Epiphany, Second Sunday: Litany for God-Revealer

In Eugene Peterson’s translation of John 1:29-42, which is this week’s Lectionary text from the Gospels, he refers to Jesus as “God-Revealer.” That text is the starting point for this week’s litany for the Second Sunday of Epiphany. The liturgical season of Epiphany began on January 6. A litany for the first Sunday of Epiphany can be found here.

 

Oh God, who has sent Christ and revealed him to us
The Son;
Christ, who is the true nature of God
Human and Divine;
And Spirit, whom Christ left with us,
The essence and energy of God:

May your character be daily revealed in us
As we follow the Way of Christ.

May we be perfected in sacrifice,
Purified in service,
Re-formed by Love
Expanded in kindness
Filled with every spiritual gift
Renewed in mind and heart,
And transformed to goodness
by nearness to Living God.

May our lives always point the way to you:
Look the Lamb of God (John 1:29)
Who takes away the sin of the world!
We have found the Messiah! (John 1:41).

Amen

Epiphany, First Sunday: Litany for Life-Light

The first Sunday of Epiphany is traditionally designated as a celebration of the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist. John plays a supporting role in the narrative of the Gospel Lectionary texts for the next few Sundays, of which Matthew 3:13-17 is the first for Year A. John 1:1-14 was touched upon in one of the Christmas Day readings, and I have included elements from it also. In Eugene Peterson’s translation of John 1, he refers to Christ as “the Life-Light," which I like and have included as well.

God, you have sent your Son
Immanuel, God-With-Us,
Word Made Flesh,
Life-Light.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
The darkness couldn’t put it out (1).

Your servants go before him
Preparing the way for the Lord.
As Christ was baptized,
Raised up from the water,
The heavens opened;
The spirit descended like a dove.
A voice spoke from heaven:
This is God’s Son, the Beloved. (2)

We follow him in baptism
Of water and of spirit:
Dead, buried,
And raised to new life.

Christ, the Life-Light
Has made us alive.

Amen

1. A direct quote from John 1, MSG

2. Matthew 3:16

Epiphany, Year A: Litany for Good News to All

Epiphany is the day in the Liturgical calendar when we celebrate and acknowledge that even pagan wizards who probably never heard of Yahweh came to pay homage to the Son of God. Even the stars in the sky spoke his name. Even ancient traditions that sprang from entirely other shoots could see that the world had somehow changed, could perceive that a shift had occurred, that the arc of history had changed directions.

The gospel text for Epiphany, Year A is Matthew 2:1-12.

The heavens declare
The glory of God.
Arise, shine,
For your light has come. (Isaiah 60:1)

Even the stars
Speak the name of Jesus.
Even the rocks
Proclaim his works. (Psalm 19:1-4)

The people of earth
Gather together,
Sons and daughters
From far away places.
They bring gifts of abundance and wealth
To honor you. (Isaiah 60:4)
You defend the cause of the needy,
And redeem their lives from oppression and violence. (Psalm 72:13,14)

To wise men from the East
Good news has come.
To Jews and Gentiles
Good news has come.
To the poor and oppressed
Good news has come.
To sons and daughters alike
Good news has come.
To all creation
Good news has come.

Amen

Litany for All Saints Day

All Saints Day, in which the global church honors those saints who have passed on, both known and unknown, both famous and obscure; is celebrated by Methodist, Lutheran, Anglican, and Roman Catholic traditions on November 1. Here is a litany for that day.

God, we remember those Saints who have gone before us;
We lament their passing,
And honor their legacy.
We give thanks for all we have learned from them.

Those who followed the Way of Christ faithfully,
We follow their example.
Those who made mistakes along the way,
We learn from their experience.
Those who made progress for peace,
We continue their work.
Those who lived simply and quietly,
We are enlightened by them.
Those who gained honor and distinction without pride,
We are humbled by them.
Those who were martyred for their faith,
We commend them to your care.

