BY: SR. BARBARA McMULLEN, CDP
Call to Prayer
| Leader | O God of jubilee forgiveness, you have called us to follow Jesus. |
| All | Grace us with your attitudes. Let good works shine forth in us. Forgive us for the times we did not respect, affirm, and challenge the divine dignity of others. Help us to have forgiving hearts that your reign may come more fully into this world through us. Amen. |
| Leader | "Forgiveness is an essential component of jubilee. We are called to practice more intentionally the virtue of forgiveness. Without it hurts grow unchecked; we recycle failures, resentments, bitterness and mistrust . . . but when we experience genuine forgiveness, what was torn apart and broken has been made whole."
(Jubilee Justice: The Times Call Us, by Cordaro and Gould, p. 44) |
Reading | 2 Cor 5:17-19
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. |
| Reflection | - How have you experienced forgiveness as healing and wholeness?
- In what ways can you or your organization be an ambassador of reconciliation in your community?
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| Response | (alternate sides)
Forgiveness brings healing, not only to the body, but also to broken communities. Lord, make us ambassadors of reconciliation. Forgiveness brings those who are cut off by sin back into communities of healing. Lord, make us ambassadors of reconciliation. Forgiveness brings us to examine and release our debts and debtors. Lord, make us ambassadors of reconciliation. Forgiveness brings us wholeness by breaking down the walls that divide us. Lord, make us ambassadors of reconciliation.
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| Closing Prayer | O God, your dream for us is that we might be made whole through the reconciling power of Jesus. Free us from impediments to the healing power of forgiveness. Open us to transformation that we might be the compassionate, wounded healer your world needs. Bless us all. Amen. |
| Suggestions | Begin with lighted candle and play instrumental music softly in the background of the two readings and during reflection time.
Sources Adapted from Jubilee Justice: The Times Call Us by Tom Cordaro and Madelyn Gould, SSSF, Pax Christi, Erie, PA 1999.
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The focus of this prayer service is the jubilee theme of forgiveness and wholeness. Feel free to adapt the service to suit your own needs.
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Sr. Barbara McMullen, CDP, is executive director of the Women of Providence in Collaboration and consultant for Prayer and Liturgy Resources. She can be reached at Providence Center: 314-209-9181.
"Prayer Service," a regular department in Health Progress, may be copied without prior permission.