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Series 8
May-August 2020 -

Week One

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Day 1: Sunday, May 10

MOTHER’S DAY ~ Today I pray for all mothers and for all who have been like mothers to their loved ones. Fill me with Your grace as I remember mothers who are no longer with us. May their loving spirit be present in us.

Day 2: Monday, May 11

Healing God, I pray for the healing of all people who are sick from COVID-19. I pray for all who have perished and for all who are recovering. Provide us with hope and resilience in these difficult times.

Day 3: Tuesday, May 12

Today I pray that separated, broken, weary, or estranged family relationships be restored by Your hand. Fill me with courage, humility, patience and love to mend relationships.

Day 4: Wednesday, May 13

God of wisdom, I pray for global leaders to put aside any political differences and join together in support of funding and research opportunities to do away with this pandemic impacting our global family.

Day 5: Thursday, May 14

Today I pray for all first responders and health care workers who are exhausted as they tend to others, working long hours and placing themselves and their families at risk. Protect them and empower them with Your resilience.

Day 6: Friday, May 15

Gracious God, I am grateful for all who are responsible for the food on my table. I pray for farm, meat plant, grocery store, and delivery workers. I pray you protect them and keep them and their families safe.

 

Day 7: Saturday, May 16

God of hope, I pray You comfort the most vulnerable, including the elderly and those who are quarantined and find themselves isolated and scared. Fill their hearts with hope and Your loving embrace.

 

Option to Take Action:

Urge your Senator to provide funding for secure elections in November:
https://bit.ly/100dop20A18

Week Two

Day 8: Sunday, May 17

God of mercy, I pray for all minors under the U.S. immigration detention system who are at risk of becoming sick. I pray for successful efforts to get them released and reunified with their families and sponsors.

Day 9: Monday, May 18

Today I pray for all impacted workers in the U.S. and around the world. I pray for understanding of how my consumer patterns impact the lives of others, especially vulnerable workers in dangerous working conditions.

Day 10: Tuesday, May 19

God of peace, I pray that when I am drawn toward conflict, that You may reveal a path that leads to justice, tranquility, and unity.

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Day 11: Wednesday, May 20

Today I pray for continuing awareness that I protect those around me, not just myself, by practicing social distancing, wearing masks, and following guidelines issued to protect my community.

Day 12: Thursday, May 21

God of wisdom, I pray that the Administration ceases to prioritize enforcement actions against migrant children and their parents and instead institutes policies that protect them from deportation.

Day 13: Friday, May 22

Today I pray for all students who are challenged by new ways of learning and studying and for those who are to graduate in the coming months. I pray that during these uncertain times they receive Your hope and resilience.

Day 14: Saturday, May 23

Eternal God, I pray that You protect families and minors whose rights are denied during this pandemic and who are deported back to their countries with no protections of any kind.

Option to Take Action:

Take action to protect asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors: http://bit.ly/100dop20A20

Week Three

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Day 15: Sunday, May 24

Today I pray for renewed hope to replace my weariness. Please help me patiently shelter in place for my own safety and the safety of those around me, and guide me to find joy in the people and small comforts that surround me.

Day 16: Monday, May 25

MEMORIAL DAY ~ God of life, I pray for the souls of all those military veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect our nation and our world. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Day 17: Tuesday, May 26

Today I pray that Your Holy Spirit may teach me what to say to my brothers and sisters and that they may hear it clearly. Unite us with clear communication.

Day 18: Wednesday, May 27

God of mercy, as our nation continues the process of re-opening, I pray for the owners of small businesses and their families. Please give them strength and hope as they strive to recover financially and regain lost customers.

Day 19: Thursday, May 28

Today I pray for all parents who are home-schooling their children while also working from home and carrying their own burden of worry and fear. May they find grace and patience through this challenging time.

 

Day 20: Friday, May 29

Lord of abundance, I give thanks for the beautiful Spring: for blooming flowers and shady green trees, for birdsong and long afternoons, for lush vegetable gardens and warm breezes.

Day 21: Saturday, May 30

Today I pray for children and young adults, especially this year's graduates, who may feel overcome by fear and paralyzed by confusion about the future. Please give them peace as they face today’s challenges, and hope for a bright, safe future.

