Daily Prayers for July 24
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 “Guide My Feet”
Guide my feet, Lord, guide me : make straight the way to your house.
Psalm 119:1 – 5
Happy are they whose way is blameless : who walk in the law of the Lord!
Happy are they who observe his decrees : and seek him with all their hearts!
who never do any wrong : but always walk in his ways.
You laid down your commandments : that we should fully keep them.
Oh, that my ways were made so direct : that I might keep your statutes!
Guide my feet, Lord, guide me : make straight the way to your house.
1 Sam-uel 1:21 – 2:11 Acts 24:24 – 25:12
Guide my feet, Lord, guide me : make straight the way to your house.
Listen to these words from Quaker author and educator Parker Palmer: “The power of a fully lived life or a truly learned mind is not a power to be sought or contrived. It comes only as we let go of what we possess and find ourselves possessed by a truth greater than our own.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord God, our hands are open to you. Our ears are listening to you. Our eyes are watching you. Our hearts are trying to beat with yours. Live in us and love others through us today. 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.
Daily Prayers for July 23
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 sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Vamos Todos al Banquete”
Praise be to God, who gives beauty for ashes : hope in the morning, strength for today.
Psalm 113:1 – 3, 8
Hallelujah! Give praise, you servants of the Lord : praise the name of the Lord.
Let the name of the Lord be blessed : from this time forth for evermore.
From the rising of the sun to its going down : let the name of the Lord be praised.
He makes the woman of a childless house : to be a joyful mother of children.
Praise be to God, who gives beauty for ashes : hope in the morning, strength for today.
1 Sam-uel 1:1 – 20 Acts 24:1 – 23
Praise be to God, who gives beauty for ashes : hope in the morning, strength for today.
These words were written in the early Christian writing known as the Letter to Diognetus, whose author is unknown: “Christians live in their own countries, but only as guests and aliens. They take part in everything as citizens and endure everything as aliens. . . . They are as poor as beggars, and yet they make many rich. They lack everything, and yet they have everything in abundance. They are dishonored, and yet have their glory in this very dishonor. . . . They are abused, yet they bless. . . . In a word: what the soul is in the body, the Christians are in the world.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Dear God, form us into a peculiar -people who live differently because we have been transformed by you. May the courage of the early Christians teach us to laugh at fear, to starve greed, and to live with the winsome freedom of the lilies and the sparrows. 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.
Daily Prayers for July 22
Mary Magdalene
Mary of Magdala was the most prominent of the women from Galilee who accompanied -Jesus in his ministry. So devoted to -Jesus was Mary that, after his death, she returned to the tomb to clean his body. Finding -Jesus alive in the garden, she was sent to proclaim the news of his resurrection to the disciples, thus becoming “the apostle to the Apostles.” Although she may not have been acknowledged for her discipleship, Mary stands for all those who see and proclaim -Jesus as the risen Christ, bringing to others his gifts of peace, forgiveness, and justice.
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 the bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Take My Life and Let It Be”
Speak, Lord, for we are listening : call us, like you called Mary, by name.
Psalm 109:1 – 3
Hold not your tongue, O God of my praise : for the mouth of the wicked, the mouth of the deceitful, is opened against me.
They speak to me with a lying tongue : they encompass me with hateful words and fight against me without a cause.
Despite my love, they accuse me : but as for me, I pray for them.
Speak, Lord, for we are listening : call us, like you called Mary, by name.
Judges 18:16 – 31 Acts 23:23 – 35
Speak, Lord, for we are listening : call us, like you called Mary, by name.
A reading from the gospel according to John: “Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where -Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ At this, she turned around and saw -Jesus standing there. . . . -Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ ”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord God, you reveal yourself to us in so many subversive and unassuming ways. Give us the eyes to see the miracles and resurrection that happen every day. Unclog our ears to hear you, and show us how to get rid of the clutter of our lives that we might make room for you. 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.
Daily Prayers for July 21
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 sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
We have come this far by faith : leaning on the Lord who saves.
Psalm 106:47 – 48
Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations : that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting : and let all the -people say, “Amen!” Hallelujah!
We have come this far by faith : leaning on the Lord who saves.
Judges 18:1 – 15 Acts 23:12 – 24
We have come this far by faith : leaning on the Lord who saves.
Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche communities, said, “My experience has shown that when we welcome -people from this world of anguish, brokenness and depression, and when they gradually discover that they are wanted and loved as they are and that they have a place, then we witness a real transformation — I would even say ‘resurrection.’ Their tense, angry, fearful, depressed body gradually becomes relaxed, peaceful and trusting. This shows through the expression on the face and through all their flesh. As they discover a sense of belonging, that they are part of a ‘family,’ then the will to live begins to emerge. I do not believe it is of any value to push -people into doing things unless this desire to live and to grow has begun to emerge.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, save us from trouble, but help us to be -people who get in the way of injustice and trouble the waters of oppression. Thank you for whispering to us that we are beloved. Help us now to whisper your love to those who long to hear that there is a loving God. 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.
Daily Prayers for July 20
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 sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “All Creatures of Our God and King”
In all we say, please give us grace : to voice creation’s praise.
Psalm 104:1, 10 – 12
Bless the Lord, O my soul : O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness! you are clothed with majesty and splendor.
You send the springs into the valleys : they flow between the mountains.
All the beasts of the field drink their fill from them : and the wild asses quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the air make their nests : and sing among the branches.
In all we say, please give us grace : to voice creation’s praise.
Judges 17:1 – 13 Acts 22:30 – 23:11
In all we say, please give us grace : to voice creation’s praise.
Contemporary Anglican bishop, poet, and theologian Rowan Williams has said, “Our present ecological crisis, the biggest single practical threat to our human existence in the middle to long term, has, religious -people would say, a great deal to do with our failure to think of the world as existing in relation to the mystery of God, not just as a huge warehouse of stuff to be used for our convenience.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
We praise you, O Lord, for the waters, the mountains and hills, the deserts and valleys, the wilderness spaces, and for all living creatures. Forgive us when we have not been good caretakers of the earth. Make us into -people who practice resurrection by bringing dead things back to life and by making ugly things beautiful again. 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.
Daily Prayers for July 19
On July 19, 1848, the first Women’s Rights Convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York, sparking a women’s movement that challenged both the church and the world with the good news that in -Jesus Christ, there is neither male nor female.
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 sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “The Kingdom of God”
Sing and rejoice, O daughters of Zion : sing a new song of freedom.
Psalm 98:6 – 10
Sing to the Lord with the harp : with the harp and the voice of song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn : shout with joy before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it : the lands and those who dwell therein.
Let the rivers clap their hands : and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord, when he comes to judge the earth.
In righteous-ness shall he judge the world : and the -peoples with equity.
Sing and rejoice, O daughters of Zion : sing a new song of freedom.
Judges 16:15 – 31 Acts 22:17 – 29
Sing and rejoice, O daughters of Zion : sing a new song of freedom.
African-American abolitionist and women’s rights advocate Sojourner Truth said, “I have plowed and planted and gathered into barns, and no man could head me — and ain’t I a woman? I have born’d five childrun and seen ’em mos’ all sold off into slavery, and when I cried out with mother’s grief, none but -Jesus heard — and ain’t I a woman? . . . Den dat little man is back dar, he say women can’t have as much rights as man, ’cause Christ warn’t a woman. Whar did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with him!”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Creator God, you made us in your image. Male and female, you created us. We give thanks that you use us, women and men, to bear your image to the world. Open our eyes to see you where we have failed to see you before. 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.
Daily Prayers for July 18
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 “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”
We fall down at your feet to find our way : lift us up to sing your praise.
Psalm 93:1 – 3
The Lord is King; he has put on splendid apparel : the Lord has put on his apparel and girded himself with strength.
He has made the whole world so sure : that it cannot be moved;
ever since the world began, your throne has been established : you are from everlasting.
We fall down at your feet to find our way : lift us up to sing your praise.
Judges 16:1 – 14 Acts 21:37 – 22:16
We fall down at your feet to find our way : lift us up to sing your praise.
A word from Benedict of Nursia: “The first step of humility is to cherish at all times the sense of awe with which we should turn to God.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, our strength and purpose come from you. Direct our steps today, and turn us from the perishable things at which we grasp. Cast your light upon us so that our lives may bear witness to the light of Christ. 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.
Daily Prayers for July 17
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 sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Oh the Deep, Deep Love of -Jesus”
Root us in your love, O Lord : and set us free from fear.
Psalm 89:1 – 2, 18
Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing : from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.
For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever : you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.
Truly, the Lord is our ruler : the Holy One of Israel is our King.
Root us in your love, O Lord : and set us free from fear.
Judges 14:20 – 15:20 Acts 21:15 – 36
Root us in your love, O Lord : and set us free from fear.
