Daily Prayers for February 4
Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913. When she was forty-two, Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama, to a white passenger, which at the time, the law required of African-Americans. She was arrested for her act of civil disobedience and worked with others from the NAACP to start the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The resulting integration of city buses in Montgomery ignited the civil rights movement in the United States and inspired nonviolent movements for social change around the world.
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 “Freedom Train”
O Lord, give freedom to your -people : and answer us when we call.
Psalm 20:5 – 8
We will shout for joy at your victory and triumph in the name of our God : may the Lord grant all your requests.
Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his anointed : he will answer him out of his holy heaven, with the victorious strength of his right hand.
Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses : but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God.
They collapse and fall down: but we will arise and stand upright.
O Lord, give freedom to your -people : and answer us when we call.
Genesis 24:50 – 67 John 13:31 – 38
O Lord, give freedom to your -people : and answer us when we call.
Rosa Parks commented, -“People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, we have only to look at your life to know that reconciliation always costs something. Whether we are old or young, strong or weary, rich or poor, supply us with the conviction that reconciliation is always worth the price. 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 February 3
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 “Servant Song”
O God, you stretch out the universe : and wash our feet with your hands.
Psalm 18:26 – 28
With the faithful you show yourself faithful, O God : with the forthright you show yourself forthright.
With the pure you show yourself pure : but with the crooked you are wily.
You will save a lowly -people : but you will humble the haughty eyes.
O God, you stretch out the universe : and wash our feet with your hands.
Genesis 24:28 – 38, 49 – 51 John 13:21 – 30
O God, you stretch out the universe : and wash our feet with your hands.
Fourth-century bishop Gregory of Nyssa wrote, “God has imprinted the image of the good things of His own nature on creation. But sin, in spreading out over the divine likeness, has caused this good to disappear, covering it with shameful garments. But if by life rightly led, you wash away the mud that has been put on your heart, the Godlike beauty will again shine out in you.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, we are all capable of denying you. Please help us to invite the lost back into your fold with humility, knowing all the while that we would ourselves be lost but for your 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 February 2
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple
On February 2, the church remembers -Jesus’ presentation at the temple in Jerusalem. Along with their newborn son, Mary and Joseph brought a sacrifice of two pigeons, the offering permitted in the law of Moses for those too poor to afford a lamb (Lev. 12:8). Despite their lack of wealth, however, these peasants from Galilee carried in their arms the salvation of the whole world. Simeon and Anna, a holy man and a devout woman of Israel, immediately recognized the incalculable value of the present they had brought. We sing “Simeon’s Song” (see Saturday in the Evening Prayer section) to train our eyes to see the salvation of the world in the presents of the poor.
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”
Our eyes have seen your salvation, Lord : which you have prepared for all to see.
Psalm 10:15 – 19
The helpless commit themselves to you : for you are the helper of orphans.
Break the power of the wicked and evil : search out their wickedness until you find none.
The Lord is King for ever and ever : the ungodly shall perish from his land.
The Lord will hear the desire of the humble : you will strengthen their heart and your ears shall hear;
to give justice to the orphan and oppressed : so that mere mortals may strike terror no more.
Our eyes have seen your salvation, Lord : which you have prepared for all to see.
Malachi 3:1 – 4 Luke 2:22 – 40
Our eyes have seen your salvation, Lord : which you have prepared for all to see.
This quote comes from the apocryphal writing known as the Acts of Peter: “Unless you make what is right left, and what is left right, what is above into what is below, and what is behind into what is in front, you will not learn to know the Kingdom.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Things are topsy-turvy in your kingdom, God. The poor bear gifts of great worth, the dead rise, the meek inherit the earth. Teach us how to live in an upside-down world where we are called to welcome the outcast, prepare a feast for the ragged, and forgive those who offend us. 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 February 1
Brigid of Ireland (c. 450 – 525)
Brigid is believed to have been the daughter of a pagan Scottish king and a Christian Pictish slave. Even as a child, she was known to have a generous spirit and a compassionate, tender heart and was drawn to help the poor, the hungry, and the cold. Eventually Brigid’s father decided she must be married or taken into someone else’s household, because he could no longer afford to keep her (especially in light of her excessive giving to the poor, which he feared would be the ruin of him). Brigid refused marriage and became a nun with seven other women. At Kildare, she founded a double monastery for monks and nuns, assisted by a bishop. The perpetual fire at the monastery became a symbol of its hospitality and constant, undying devotion to God and the poor.