Option to Take Action:

Urge Senator Mitch McConnell to allow a vote on the Senate floor on the clean Dream Act of 2019 (S. 874): http://bit.ly/100dop20A21

Week Four

Day 22: Sunday, May 31

Compassionate God, as our communities re-open and our habitual way of life resumes, please help me to remember precautions that protect my own health, and the health of the people I encounter each day.

Day 23: Monday, June 1

Today I pray for attorneys, judges, jurists, and members of juries. I pray that they have the wisdom to discern not only what is legally right, but what is just.

Day 24: Tuesday, June 2

Lord of all creation, help me remember that each thing I do impacts many others. Show me that my actions are not too small for a big world. Guide my actions so they bring my brothers and sisters together.

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Day 25: Wednesday, June 3

Today I pray for those who have lost a child. May they find peace and comfort in the Lord, and in the anticipation of meeting that child again in the heavenly kingdom.

Day 26: Thursday, June 4

Lord of joy, I pray that I may delight in Your creation just as You do. Guide me to stop and smell the flowers, to listen to the birds sing, and to truly see the glory of all that surrounds me. Lead me to protect our common home.

Day 27: Friday, June 5

Today I pray for legislators who bear the heavy burden of creating laws to guide and protect us. Grant them eyes to see others’ perspectives, ears to hear concerns, and wisdom to make decisions for good of all.

 

Day 28: Saturday, June 6

Father of all, I pray that I may follow Your great commandment to love my neighbor as myself, particularly when I encounter someone whose stances or beliefs contradict my own.

Option to Take Action:

No matter where you stand with the news media, politics or scientific data, continue public practices like face coverings and physical distancing in an abundance of caution and consideration for the vulnerable among us.

Week Five

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Day 29: Sunday, May 7

God of compassion, guide me so I do not look away from injustice, hatred, and violence against people of color. I pray I acknowledge the need to dismantle structural and institutional racism in our nation.

Day 30: Monday, June 8

Today I mourn for black men and women who have lost their lives to police violence. I pray for justice for all whose rights have been denied and who have been threatened because of their skin color.

Day 31: Tuesday, June 9

Merciful Lord, give me the grace to forgive those who I believe have wronged me, and to seek forgiveness where I may have hurt or harmed another. Help me to see all my brothers and sisters through eyes of love, as You do.

Day 32: Wednesday, June 10

Today I pray for unity in our neighborhoods. I pray that those in peaceful protests be respected and recognized, rather than dismissed as looters. Remind me that silence is complicity.

Day 33: Thursday, June 11

God of healing, I pray for a unified effort by government leaders, police departments, and related institutions and operational structures to address systemic racism in our nation.

Day 34: Friday, June 12

Today I pray we join in solidarity with all communities to dismantle white supremacy and avert racism.  Grant me humility and recognition of my privilege, and courage and wisdom to speak up in the face of injustice.

 

Day 35: Saturday, June 13

Loving God, I pray for a united effort to build a nation where everyone is respected, acknowledged, and included. Heal our hearts and guide us on a path of peace and reconciliation.

Option to Take Action:

Protect people of color from institutional racism and misuse of power. Protest peacefully for awareness, AND identify specific actions for criminal justice and police reform. Use this toolkit as a place to start: https://bit.ly/100dop20A23

Week Six

Day 36: Sunday, May 14

Unifying God, alert me to when my skin color is giving me an advantage and/or denying anything to my brothers and sisters who look different from me. Help me know this and to speak up for justice.

Day 37: Monday, June 15

Today I pray that disparity of healthcare assistance for communities of color dealing with COVID-19 will be acknowledged, addressed, and resolved.

Day 38: Tuesday, June 16

Creator God, please guide me to use the gifts You have given me as You would have me use them. Help me multiply the talents with which You have invested me to serve the dear neighbor and foster unity.

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Day 39: Wednesday, June 17

Today I ask for awareness of my white privilege and how I have impacted others. I ask for forgiveness when I’ve taken advantage of this at the expense of another. I pray for courage not to be silent or complacent in the face of discrimination.

Day 40: Thursday, June 18

God of justice, open my eyes to see where racial discrimination is embedded in our systems of government, business and everyday life, now and throughout our nation’s history.

