EASTER 7

John 17

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[a] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”


The world does not know you
God of all creation

We are busy making your creation our home
that we bend and twist and carve it to our liking
If a forest is in our way, we chop it down
If we need oil or coal, we plow or dig or tear away
We get what we want
and take what we need

The world does not know you
God of all people

There are a lot of these people we don't like
They mess things up
They are always needy
have their hands out
always hungry or sick or lost
Crowding our cities and streets

The world does not know you
God of peace and justice

We want to dominate the world
Force our way of life, our religion, our justice
on everyone else
make them do what we want, give us what we want
And if they don't
we will bomb and defeat and conquer them

Forgive us, O God
for we do know you

We know you to be the true creator
of the skies and the seas and the land
You entrust this earth to us
to be its stewards and caretakers

 Forgive us, O God
for we do know you

We know you to be the shepherd
of every person, every race, every nation
You call us to love and pray for them
and be brothers and sisters to all

Forgive us, O God
for we do know you

We know you to be the author of shalom
the one who rules the nations and makes them obey
You call us to preach the Good News
and work for your Kingdom of justice and righteousness

We know you
God of creation
God of all people
God of justice and peace

We know you
We love you
We follow you
Now and always

Amen