Tag Archives: Lent

A Less Fatalistic Ash Wednesday

02 Wednesday Mar 2022

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Today happened to be another Ash Wednesday in which I was home-bound on medical leave.

Once again, like in the past, I was dealing with endometriosis. The pain was increasing even though I was menopausal, and the hysterectomy proved that there was a lot of rogue endometrial tissue in my pelvic region. I’m on medical leave and not able to lead worship as I take time to heal.

Which brings me to this year’s Ash Wednesday. After two weeks of lying in bed, doom-scrolling news about the invasion of Ukraine and heightened nuclear alert in our world, the worst thing right now is to remind someone who is deathly afraid of death that she will die. (Obviously, there are many dying in Ukraine from this senseless war- and something for us to discuss another day.) I worried about what could go wrong prior to the surgery (as always), and I dealt with two years of pandemic concerns. The last thing I want to hear through sacred liturgy is that I’m going to die.

I know this with every fiber of my being. My anxiety reminds me each day that death could be imminent.

So for this year, I work to establish a different relationship with the ashes.

First of all, everything is fleeting. And this should include my worries. My concerns should be no more than the weight of the ashes which could easily be blown away by the wind. Easier said than done, but it’s worth the effort.

Secondly, as I begin Kate Bowler’s Good Enough devotional book, I’m reminded of my imperfections. The ashes remind me of an imperfect self and the need to embrace a self that works to try her best rather than attain the impossible.

I refuse to rid myself of Ash Wednesday. But the day was not always ours to dwell on death but focus on what continues to be the greatest priorities while we are alive: loving one another as Christ loved us; doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God.

And today my focus won’t be nuclear war, health issues, or pandemics, but my growing relationship with God.

A Communion Liturgy for Lent

07 Sunday Mar 2021

Posted by in Communion Liturgy, Lent Prayers, Liturgy

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Invitation
God is with you!
And God is with us all.
Open wide your hearts.
We open them completely to the Spirit of God.
May God’s love nurture your wandering spirits each day.
May God’s light sustain your souls each night.

Prayer of Communion
This is a season of wilderness-
The season we grasp to understand the Divine just a little more.
This is the time for us to reach inwards to find the self that God sees.
This is the chance for us to gaze outwards, caring for the Christ in our midst.

The Lenten roads are long
Yet full of gifts.
The Lenten paths often seem chilly
Yet warm with the winds of the Spirit.
The Spirit of God is the light that leads us in the hushed nights.
The Christ is our companion on the journey in the intense sunlight of day.
We remember his time in the wilderness-
The struggles. The hunger.  The peace.

And as we seek the Divine in our midst,
On this journey, we crave the bread of life.
On our desert roads, we thirst for the fruit of the vine, the cup of blessings.

Through Jesus the Christ’s story, we remember the night before his arrest,
The night of serenity, solemnity, and love.
Jesus took in his hands bread from the table.
He broke it and blessed it.
Eat in remembrance of me, he said.

And after supper,
As the night grew long,
Jesus took a cup, and filled it with the fruit of the vine.
As he blessed it, he spoke aloud to them
Take and drink and always remember me.

May the Spirit who traveled with Christ in the wilderness
And fills us with the hope of God
Surround these elements.
May the Spirit speak to us in this season of wilderness
Becoming our strength on this journey
And filling our lives with love.  Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving
Divine Light of Our Journey-
In a spirit of gratitude we give thanks for this time at your Holy Meal.
This time at the Table filled us with strength,
Knowing that as we continue on this Lenten journey,
We will find your peace surrounding us.
Amen.

Quarantine Worship – Lent 5 and John 11

24 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by in Current Events, grief, Lent Prayers, Liturgy, Pop

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Entry into Worship
Some enter worship with bubbles of joy in their souls
and some come to this time with dread-painted spirits.
Some enter worship with pitchers full of hope
and others only bring bowls of despair.

You may be carrying a myriad of emotions
or feel like your emotions have run dry.
This is the space to bring your fullest selves-
whether withered or flourishing.

