Way of Love: Daily Prayer I

Opening

Beloved God, we are called to be your children:

May we delight in your love.

Prayer

God, you draw us into your love through baptism: Teach us to abide in the knowledge of your love and to share that love with all your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Praise             A Song of God’s Love (I John 4:7-11)

Beloved, let us love one another, *

for love is of God.

Whoever does not love does not know God, *

for God is love.

In this, the love of God was revealed among us, *

that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through Jesus Christ.

In this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us *

and sent his Son that sins might be forgiven.

Beloved, since God loved us so much, *

we ought also to love one another.

For if we love one another, God abides in us, *

and God’s love will be perfected in us.

Scripture        John 13:34-35

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Meditation                

“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.” ― James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time

Dear God, I am so afraid to open my clenched fists!

Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to?

Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands?

Please help me to gradually open my hands and to discover that I am not what I own,

but what you want to give me.

And what you want to give me is love -- unconditional, everlasting love. Amen.

What am I holding tightly in my clenched fist? (Henri Nouwen)

Intercessions

Beloved, we are called to love those in need:

Let us love in truth and action.

Beloved, we are called to be people of peace:

Let us love one another.

Beloved, we are called to be people of healing:

Let us love not only God, but our brothers and sisters, also.

Here, the people may add particular intercessions or thanksgivings.

May we abide in God’s love.

May God’s love abide in us.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

    hallowed be thy Name,

    thy kingdom come,

    thy will be done,

        on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

    as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,

    for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayers

O God most holy, in Jesus Christ you have laid a foundation upon which to build our Lives: Help us to follow your perfect law of love, that we may fulfill it and observe it to the end. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Going Out

Beloved God, we are called to be your children:

May we delight in your love.