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 “We Shall Not Be Moved”
We are happy to be your children, O Lord : make us happier still to extend the table.
Psalm 1:1 – 3
Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked : nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
Their delight is in the law of the Lord : and they meditate on his law day and night.
They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither : everything they do shall prosper.
We are happy to be your children, O Lord : make us happier still to extend the table.
Genesis 24:1 – 27 John 13:1 – 20
We are happy to be your children, O Lord : make us happier still to extend the table.
Brigid of Ireland said, “I would like the angels of Heaven to be among us. I would like an abundance of peace. I would like full vessels of charity. I would like rich treasures of mercy. I would like cheerfulness to preside over all. I would like -Jesus to be present.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, help us to welcome every guest as if we were welcoming you, delighting in their presence and ready to learn what good news they bring to us. 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 January 31
Marcella of Rome (325 – 410)
Marcella had an enviable life as the daughter of a prominent Roman family who married a wealthy man. But less than a year after her wedding, her husband died. She was given a chance to continue living in wealth when she was proposed to by the wealthy consul Cerealis. She chose instead to convert her mansion into one of the earliest communities of women, where she and other noblewomen used their riches to help the poor. Marcella said she preferred to “store her money in the stomachs of the needy than hide it in a purse.” In 410, when the Goths invaded Rome, they broke into Marcella’s home. When they demanded money, she calmly responded that she had no riches because she had given all to the poor. Though she was an elderly woman, they beat and tortured her mercilessly. Her attackers were eventually shamed by her piety and she was released, but she died within a short time.
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 “Sing and Rejoice”
Fill us, Lord, with the abundance : of life that never ends.
Psalm 147:6 – 9
The Lord lifts up the lowly : but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving : make music to our God upon the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds : and prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass to grow upon the mountains : and green plants to serve mankind.
Fill us, Lord, with the abundance : of life that never ends.
Genesis 23:1 – 20 Ephesians 6:10 – 24
Fill us, Lord, with the abundance : of life that never ends.
Marcella of Rome wrote, “By heaven’s grace, captivity has found me a poor woman, not made me one. Now I shall go in want of daily bread, but I shall not feel hunger since I am full of Christ.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, some of us have found wealth in this world, while others of us are left wanting. But as we stand before you, we are all paupers save for your grace and love. Remind us that our true wealth is your gift of a sustainable way of life for all. 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.
Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers: A Few Ideas
1. Try to go a whole week without spending any money. If you have to, barter or beg a little to make it through.
2. Hold a Baby Goods Exchange for parents to bring toys and clothing their kids have outgrown and trade them.
3. Join a Bible study led by someone with less formal education than yourself.
4. Attempt to repair something that is broken. Appreciate the -people who repair things for you on a regular basis.
5. Defy complacency and flout despair. Believe that you can do something, right now, right here — even if you take only a baby step.
Daily Prayers for January 30
While walking to evening prayer in New Delhi, India, Mohandas Gandhi was shot five times at point blank range and died almost immediately. Gandhi was the primary political and spiritual leader of India during his country’s independence movement. He was one of the first in India to practice mass civil disobedience and nonviolence against the tyranny in his country, inspiring a host of twentieth-century activists.
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 “The Kingdom of God”
Living Christ means a living cross : without it, life is a living death.
Psalm 146:4 – 8
Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! : whose hope is in the Lord their God;
who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them : who keeps his promise for ever;
who gives justice to those who are oppressed : and food to those who hunger.
The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind : the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous; the Lord cares for the stranger : he sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked.
Living Christ means a living cross : without it, life is a living death.
Genesis 22:1 – 18 Ephesians 6:1 – 9
Living Christ means a living cross : without it, life is a living death.