Day 41: Friday, June 19

Today I pray that change will become real when we express our anger and grief and proclaim that discrimination can no longer be tolerated.

Day 42: Saturday, June 20

God of love, I pray that I engage in respectful conversation about my contribution to racism and truly listen to others without judgment or defensiveness.

Option to Take Action:

Read how white supremacy is a threat to public health.
Click or copy: https://bit.ly/100dop20A24

Week Seven

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Day 43: Sunday, June 21

FATHER’S DAY ~ Father of all, I thank You for the fathers and father figures in my life who quietly serve with encouragement and love. Restore these responsible men in any way that they need.

Day 44: Monday, June 22

Today I pray to recognize You in each of us. Remind me to treat everyone with dignity. Stir me to action to stand with my sisters and brothers who are treated unjustly.

Day 45: Tuesday, June 23

Push to the front of my decision-making the awareness that we are all connected and share this world. Guide me to make healthy choices in what I purchase and consume. Lead my effort to be a good steward of this world.

Day 46: Wednesday, June 24

God of wisdom, enlighten me to view what I encounter in media with a discerning heart. Enable me to see misleading, divisive opinions for what they are. Empower my voice to bring people together.

Day 47: Thursday, June 25

Today I pray that when my attention is drawn to a wildfire of injustice, that I do not forget the smoldering embers still quietly burning elsewhere.  Alert me to the needs of migrants and people facing poverty, abuse and violence.

Day 48: Friday, June 26

Creator God, strengthen my resolve to care for our common home, to benefit people today and in future generations. Show me new practices to reduce my footprint and minimize plastic waste.

Day 49: Saturday, June 27

God of love, I pray that I engage in respectful conversation about my God, heal us from our wounds, whether we are fighting COVID-19 and other health issues, or despair from racism and division. Open my eyes that I may see how I may help our wounded world.

Option to Take Action:

Take action to offer permanent protections to DACA recipients. Call Senator Mitch McConnell to bring a bill like H.R. 6, to the Senate floor for a vote.  Dial 202 224-2541.

Week Eight

Day 50: Sunday, June 28

All-knowing God, please help me to hold Your love in my heart so I can truly love the dear neighbor, comfort the sick and dying, feed the hungry and clothe the naked, protect the vulnerable, and share Your peace with the world.

Day 51: Monday, June 29

Today I pray for wisdom as I communicate with those around me through my words, my actions, my decisions, and my social media activity. Help me to speak and act thoughtfully and lovingly.

Day 52: Tuesday, June 30

Lord of love, I pray for the grace to allow You to guide me in the choices I make. Help me not to look back in sorrow, but to look forward in hope. Empower my actions to restore relationships.

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Day 53: Wednesday, July 1

Father of all, please care for all essential workers on the front lines in harm’s way. Protect their health and their livelihoods with just, living wages.

Day 54: Thursday, July 2

Today I give thanks for the technology that allows me to communicate with my far-off loved ones, stay informed, do my job, and travel swiftly from one place to another. Help me to use technology wisely and temperately.

Day 55: Friday, July 3

Loving God, I pray for our children during this season of long days and warm nights. Please keep them safe as they enjoy the summer and we continue to adjust to new safety measures to preserve everyone’s health.

 

Day 56: Saturday, July 4

INDEPENDENCE DAY ~ Today I give thanks for those men and women who laid the groundwork for our nation. I pray that we will work together to build a country that nurtures unity, justice, and tranquility.

 

Option to Take Action:

Take action to protect refugees in the COVID-19 Relief Package. Click or copy:
https://bit.ly/100dop20A25

Week Nine

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Day 57: Sunday, July 5

God of healing, today I pray for my incarcerated brothers and sisters. Please help me to open my heart and mind to those who may be unjustly treated, lost and lonely.

Day 58: Monday, July 6

Today I pray for the businesses struggling to recover from the blows dealt by the pandemic. I pray for creative solutions to continue to support communities and protect vulnerable workers.

Day 59: Tuesday, July 7

Today I pray that I can be a light in the darkness for others. Guide me to love the dear neighbor with my whole heart, to give of my gifts with a joyful spirit, and to raise up those who are suffering.

