Poem and Prayers for Worship
Christ the King
by Ron Gordon
Matthew 25: 31-46
Collect:
Eternal God, our Father in heaven, whose name and nature is made known to us
in Jesus Christ and who calls us to love and serve one another in the same Spirit,
give us the grace to open our hearts and lives to others, so that we may know Christ
present in our midst: we pray in his name. Amen.
Prayers
Lord God, present incognito in the humble man of Nazareth, the preacher of Galilee,
the broken Christ of the cross, and the one you raised to glory as the Living Lord of all:
we adore you as the joy, light and love of our hearts and the hope of the world.
You are blessed forever.
Lord Jesus, you are the judge of the living and the dead and your judgement is pronounced
in great love and mercy. You set the parameters of judgement in advance and give us fair warning
of what we may expect. You are blessed forever.
Holy Spirit from the Father, you lead us in the direction of Jesus and confirm his word to us.
Help us change direction and accept, love and serve others in their need. You are blessed forever.
We confess that sometimes we have not offered food, drink, hospitality or friendship to others.
We have been too anxious about ourselves, as if others were insignificant or out of sight.
We have not sought them out.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God, be present to us in that man of the cross, whose mercy is from everlasting,
and who shares with his people so that we might grow to be merciful, humble and loving like him,
and so feed, nurture and help one another in the spirit of the divine love.
Blessed is God forever and ever. Amen.