Words of Scripture
Words of Prayer
​Words of Hope

 

Words of Scripture

Isaiah 43:2 
(assurance during struggle)

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.

Psalm 23
(a psalm of David)

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 
    He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; 
    he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
    for his name’s sake. 
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
    I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff--
    they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    my whole life long.

Isaiah 31:5
(hope for the city)

Like birds hovering overhead, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem;
he will protect and deliver it, he will spare and rescue it.

Isaiah 40:11
(faithful leadership)

The Lord will feed his flock like a shepherd;
    he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
    and gently lead the mother sheep.

Isaiah 41:10
(“Be not afraid”)

Do not fear, for I am with you,
    do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Psalm 121
(divine help)

I lift up my eyes to the hills--
    from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
    from this time on and forevermore.

​Matthew 11:28-30
(a light burden)

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”


Mark 10: 42-45
(On tyrants and servanthood)

Jesus called them and said, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

John 15:12
(Jesus’ great commandment)

Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Matthew 28:20b
(words of comfort)

Jesus said, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”


Ephesians 4:26
(On anger)

Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.

2 Thessalonians 3:3
​(take heart)

“But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.”

Words of Prayer

National distress
Eternal God, amid all the turmoil and changes of the world your love is steadfast and your strength never fails. In this time of danger and trouble, be to us a sure guardian and rock of defense. Guide the leaders of our nation with your wisdom, comfort those in distress, and grant us courage and hope to face the future; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
 
Time of conflict, crisis, disaster
O God, where hearts are fearful and constricted, grant courage and hope. Where anxiety is infectious and widening, grant peace and reassurance. Where impossibilities close every door and window, grant imagination and resistance. Where distrust twists our thinking, grant healing and illumination. Where spirits are daunted and weakened, grant soaring wings and strengthened dreams. All these things we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
 
Time of civic mourning
God our creator, through whose providing care we enjoy all goodness and life, turn our eyes to your mercy in this time of confusion and loss. Comfort this nation as we mourn; shine your light on those whose only companion is darkness; and teach us all so to number our days that we may apply our hearts to your wisdom; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
 
The nation
Almighty God, you have given us this good land as our heritage. Make us always remember your generosity and constantly do your will. Bless our land with honesty in the workplace, truth in education, and honor in daily life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance; and from every evil course of action. When times are prosperous, let our hearts be thankful; and, in troubled times, do not let our trust in you fail. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Responsible citizenship
Lord God, you call your people to honor those in authority. Help us elect trustworthy leaders, participate in wise decisions for our common life, and serve our neighbors in local communities. Bless the leaders of our land, that we may be at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Some Words of Wisdom

“I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.” (Susan B. Anthony)

* * *

“God grant that as men and women all over the world struggle against evil systems they will struggle with love in their hearts, with understanding good will.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

* * *

“As you press on for justice, be sure to move with dignity and discipline, using only the weapon of love. Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

* * *

“To meet hate with retaliatory hate would do nothing of evil in the universe. Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love; we must meet physical force with soul force.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

* * *

“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.” (Abraham Lincoln)

* * *

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.” (Abraham Lincoln)

* * *

“I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least.”
(Dorothy Day)

* * *

“We cannot love God unless we love each other, and to love we must know each other.... True love is delicate and kind, full of gentle perception and understanding, full of beauty and grace, full of joy unutterable. There should be some flavor of this in all our love for others. We are all one. We are one flesh in the Mystical Body as man and woman are said to be one flesh in marriage. With such a love one would see all things new; we would begin to see people as they really are, as God sees them.”  (Dorothy Day)

* * *

​“My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side....”  (Abraham Lincoln)