Ascension of the Lord
June 1, 2025
Acts 1:1-11
Psalm 47 or Psalm 93
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 24:44-53
Most gracious God, enshrouded in awesome majesty, we have need of confession whenever we bow to recognize your presence and to listen to your beckoning.
We are so much like the disciples of old.
We disclaim our own power and underestimate the gifts which you have so graciously bestowed upon us.
We want to turn things over to you rather than own the challenges which you place squarely before us.
We want some divine intervention from you to set the world right rather than working for justice, peace, and good will among all your peoples.
Forgive our foolishness. Help us to lay claim to the promise Jesus made to his friends that they too would receive power to be his witnesses. May we too receive the power to be your witnesses to our time and our world. Give us a vision worthy of our time, our talents, and our best efforts, so that we might lean toward the day when your reign is recognized by all people and all people regard others as your children, as sisters and brothers.
We thank you for those young people among us who will be having a commencement and graduation. Open to them new and exciting possibilities for the future. May their challenges be enough to force them to grow but not so great as to overwhelm them. Make their lives full. Give them courage to engage the world and to fashion it better than previous generations. Give them a vision of a world of love and of peace and the commitment to make it happen.
We also ask that you would be in all of the suffering points of your people everywhere. Be with the sick and the dying. Be with the people who must make war. Be with those who nurture hatred. Be with those suffering innocently in war zones. Grant to all your comfort and healing and peace. Amen
June 1, 2025
Acts 1:1-11
Psalm 47 or Psalm 93
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 24:44-53
Most gracious God, enshrouded in awesome majesty, we have need of confession whenever we bow to recognize your presence and to listen to your beckoning.
We are so much like the disciples of old.
We disclaim our own power and underestimate the gifts which you have so graciously bestowed upon us.
We want to turn things over to you rather than own the challenges which you place squarely before us.
We want some divine intervention from you to set the world right rather than working for justice, peace, and good will among all your peoples.
Forgive our foolishness. Help us to lay claim to the promise Jesus made to his friends that they too would receive power to be his witnesses. May we too receive the power to be your witnesses to our time and our world. Give us a vision worthy of our time, our talents, and our best efforts, so that we might lean toward the day when your reign is recognized by all people and all people regard others as your children, as sisters and brothers.
We thank you for those young people among us who will be having a commencement and graduation. Open to them new and exciting possibilities for the future. May their challenges be enough to force them to grow but not so great as to overwhelm them. Make their lives full. Give them courage to engage the world and to fashion it better than previous generations. Give them a vision of a world of love and of peace and the commitment to make it happen.
We also ask that you would be in all of the suffering points of your people everywhere. Be with the sick and the dying. Be with the people who must make war. Be with those who nurture hatred. Be with those suffering innocently in war zones. Grant to all your comfort and healing and peace. Amen