Fifth
Sunday after Epiphany
Isaiah 40:21-31
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c
I
Cor. 9:16-23
Mark 1:29-39
O holy One, we come to you in
need of your leading and instruction. We so often become bogged down in
the details of life and forget to see the bigger picture of life and its
needs. We so often give ourselves to what we think is necessary and
fail to see what is needful. Forgive us our short-sightedness and save
us from our spiritual myopia.
We have been reminded today of
how Jesus met needs all about him but did not succumb to the tyranny of
demands and many clamouring voices. Help us to follow his example.
Whereas we tend to think in terms of doing things primarily
where we live he thought of people elsewhere who had needs.
Whereas
we tend to take our signals from others he took his direction from
within.
Whereas we tend to live life at a frenetic pace he went out
to the desert alone and prayed to find renewal.
Whereas we tend to
be provincial in the scope of our concerns he thought of other
communities who needed the good news.
As we walk the Christian
journey we pray that you will provide us a greater vision. Interrupt
our frenetic activity. Help us to find the creative spiritual pause
which will make clearer our mission and refresh us for it. Help us to
see all people as your people and to know that we have the
responsibility to love them. Help us to have the courage to change the
way we have gone about life and to make it both more rewarding and more
fruitful.
We ask your care for all of the suffering of the
world. Be with those who are living with the effects of natural
disasters. Be with who are those living with the effects of war. Be
with those who are hungry. Be with those who are homeless. Provide them
comfort.
Amen
