Loving spirit
You who have given us the gift of life, who is revealed to each of us in the beauty of the earth and the wonders of the human spirit:
This evening we join together, a community of faith turning our hearts towards Your Son’s final days of ministry on earth.
We remember his words of love, his miracles over the forces of darkness, his walks along the shores of Galilee with his disciples. In those days he showed them a path to righteousness that would lead Him to the sacrifice of the Cross. And today he leaves us our own challenges of faith, to fully live out the Gospel of love with all persons, all of your children, wherever we become connected to each other.
And so it is that in his showing his perfect love for us, even to death on the cross, he has led us to this place, this time where we are called to respond to his eternal presence.
With the smudge of ashes marking us today we commit ourselves to a life of loving one another in His holy name. We go forth into a world of sadness, doubt and sin with renewed strength to do your will.
Be with us we pray, that we might be instruments of your peace in a troubled world. For we ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus
Amen