April 16

Let us pray for the needy and hungry of
our world:
God our Father,
we think of the beauty of the world
which you proclaimed to be good,
but we are also conscious
of our misuse
of what you have given to us.
Our governments
spend money in our name
maintaining “butter mountains”
and “wine lakes”,
and we subsidise farmers
to “set aside” land
so that less food is produced
- even though
our brothers and sisters
die each day from hunger.
On our paper money
we print the images
of famous people,
yet often do not treasure and uphold
the dignity of all who are made
in your image and likeness.
Open our hearts
to be influenced for good,
and inspire us
to touch the hearts of others.
Enable us to change the things
that contradict your love,
and may all your people
work and grow together
as brothers and sisters.
Amen

April 17

Let’s pause for a moment and remember
that we are in God’s presence at this time.
(pause…)
We’ll use one of St Patrick’s prayers:
Let us pray:
Christ be with me and within me.
Christ be behind me and before me.
Christ be beside me
to comfort and restore me.
Christ be below and above me
in peace and in danger.
Christ be within the hearts
of all who love me.
Christ be in the words
of friend and stranger

April 17

Let us pray:
Lord, give me patience and tolerance
with everyone.
Lord, show me
how to be kind and generous
to everyone.
Lord, help me
to live positively and cheerfully
for everyone.
Amen.

April 18

Let us pray:
Lord our God,
you give different gifts to each of us
and you are pleased
when we use our gifts well.
Inspire each of us to reach our potential
and use our gifts
for the benefit of others.
Enable us by the power of your Spirit
to grow in faith
and in imagination and creativity,
living a life for others
that is worthwhile.
Amen.

April 19

4 Let us pray:
In the name of God, who is merciful:
All praise be to God,
who is the Lord of everything.
We serve no-one but you, our God,
and you are the only one
to whom we turn for help.
Keep us away from the path
of those who stray from you.
Guide us instead
on the way we should go
- on the path
of those whom you have blessed.

April 20

Let’s pray the shortest psalm in the Bible.
It invites people - not of any single
country but the people of all nations - to
give praise to God:

Let us pray:
Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Speak to him, all people of the earth,
because his love is great
and he is always faithful.
(Psalm 117)

April 21

Let us pray:
Father, that I may treat others
as I would like them to treat me.
That I may forgive others
as I would like them to forgive me.
That I may encourage
and compliment others
in the same way
that I would like them
to encourage me.
That I may see and love in others
what I would like them
to see and love in me.
These things I ask
through Christ our Lord.
Amen

We read of the prophets (God’s spokesmen)
in the Old Testament. One of the
prophets was called Micah. He spoke
very simply about three qualities that are
needed to live a good life:

“To act justly,
to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with God
(Micah 68)

We make that our prayer today:
That we may act justly,
love tenderly,
and walk humbly with you, our God.

They are easy words to remember, and
they are the kind of words that some
people learn and repeat a few times during
the day, reminding themselves that
God is with them.

April 23

Let’s take these ideas and pray:
Lord, as you lend me life,
lend me a heart full of thankfulness,
that I may treasure good friends
and be appreciative
of all who are part of my life.
Inspire me each day
to live positively and cheerfully,
living in such a way
that I express thanks
and encouragement
to others,
so that, together,
we may bring out the best
in each other.
Amen.

April 24

6 Let us pray:
Loving Lord,
we need the power of your Spirit
in our lives
to build on what is good,
and to help change
what needs to be changed.
We pray that we may be faithful
in responding to your call to grow
as the people you have called us to be,
that we may ring out your praises
through the way we live each day.
Amen.

April 25

Let us pray:
Lord Jesus,
we remember that you said
that you would be with us,
so we do know in our minds
that you are present.
But there’s a difference
between knowing that you’re present
and growing in the faith
that you are beside us.
We ask for the power of your Spirit
in our lives each day,
so that we may live more fully
in your presence.
Only then will our attitude
and words and actions
better reflect yours. Amen.

April 26

Let us pray:
God our Father,
with the gifts you have given to us
we have responsibilities and duties.
Lead us to do our best
and act responsibly.
Give us courage
when we face difficulties.
Inspire us to make our choices wisely,
always remembering
that there are consequences
to what we choose to do.
Amen.

April 27

Let us pray:
Bless our nation, Lord,
and let your mercy come among us.
Let justice triumph in our land
as we live and strive for freedom.
Let our people stand before you
as you come to judge us.
Stretch out your hands, O Lord,
and have compassion on us.

April 28

Let us pray:
God our Father,
inspire us with a great respect
for all human life
from the time of the child
growing in the womb
to the point of death.
May that respect lead us
to grow in a sense of responsibility
for all our brothers and sisters
throughout the world,
knowing that,
where one person suffers
and is degraded,
all of humanity
is belittled and abused.
May we grow in a sense of love and care
for those less fortunate
than ourselves,
and lead us to do something
about the difficulties in our world.
Amen.

* I will never forget you, my people;
Oh the word of my Lord; Do not be
afraid.

Let us pray:
Lord Jesus,
when you met Zacchaeus,
the tax collector
whom everyone hated,
you looked at him
and called him by his name.
In doing that,
you gave him back his dignity,
and he changed his life around.
He was able to see himself
in a better way,
and so he gave back to others
the money he had cheated
from them.
Lead us to show respect
for each person as an individual,
treating others in the same way
that we would like to be treated.
Amen.