Prayers
A PRAYER FOR GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY
(2nd Sunday After Easter: In ‘Book Of Common Prayer’)
After each petition, the minister says: ‘Lord, in your mercy’
The congregational response is: ‘Hear our prayer’
Gracious Lord, you who are the Good Shepherd, grant us a compassion
and care within us that is reflective of yourself.
We think of your birth in far-off Palestine. How its announcement was
singled out to humble animal carers. Yes, shepherds watching over their
flocks by night. We thank you that, after the angels had been revealed
in the sky to these protectors of sheep, they came to a cattle shed; and
there - to their amazement - found you as a babe, resting between two
beasts of burden. Yes, an ox and an ass, one on either side, were
watching over you!
Gracious Lord, we realise the impact such a birth was to have upon
your future ministry. We leam, so clearly, how you later referred to
your life's work in terms of an analogy. Yes, of how good shepherds
will, willingly, lay down their lives to protect dumb animals committed
to their charge. Alas! It's not so, today. Lord. We're so far removed
from it! Our prayer is that modem husbandry may once again return to its
former glory!
In this modem age of so much intensive cruelty towards gentle,
herbivorous creatures - not least, the live export of countless beasts
crammed together in lorries to undergo horrendous journeys on sea -make
each of us as a mouthpiece for these lambs that are so close to your
heart. May we take up the challenge and, if necessary, be willing to lay
down our lives in protection of weaker life than our own.
Dear Lord, you are so rightly our master, yet you reveal yourself as
our servant! You are king of kings yet you chose a stable for your
birth. You had legions of angels at your disposal, yet you went of your
own volition to the cross- You taught that the one who would be greatest
must become as the least. 'You have, indeed, cast down the mighty and
exalted the humble and meek!' Help us to follow your example.
Then show us, who are born a little lower than the angels and given
dominion over your creation, that our greatness is in following your
example. As you the Son of God gave your lifes work for the good of a
humanity below you, help us to give our life sacrificially for that
which, in our less worthy moments, we might consider to be below
ourselves.
Gracious Christ, on Calvary your arms were outstretched to envelop
the whole of creation. Save us from singing: 'He's got the whole world
in his hands' while ever we ignore the needs of the dumb creation.
Forgive mankind from grievously shrinking the breadth and depth of your
love; by blasphemously implying that we humans are the only ones you
care about.
Dear Lord, we are reminded of how your Father commanded Noah to
include animals in the Ark, and not just humans, (in fact more of them
than of us!) Then grant that on this Good Shepherd Sunday your church -
which claims to be the ark of salvation today! - may, at long last,
honour your Father by remembering these exploited and abused animals in
its prayers; its praise and its preaching.
Amen.
- Rev. James Thompson
Animal Padre's