No matter where you are spiritually or physically,
Your tears and laughter are welcome here.

Invocation
Cradling God, as emotions swell in our minds
and our souls feel a disconcerting ache,
be our source of comfort.
In this boundless night of our existence,
be our light.
In a wilderness that has no end,
be our guide.
May we encounter your fountains of hope in this exile.
Amen.

Prayer of Reconciliation
We are overflowing with emotions right now God.
Some we understand.  Others we do not.
And with this overabundance of feelings
comes an overabundance of reactions.
Some are healthy.  Others hurt.
Forgive us for acting out of our grief.
Assist us in understanding our emotions in new ways
so that we don’t hurt our neighbors again.  Amen.

Assurance of Grace
Jesus got angry.  Jesus wept.  Jesus grieved.
Like Jesus, our full humanity will shine in this world-
from our lamenting to our laughter.
Like Jesus, the Divine Image will be seen in us
through our tears and our grins.  Amen.

Reflection on Giving
In our individual spaces, we recognize the privileges and gifts we bear-
the time that we give,
our special talents,
and our financial treasures.

While the world may seem like it’s slowed quite a bit,
our building still stands,
some programs have become virtual,
and our staff still sustains the work of the church.

With the gifts you give,
the endeavors of the congregation progresses in transformed ways.

So we pray together…
May God bless the gifts we’ve been given
as they will be used to continue our mission
whether within or outside of the church’s walls.
We thank you for technology that we use each day
to promote the mission of the church-
bringing good news and hope to the children of God.
Amen.

Benediction
Cradling God-
May our tears bless the ground on which we walk.
May our breath sustain our bodies which houses our souls.
May our beating hearts remind us of your love for us all.
Through our hearts, our breathing, and our tears, let us care for your children in this Lenten wilderness.
Amen.

(c) Rev. Michelle L. Torigian  Permission to use with attribution.

A Prayer for Firefighters

24 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by in Lent Prayers, Pop, Prayers, Vocation Prayers

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Spirit of Healing Winds-

Fires take hold of mountainsides and homes.  Dry weather and electrical mishaps cause tragic infernos.

As the flames heighten and grasp our lands, our firefighters rush to the incidents.  Their courage drives them to risk their well-being for the health and lives of others.

For their strength and determination, we share our gratitude.

We pray for first responders who are facing trauma years after an incident.  We remember that many of our firefighters who worked to rescue survivors and recover victims of September 11, 2001 have fallen ill and struggling to hold onto their lives.  May their peace and health prosper, and may they see a future with hope.

We pray for the many chaplains walking alongside of our firefighters.  May they bring your comfort to our first responders with wounds from the skin to the soul.

May your winds be kind to the raging flames.  May your water soothe the fires that rage.  May your land heal in the seasons that follow a wildfire’s frenzy.

And may those who stand against each fire feel the strength of your presence in their confrontation with nature’s elements.

Amen.

*****

This is part of a series of Lenten daily prayers for various careers. The list was determined by St. Paul UCC, Belleville, IL.

A Prayer for Farmers

23 Saturday Mar 2019

Posted by in Lent Prayers, Pop, Prayers, Vocation Prayers

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Holy Sower, Holy Harvester-

For the ones who till the ground, we celebrate.

For their early hours and long days, for their weathered hands which plow and pluck, for their strategic minds which plans out lands- – we laud their exceptional efforts.

Bless their hours as they intensely labor in the fields. Bless their land as the seeds burst forth from the soil. Bless the roots as they embed within the dirt. Bless the clouds which bring forth rain, and bless the sun which dances upon the leaves of trees our farmers have planted.

May our farmers, landscapers, and all who work in gardens find time to rest. May their sabbaths be filled with moments of sleep and joy.

We thank you for their endeavors in co-creating with you: the fruits and grains, the vegetables and beans, and the trees which shade our grounds.

Amen.

A Prayer for Doctors, Nurses, and All Medical Professionals

20 Wednesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Health, Lent Prayers, Pop, Vocation Prayers

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Holy Winds of Healing-

As you encircle us with your love, surround us with healing energies. Your voice perpetually calls our bodies, our minds, our souls to wellness and wholeness.

