Russell, New Zealand
Opening Prayer
Living God, however poor our prayer is, we search for you with confidence. And your love carves out a way forward through our hesitations and even through our doubts -Taize Community (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore. -Psalm 93: 1-2, 5 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin This is what you, the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength.” -Isaiah 30:15 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And Jesus sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side. -Mark 8:11-13 (Think deeply on the life and words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped. -Psalm 28: 6-7 (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer Make us worthy, Lord, to serve our fellow man throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them, through our hands this day their daily bread, and by our understanding love give peace and joy. Lord make me a channel of thy peace, that where there is hatred I may bring love; that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness; that where there is discord, I may bring harmony; that where there is error, I may bring truth, where there is doubt-faith, where there is despair-hope; where there are shadows-light; where there is sadness-joy. Lord grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted; to understand than to be understood, to love than be loved, for it is by forgetting self that one finds it; by dying that one awakens to eternal life. Amen -Mother Teresa (1910-1997) and Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) 
La Verna, Italy
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