Daily Prayers for June 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 sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Magnificat”
I will enter your gates with thanksgiving : I will dance in your courts with praise.
Psalm 118:19 – 24
Open for me the gates of righteous-ness : I will enter them; I will offer thanks to the Lord.
“This is the gate of the Lord : he who is righteous may enter.”
I will give thanks to you, for you answered me : and have become my salvation.
The same stone which the builders rejected : has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing : and it is marvelous in our eyes.
On this day the Lord has acted : we will rejoice and be glad in it.
I will enter your gates with thanksgiving : I will dance in your courts with praise.
Ezekiel 33:21 – 33 Acts 11:1 – 18
I will enter your gates with thanksgiving : I will dance in your courts with praise.
Mary Oliver’s poem “Praying” reads:
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, you have appointed some to be prophets; give us ears to hear and mouths to speak. You have appointed some to sing of your goodness in the streets; make us bold to celebrate you. You have called some to be still, listen, and act; give us steadiness of mind and singularity of purpose. 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 June 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”
Glory to God in the highest : and on the earth, peace.
Psalm 112:1 – 3, 9 – 10
Hallelujah! Happy are they who fear the Lord : and have great delight in his commandments!
Their descendants will be mighty in the land : the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches will be in their house : and their righteous-ness will last for ever.
They have given freely to the poor : and their righteous-ness stands fast for ever; they will hold up their head with honor.
The wicked will see it and be angry; they will gnash their teeth and pine away : the desires of the wicked will perish.
Glory to God in the highest : and on the earth, peace.
Ezekiel 33:1 – 11 Acts 10:34 – 48
Glory to God in the highest : and on the earth, peace.
Sixteenth-century mystic Teresa of Avila said, “Prayer, in my view, is nothing but friendly intercourse and frequent solitary converse with him who we know loves us.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, you spoke all things into being and call us each to speak your truth in our corner of the world. Save us from ourselves and grant us holy confidence to speak aloud as we have been spoken to. 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 June 22
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”
Exalt yourself above the heavens : and your glory over all the earth.
Psalm 108:1 – 4
My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed : I will sing and make melody.
Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp : I myself will waken the dawn.
I will confess you among the -peoples, O Lord : I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens : and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Exalt yourself above the heavens : and your glory over all the earth.
Ruth 4:1 – 17 Acts 10:17 – 33
Exalt yourself above the heavens : and your glory over all the earth.
Catherine of Genoa said, “All goodness is a participation in God and his love for his creatures.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens; your faithfulness stretches to the sky. Lift us by the power of your Holy Spirit to participate in your goodness and bear witness to your loving-kindness in every move we make 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 June 21
In 1964, civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were murdered as they participated in the Freedom Summer campaign to register black voters in Mississippi.
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 “Were You There?”
Have mercy, Lord, have mercy : the violent are raging against us.
Psalm 106:8 – 12
The Most High saved them for his name’s sake : to make his power known.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up : and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
He saved them from the hand of those who hated them : and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
The waters covered their oppressors : not one of them was left.
Then they believed his words : and sang him songs of praise.
Have mercy, Lord, have mercy : the violent are raging against us.
Ruth 3:1 – 18 Acts 10:1 – 16
Have mercy, Lord, have mercy : the violent are raging against us.
Cyprian of Carthage taught in the early church, saying, “My friends, anyone who worships should remember the way in which the tax collector prayed in the temple alongside the Pharisee. He did not raise his eyes immodestly to heaven or lift up his hands arrogantly. Instead he struck his breast, and confessing the sins hidden within his heart, he implored the assistance of God’s mercy. While the Pharisee was pleased with himself, the tax collector deserved to be cleansed much more because of the manner in which he prayed. For he did not place his hope of salvation in the certainty of his own innocence — indeed no one is innocent. Rather he prayed humbly, confessing his sins. And the Lord who forgives the lowly heard his prayer.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, you have brought us safely out of Egypt and prepared a table before us in the presence of our enemies. Have mercy on us today that we might not be overwhelmed by evil attacks or distracted by bad thoughts, but humbly trust in your power to save. 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 June 20
Osanna of Mantua (1449 – 1505)
Born to wealthy parents in Mantua, Italy, Osanna Andreasi, at age five, heard the voice of God saying, “Life and death consist in loving God.” She was then given a vision of heaven and the Trinity. Tradition has it that Osanna learned to read and write by divine revelation and began studying theology after this vision. Against her parents’ wishes, she longed to join the Third Order of Dominicans, but she would have to wait thirty-seven years to complete her vows. Upon the untimely death of her parents, Osanna committed her life to serving Christ and caring for her family of siblings. She was privy to ongoing holy visions and was reputed to have received the stigmata — the wounds of Christ. She spent her life aiding the poor and sick and speaking out boldly against aristocrats who lived lavish lives while others suffered.