Day 60: Wednesday, July 8

Today I pray I will not judge my brothers and sisters for actions I disagree with, as the reasons for those actions may be sound and simply unknown to me. Help me to remember I do not always know what lies in another person’s heart.

Day 61: Thursday, July 9

Lord of creation, please help me to use the gifts You have given me to create beauty and foster peace through what I say and what I do. Guide me as I strive to love the dear neighbor through my use of my time, talent, and treasure.

Day 62: Friday, July 10

Today I pray for leaders in our neighborhoods, cities, states, nation, and world. Please grant them discernment to make wise decisions, and please grant me confidence in Your great plan.

Day 63: Saturday, July 11

Father of mercy, help me to nurture the seeds of forgiveness in my heart. Lead me to love as You do, rather than keeping score and holding on to petty hurts I have sustained.

Option to Take Action:

Take action to protect the health and safety of incarcerated individuals and correctional staff from COVID-19. Click or copy: https://bit.ly/100dop20A26

Week Ten

Day 64: Sunday, July 12

God of inclusivity, I pray that leaders understand that climate crisis is not just an ecological issue, but a moral one. I pray that they recognize that the most vulnerable among us face the greatest threat.

Day 65: Monday, July 13

Today I pray for the criminal justice system to be just and reformed. I pray that sentences be reduced for nonviolent crimes and sensible alternatives be given to incarceration.

Day 66: Tuesday, July 14

All-powerful Lord, help me to care for Your creation as You do. May my actions to care for Your creation also unite people today and in generations to come.

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Day 67: Wednesday, July 15

Today I pray for the migrant children who have died due to inhumane immigration policies. May legislators implement laws that protect innocent children looking for safety.

Day 68: Thursday, July 16

God of hope, as I continue to mourn for those who lost their lives due to COVID-19, encourage me to advocate for just economic policies that protect those most in need.

Day 69: Friday, July 17

Today I pray for the detained immigrants who are at risk of contracting COVID-19, and those who are ill. Give hope and strength to advocates who are fighting for their release.

Day 70: Saturday, July 18

God of compassion, I commit to learning about dismantling racism at an institutional and systemic level. I pray that I may break free of my comfort zone to hear the stories of those impacted.

Option to Take Action:

Demand that ICE comply with the judicial order to release children in detention, along with their parents. Sign the petition here: https://bit.ly/100dop20A27

Week Eleven

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Day 71: Sunday, July 19

God of love, please help me to see my brothers and sisters as You do, and to restrain myself from rushing to judgment. Remind me that I am, like all my neighbors, a human being simply striving to do my best.

Day 72: Monday, July 20

Today I pray for prisoners in the U.S. May they seek and find forgiveness, and justice when wrongly confined. Protect them from spread of COVID-19. May Your justice and care prevail in each circumstance.

Day 73: Tuesday, July 21

Merciful Lord, I pray for the discernment to recognize injustice when I witness it, and the strength to speak out and take action against it. Help me to foster unity and encourage a spirit of peace in everyone I encounter.

Day 74: Wednesday, July 22

Today I pray for educators grappling with the start of a school year during a pandemic. I ask You to provide settings that enliven minds and strengthen socialization, amidst processes that protect the health of all.

 

Day 75: Thursday, July 23

Ever-giving God, today I pray for owners of small businesses, for houses of worship, and for their employees, as they navigate the challenges of operation during this pandemic.

 

Day 76: Friday, July 24

Today I pray to learn about and take action against systems that harm my sisters and brothers simply because of their skin color.

 

Day 77: Saturday, July 25

Today I pray for deep wells of patience, wisdom, compassion and eloquence from which I can draw. May these gifts refresh sisters and brothers who are frustrated, fearful and feeling divided.

 

Option to Take Action:

Sign a letter to Attorney General William Barr to prevent online trafficking and exploitation of children. Click or copy: https://bit.ly/100dpA28

Week Twelve

Day 78: Sunday, July 26

Lord of all, today I pray for forgotten needs. Guide immigrants and refugees to safety. Provide nutrition to those in food deserts. Shelter those who are homeless. Protect those at risk of violence.

 

Day 79: Monday, July 27

Today I pray for the forbearance to continue taking important steps to protect my own health, and to protect the health of those around me.