They have finished their work on earth,
And it lives on,
Reverberating into our lives now
As the work of Christ lives on.

May the peace of Christ continue to inspire us
To good works, humility, simplicity and peacemaking,
As those foremothers and forefathers were inspired by him
To live in grace and love.
 

Amen

Litany for God So Loved the World

This week the Feast of Cross is celebrated in the liturgical calendar. The feast days commemorate the discovery by Saint Helena the mother of Constantine, of the cross on which Jesus was crucified; as well as the subsequent dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Most Protestant folk don't generally know about these feasts, and I only started learning about them when I began following along with the liturgical calendar and lectionary.  The Lectionary text from the Gospels for Holy Cross Day, which is in most traditions celebrated on September 14 (in others on September 16), for the year 2016, is John 3:13-17. 

I am including this text in my Lectionary litanies even though it is not a regular Sunday text, because it contains probably the most well-known verse in Scripture: John 3:16. If ever there were a text that should inspire and has inspired followers of Jesus to pray, it's this one. I find Eugene Peterson’s translation of it particularly compelling.

God, Creator and Lover of Humankind:
You’ve been reaching out to us since the dawn of our consciousness;
Extending connection and love,
Explaining yourself in ways each iteration of humanity could understand.

You are always convincing us of your love,
Mercifully covering our shame,
Making sacrifices to clothe our nakedness, (1)
Walking with us in the midst of our propensity for evil.

On our own we tend to choose death for ourselves
Even though you have been offering us whole and lasting life from the beginning. (2)

We still need to be convinced of your love
And of your loving nature.
We still need to look upon the person of Christ
And be reminded of what God is.

Your love reaches to the heavens.
Your faithfulness stretches to the skies. (3)

(1) Genesis 3:21
(2) “Whole and lasting life” is part of Eugene Peterson’s compelling translation of John 3:17
(3) Psalm 36:5


 

Litany for Summer

This litany originally appeared on Godspace. It is a responsive prayer; congregational responses are in bold type.

God, we thank You for turning the earth toward the Sun .
We thank You for summer.

As the days and the light are long,
So is the Love of God:
   Endless,
   Fruitful,
   Full of possibility,
   Bursting with energy.

As growing things are awake and progressing,
So may we become awake
To Your light and to Your love:
   Making progress,
   Seizing opportunities to grow,
   Readying for harvest

As our plot on the planet faces the sun, our star,
So do we turn ourselves toward the Son
Following the Way of Christ,
Following the Way of Love,
Growing to maturity,
Spreading seeds of Good News to all.

Amen

Litany for Trinity Sunday

In the liturgical calendar, Trinity Sunday is celebrated the first Sunday after Pentecost, to acknowledge the Holy Trinity of God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. We have plentiful references by Jesus himself to God-Creator (Yahweh) as "Father," therefore many traditions refer to God as such. I like to make room for the idea that God-Creator is not of a specified gender, and that we are given pictures of God that by today's standards might be culturally considered masculine as well as those that might be culturally considered feminine. To that end, I have included options in parenthesis for referring to God-Creator in more gender-neutral terms. Each congregation may choose the option that resonates most strongly for its people.

 

God, we acknowledge You as over all and in all.
Sovereign. Ruler. Creator.
You are vast and unknowable, yet we have been given a clear portrayal of You:
Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Christ is seated with you in heaven, and has left us a Helper:
The Holy Spirit.

Your character, Your nature, Your creativity; all reflected in the various aspects of Yourself:
Father (Parent, Creator, Yahweh), Son, Holy Spirit.
Your glory reflected in all creation; indeed even in human beings,
Whom You made in Your image.

We acknowledge the mystery of the Trinity.
Hallelujah.
We acknowledge You as a whole whose parts each reflect Your self differently, yet perfectly.
Hallelujah.
We acknowledge the loving community You exist in.
Hallelujah.
We are grateful for the many ways You have shown Yourself to us.
Hallelujah.