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 “Holy, Holy, Holy”
Life and death consist : in loving you, O God.
Psalm 104:32 – 37
May the glory of the Lord endure for ever : may the Lord rejoice in all his works.
He looks at the earth and it trembles : he touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live : I will praise my God while I have my being.
May these words of mine please him : I will rejoice in the Lord.
Let sinners be consumed out of the earth : and the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul : Hallelujah!
Life and death consist : in loving you, O God.
Ruth 2:14 – 23 Acts 9:32 – 43
Life and death consist : in loving you, O God.
John Chrysostom, a fourth-century preacher and bishop of Constantinople, said, “Our spirit should be quick to reach out toward God, not only when it is engaged in meditation; at other times also, when it is carrying out its duties, caring for the needy, performing works of charity, or giving generously in the ser-vice of others. Our spirit should long for God and call him to mind, so that these works may be seasoned with the salt of God’s love, and so make a palatable offering to the Lord of the universe.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, we know that you will come again in glory to raise the living and the dead. Resurrect us now from the death of comfort, complacency, sloth, and shallowness that we might witness to your love in life and death. 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 June 19
In 1865, slaves in Texas were the last to learn of their emancipation following the defeat of the Confederate States of America. In African-American communities throughout the United States, this good news of liberation to the captives is still celebrated as Juneteenth.
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 “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”
How beautiful are the feet : of those who bring good news.
Psalm 97:1 – 3, 10 – 12
The Lord is King; let the earth rejoice : let the multitude of the isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him : righteous-ness and justice are the foundations of his throne.
A fire goes before him : and burns up his enemies on every side.
The Lord loves those who hate evil : he preserves the lives of his saints and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light has sprung up for the righteous : and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous : and give thanks to his holy name.
How beautiful are the feet : of those who bring good news.
Ruth 1:19 – 2:13 Acts 9:19b – 31
How beautiful are the feet : of those who bring good news.
When an angry heckler once declared, “Old woman, I don’t care any more for your talk than I do for the bite of a flea,” abolitionist Sojourner Truth replied, “The Lord willing, I’ll keep you scratching.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, wherever there is mercy, justice, freedom, and kindness, we know your good news is echoing in human history. Give us ears to recognize the sound of glad feet coming and grant us grace to join you wherever you are moving. 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 June 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 sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Steal Away to -Jesus”
Hide us under the shadow of your wing : and deliver us from fear.
Psalm 91:1 – 4
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High : abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
He shall say to the Lord, “You are my refuge and my stronghold : my God in whom I put my trust.”
He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter : and from the deadly pestilence.
He shall cover you with his pinions, and you shall find refuge under his wings : his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
Hide us under the shadow of your wing : and deliver us from fear.
Ruth 1:1 – 18 Acts 9:10 – 19a
Hide us under the shadow of your wing : and deliver us from fear.
