destruction
and less attention paid to sickness and starvation:
Come, Holy Spirit, hear us and heal us!
Where the acquisition of things has become an obsession
and the worth of human beings is measured by their possessions,
where our air, trees and seas are besieged by pollution
and purblind mercenary greed threatens our environment:
Come, Holy Spirit, hear us and heal us!
Where countries are split apart by communalism and racism
and innocent blood is spilt by wanton acts of terrorism,
where internecine warfare sets nation against nation
and a nuclear holocaust looms ominous on our horizon:
Come, Holy Spirit, hear us and heal us!
Where families mourn for the loss of the dear ones during this time of pandemic,
And those who cry out for healing and comfort.
Come, Holy Spirit, hear us and heal us!
O God, we hold before you those we now name in our hearts who are ill and our many prayers spoken out loud, or written in the chatroom, or in the silence of our hearts... Amen.
(Modified to accommodate today’s theme © Cecil Rajendra, Malaysia. WPCU 1999 p.24.)
The Lord’s Prayer (in many languages, with unmuted microphone)
Blessing
Go with the wonders of the grace of God.
Be filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit,
Be encouraged by the compassion and tender love of Jesus Christ and
with the wisdom of our Creator God. Amen.
(Modified and taken from the Lutheran World Federation, 12th Assembly, Worship Booklet, p. 81)
The peace of the Lord be with you all.
Let us share the peace of Christ with one another.
Liturgy prepared by Rebecca Sangeetha Daniel, LWF