Dwell among us now, and cause us to live in unity and love just as You do:
Father (Parent, Creator, Yahweh), Son, Holy Spirit.

Amen

Litany for Pentecost

Pentecost is the day in the liturgical calendar when the church celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the birth of the church as we know it, recorded in Acts 2. The Day of Pentecost concludes the Easter Season, and is celebrated ten days after Ascension Thursday. This year Pentecost is celebrated Sunday, May 15.

God, today we give thanks for the good gift of Your Holy Spirit, our helper.
Come Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of God present among us.
Come Holy Spirit.

As on the day of Pentecost, when Your spirit rested on Your followers as tongues of fire,
Rest on us now, Oh God
As they were filled with the spirit and began to speak and prophesy,
Fill us now, Oh God.

Just as Jesus promised, just as the Father has promised,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon us,
Empowering us to proclaim good news to the poor
Release for prisoners
To exchange beauty for ashes
Joy for mourning
A spirit of praise instead of despair.
Come Holy Spirit.

We are your church, your body on earth, who trust in the Resurrected Christ,
And in the Holy Spirit of God, here with us now.

Amen
 

Litany for Eucharist

God, we remember the Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed. He took bread, broke it and said:
This is my body, broken for you.
And in the same way he took the cup, saying:
This is my blood, shed for you.

We proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes again.
He was pierced for our transgressions...
He was bruised for our iniquities...
By his stripes we are healed.

We proclaim that we do not live on bread alone, but by the Word made flesh:
Jesus, the Bread of Life.
The daily presence of Jesus in our lives is our sustenance.
Jesus, the Living Water.

We take this bread and cup in communion with our brothers and sisters...
In remembrance of Christ.
Christ, the Word of God, spoken to us; Christ, alive and present with us...
Christ, our daily bread.

Amen

Ascension Day: Litany for Sending

Ascension Day, or Holy Thursday, is the day in the liturgical calendar in which the church celebrates the ascension of Christ into heaven forty days after his resurrection. The gospels and the book of Acts give various versions of Jesus' words to the disciples just prior to his ascension. Acts records him saying "...When the Holy Spirit comes on you... you will be my witnesses... to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The Great Commission is recorded in Matthew, in which Jesus instructs his followers to "...go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt 28:19). This litany references the Great Commission as well as instructions given in the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus, You came into the world to restore us to our rightful place as children of God.
You are the light of the world.
We do not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.
You are the light of the world.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to you.
You are the light of the world.

After your resurrection you ascended into heaven, leaving us instruction to go and make disciples...
Make us a light to the world.
To share the Good News with all creation…
Make us a light to the world.
To show compassion for the poor and needy…
Make us a light to the world.
To be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world.
Make us a light to the world.

We celebrate your resurrection, your ascension, and your place at the right hand of God.
We live in the light of Christ.
We await your return, and rely upon the Holy Spirit, our helper.
We live in the light of Christ.
We are your church, your body on earth, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.
We live in the light of Christ.

Amen

Resurrection Sunday: "Life"

God, your works are marvelous
Your power, amazing.

We are astonished at what You have done:
You have raised Jesus
Who was put to death at the hands of an angry multitude
Who was beaten, nailed, and pierced;
You have raised him to glorious Life.
We are astonished at this gospel.

We stand now silent before you, too surprised for words.
(pause)

And now we raise a shout:
(All:) HALLELUJAH!

That Jesus Christ, put to death on a cross
Is now alive and ruler of the world!
Again we raise our voices:
(All:) HALLELUJAH!

For death has lost its sting.
The grave has been overtaken by life.
The new Kingdom has begun.
The way of love is victorious.

And this gospel fills our hearts, and all the earth:
All: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Hallelujah!

Lent Series: Litany for Good Friday, "Death"

Great God, we acknowledge that we are not always able to recognize Your ways as good
We confess that we are, at times, confounded;
As on Good Friday, when we commemorate the death of one so dear to us
The Savior, Christ the King.

