Prayers of the People/Intercession on the Night
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
From An Order for Compline, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
O God, your unfailing providence sustains the world we live in and the life we live: Watch over those, both night and day, who work while others sleep, and grant that we may never forget that our common life depends upon each other’s toil; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From An Order for Compline, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.
From An Order for Compline, The Book of Common Prayer (1979), paraphrased from a prayer by St. Augustine.
Lord of grace and truth: You meet us where we’re at. And when everybody lies to us, you speak with candor and honesty about what’s good, right and true. We can trust you–and we do. That’s why we can rejoice with you in what is new: a new life, a new relationship, new opportunities, new commitments to You, and all the things you make new in and for us.
That’s also why we can turn you with what keeps us awake at night. We lift up those we love who are in need of healing today–that you would restore bodies that are sick or injured, minds and emotions that are troubled or damaged.
Please heal our friends and loved ones; and encourage those who give them care. We hold close to our hearts and hold up to yours, those who grieve today–whether that grief is fresh or lingering; and we ask you to please comfort them in your love, refresh them with your peace, and encourage them with resurrection hope.
We pray for our nation—that we’ll live up to our ideals: of justice for all, the value of life, compassion for the poor and persecuted, and the freedom to do what is good for others. Empower our nation’s leaders to lead us in good and right ways; and protect our young men and women who serve in dangerous places as well as those who call those places “home.”
Bless Your church as we seek to be faithful and help us to get it right more often. Make us a colony of heaven, Lord, where the ways and truth of your Kingdom are seen by all. This is our prayer–in Your name, to your glory. AMEN
Lord of grace and truth: You meet us where we are. And when everybody lies to us, you speak with candor and honesty about what’s good, right and true. We can trust you–and we do. That’s why we can rejoice with you what’s new: a new life, a new relationship, new opportunities, new commitments to You, and all the things you make new in and for us.
That’s, also, why we can turn to you with what keeps us awake at night. We lift up those we love who are in need of healing today–something only you can do. Even with all our skill and knowledge, all we do is make way for you to restore bodies that are sick or injured, minds and emotions that are troubled or damaged. Please heal our friends and loved ones; and encourage those who give them care.
We hold close to our hearts and hold up to yours, those who grieve today–whether grief is fresh or lingering; and we ask you to please comfort them in your love, refresh them with your peace and encourage them with your hope of the resurrection.
We pray for our nation—that we’ll live up to our ideals: those of justice for all, the value of life, compassion for the poor and persecuted, and the freedom to do what is good for others.
Empower our nation’s leaders to lead us in good and right ways; and protect our young men and women who serve in dangerous places as well as those who call those places “home.” Bless Your church. Make us a colony of heaven, Lord, where the ways and truth of your Kingdom are seen by all. This is our prayer–in Your name and to your glory. AMEN
The Song of Simeon
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer (1979)