While we live, we shall praise You, Lord.
Blessed are the people who put their trust
Not in the might of their armies or political prowess,
But who put their trust in You, the Great I Am.
This day, Lord, we remember the poor in our land.
We lift them up to You and pray Your protection
And Your blessings will fall on them
Like the morning dew.
Give us, Your Church, Your Body,
The heart of the Samaritan,
Who gave his time, money,
Indeed of himself, to tend to someone in need.
We pray You will turn our hearts of stone
Into life-breeding, love-encompassing
Vessels of Your Spirit
That we may love our brothers and sisters as You do.
We pray for opportunities to lend a hand.
We pray for an awakened spirit.
We pray against our selfishness and pride.
We cry out for the compassion which moved Christ while on earth.
We pray for leaders who work for those
Who are most vulnerable among us,
Looking not to their own benefits
But putting others ahead of their own interests.
Lord we ask for a sense of unity
Among Your people, first of all,
But also, on our communities
And in our country.
Help us to discover the mystery
You’ve revealed to us through Your commandment
To love God above all
And our neighbor as ourselves.
We ask all these things
In the name of Your Son,
Jesus Christ,
Amen.