As a seed must pass through death to sprout new life,
So Jesus Christ has passed into death.
Taking the nature of a human, a servant
He made himself nothing
He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death
Even death on a cross!

For three days, we wait with him, for death to accomplish its purpose;
For Christ’s sacrifice to be made meaningful;
For Christ to re-imagine death.
We grieve, even while we are hopeful.

We wait, and as the stones seal Christ’s body in the tomb, even then we say:
“Oh Death, Where is Your sting? O Grave, Where is your victory?”
And we acknowledge Your good way, the confounding way of obedience to death
That brings us toward Life and Hope.

Amen

Lent Series: Litany for Palm Sunday, "Fulfillment"

"Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" comes directly from John 12, the instance for which Palm Sunday derives its name; in which the people of Jerusalem pave the streets with palm branches and garments, an ancient version of a red carpet, for Jesus and the donkey colt he rides upon. Earlier in the text, Mary pours a pint of expensive nard, a costly essential oil, on Jesus feet.

Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

The One we have long awaited, the Messiah, has come.
Hosanna!
Riding into Jerusalem, not on a warhorse, but on a young donkey,
Hosanna!
The Prince of Peace has come, the one who heals our wounds.
Hosanna!

Everything that was foretold, Christ has fulfilled.
We offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
We set up a banquet, and pour costly perfume at His feet.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

This is Jesus
Whose name is glorified
This is Jesus
High and lifted up

Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Lent Series: Litany for Lent, Week 5 "Waiting"

God, in this season of Lent
We quiet our souls
That we may see more clearly the one our hearts long for
We ask, seek, and knock
That our prayers may be answered
And our longing fulfilled

We acknowledge that so much of faith-life involves waiting
     for the voice of God to speak
     for the Spirit of God to move
     for the fullness of Your kingdom to come
     for Christ’s return
     for the world to be made new
     for justice and peace to become ordinary
     for love to become the world’s motivation

We acknowledge that even as we wait, you are working
     redeeming the earth
     redeeming people
     confirming Your love.

As Christ waited three days in a tomb
So do we wait for resurrection life.
We wait in faith,
That You are even now giving us new life.
We wait in hope for the Lord.
All creation waits for the Lord.

Amen

Lent Series: Litany for Lent, Week 4 "Thirst"

This prayer in the Lent Series is written for the fourth Sunday in Lent (this year March 6). I re-used lyrics from one of my songs for this one. You can find the prayers for the first Sunday in Lent (February 14, 2016) here, the second Sunday (Feb 21, 2016) here, and the third Sunday (February 28, 2016 ) here.

God, in this season of Lent we reflect upon our emptiness, and Your fullness
Our souls thirst for You.
We come to You, Wellspring of Life
Our flesh longs for you.
You graciously offer us a fountain of water, springing up to eternal life
In a dry and weary land, where there is no water.

Jesus, You are the Living Water, the holy spring
You satisfy our deepest needs.
Whoever drinks of the water You give
Need never thirst again.

We acknowledge the miracle, mystery, and kindness of Your provision
We were thirsty, and you gave us a drink.
Fulfill now Your promise to us:
That those who thirst for righteousness will be filled.

May our hunger, thirst, and need always lead us to You
Let all who are thirsty come to Jesus and drink of living water.

Amen

Lent Series: Litany for Lent, Week 3 "Hunger"

This prayer in the Lent Series is written for the third Sunday in Lent (this year February 28). You can find the prayer for the first Sunday in Lent (February 14, 2016) here, and the second Sunday (Feb 21, 2016) here.

God, in this season of Lenten fasting we set our eyes toward You.
We turn our hearts in Your direction.
We acknowledge our great need for you, and our great hunger.
Give us food from Your hand, oh God.
We confess that we often seek to fill a void inside us with frivolous things, spiritual junk food.
Forgive us, and bless us with manna from heaven.