Gandhi said, “If I have read the Bible correctly, I know many men who have never heard the name of -Jesus Christ or have even rejected the official interpretation of Christianity who will, probably, if -Jesus came in our midst today in the flesh, be owned by him more than many of us.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
We know, Lord, that the world will never cease to return hatred for love and violence for peace. Still we pray for the courage and confidence to walk in love and peace for the sake of those who have never known love or peace, for the sake of our own treacherous hearts. 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 January 29
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”
Search me, O God, and know my heart : try me and know my restless thoughts.
Psalm 139:13 – 16
I will thank you because I am marvelously made : your works are wonderful, and I know it well.
My body was not hidden from you : while I was being made in secret and woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb; all of them were written in your book : they were fashioned day by day, when as yet there was none of them.
How deep I find your thoughts, O God! : how great is the sum of them!
Search me, O God, and know my heart : try me and know my restless thoughts.
Genesis 21:1 – 21 Ephesians 5:15 – 33
Search me, O God, and know my heart : try me and know my restless thoughts.
Twentieth-century Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor said, “I think there is no suffering greater than what is caused by the doubts of those who want to believe. I know what torment this is, but I can only see it, in myself anyway, as the process by which faith is deepened. What -people don’t realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
How merciful are you, O Lord, when you receive us even with our doubts and suspicions. We pray to keep tiptoeing toward you without fear of rejection. We pray to keep up our feeble attempts at serving you even when we question the worth of our efforts. 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 January 28
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 “Holy, Holy, Holy”
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain : to receive glory and honor.
Psalm 138:1 – 5
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart : before the gods I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your name : because of your love and faithfulness;
For you have glorified your name : and your word above all things.
When I called, you answered me : you increased my strength within me.
All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord : when they have heard the words of your mouth.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain : to receive glory and honor.
Genesis 19:1 – 29 Ephesians 5:1 – 14
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain : to receive glory and honor.
Early Christian apologist Tertullian wrote in the second century, “It is not fitting to serve at the same time the symbol of Christ and the symbol of the devil, the power light, and the power darkness. One and the same soul cannot serve two masters. And how may we wage war without the sword that God himself has taken away from us? How can we learn the use of the sword, when Our Lord said that he who raised the sword would perish by the sword? And how can the sons of peace take part in combat?”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
-Jesus, you are known as both the Lion of Judah and the Sacrificial Lamb. As we follow you, we learn both mighty power and humble submission. Teach us when to imitate you as Lion and when as Lamb. 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 January 27
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 “Sing and Rejoice”
Restore our fortunes, Lord : like a wash in the rainy season.
Psalm 126:1 – 4
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion : then were we like those who dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter : and our tongue with shouts of joy.
Then they said among the nations : “The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us : and we are glad indeed.
Restore our fortunes, Lord : like a wash in the rainy season.
Genesis 18:16 – 33 Ephesians 4:17 – 32
Restore our fortunes, Lord : like a wash in the rainy season.
Twelfth-century mystic Hildegard of Bingen wrote, “Rivers of living water are to be poured out over the whole world, to ensure that -people, like fishes caught in a net, can be restored to wholeness.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, to laugh in the midst of trial and to rejoice in the darkest valley is another way of saying, “Our hope is in you.” Fill us with laughter and joy while we work for peace and strive for justice. 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 January 26
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 “Guide My Feet”
Give us a song to guide our feet : as we’re marching to freedom land.
Psalm 119:108 – 12
Accept, O Lord, the willing tribute of my lips : and teach me your judgments.
My life is always in my hand : yet I do not forget your law.
The wicked have set a trap for me : but I have not strayed from your commandments.
Your decrees are my inheritance for ever : truly, they are the joy of my heart.
I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes : for ever and to the end.
Give us a song to guide our feet : as we’re marching to freedom land.
Genesis 18:1 – 16 Ephesians 4:1 – 16
Give us a song to guide our feet : as we’re marching to freedom land.
A poem from American farmer Wendell Berry:
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motion of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn’t go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, the power of song can stir our hearts to courage and break down walls of resistance. Help us compose lyrics of our lives that move enemies to compassion and make justice to rise up and dance in every corner of the world. 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.
