Monday, January 28, 2019

Suggested Prayers for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany (RCL Proper 4C --- 3 February 2019)

Proper Prayers for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany (RCL Proper 4C)

Jeremiah 1.4-10; Psalm 71.1-6; 1 Corinthians 13.1-13; Luke 4.21-30

Collect of the Day


Living God, in Christ you make all things new.  Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one god, now and for ever.  Amen. [1]
or
Almighty and ever-living God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope and love; and so thatwe may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [2]
or
Provoking God, calling us through the face of the Other:  free our fickle hearts from our need to divide and exclude both the foreign and the misfit; lead us through the storms of rage to a clear and new beginning; through Jesus Christ, whom hatred cannot touch.  Amen. [3]
or
Loving God, who has formed us and known us from our mother's womb, may we discern your call to us, so that we may recognize your call to others.  In the name of him who calls us from our homes to the ends of the earth.  Amen.  [3]
or
Prophetic God, strengthen and encourage us to hear those who speak your uncomfortable truths and who challenge our dearest prejudices, so that we may know and heed prophets of our age; through Jesus, the son of Joseph.  Amen.  [3]
or
God of salvation, in your Prophet, Jesus the Christ, you announce freedom and summon us to conversion.  As we marvel at the grace and power of your word, enlighten us to see the beauty of the gospel and strength us to embrace its demands.  Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.  Amen.  [4]
or
O God of all the prophets, you knew us and chose us in the womb.  Fill us with faith that speaks your word, hope that does not disappoint, and love that bears all things for your sake, until that day when we shall know you fully, even as we are known by you who lives and reigns with the Word and the Spirit, God for ever and ever.  Amen.  [6 alt.]

Prayer over the Gifts


God of steadfast love, may our offering this day, by the power of your Holy Spirit, renew us for your service. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.   Amen.  [1]
or
Holy God, gracious and merciful, you bring forth food from the earth and nourish your whole creation.  Turn our hearts toward those who hunger in any way, so that all may know your care; and prepare us now to feast on the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [3]
or
God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever.  You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine.  Nourish us with these gifts, so that we might for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.  [3]
or
Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things.  Through your goodness  you have blessed us with these gifts:  our selves, our time and our possessions.  Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen. [3]
or
God of mercy and grace, the eyes of all wait upon you, and you open your hand in blessing.  Fill us with good things at your table, so that we may come to the help of all in need, through Jesus Christ, our redeemer and Lord.  Amen. [3]
or
Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered together to become one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and for ever.  Amen. [3]

Proper Preface of the Lord’s Day


Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; you are the source of light and life for all your creation, you made us in your own image, and call us to new life in Jesus Christ our Saviour.  Therefore we praise you, joining our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.  [1]
or
Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who on this first day of the week overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. In our unending joy we echo on earth the song of the angels in heaven as we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.  [1]
or
Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; by water and the Holy Spirit you have made us a holy people in Jesus Christ our Lord; you renew that mystery in bread and wine and nourish us, to show forth your glory in all the world.  Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the holy people who have served you in every age, we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.  [1]

Prayer after Communion


Source of all goodness, in this eucharist we are nourished by the bread of heaven and invigorated with new wine. May these gifts renew our lives, so thatwe may show your glory to all the world, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.  Amen.  [1]
or
We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life.  In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  [3]
or
O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast, the body and blood of your Son.  By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  [3]
or
God of abundance, with this bread of life and cup of salvation you have united us with Christ, making us one with all your people.  Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit, so that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.  [3]
or
Gracious God, in this meal you have drawn us to your heart, and nourished us at your table with food and drink, the body and blood of Christ.  Now send us forth to be your people in the world, and to proclaim your truth this day and evermore, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen. [3]
or
O God, our life, our strength, our food, we give you thanks for sustaining us with the body and blood of your Son.  By your Holy Spirit, enliven us to be his body in the world, so that more and more we will you praise and serve your earth and its many peoples, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [3]
or
or
O God, you spoke your word and revealed your good news in Jesus the Christ.  Fill all creation with that word again, so that by proclaiming your joyful promises to all nations and singing of your glorious hope to all peoples, we may become one living body, through Jesus Christ who with you and the Holy Spirit live and reign, God for ever and ever.  Amen.  [6 alt.]
or
Holy God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence and continually reveal your Son as our Saviour. Bring healing to all wounds, make whole all that is broken, speak truth to all illusion and shed light in every darkness, so that all creation will see your glory and know your Christ, in whose name we pray.  Amen.  [6 alt.]

Sources


[1]       The Book of Alternative Services 1985
[2]       Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006
[3]       Trial Use Collects for Years A, B & C and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2016
[4]       Opening Prayers:  Collects in Contemporary Language 1997, 1999, 2001
[5]       Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009
[6]       Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002


N.B.  When a word or phrase appears is italicized in a liturgical text, it is an alteration made by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett to the original text.

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