Hymn: Let Justice Roll Like a River
Refrain:
Let justice roll like a river, and wash all oppression away;
Come, O God, and take us, move and shake us,
Come now, and make us anew, that we might live justly like you
Verse:
You have been told the way of life, the way of justice and peace;
to act justly, to love gently, and walk humbly with God. Refrain
Prayer
Leader:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Let us pray as one:
All:
Good and Gracious God,
We come before you as the community of St. Margaret of Scotland –
united even while maintaining distance – to pray a novena for clarity
during this time of extraordinary challenges.
We ask you, O God, for support and strength, direction and guidance
as we seek to be people who hunger and thirst for justice,
striving to live justly.
Lead us the way we need to go, as our story unfolds before us.
Open our eyes to the injustices around us and grant us the courage to act.
Open our hearts to the love you offer to us that we might unconditionally
share your love with others.
We make this prayer, filled with hope,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Reading from Following Christ in a Consumer Society by John F. Kavanaugh
Social action is not the preserve of some special-interest group. It is an imperative of faith.
This is true not only because of the content of the New Testament and the nature of the
vocation to which Christ calls men and women; it is also true because there are social
conditions which minimize the very possibility of experiencing love, hope, and faith.
Destitution, degrading prisons, world hunger, and armament are affairs of spirituality. The
human spirit is at stake, not ‘just’ the human body.
Response
Leader At dawn, fill us with your merciful love;
All we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Leader Let your deed be seen by your servants,
All and your glorious power by their children.
Leader Let the favor of God be upon us;
All Give success to the work of our hands.
O give success to the work of our hands.
The Word of God from Matthew’s Gospel, 25: 31-46
Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you,
whatever you did for one of these least of these, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a
stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’
Petitions
Leader: Christ hears and saves all who hope in him. Let us bring him our needs. That those immigrants seeking asylum in our country will be offered safety while waiting the opportunity to plead their causes in a court of justice ruled by law and compassion, we pray.
R. Lord, hear our prayer.
That racial equality will become such a way of life that there no longer needs to be a cry against injustice …, we pray… R.
That those who are unemployed or underemployed will find fulfilling and sustaining work, and
that we who have employment will seek to serve the needs of those without employment, we
pray… R.
That mothers and their unborn babies, especially those who question the worth of the child
growing within their wombs, will find hope and solace as they carry their babies to birth, we
pray. . . R.
That those who have died giving their lives in search of justice for themselves or for others
will sit at the right hand of God, we pray. . . R.
For whom else will you pray?
The Lord’s Prayer
Leader As one family, let us pray in the words our Savior taught us:
All Our Father…
Prayer of Saint Margaret of Scotland
Leader: Let us recall our mission as together we pray:
Loving God,
you call your people to holiness
and create among them models of kindness.
We thank you for the life of St. Margaret of Scotland:
a woman of leadership and hope in a confusing world;
a wife and mother excelling in patience, dedication and love;
a teacher supported and inspired by a life of learning;
a generous friend and a loyal servant to the poor and helpless;
a model of Christian faith and constant prayerfulness.
As we build on our faith,
help us to grow rich in the values of St. Margaret:
that faith, hope and love might inspire
our presence in the city and neighborhood,
our relationships with family and friends,
our concern for the education of the young,
our care for the poor and the weak,
our community’s prayer in word and sacrament.
Bless our parish and our school;
let it be for us a community of love and sharing,
and a source of life and grace
let it be a witness to our neighbors
of your life, your presence and your love.
Through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
Until tomorrow when we join in prayer again, may we each find time to learn something new and
share that new learning with someone else. AMEN