Opening Prayer
O God, Father, moment by moment you hold us in being; on you we depend. O God, eternal Son, friend and brother beside us, in you we trust. O God, Holy Spirit, life and love within us, from you we live. O God, beyond us, God beside us, God within us; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons in one God, you are ever to be worshipped and adored. Amen.
—Anonymous
TEXT
John 11:34-37 TNIV
“Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Read
Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you;
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.
Often you weep over our sins and our pride;
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds;
in sickness you nurse us,
and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying we are born to new life;
by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness;
through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead;
your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us;
in your love and tenderness remake us.
In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness;
for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us.
—St. Anselm, 1033-1109