Lord, make us instruments of thy peace. As we come
together as one body in Love, we do not pray for God to work
magic, but in praying we acknowledge that we and the world have
needs. We pray, seeking to find the answers within. May we open
our minds as we pray and be connected to every person in our
sphere.
Where there is darkness, let us sow light.
May our understanding that we are all one spread to our
neighbors here and all over the world, particularly in the Middle
East, where the people in power have forgotten it.
Where there is hatred, let us sow Love.
We remember and hold in our hearts those people devastated by
the hurricane from Florida to the Carolinas. May we search our
hearts for ways we can love them in practical ways.
Where there is despair, let us sow hope.
We acknowledge our connection to every living creature on earth,
our fellow brothers and sisters, as well as all forms of animals.
May we take care of each other, using St. Francis as an example.
It is in giving that we receive.
We remember those who are in need of healing… physically,
mentally, and emotionally. May we become more aware of them
and do all we can to help them.

May we seek to console rather than to be consoled.
We hold in our hearts those people in need who are known only
to us, and we say their names now, (pause to mention silently or aloud.)
And we especially remember those on our parish prayer list (repeat
names together slowly): and those for whom no one prays.
May we seek to love rather than to be loved.
We remember those dear to us who are near death and those who
have died, as well as those who grieve.
Where there is sadness, let us sow compassion.
And we welcome back our beloved priests, Berto and Hugh,
from their vacation, praying that they have had a good rest
and are happy to be home.