Social Justice Prayer Network
Prayers for the Period beginning May 1, 2009

Loving and Praying and Living for peace and justice
can be exhausting and discouraging.
We may not see results in our lifetimes. Yet we have seen walls come down and an African-American president.
We must have faith, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
They told Nebuchadnezzar that God was able to rescue them,
 but even if God didn’t they would not worship any other god.
(Daniel 3:16-18)
And so we continue to love God and love our neighbor
and to pray even when we do not see the results we pray for.

[Jesus said] “This is my commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you.”
John 15:12, NRSV, Lectionary May 17

God is love…There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear.
Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—
--fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love…
If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating brother or sister,
thinking nothing of it, that person is a liar…
The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.
I John 4:17-18, 20-21, THE MESSAGE, (adapted)    Lectionary May 10

My dear children, let’s not just talk about love, let’s practice real love
This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in Gods’ reality.
I John 3:18-19, The Message, Lectionary May 3

We pray for the ending of the financial crisis so that those in need may find relief.

We pray for peace where there is violence and fear, love where there is hate, justice where there is oppression.

We pray for the end of Swine Flu and the recovery of those afflicted.

We pray for those who are homeless and refugees, for whatever reason—war, economic pressures, fear, or oppression. We pray for immigrants, that they might find a home. We pray for a just immigration policy.

We pray for the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, Mozambique, Congo, Israel, Palestine, and all places of conflict.

We pray for all who are hated just because they are who they are and for those who join hate groups.

We pray for the prayerful consideration of the 32 proposed amendments to the Constitution of the United Methodist Church at Annual Conferences. We pray for “holy conferencing” and respectful listening. We pray that we can agree that All Means All.

We give thanks for the passage of the Hate Crimes Act in the House. We pray passage in the Senate.