Collects and Prayers - February 28, 2010 - The Second Sunday of Lent

Greeting
Leader: In an act of sharing, God gave us life.
People: Let us respond with grateful, giving hearts.
Leader: God made the ultimate loving sacrifice, sending God's only Son.
People: This Lent, may we allow ourselves space to meditate on this sacrifice, the precious Lamb of God.
Leader: Here in this space, God graces us with his very presence;
People: we humbly bow before this sacrificial gift of love.

Prayers of the People
Merciful God, you challenge us daily to mirror the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ. We cry out in need, knowing that we can do better, love deeper, and live more fully in accordance with your will. Hear now the prayers we lay before you. Please respond to each petition with, "Open our hearts, O Lord."

God of our world; we confess that we are often hesitant to sacrifice for those who seem far away and unfamiliar. We pray for those who suffer, whose names are unknown to us. Help us to embrace the human family as Christ does, reaching out to those in need. We pray ...
People: "Open our hearts, O Lord."

God of our nation, we confess a desire to hold on to what we have, rejecting new life out of habit or fear. Break us of these desires; point us to examples of lives lived well through sacrifice, to those who have given even their very lives for a higher cause. We pray ...
People: "Open our hearts, O Lord."

God of our community, we confess that we often neglect the gift of great abundance that you have bestowed on us, and we are slow to recognize our potential. Help us to see our true worth as grounded in You, and give us the strength to let go of things that are important for the sake of what is even more important. We pray ...
People: "Open our hearts, O Lord."

God of our families, we confess a failure to use our imaginations in seeing opportunities to sacrifice to You and to our neighbors. We yearn for a life full of deep meaning, and yet we limit ourselves, living timidly instead of sacrificially. Teach us to use our head, heart, and hands to do your work each and every day. We pray ...
People: "Open our hearts, O Lord."

Almighty and Everlasting God,
You have given Christ to us as a model of humble sacrifice.
He fulfilled Your will by living among us and giving His life on the cross.
Help us to bear witness to You by following His example,
And make us worthy to share in His Resurrection.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

Who lives with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever. Amen.