During Hurricane Harvey, when many of us were cut off from one another by floods, the parish I served began doing prayers on Facebook Live. Over time, this became a daily practice of joining together at “the eights” on Facebook for prayers in the morning and prayers at the close of day.
A few of us still offer these prayers on Facebook in a group called “Episcopal Worship to Anchor your Day.”
I’ve been part of this praying group since the beginning, and Tuesday morning is my prayer slot. I’ve led prayers from my dining room table, my grandson’s room, my room at Our Lady of Grace Monastery, airport lounges, coffee shops, and many states and countries.
I have mixed feelings about Facebook these days. I try to stay away from it as much as possible and have considered leaving it all together. However, in the mix of this uncertain world, I have decided, for now, to continue to pray on that site. Jesus went to wherever people were, to meet them in their most ordinary lives. For me, praying on Facebook feels a bit like that. So I stay.
Over these eight years of praying on social media, I’ve developed a kind of litany in my time of morning prayers.
Will you join me now?
Let us have a moment of silence as we gather from one part of our day to another.
Good morning, God. This is your day. We are your children. Please show us your way.
Thank you for the night’s rest and another day to walk with you and to serve you.
We offer to you, one by one by one, every name, every situation, on every prayer list throughout the world, knowing that you are doing more than we can desire or pray for through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Silence
We pray for all of us with privilege and power. In all things may we seek to rise to the other’s best and serve the common good.
Show all of us with enough how to share with those who do not have enough.
Forgive us when we put our own selfish desires and wants before those without enough.
We pray for all of those who use violence of any kind, especially the violence of words, to communicate. Protect others from harm and heal their brokenness.
Silence
We pray for peace. For peace in our homes, in our country, and in the world.
Silence
We thank you for the many blessings of this life, especially for our family and friends.
We pray especially for those who are hard for us to love.
Silence
For whom else shall we pray?
Silence
AMEN
As I try to navigate these tumultuous and chaotic days, I am searching for any way that I can be the presence of Christ. For me, praying is one way that I know, even when I don’t feel like it is, that Christ’s presence is made known.
How are you finding ways to be the presence of Christ?
House of Grace 