And He Cured Many Who Were Sick
Health Care

Responsive Reading

We gather in the name of God, who was born among us,
the Christ who spent his earthly days healing those sick of body, mind, and spirit.
We gather in the name of the crucified and risen Christ,
Over whom death had no power and through whom there is life eternal.
We gather as a remembering and a caring community,
A community of faith and hope united by God's love.
God calls to us:
To care for one another, to be compassionate and merciful.
We celebrate God's goodness and grace,
In the love we give, receive and remember.
God bless those who care;
Bless and sustain those who care for the living and the dying: who search for cures, therapies and vaccines. Those who respond day and night to our tears, our desperation and our grief.
We are the creation of one Creator God;
The child who cries is every child. The woman weakened and tired is every mother, wife, sister, daughter. The man is every father, husband, son and brother.
We know Jesus identifies with all who suffer;
Through our faith in Christ, healing and wholeness take place.
We will care for one another and love one another. We will pray for God's creation. We will be Christ's presence in each other's lives. We will be witnesses to God's unconditional love.
Amen.

(adapted from Cathie Lyons and the HIV/AIDS Minisries Network (UMC), http://gbgm-umc.org/cam/memorials/goodness.html)

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Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, we confess that we have sinned against you and against one another. We name the name of Christ, but we do not make real in our lives his presence. We pay lip service to your truth, but we fear the truth about ourselves. We sing of your grace, but we cling to illusions that keep us from experiencing your healing power. We claim to live by faith, but we want to have our own way. We want to be free, but we avoid the discipline that would set us free. We lay claim to your promises in our need, but we feel no compassion for the needs of others. Forgive us and cleanse us, we pray, and give us new life through Jesus Christ our Lord.        Amen.

(from the Disciple of Christ’s ‘Week of Compassion’ website, www.weekofcompassion.org/pages/resources/Gifts%20We%20Bring/Prayersofconfeesion.html)

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God of Life

God of Life, we pray this day for those whose dying is hastened by lack of access to health care. 

God of Love, we pray this day for the millions of people who do not have health care coverage, that their pain and anxiety will be relieved and that our hearts will be moved to help them.

God of Justice, we pray this day that our nation will work as one to see that all people have the health care they need.

God of the Weak, we pray this day for those who are too young, too sick, too ashamed, too discouraged to speak out for themselves and call for care.

God of Power, we pray that all who are in positions of leadership will work together to solve the problem of the uninsured.

God of Mercy, we pray for those whose suffering is unrelieved by care and for ourselves that we will work with others to assure care for all.

God of All, you have made us in your image. Help us to reflect your goodness.  Amen.

(Written by Shannon Daley-Harris, www.CoverTheUninsuredWeek.org)