A PRAYER FOR LENT2  NT

Luke 13:31-35 (NIV)

31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[a]”

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

Follow you to march on our cities

of loneliness and hunger

We have driven so many

into the streets and doorways

Stranded them from decency and integrity

Dishonored them by foolish politics

and greedy business

Let us declare with you we are

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

Follow you to march on our cities

of violence and anger

We have put our children in danger

with our weapons and destructiveness

Armed them with weapons

beyond their understanding

and emotions beyond their perception

Let us declare with you we are

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

Follow you to march on our cities

of aging and despair

We have placed our elders out of sight

and away from our presence

Abandoning them to empty hallways

and chained to chairs of loneliness

Let us declare with you we are

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

Follow you to march on our cities

of wanton waste and squander

We have created a disposable culture

where we use and throw away

Here today and gone tomorrow

while your planet weeps 

and our skies and rivers decay

Let us declare with you we are

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

That we may boldly go to our cities

our Jerusalems and our Washingtons

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Amen