We set aside the expectation that our hunger might be satisfied by anything but Your Spirit.
Nourish our souls, oh God.
We rely upon Your promise of provision.
They that hunger for righteousness will be filled.
Where we are empty
Fill us up, Oh God.

Jesus said: “I am the bread of Life. Those who come to me will not hunger.”
We come to You, Jesus.
We do not live by bread alone
But by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Amen

Lent Series: Litany for Lent, Week 2 "Mercy"

This prayer in the Lent Series is written for the second Sunday in Lent (this year February 21). You can find the prayer for the first Sunday in Lent (this year February 14) here.

Hear, Oh God, when we call to You
Have mercy on us and answer us.

In our vulnerability
Have mercy on us, oh God
In our forgetfulness
Have mercy on us, oh God
In our anxiety
Have mercy on us, oh God
In our wrongdoing
Have mercy on us, oh God
In our hard-heartedness
Have mercy on us, oh God
In our blindness,
Have mercy on us, oh God

In your mercy, you rescue us from our enemies.
In your mercy, you remove our transgressions from us.
In your mercy, you made a way for us to be reconciled to You.
In your mercy, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to heal our brokenness.

Grant that in this season of Lent, our hearts may be devoted to You,
That we may see Your mercies new each day.
Grant that we may be always ready to offer mercy to those in need of it,
For mercy triumphs over judgement.

Amen

Litany for Ash Wednesday

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. Congregants wear a smudge of ash on their foreheads to symbolize repentance and fasting, and commence the season of preparation for Easter.

Oh God, we are reminded this day of the temporality of our lives here on the earth.
We are dust and to dust we will return.
It is by your Spirit and your power that we are given life.
You are the source of all hope and life.

We enter now a season of repentance.
That we may turn from selfishness.
We set aside some comforts
That we may turn our attention to Your holiness.
Cast now our transgressions far from us
As far is the east is from the west.

We mourn the profound disconnection from You that happened at the dawn of humankind.
Bring us back into Your presence.
We rejoice in the perfect work of Christ on earth.
Christ reconciles us to You.

Prepare our hearts, Oh God, for Resurrection life.
You bring beauty from ashes.
Prepare our hearts for the joy of Your coming.
You bring gladness from mourning.
Prepare our hearts for the fullness of Your presence.
You bring forth praise from despair.

Amen

Litany for Fat Tuesday

This litany was originally posted at Godspace. Happy Mardi Gras!

God,
We revel in your expansive grace;
We bask in your boundless love;
We delight in the excess of your blessings to us.

As Christ turned water to wine at Cana,
So You are spreading out a bountiful feast for Your people.

We acknowledge that your kingdom is
    always expanding
    always welcoming
    always inviting
    always growing  
    always blessing
    always filling.

We acknowledge that in Your presence there is always
    a joyful song
    a chorus of worship
    a fountain of life.

We acknowledge that your attitude toward us is always
    joyful celebration
    unconditional love
    wholehearted acceptance.

The universe is bursting, drunk with Your love.
Our hearts are plump, satisfied with Your love.
Our lives are filled up, ripe with Your blessing.

May we live our lives in the fullness of joy.
Amen

Lent Series: Litany for Lent, Week 1 "Temptation"

Holy God: in this season of Lenten fasting, we remember Christ
Who went out into the desert to fast and undergo temptation.
We confess that we are often distracted by material comforts
And tempted to value them above the Kingdom of God.

You, God, are our help in difficulty;
Christ is our inspiration.
We confess that we do not live by bread or worldly provision alone,
But by every word that comes from Your mouth.

May we fill our mouths, our hearts, our minds now with your words
That we might be transformed and renewed.
May we, with renewed hearts and minds,
Better serve the purposes of Your kingdom.
May we, by setting aside worldly distractions
Become more like Christ.
May we, with purified motives and deeper understanding,
Receive Christ when He comes to us.

Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.

Amen