Sunday, May 25, 2008
Offered Thomas C. Rook, Parish Associate

Creator God of all that is—of this beautiful earth, this home that you have established for the nurture of life—we give you thanks this day. While our vision may be dim to your larger purposes in the universe, we can catch glimpses of your intentions here on this green earth and in our own life. We see your creativity and your love of living things, and in our lives we sense your faithful, nurturing presence.

And so we do thank you, gracious Lord, not only for breathing life into us but also for providing us with things of beauty that cheer our spirits. At the same time we remember those who this day despair of life—ones in Asia and the Middle East and in Chicago who are anxious about their lives and the lives of their children, ones who hunger for food and ones who hunger for fairness and justice, who yearn to live without fear. We pray for leaders of this country and of other nations who need your blessings of wisdom and good will.

We are grateful this morning for all those in our lives for whom we care and who care for us. They become for us, gracious Lord, expressions of your own love and compassion. Especially on this Memorial Day weekend we remember with gratitude all those who lived and died in the line of duty.

For those who in years past have fallen in battle while fighting for our country’s freedoms, who sacrificed their today for our tomorrow, and for ones in uniform this day who are in places of danger and for their families.

We give thanks for ones who give of themselves in the care of others, of a parent or brother or sister or friend weakened in health and for those who attend to our children; for parents and teachers and tutors who give quality time to these little ones who represent our nation’s future; and on this Baccalaureate Sunday, we are thankful for all who seek to grow in knowledge and to use it for the benefit of our community;

We are grateful for those who invest themselves in the work of Christ, in the work of this Fourth Presbyterian Church, bringing qualities of faithfulness and generosity and good will.

We thank you for those in our city and nation who advocate for ones whose voices don’t count for much—the homeless, the stranger and alien, the addicted—and we thank you, O Lord, that none of these are lost to your love and mercy.

Finally, we thank you for yourself, O God—for always seeking to find us when we lose our way, claiming us as your own when we have forgotten to whom we belong, inscribing our name indelibly in the palm of your hand for time and eternity.

Mindful of all that you are and all that you have generously given to us, we join in using words given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, now praying together, Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church