Prayers in a Pandemic

Keep us, good Lord,under the shadow of your mercyin this time of uncertainty and distress.Sustain and support the anxious and fearful,and lift up all who are brought low;that we may rejoice in your comfortknowing that nothing can separate us from your lovein Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. Lord Jesus Christ,you taught us to love our neighbour, and to care for those in needas if we were caring for you.In this time of anxiety, give us strengthto comfort the fearful, to tend the sick,and to assure the isolatedof our love, and your love,for your name’s sake. Amen.  Two prayers by Lezley StewartLockdown There were other doors once locked in fear, in a time of waiting and distress. It was an uncertain, questioning time - longing for what had been known and treasured before. Into that space, calming and soothing, came these welcome words – “Peace be with you.” Peace be with you in every worry, in every sleepless night, in every loss experienced, in every comfort now distant. Peace be with you in every certainty, in the shared burden of these days, in the unexpected connections, in the gift of another sunset and sunrise. Peace be with you and yours, the deepest peace, the strongest peace, the peace that passes all understanding. Christ is our peace and is in our midst. His words echo again – “Peace be with you.” A new normalEvery normal was once new.... it did not arrive, but came to be. Time and tide, call and creativity, all played their part in where we arrived – in this life in God which we called normal. And what of Christ, our hope, our strength – whose normal, once, was family life, learning carpenter’s ways? Did he welcome his call and challenge, this change to all he knew? Did he also feel loss, longing for the familiar, even while bringing life? And one day our new normal, (still becoming) will also bring new hope – new ways to be. Things will change again and always, for life and faith never stand still. God is making all things new. Even what is normal....