Christ Church Carnforth

O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily.

From Psalm 102

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is my life’s refuge;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
One thing I ask of the Lord;
This I seek:
To dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord and contemplate his temple.
For he will hide me in his abode
In the day of trouble;
He will conceal me in the shelter of his tent,
He will set me high upon a rock.

From Psalm 27

Father, you have given all peoples one common origin, and your will is to gather them as one family in yourself. Fill the hearts of all people with the fire of your love and the desire to ensure justice for all their brothers and sisters. By sharing the good things you gave us may we secure justice and equality for every human being, an end to all division, and a human society built on love and peace.

We thank you, Father, for the gift of Jesus your Son who came to our earth and lived in a simple home. We have a greater appreciation of the value and dignity of the human family because he loved and was loved within its shelter. Bless us this day; may we grow in love for each other in our family and so give thanks to you who are the maker of all human families and our abiding peace.

Michael Buckley