Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts, and prepare with joy for the Paschal feast; that, fervent in prayer and in works of mercy, and renewed by your Word and Sacraments, they may come to the fullness of grace which you have prepared for those who love you.
If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
Because we can trust you, O Lord, we lift up to you in this time of distress: Those that are ill; Front line workers; Those without work and wondering how they will make it; Kids in abusive or neglectful homes, likely made worse by the stress of our current situation; Our government and those in positions to make hard decisions; Our pastors and churches; Those with family members that are sick or dying but who cannot be with them because of the virus; Those who are postponing things like funerals indefinitely; People missing out on important life events like weddings, graduations, births, and other big life events, (I think of my friend Catherine, who is valedictorian, yet will never get to walk or give a valedictorian speech); we pray for First responders and our superb medical professionals; we ask for your Holy Spirit to work in us Faith over fear; we also seek to humble ourselves under this time of pandemic, and see those around us asking big questions, and for your grace to rightly present the gospel in new ways that speaks to their hearts and minds, that we would have wisdom in the ways we would communicate and comfort people and point them to Christ and offer them hope, as this pandemic that is under your control and will, continues. We ask you to bring it to an end soon and let us return to normal life.
Holy Spirit, help God’s People to hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem his church
from all their iniquities.
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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