Prayer of the Week

A Prayer of Remembrance

God of our ancestors, today we gather to our hearts all those who have influenced our lives with their love and goodness. Although they have passed on to the other side of this life, their lives continue to affect who we are and what we do. Like the sound of a bell resounding in the welcoming air, so has the goodness of these holy ones resonated in our lives. Thank you for these ancestors and the bond we have with them.

Let us remember the ones who lived and loved deeply, who found the source of their inner strength from you, the Divine Beloved…

Let us remember the light-filled ones, who enkindled our spirits with their teachings and the spark of their beliefs…

Let us remember the risk-takers, who faced their fears and took action, who sought justice even though they had to pay a price for it…

Let us remember the vulnerable ones who allowed us to care for them, to be with them in their time of need…

Let us remember the faith-filled ones who brought us to the Holy One, who led us, by their words and example, into deeper relationship with God…

Let us remember the brave ones who walked through their struggles with hope, who taught us how to trust and have confidence during our times of sorrow and difficulty…

Let us remember the great lovers of life, whose humor and enthusiasm lifted our spirits and brought us joy…

Let us remember the nurturers, who birthed us physically or spiritually, who gave us sustenance by their caring presence…

Sacred One, Giver and Sustainer of life, thank you for the holy ones whom we have known. As they embrace you in the white-robed home of eternity, we give you thanks for them. May our lives model their virtues. May our hearts resonate with their goodness.
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Amen.

-From Out of the Ordinary: Prayers, Poems, and Reflections for Every Season by Joyce Rupp

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