Prayers for the People (6 and 7)

Please excuse yesterday's Labor Day hiatus from posting these prayers in the series. I was caught up in busy family activities.

The context of prayer 6 is still the global one. For example, it might remind us that we can not only pray for ISIS to be vanquished, but for the members of ISIS to be led into the truth from hatred and prejudice.

After prayer 6, things shift to prayers for the church. Today I will include prayer 6 and prayer 7.

6. For our Enemies

O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The next 11 prayers after this are geared toward the church. You can apply these prayers not only to your local church body but to the church universal.

Since The Book of Common Prayer is an Anglican document, and I am a Presbyterian, I will alter those prayers to fit a wider body of Christians, for instance, using "minister" for "Bishop" (as the text, in fact, allows.) I also will replace the prayer for monastic orders with a different prayer.

I'm using "catholic" to mean "universal" and using a little "c."

7. For the Church

Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy [catholic church]. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior.  Amen.


-Adapted from The Book of Common Prayer p 816