Great Prayer of Thanksgiving for LWW

When we read your word, O God,

through the sunglasses of our culture,

the pounding percussion we hear

barks these 3 words: I.  NEED.   MORE!!!

And the economy of scarcity

tightens its grip on us.

We become possessive, like Lot and Abimelech,

arguing with Abraham over wells;

degrading your gifts into commodities, O Lord.

We are too busy to heed Noah's call,

and the flood of too much of a good thing consumes us.

We become Pharaohs who order our chariots

to race through the Reed Sea

in pursuit of profit at all costs.

We become emperors and kings

who hoard our bread and wine,

and trade on the hardships of others,

so that we can confiscate their bread and wine,

too, because, one day there may not be enough.

Ah, but when we let your story become our story,

reading with open minds, open hearts, and open dreams,

the rhythmic cadence we hear sounds like these 3 words:

MORE.  THAN.  ENOUGH. 

Then we can pitch our tent with Abraham and Sara,

setting out for parts unknown,

in the assurance that God will provide.

We are able to follow Miriam and Moses

across dry ground and desert, whining a little,

but glad to partake of water from the rock

and gather our manna every day.

We might even dare to follow Jesus

into the wilderness on a regular basis

to be transformed by silence and

the absence of all the things

on which we have relied,

because we know that there is no place

or people beyond the reach of grace.

In your marvelous ecosystem, O God,

we find elemental and sacramental providence

in water, bread, and wine.

We find ourselves looking for opportunities

to reflect and become your hands and feet,

your pipes, pumps, and filters, in places near and far.

We find ourselves becoming partners that give

and receive the blessings of our common humanity,

not as possession or commodity, but as gift freely offered.

This day, we pray that you would rescue us

from "I need more!" and deliver us

toward "More than enough!" - that you would keep us

a little hungry and a little thirsty,

so we might better understand the plight

of our sisters and brothers everywhere

who regularly find themselves

at the end of the line and the back of the bus.

This day, as we swallow just a pinch

and a dip of bread and wine,

and as we remember the power

and gift of clean water,

keep us hungry and thirsty for righteousness.

Let us borrow words and strength from

the communion of saints;

let us remember those whose words and deeds

still mirror grace on the path we tread.

Recalling the words spoken by your prophet Amos

and later interpreted by your servant, Martin,

whose ministry and memory spring fresh this week,

let justice roll down, not like January's cold molasses,

but instead like April's overflowing stream.

Let us be nourished in body, mind, and spirit,

to be your bread and wine in the world,

and to be your conduits of clean water

in all the thirsty places to which you call us.

These and all prayers we offer,

in the name of the incarnate one, who pitched his tent

in our wilderness and taught us to pray

as we join our hearts and voices together, praying... Our Father.....

© 2013 Todd Jenkins