This coming Sunday is the celebration of Pentecost when we commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the formation of the church. To me the imagery of Pentecost is always one of the family of God – a multicultural, multinational family in which all barriers of race, creed and culture are broken down, a family in which the misunderstandings and divisions of Babel are reversed and we once more understand each other – not becoming blended together as an amorphorous group, but blended together as a diverse family in which the uniqueness of each branch is appreciated and celebrated. I have tried to represent this in the litany below which is also adapted from one of the litanies in my book Light for the Journey
To God above us, creator of life and love
To Christ all around us, revealer of truth and justice
To Spirit deep within us, transformer of darkness into light.
To God above, around, within, the three in One, the One in three
All praise and glory to you forever
To the One you sent your spirit to lead us into all truth
To the One who has sealed us with this sign of your ownership
To the One who unite us into one family from every tribe and nation and culture
To God above, around, within, the three in One, the One in three
All praise and glory to you forever
(Silence)
For the busyness that has distracted us
God forgive us
For the anxieties that have burdened us
Jesus forgive us
For the selfcentredness that has isolated us
Spirit forgive us
Holy Three who would unite us
Have mercy on us
Pardon and deliver us from our sins
Draw us into your eternal family
(Adapted from Psalm 72:1-10, & Amos 5:24)
God let your justice and fairness flow like a river that never runs dry
Please help those of us who are rich to be honest and fair just like you, our God.
May we who have such abundance be honest and fair with all your people, especially the poor.
Let peace and justice rule every mountain and fairness flow as a river that never runs dry.
God let your justice and fairness flow like a river that never runs dry (Amos 5:24)
May we your people defend the poor, rescue the homeless, and crush everyone who hurts them.
May we be as helpful as rain that refreshes the ground, to those who are treated unjustly.
Let the wholeness and fairness of your kingdom live forever like the sun and the moon.
God let your justice and fairness flow like a river that never runs dry (Amos 5:24)
Because you our God rescue the homeless and have pity on those who hurt
May we who are rich stand up for the poor and let peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.
Let God’s kingdom of justice and fairness reach from sea to sea, across all the earth.
God let your justice and fairness flow like a river that never runs dry
God your world is broken and in pain
Broken by hunger that kills our brothers & sisters
Broken by injustice that enslaves and oppresses our friends
Broken by disease that deprives us of our loved ones
Forgive us God for our complicity and the times we have been indifferent to its cries
Forgive us for the times we could have shared our food
Forgive us for places we should have spoken out
Forgive us for acts that have polluted and destroyed immunity
Cleanse our hearts and wash away our sins
Fill us with your Spirit and restore our joy in your salvation
Make us willing to count the cost of our responsibility to our neighbours near and far
May we enter your kingdom of peace and justice for all
Isaiah 11: 1-9
John 14:21-29
We believe and trust in God the creator
Who made us to be family together
People from every tribe and nation and culture
We believe and trust in Christ the redeemer
Who saves us from self-centeredness and isolation
To be joined together as parts of a body that loves and cares for each other
We believe and trust in Holy Spirit the enabler
Who calls us into community
With the rich, the poor, the disabled, with the young, the old, the oppressed and despised
We believe and trust in the triune God –
Perfect community, perfect relationship
The three in one and one in three,
Whose kingdom of justice and fairness and unity will have no end
We believe and trust in God.
Amen
Our Father in heaven…
God we want to share life together,
Enable us to break down the barriers dividing us from our brothers and sisters around the world
Lord have mercy,
God we want to share life together
Help us move beyond our prejudices to live in unity and peace with those who are different
Lord have mercy,
God we want to share life together
Restore our vision to see and respond to those who suffer and are in need
Lord have mercy,
In a world divided by war and strife may we be your reconcilers
And share life with all who are torn apart by violence, oppression and dissension
Christ have mercy,
In a world that kills and maims may we be those who care for our enemies
And share life with all who are divided by race, culture, disabilities or gender
Christ have mercy,
In a world of indifference and despair may we be those who heal and restore
And share life with all who live in poverty, sickness and injustice
Christ have mercy,
God through the power of your spirit we can be your image bearers
Unite us in that great community of sisters and brothers from every nations that is Christ’s body
Lord have mercy
God through the power of your spirit we can be your image bearers
Bind us together with the love, peace, mutual concern and cultural diversity that represents you
Lord have mercy,
God through the power of your spirit we can be your image bearers
As one family living and serving together under the lordship of Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Lord have mercy
Pause for a time of intercession and prayer for our broken world
God hear our prayers,
By the power of the spirit which is present in all of us,
May your river of love continue to flow,
Over us, in us and through us,
And out into the world you love.
God be in our heads and in our understanding,
God be in our eyes and in our looking
God be in our mouths and in our speaking
God be in our hearts and in our thinking
God be in our end and in our departing
The blessing of God be upon you.
The blessing of the God of life.
The blessing of Christ be upon you.
The blessing of the Christ of love.
The blessing of the spirit be upon you.
The blessing of the spirit of peace.
The blessing of the triune God be yours, today and evermore.
Amen