Pandemic Prayers for Proper 8B

I love the healing stories in the Gospel of Mark. There are two in this pericope and the first part is my very favorite. It seems all the more poignant this year when we are reaching for possibility and trying to be faithful to hope and love.

We are reaching with our hands outstretched for so much. For some of us, we are reaching out to hold the hands of beloved family and friends after nearly a year and a half apart. For others, it is the possibility of justice and the work we are committing to do for racial justice. For others, it is just to believe that this uncertainty is not all there will be. We are reaching into the unknown.

Call to Worship
Inspired by Psalm 30

Across and afar
Far and wide
we have searched 
for our God. 

From the pit of despair
and under the covers
when it has felt impossible 
to greet the new day
we have needed grace.

We have cried.
We have called out. 
We have not yet
found our way
out of the depths.

We come together
to watch for the morning
light to dawn and 
hope to revive our souls.

Most of my prayers — as in this call to worship above — have opted for a singular voice but this week and with this narrative to lead our hearts, I wanted a responsive prayer that I know some of you have kept on Zoom and others will be reintroducing as hybrid worship emerges.

Make Us Well, O God
Inspired by Mark 5:21-43

Here we are on the other side
of what has been so much suffering
and so much death. We have 
suffered. We have suffered 
for so long.

Make us well, O God.


We have crossed over
a chasm of impossibility
and some things have changed. 
Some things are different
but we are still reaching
into the unknown with hope.

Make us well, O God.

There are some things
that feel worse than they were before
but we have spent all we have.
We have used up every bit 
of energy on dreaming
and we are exhausted. 

Make us well, O God. 

We do not want 
this to be all that there 
is on the other side. No matter
how tired we might be, we have
faith that the world we imagine
could give us healing. 

Make us well, O God.

We extend our arms
to touch your grace
and transformation.
O God, heal us.

Make us well, O God.

Though this is not within my talents, I wonder about someone in your congregation who could teach a simple sung version of the above refrain that a cantor could sing alone on Zoom — and the congregation can join in singing from their living rooms and kitchens. A cantor may even work in in-person worship depending on the restrictions within your area but I love how a simple refrain like this can offer a responsive prayer throughout the week. Or maybe this is the song that needs to carry us all.

Your church may have resumed worship gathering together in-person. There may be people worshipping without masks or there may be arm bands to communicate individual comfort or perhaps buttons and bracelets like this Texas church. It might feel like you have reached the other side of this pandemic while my prayers continue to linger in this liminal space. I feel this awkwardness as I write these prayers and wonder if perhaps something should change in how I am composing these words so that they might be more helpful to you in your ministry. I welcome your comments or if you are looking for something more particular in your worship planning, please do contact me.

That’s all I’ve got for you, dear pastor. I am praying for you. I am praying for you so much.