C-19 Reflections #3: Working With What We’ve Got - A Prayer of Lament

A Prayer of Lament ( for this time)

(* a prayer for individuals, families and communities/ to be prayed slowly)

Lord, during this season of Lent

we remember how you carried your cross:

with wounded, but steady, hands

with deep compassion for a world you love,

shouldering the very weight of that broken world 

on your broken body.

As we journey through this global pandemic

Lord, help us remember that even now, You carry us.

You carry us with your wounded, steady hands

with your deep compassion

shouldering the weight of our broken world

in the knowledge that is “by your stripes” 

that we are healed.

With all of creation, we cry out to you today:

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

We lament the loss of life from the COVID-19 virus

all around the world.

Lord, have mercy.

In particular, we grieve with those countries who

continue to suffer catastrophic loss.

We call out to you, Lord, on behalf of Italy, China,

Spain and Iran.

Christ, have mercy.

We think of the street-involved in our own city,

as well as the food- and home-insecure;

those who rely on services that have shut down.

We cry out for relief, for shelter, for daily bread.

Lord, have mercy.

Some of us have lost our jobs, Lord,

And we wonder how you, Jehoveh Jireh

Could possibly provide for us at this time.

Lord, have mercy.

As we practice social distancing,

we feel the loneliness, Lord.

We were not made to be alone.

So we cry out to you for ourselves,

for our relatives, our neighbours and our friends, saying:

Christ, have mercy.

Prayer of Personal Confession

(* take some time to make your own personal confession)

Even on the way to the cross

You call us, Lord, to remain confident of this:

That we will yet see your goodness

In the land of the living.

So we look to you Jesus -

Cross Carrier, Wounded Healer,

Justice Bringer, Death Destroyer.

We look to you with hope even today.

Lord, have mercy.

Amen.