Pastoral Prayer, Sunday, March 25th, Lent 5B

Gracious God, God of the covenant, in the glory of the cross your Son embraced the power of death and broke its hold over your people.  During these few weeks of Lent we pray that you draw us near so that we may confess Jesus as Lord and put aside the deeds of death and accept the life of your kingdom.

Holy Father, Father of Christ who both bore our shame, and gave us the example of how to live according to your love, give us hope.  By your Spirit, fill us with a heart of adoration and thanksgiving for your gift of salvation through Christ.  By your Spirit, move us to show others that they are loved and valued through our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness.  Help us to show compassion and kindness, hospitality and forgiveness.  Let us be just and merciful as you are just and merciful to us.

Sovereign Lord, Father of all in the power of the Holy Spirit, you alone can bring into order our unruly wills and affections.  Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise, that among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely be fixed where true joys are to be found.  We pray this through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever as we continue to pray saying:

Our Father, who art in heaven

Hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done

On earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us

Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.