Daily Prayers for January 13

In 2003, George Ryan, Republican governor of Illinois, called for a moratorium on the death penalty. Persuaded by the work of law students exposing race and class discrimination, he called for a halt on executions. Though his political career was tainted by scandal, the 2003 moratorium affirmed and fueled the fire of many Christians and other abolitionists who are working for restorative justice and for an end to the death penalty.

O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you

as the day rises to meet the sun.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

Song “Lamb of God”

Christ our Lord is sacrificed for us : therefore, let us keep the feast.

Psalm 70

Be pleased, O God, to deliver me : O Lord, make haste to help me.

Let those who seek my life be ashamed and altogether dismayed : let those who take pleasure in my misfortune draw back and be disgraced.

Let those who say to me “Aha!” and gloat over me turn back : because they are ashamed.

Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you : let those who love your salvation say for ever, “Great is the Lord!”

But as for me, I am poor and needy : come to me speedily, O God.

You are my helper and my deliverer : O Lord, do not tarry.

Christ our Lord is sacrificed for us : therefore, let us keep the feast.

Genesis 6:9 – 22 Galatians 4:1 – 11

Christ our Lord is sacrificed for us : therefore, let us keep the feast.

Contemporary theologian Mark L. Taylor has written, “-Jesus died the victim of executioners with imperial power. There is an inescapable opposition between the life and death of -Jesus, and imperial power. To embrace and love the executed God is to be in resistance to empire. To be a follower of the executed -Jesus of Nazareth is to venture down a road without having a place in the system of imperial control.”

Prayers for Others

Our Father

Lord, even though you have conquered the grave, death is still an enemy that robs creation of your intent for life. Make us offended by death wherever we find it. Help us to advocate for life, from our communities to our capitols. Amen.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;

may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;

may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;

may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.