Matthew R. Green's Blog, page 89

A Collect to Know Our Hearts

Great Teacher, who knows the thoughts of our deepest hearts, reveal to us the deep thoughts of our hearts, that we would understand our desires and our fears, our hidden beliefs and hesitations, and would turn and share them with you, who will receive them in love and wisdom, through you who descended from the Father and was raised again to the Lord's right hand in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"' - John 5:6

A Collect to Find Life in God

Alpha and Omega, who was and is and is to come, open our hearts to know that thirst which we all bear and for which only you can satisfy, that we would turn away from useless things and look to you for true life and drink from streams that will meet our deepest needs, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the gate by which we enter your fold and receive the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life."' - Rev. 21:6

A Collect to Be Made New

King of Heaven, seated on the throne and lifted high above us, come and make us new. Regenerate in us our broken and sinful hearts, that we we would no longer be weighed down by grief and fear and suffering, but would be free to love and be loved in this world and the next, through Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have access to you by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."' - Rev. 21:5

A Collect Requesting God to Come Quickly

Lord God Almighty, king of all creation, come quickly, Lord, and make your home among us, that the earth would be filled with your presence, your justice and mercy and love, and all nations would bow down to your law and your ways, becoming a people united by the love that you give to us all, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who reigns with you in eternity through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them."' - Rev. 21:3

A Collect to Reflect God's Love to the World

Almighty God, who lives perpetually in glory, may you be glorified in the world by those who see us, your church, loving one another well, that they would recognize your nature and character as good and worthy of praise and so dedicate themselves to following your ways, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit in perfect love, world without end. Amen.

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:35

A Collect to See Our Failure to Love

Patient Father, who loves us even despite our sin, teach us to truly love one another. Open our eyes to see the ways that we bite and devour one another and how we hold on to bitterness and contempt and make us willing to release those things and love well, that your name might not be tarnished because of us, and many would recognize your goodness in the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:35

A Collect to Love as Christ Loved

Great teacher, who loved your disciples to the end, may love be the foundation of our relationships with one another, that our community would reflect the community that you have with the Father and Holy Spirit and be an extension of the love that you gave to those who followed you in Israel, through you who lives in perfect union with the Father and Holy Spirit world without end. Amen.

'I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.' - John 13:34

A Collect to Count as Glory All That Fosters God's Will

Anointed One, who looked upon your coming suffering as glory, give us grace to count as glory that which, even if it is difficult or painful, yet furthers the will of the Father and fosters love and reconciliation in the world among his beloved children, through you who was broken for our transgressions that we might be reconciled to the Father through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once."' - John 13:31-32

A Collect for an End to Divisions

Lamb of God, who inspires praise from all peoples and languages, bind us together as one, people from all nations and tribes and philosophies, that we would cease biting and devouring one another but would recognize our common creation and common call to worship you, through you who reigns in heaven with the Father and Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

'After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.' - Rev. 7:9

A Collect to be One with the Father, Son, and Spirit

Great Trinity, who was and is and is to come, enfold us into your perfect union, that as the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father, and the Spirit abides in all, we might live listening, following, trusting, and abiding in you and we would be filled with your love and join in the good work that you have begun and have prepared for us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"The Father and I are one." - John 10:30