For the doctors who examine us, diagnose us, and treat us, we give much gratitude. Gift them with clear minds and overflowing wisdom. May they embrace the continuous unfolding of medical knowledge. May surgeons hands be steady, and may they look towards your healing spirit as they listen for you calling.

For the nurses who journey with us as we continue the healing process, we speak our thanks. May they find fulfillment in their vocations. Point them to your presence as they work towards the health of their patients.

We ask for blessings upon all of those who work in doctor’s offices, on surgical floors, and in hospital rooms. Help them experience patience in their trying moments, and may they see the positive impact they make.

May all medical professionals speak words of love and embrace grace as they work to bring your healing to an injured world.

Amen.

*****

This is part of a series of Lenten daily prayers for various careers. The list was determined by St. Paul UCC, Belleville, IL.

A Prayer for Designers

19 Tuesday Mar 2019

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Divine Designer-

Through scientific principles, you created the universe.  Even though science was your joyful process of our universe’s genesis, you also desired to take creation a step further.  Because of your love of humanity, you infused flare into our world.  Because you understood our deep love of art, you added blooming trees in Spring and Autumn’s foliage.

And you gifted our world with us designers to co-create with you.

Through the work of their minds, they gave us creative furniture, innovative room designs, inventive fonts, crisp graphics, and fresh wearable fashions.  Through the work of their hands, they grasped the sheen of their dreams and transformed their visions into tangible blessings.

Thank you for your Spirit who inspires all of our designers.  Through their craft, we see your presence.  Through their creations, we abide in a world filled with all sorts of art.

Continue to inspire them with new ideas so that our evolving world will see your beauty on this earth.

Amen.

*****

This is part of a series of Lenten daily prayers for various careers. The list was determined by St. Paul UCC, Belleville, IL.

A Prayer for Dentists

19 Tuesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Health, Lent Prayers, Pop, Vocation Prayers

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God of the Smiles and Smirks-

For our dentists and dental hygienists, we share our gratitude. Through their encouragement of better hygiene health, we become stronger people.

Bless them with patience as so many of us hold much anxiety of drills and needles. May they show much peace when our nerves flare. May their hands be steady as they hold delicate tools which care for our teeth and gums. Through their knowledge, we find dental wellness.

Bless their learning through continuing education. Bless all who work in their office, and bless their leadership of their staff.

Amen.

A Prayer for Construction Workers and Contractors

18 Monday Mar 2019

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Divine Builder-

As we look at our homes, workplaces, and places of worship, we give gratitude for the ones who have placed brick upon brick.  Engineers, architects, designers, and project managers brought forth dreams on paper.  Construction workers and contractors work to make these visions into reality.

From crafting the frame of our buildings to plastering walls, their weathered hands and perspired foreheads show their dedication to their profession.  Through their expertise, structures stand on solid foundation.  Through their experience, roofs protect from nature’s wrath.

With gratefulness, we celebrate their calling.

Keep them safe as they continue to build towards the sky.  May they feel your peace as their work reaches for the clouds.

Amen.

*****

This is part of a series of Lenten daily prayers for various careers. The list was determined by St. Paul UCC, Belleville, IL.

A Prayer for Chefs

17 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by in Lent Prayers, Pop, Prayers, Vocation Prayers

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Divine Crafter of Cuisines,

We thank you for the imagination of chefs and cooks in our communities. Through the work of their hands, your children are fed. Through the work of their hearts, some who would otherwise go hungry receive food.

We are grateful for all who prepare meals – from our loved ones in our homes to those who create box and frozen dinners to the ones who work in church kitchens. Just as you bless the recipients of the food, bless each one who has cooked the meals. Strengthen each of us as we broil and bake, as we grill and griddle, and as we poach and fry.

Allow us to be your sous chefs as we work together to craft dinners at the tables of justice and mercy.

Amen.

*****

This is part of a series of Lenten daily prayers for various careers. The list was determined by St. Paul UCC, Belleville, IL.