1st Quarter - Year A- Issue of WorshipAid
December, January and February (2001-2002)

Prayers for February 3, 2002

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Call to Worship (Based on Psalm 15)

Leader: O Lord, who may stand before You? Who may behold Your glory?

People: Those who live blamelessly and do what is right, those who speak the truth from their heart.

Leader: Those who do not lie or do evil to their friends, those who do not stir up arguments with their neighbors.

People: If we walk in God's ways, our future will be secure. Let us worship God!

Prayer of Confession

Creator God, You are a God who forgives us, even when we do not deserve to be forgiven. But we are scorekeepers. We keep track of the sins that others commit against us. We do not release them from their guilt until every minor debt has been repaid in full. We are accountants. We record the transgressions of others, and we do not close the books on their wrongdoings until we have exacted satisfaction. Gracious Lord, forgive our pettiness. Forgive the way we deal with one another based on worth and merit. By Your Spirit, empower us to live by grace, treating one another in the same way that You treat us. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication

Glorious Lord, we pray that you would lead us to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly in Your sight. Receive our gifts as a sign of our commitment to be Your faithful servants. In the name of our Lord we pray. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

Almighty God, enable us to see the world as You see it. We glamorize the rich and the famous. Help us to esteem what is lowly. Empower us to see that our worth is not determined in dollars and cents, but by how faithful we are to You. Although we live in a world where we pop pills to avoid pain and we attempt to tranquilize our fears, give us the courage to shed tears of grief. Through our weeping, may we then come to find the consolation that only You are able to give. We often praise the bold, the leaders who take charge without hesitation. But in our boldness, we often charge off in the wrong direction. Create in us humble spirits, that we may focus more on Your will and on the needs of others, than on our own selfish desires.

Merciful Lord, we are quick to satisfy our every want and desire. Hamburger joints and pizza shops abound, so that we may quench our every craving. Keep us from being ruled by our stomachs. Rather, let us hunger for lives of faith, that we may live according to Your ways. Blessed Redeemer, you show mercy to us, but we are often unforgiving when it comes to others. Instead of holding grudges, teach us to love our enemies and to pray for those who do us wrong. Although we live in an often polluted world, cleanse us from the stain of sin. While we have come to accept wars and bloodshed as simple facts of life, grant that we may pray for an alternative future, a future of peace. We ask these things in the name of our Lord and Teacher Jesus Christ. Amen.