Prayers for Sunday 17 March 2013

Lord Jesus, you had dinner with the sisters Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus, who you raised from the dead. Mary anointed your feet with perfume worth a years wages and wiped your feet with her hair. You saw her action as an act of generosity and love, a preparation of your body for your passion and death. May we be inspired to offer what we have to you in your service and may we bold to show our love for you in acts of devotion, as we seek to be kind and generous to those who are poor.

We remember the challenge of the treasurer Judas, he begrudged the waste of money because he had a greedy heart and wanted to keep the money for himself. So we pray for all those in authority that they would be people of kindness and concern for others. We pray for honesty in all of those in public office that they would carry out their duties with integrity and justice.

Whilst Mary anointed your feet we remember Martha, the practical sister who did the work and cooked the meal. We ask for your strength and blessing on all of those who work hard and look after others. We pray that their acts of kindness would be blessed and that they would know your encouragement for all that they do. May we never take for granted those who work hard so that we can enjoy our lives and we pray that we would do all we can to ensure that nobody would ever feel that their contribution was not recognised and valued.

We pray that this Easter we would know the generosity of your love and as we recognise your sacrifice of love for us, so we would be equally generous to all of those we meet, in Jesus name. Amen.