This story is recorded in the Acts of Eusebius: “When the proconsul was present in Pergamum, Carpus and Papylus, joyful martyrs of Christ, were brought to him. The proconsul sat down and asked, ‘What is your name?’ The one who was questioned answered, ‘My first and chosen name is Christian. But if you are asking for my name in the world, then I call myself Carpus. It is impossible for me to offer sacrifices to these delusive phantoms, these demons, for they who sacrifice to them become like them. The living do not sacrifice to the dead.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, embolden us to go wherever you call us, to greet whoever you send us, and to do whatever you ask of us, that we might know no fear except that reverence which leads to wisdom. 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 June 17
John Wesley (1703 – 1791)
Though his studies led him to become an Anglican cleric, John Wesley did not at first have a vibrant spiritual life. While en route to the colony of Georgia as a missionary, his ship lost its mast in a violent storm. Witnessing the Moravian passengers sing and pray peacefully through the storm, Wesley realized that he lacked “the one thing necessary.” After his heart was “strangely warmed” in a moving conversion experience, Wesley became a popular preacher among the working class of England and led the movement now called Methodism. The core of his message was that Christianity is based on the experience of God’s grace, which bears fruit through a life of love. Wesley said, “When I have money, I get rid of it quickly, lest it find a way into my heart.” He died at the age of eighty-eight, lifting his arms and saying, “The best of all, God is with us.”
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 “Come, Thou Fount”
Best of all, God : you are with us.
Psalm 88:15 – 19
Lord, why have you rejected me? : why have you hidden your face from me?
Ever since my youth, I have been wretched and at the point of death : I have borne your terrors with a troubled mind.
Your blazing anger has swept over me : your terrors have destroyed me;
they surround me all day long like a flood : they encompass me on every side.
My friend and my neighbor you have put away from me : and darkness is my only companion.
Best of all, God : you are with us.
Deuteronomy 31:30 – 32:14 Acts 9:1 – 9
Best of all, God : you are with us.
Prayers for Others
Our Father
This prayer of John Wesley is used by many Christians at the beginning of each year: “I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. 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 June 16
In 1976, seven hundred students were killed in Soweto, South Africa, as they struggled against the forces of apartheid.
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 “We Are Marching in the Light of God”
Shine your light on our darkness, Lord : and teach us the duty of delight.
Psalm 81:1 – 5
Sing with joy to God our strength : and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
Raise a song and sound the timbrel : the merry harp, and the lyre.
Blow the ram’s horn at the new moon : and at the full moon, the day of our feast.
For this is a statute for Israel : a law of the God of Jacob.
He laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph : when he came out of the land of Egypt.
Shine your light on our darkness, Lord : and teach us the duty of delight.
Deuteronomy 30:11 – 20 Acts 8:26 – 40
Shine your light on our darkness, Lord : and teach us the duty of delight.
American preacher Howard Thurman wrote, “Too often the price exacted by society for security and respectability is that the Christian movement in its formal expression must be on the side of the strong against the weak. This is a matter of tremendous significance, for it reveals to what extent a religion that was born of a -people acquainted with persecution and suffering has become the cornerstone of a civilization and of nations whose very position in modern life too often has been secured by a ruthless use of power applied to defenseless -peoples.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, help us stand up both to the demons that hide behind ungodly laws, and the false religion that props up injustice. Make us into a -people who shine out your love so that the world might know another way is possible. 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 June 15
In 1955, twenty-nine -people were arrested in New York City for refusing to participate in a civil defense drill requiring all citizens to take shelter from a simulated nuclear attack. “We refused to take part in the war maneuvers, if you can call them that,” wrote Dorothy Day, who was among the pacifist resisters. Civil defense drills were discontinued six years later when the annual protest in City Hall Park drew a crowd of thousands.
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 “What Wondrous Love”
O Lord, you have been our dwelling place : through every generation.
Psalm 78:1 – 4
Hear my teaching, O my -people : incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable : I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
That which we have heard and known, and what our forefathers have told us : we will not hide from their children.
We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord : and the wonderful works he has done.
O Lord, you have been our dwelling place : through every generation.
Deuteronomy 30:1 – 10 Acts 8:14 – 25
O Lord, you have been our dwelling place : through every generation.
Ignatius of Antioch said, “Take heed, then, to come together often to give thanks to God, and show his praise. For when you come frequently together in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and his fiery darts of sin fall back, worthless. For your unity and harmonious faith prove his destruction, and the torment of his assistants. Nothing is better than Christ’s peace, by which all war, both of heavenly and earthly spirits, is brought to an end.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
God, set our hearts on you alone, that we might not be distracted by the schemes of the devil but race on with all of our being to receive the gift of life that never ends, through -Jesus 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.
