Prayer in the time of COVID-19
Prayers of the People for worship on Sunday, March 22, 2020
Let us pray…
God of all that is seen and unseen, our anxiety rises as the invisible coronavirus spreads. For many of us this pandemic is an inconvenience, but we are mindful of those for whom this is truly tragic. We worry about the impact of this illness on healthcare workers, older adults, those already physically fragile, the vulnerable among us, people whose livelihoods are tied to the regular movement of people and commerce, parents who have to make awful decisions about feeding and caring for their children. We recognize in this moment how inextricably connected we are to one another and we hope that this unmistakable realization will shape all our actions in ways that foster the common good, increase compassion and expand communal care.
As people in positions of leadership in religious communities, educational institutions, hospitals, government and local communities face difficult choices about how to address the complex challenges this virus brings, grant them wisdom and courage. Knowing that we are flawed and that our knowledge is incomplete, make us humble in our judgment, patient with one another, and gracious toward those tasked with the burden of making hard decisions in the days ahead.
Bring healing to the sick, strength to the caregivers, comfort to those who mourn, peace to those in quarantine and mercy to all of your beloved children.
We ask, we beg, we pray for your presence to be with us and within us and all around us.
Let your light shine into a world consumed by fear, of sickness, of incompetence, of powerlessness. Don’t let your light fade in our eyes. Help us to trust in you, the light of the world, the resurrection and the life, the peace that passes understanding. We pray in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray together in this way, Our Father...Amen.
Note: Some of this prayer was written by Jill Duffiled, editor of the Presbyterian Outlook