Prayer for Proper 20B

God ,
When we are hurting you welcome us as the hurting child.
When we are sad, you welcome us as the sad child.
When we are lonely, you welcome us as the lonely child.
When we have done wrong you welcome us as a forgiving God.

Lord you ask us to welcome the hurting, the sad, the lonely
and those who have done wrong just as you have welcomed us.
And so Lord teach us how to be welcoming as you are.
Teach us to love as you love.
Teach us to serve as you serve.
Lord we live in a world that demands greatnesses, demands perfection,
and demands being number one.
What a radical way of being you ask from us.
What a radical way of living you yourself lived.
And yet Lord you knew that this would change the world change people’s lives for the better.
Lord, keep changing our lives for the better.
Amen.