 

Day 80: Tuesday, July 28

All-knowing God, help me to see myself as You do, and to treasure my unique gifts without jealousy of another’s. Remind me that You made me in Your image, and that each day I can strive to do Your will more perfectly.

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Day 81: Wednesday, July 29

Today I pray for caregivers working on the front lines, and for researchers striving to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. I pray that they will have the strength and the persistence to continue their good work.

 

Day 82: Thursday, July 30

Lord of creation, I pray that parents and their children will comfort and support each other during these uncertain times. Please help them draw closer together in love and unity.

 

Day 83: Friday, July 31

Today I pray for peaceful protests. Fill hearts with mutual respect and care to enable anger and frustration to be expressed and heard, while protecting life and property from being harmed.

 

Day 84: Saturday, August 1

Healing God, enable me to be a helpful person in this pandemic. Alert me to places I can help like encouraging front line caregivers, sharing any resources I can and living and working with safe practices.

 

Option to Take Action:

Take action to encourage participation in the 2020 Census. Click or copy: https://bit.ly/100dopA29

Week Thirteen

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Day 85: Sunday, August 2

God of hope, guide me to understand that as a person of faith I can use my right to vote in the coming elections for the greater good. May I see political engagement as an opportunity to engage in social justice.

Day 86: Monday, August 3

Today I pray for women religious, and the workers who help care for them, who are ill or have passed away due to COVID-19. I pray for Your strength and love to fill the hearts of their congregations.

Day 87: Tuesday, August 4

Today I pray for peace in the world, and that I will take part in helping it to grow. Help me to remember that we are all brothers and sisters, and that I can love even those whom I do not always like or with whom I disagree.

Day 88: Wednesday, August 5

Today I pray for young people whose lives have been interrupted and who are questioning their next steps. I pray You embrace them with resilience, hope, and faith in Your love for us.

Day 89: Thursday, August 6

Merciful God, I pray that affordable healthcare, a living wage, and paid family leave be afforded to people of color who have often struggled with inequities due to systemic racism.

Day 90: Friday, August 7

Today I pray for mutual respect that allows us to dialogue and listen without blame or judgement. I pray for guidance that will help me be open to a different point of view.

Day 91: Saturday, August 8

God of unity, I pray for an end to unfair representation in our vulnerable communities that is a result of gerrymandering. I pray that people be given the resources needed to cast their vote.

Option to Take Action:

Tell Congress to safeguard our November elections during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Click or copy: https://bit.ly/100dopA31

Week Fourteen

Day 92: Sunday, August 9

God of inclusivity, I pray that communities of color have access to needed resources to participate fairly in the election process and be part of a functional democracy.

Day 93: Monday, August 10

Today I pray to uphold the dignity of others, especially my brothers and sisters who have been denied their basic rights as human beings.

Day 94: Tuesday, August 11

Today I pray to respond with love when I encounter disagreements with my own point of view.  Guide me toward common ground and civil conversation.

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Day 95: Wednesday, August 12

Today I pray for the wisdom to participate civically in my community and make sure that I consciously engage in our nation’s electoral process through education and action.

Day 96: Thursday, August 13

God of love, I pray for an open mind that will allow me to understand that our brothers and sisters experiencing homelessness deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

Day 97: Friday, August 14

Today I pray for the gift of compassion for those in my community who are ignored, whose lives go unnoticed, and who may struggle to fit in.

Day 98: Saturday, August 15

God of compassion, guide me to be compelled by the divine dignity in each person. Remind me to respect their perspective when inviting them to join the conversation on topics where we may disagree.

 

Option to Take Action:

Take action by making sure you, family members and friends are registered to vote. Click or copy: https://www.vote411.org/

Week Fifteen

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Day 99: Sunday, August 16

God of love, lead me to advocate for social justice with a loving heart. Let Your love flow through me to help those who unfairly suffer, and empower my action to transform the hearts of those who create or perpetuate injustice.

Day 100: Monday, August 17

I pray for eyes to see my sisters and brothers as “us” and never as “them.” Grant me awareness to recognize my “dear neighbor” as anyone and everyone.

Option to Take Action

Take action by getting ready to vote. Confirm your voter registration status.
Click or copy this link: https://bit.ly/100dop20A32

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