PRIEST: Today Jesus challenges us to pray…to pray with perseverance, to pray with faith, and to pray for the coming of the Kingdom. We are challenged to believe in a God always waiting to be merciful. We are challenged to so live our baptism that we die in Christ and come alive to a new life, a new love in the Spirit. Let us humbly confess to the Lord the ways and times we have neglected his love, been weak of faith and failed to pray:
READER: For the times we have refused the invitation to prayer,
and filled our minds and hearts with noise and superficiality…
LORD HAVE MERCY
For the times our prayer has been selfish or self-centred,
focussing on our own wants,
and not on the needs of God’s Kingdom…
CHRIST HAVE MERCY
When we have scorned others’ prayer,
and hardened our hearts against compassion;
when there was little love in our words or thoughts before God,
when we have prayed with little expectancy or hope…
LORD HAVE MERCY
PRIEST: May the All-loving God whom we name ‘Abba’, Father,
embrace us with His Love,
lead us to the fountain of life that is the reconciliation of Christ,
and burn within as fire of the Spirit’ love,
to bring us to everlasting Life…
AMEN!