Prayer for life (Week -6)

Introduction

Where two or three are gathered in your name you are present, Lord Jesus Christ. Be present, Lord, be present now in this place and at this time.

This evening, we gather together in your name to pray for life in Ireland at this time. We remember and offer this prayer for our sisters and brothers who are canvassing, explaining and clarifying the various issues arising from the 8^th Amendment referendum.

Come Holy Spirit and give us courage, patience, perseverance, wisdom, tact and, above all, true compassion.

Pray for the 8 at 8^th :

“I pray for the protection of the unborn child. Guide the people of Ireland to vote according to the truth of your word. Lord protect life by preserving the 8^th Amendment. Amen”

Psalm

Psalm 138(139):1-17

O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising, you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down, all my ways lie open to you.
Before ever a word is on my tongue you know it, O Lord, through and through.
Behind and before you besiege me, your hand ever laid upon me.
Too wonderful for me this knowledge, too high, beyond my reach.
O where can I go from your spirit, or where can I flee from your face?
If I climb the heavens, you are there. If I lie in the grave, you are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn and dwell at the sea's furthest end,
even there your hand would lead me, your right hand would hold me fast.
If I say: "Let the darkness hide me and the light around me be night,"
even darkness is not dark for you and the night is as clear as the day.
For it was you who created my being, knit me together in my mother's womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being, for the wonders of all your creation. Already you knew my soul
my body held no secret from you when I was being fashioned in secret and moulded in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw all my actions, they were all of them written in your book; every one of my days was decreed before one of them came into being.
To me, how mysterious your thoughts, the sum of them not to be numbered!

Glory be to the Father .....

Scripture Reading

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’

Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.  Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.’

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth.  See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.’

Intercessions

For justice in society….

For the homeless…

For those cast aside, marginalised or judged by society….

For children facing poverty and social exclusion….

For all human life….

For those alive today because of the 8^th…..

For those who could be saved if the 8^th is retained…

For mothers and their babies…

For those facing difficult news or challenging circumstances…

For fathers, partners and families….

For those working in our health services…

For those hurt by abortion…

For civic, church and political leaders….

For all voters in the upcoming referendum….

For those who are unsure how to vote…

For those canvassing tonight in this area….

For those who will receive the message of life in this area this evening…

For the entire community in this locality..

Our Father .....

Concluding Prayer

Lord God, Thank You for creating human life in Your image.

Thank You for our lives and the lives of those we love.

Thank You for teaching us through Scripture the value You place on life.

Help us to uphold the sanctity of life in our churches and community.

Give us the strength to stand up to those forces that seek to destroy the lives of those most vulnerable, the unborn, the infirm and the elderly.

Today we commit ourselves never to be silent, never to be passive, never to be forgetful of respecting life.

We commit ourselves to protecting and defending the sacredness of life according to Your will, through Christ our Lord. Amen