A Prayer for Good Friday

If the cross tells us anything, O Lord,

it is that You know and share our suffering:

You are with us, and all those who are victims of disease,

of the violence or abuse of others,

of our own ignorance, foolishness or sin.

Help us and restore us, O Lord, we pray.

You are with us, and all those who inflict pain on others and on our world,

through our selfishness or greed,

through our brokenness or anger,

through our rigidity or need to be right.

Help us and restore us, O Lord, we pray.

You are with us, and all those who are fearful of threats

to this world we call home,

to our safety and survival,

to our sense of community and togetherness as people.

Help us and restore us, O Lord, we pray.

In Your cross, O Christ, we see Your incredible love;

in Your death, O Lord, we discover Your irrepressible life;

in Your suffering, O Saviour, we find that we are saved.

Thank You for leading us out of darkness and into Your marvelous Light;

Now, lead us into the world, as agents of Love, Light and Salvation. Amen.

By John van de Laar