God of hope,

We give thanks 

    for the signs of hope around us:

For rainbows in windows:

For the signs of spring,

    bringing this long winter to an end:

For vaccinations:

For longer days.

Bring us through this time of trouble

to a place of peace and renewal of life.

 

Wounded God,

we bring our own wounds to you.

Help us not to bury them:

     give us courage to own them.

Heal our wounds, we pray,

but change us –

may we be different because of them.

Give us patience when healing is slow.

Give us grace not to mock

      those whose minds and bodies carry scars,

for, if we mock them, we mock you also.

 

We give thanks 

for those who have carried

    the heavy load of this pandemic.

For doctors, nurses, carers,

      chaplains and religious leaders, funeral directors, 

      scientists, public health officers, politicians.

We pray that there will be time,

      soon, for them to rest and to heal.

We ask that healing resources will be there when needed:

     that they will be offered with a generosity

     which matches all that has been given.

 

We pray for ourselves:

that this Lent, 

     away from our normal patterns of worship,

     will be a time of self examination, honesty,

     and of healing.

Give us courage, perseverance and hope,

we pray.

 

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