My God,
I come before You with a heart that longs for belonging, for fellowship, for a home. You created me for relationship, for community, for love. I desire to be part of something greater than myself, part of a body where we are all one.
You call us to be like the first Church, which You gathered through Your Son. I long to experience that deep connection, where there is no longer “I” and “you,” but only “we.”
“All the believers were one in heart and mind.” (Acts 4:32)
Lord, You know this is not easy. Community frightens me because it makes me vulnerable. In it, all my wounds are revealed, all my misery, all the monsters I so carefully hide behind walls of self-sufficiency and success. I am afraid that others will reject me if they see who I truly am.
But You are the one who tears down the walls I build around my wounded heart. You are the one when Jesus tears down walls between myself and others, and between myself and You.
“For He himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14)
Help me not to seek fault in others, not to compete or compare myself. May I recognize the enemy within me—my selfishness, my pride, my fear.
Teach me the humility that looks not only to itself, but sees the distress and beauty in my brother and sister.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)
Forgive me for judging and condemning so quickly. I put people in boxes because I am afraid to look into my own darkness. I do not allow them to grow and change, because I do not want to admit that I, too, must grow.
I want to learn the forgiveness that liberates both me and others.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37)
I know this path is long and that I will fall along the way. There are people who trouble me, who awaken anger and envy within me. Grant me patience with myself and with them.
When I feel the thorn in my flesh, this powerlessness to love, remind me that Your grace is sufficient.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Remind me that my weakness is important. That it is precisely those who seem weakest who are indispensable to the community.
“On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary.” (1 Corinthians 12:22)
We are Your Body, Lord. United in sorrow and in joy. When one member suffers, we all suffer. When one is honored, we all rejoice.
“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)
To be able to enter into this mystery, I must cast off my adult wisdom and cunning. I must become like a child, who trusts and is not afraid to show his need and dependence.
“And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’” (Matthew 18:3)
You have given each of us gifts with which we can serve one another. May I not bury them out of fear or jealousy. Help me to recognize the gift within me and to share it with joy.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10)
All this is possible only because You are in our midst. You are the bond that holds us together when, humanly speaking, we would have long since fallen apart.
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)
Therefore, I ask You for the grace to live in the community You have given me today. May I be an instrument of Your peace and reconciliation. Lord, calm my impatient heart and fill it with patience and love.
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2-3)
Amen.
AMEN!!!