21st Century Liturgy Resources for the Second Sunday in Lent, Year C

Gathering Meditation

Sometimes,
Our greatest enemy is fear
Fear that we are not good enough
Fear that we have not worked hard enough
Fear that we will not live long enough
To see the goodness of God in our lives.

Grasping fear
That even what we have
Will be taken away.
And sometimes it is
Taken away.

Sometimes,
We do lose
What we thought we could not live without
And are surprised when life goes on.

It is then
That we discover
God, who is always faithful
God, who can always be trusted
Knows us better
Than we know ourselves.

Suggested Call to Worship: "The Lord Is My Light" from The Africana Worship Book for Year A, page 105.

Prayer for the Second Sunday of Lent

O God, you know us better than we know ourselves. You know what we are able to bear, and you know what would destroy us (1 Corinthians 10:13). We pray for all who face danger on this day both in our community and in the communities of our world. We pray for people standing in lines for food and water, for people without permanent housing, and for those who have been tragically bereaved. We pray for the unemployed, the underemployed and for those in fear of losing their jobs. We pray for all who stand bravely for Christ on this day and for all who wait patiently on your promises. Remind all who struggle that they are not forsaken and that their faith in you is not misplaced. Open our hearts to respond to the needs of a hurting world. Make us your hands and feet and walk us into places where people need you most. May we follow the path of Jesus, wherever it needs to take us so that you might be glorified on this earth.

Spanish-Language Translation:
Traducción Por Julio R. Vargas-Vidal

Oh Dios, tú nos conoces mejor de lo que nos conocemos. Conoces lo que debemos soportar y lo que nos destruiría (1 Co 10.13). Oramos por todas las personas que hoy enfrentan al peligro, tanto en nuestra comunidad con en las comunidades del resto del mundo. Oramos por la gente que hoy hace fila para obtener comida y agua, por personas sin techo y por los que sufren desconsolación. Oramos por la gente desempleada, por los que están a tiempo parcial y por los que temen perder sus empleos. Oramos por los que hoy defienden la causa de Cristo y por los que esperan pacientemente en tus promesas. Recuérdale a toda persona que lucha que no está desamparada y que su fe no está mal depositada. Abre nuestros corazones para responder a las necesidades de un mundo que sufre. Haznos tus manos y pies y encamínanos a aquellos lugares donde más te necesite la gente. Permite que podamos seguir los pasos de Jesús, adonde quiera llevarnos, para que Tú puedas glorificarte en esta tierra. Amén.

© 2013 Discipleship Ministries