Hear these words from Martin Luther King Jr.: “It is not enough to say ‘We must not wage war.’ It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord God, protect us from the pointing finger and malicious talk. Give us the courage to win over our enemies by our love and to wear them down with grace. 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.
Daily Prayers for July 16
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 “O Lord, Have Mercy”
Arise, O God, and rule the earth : hear the cries from forgotten slums.
Psalm 82:1 – 4
God takes his stand in the council of heaven : he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
“How long will you judge unjustly : and show favor to the wicked?
Save the weak and the orphan : defend the humble and needy;
rescue the weak and the poor : deliver them from the power of the wicked.”
Arise, O God, and rule the earth : hear the cries from forgotten slums.
Judges 14:1 – 19 Acts 21:1 – 14
Arise, O God, and rule the earth : hear the cries from forgotten slums.
South African pastor and bishop Peter Storey said, “American preachers have a task more difficult, perhaps, than those faced by us under South Africa’s apartheid, or Christians under Communism. We had obvious evils to engage; you have to unwrap your culture from years of red, white and blue myth. You have to expose, and confront, the great disconnection between the kindness, compassion and caring of most American -people, and the ruthless way American power is experienced, directly and indirectly, by the poor of the earth. You have to help good -people see how they have let their institutions do their sinning for them. This is not easy among -people who really believe that their country does nothing but good, but it is necessary, not only for their future, but for us all.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, grant us the ability to think with your mind, to hear with your ears, to see with your eyes, to speak with your mouth, to walk with your feet, to love with your heart. We ask this through Christ our Lord. 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.
Whole Body Prayer
Worship is a physical act. Just as some folks see lifting their hands to God as a sign of worship, we also see lifting our hands out to a neighbor as an act of worship. When we “pass the peace” and give each other a hug or handshake, it is part of worship. In fact, if there is anyone we feel we cannot shake hands with, Scripture says that this stands in the way of worship, and we should get up from the altar and reconcile with our neighbor first. Homeless friends, who sometimes smell a little, have told us the only hugs they get during the week are in Mass on Sunday. It is a sad thing to hear, but thanks be to God that they get hugs on Sunday. And hopefully we have a church that is living a life of worship outside of Sunday, passing the peace on the streets and giving hugs away during the week, especially to those who smell a little.
Prayer doesn’t need to be boring. Consider mixing things up, perhaps kneeling during confessional sins or lifting your hands as you give thanks for something. One way many Christians gesture during prayer is by making the “sign of the cross,” using their right hand to touch the forehead, then the middle of the breast, then the left shoulder, and finally the right shoulder. As they do this, they say, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” It is a way that we can remember that we are to take up our own crosses. And it is a way we can remember that, as Paul said, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). As we cross ourselves, we pray that Christ will be in our minds and in our hearts, and will live in us.
Daily Prayers for July 15
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 sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Solid Rock”
Lead us, Good Shepherd, through the waters : be the rock on which we stand.
Psalm 77:14 – 16, 19 – 20
You are the God who works wonders : and have declared your power among the -peoples.
By your strength you have redeemed your -people : the children of Jacob and Joseph.
The waters saw you, O God; the waters saw you and trembled : the very depths were shaken.
Your way was in the sea, and your paths in the great waters : yet your footsteps were not seen.
You led your -people like a flock : by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Lead us, Good Shepherd, through the waters : be the rock on which we stand.
Judges 13:1 – 24 Acts 20:17 – 38
Lead us, Good Shepherd, through the waters : be the rock on which we stand.
Benedict of Nursia said this: “The Lord himself in the gospel teaches us the same when he says: I shall liken anyone who hears my words and carries them out in deed to one who is wise enough to build on a rock; then the floods came and the winds blew and struck that house, but it did not fall because it was built on a rock. It is in the light of that teaching that the Lord waits for us every day to see if we will respond by our deeds, as we should, to his holy guidance. For that very reason also, so that we may mend our evil ways, the days of our mortal lives are allowed us as a sort of truce for improvement. So St Paul says: Do you not know that God is patient with us so as to lead us to repentance? The Lord himself says in his gentle care for us: I do not want the death of a sinner; let all sinners rather turn away from sin and live.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
God of the Ages, through your ancient prophets and disciples, your saints of old, and your Spirit, you have told us what is good — to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. Help us to stand on you, our Rock of salvation, for all other ground is sinking sand. 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.
