On Sundays, Night Prayer takes its inspiration from an element of the day's mass. Tonight we'll focus on the healing touch of Jesus' power as revealed in today's gospel, in the stories of the woman who was cured simply by reaching out and touching Jesus' cloak and the little girl Jesus raised from death by taking her hand and inviting her to get up.
Lord, we need always
to stay within touching distance of you:
you're always right there
within arms' reach of us...
Your Spirit moves ever
in us, around us,
guiding us, Lord,
to the touching place
where you reach out
to embrace your friends...
And in that circle of healing touch
teach us, Lord, to reach out in love,
to lift one another
and make of our lives, our church and our prayer
a touching place
where grace is shared
and broken hearts mended, made whole...
Protect us while we lie awake
and watch over us while we sleep, Lord,
that awake, we might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...
Amen.
A Touching Place by John Bell
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Christ's is the world in which we move
Christ's are the folk we're summoned to love,
Christ's is the voice which calls us to care,
And Christ is the one who meets us here.
To the lost Christ shows his face,
To the unloved he gives his embrace,
To those who cry in pain or disgrace,
Christ makes, with his friends, a touching place.
Feel for the people we most avoid,
Strange or bereaved or never employed,
Feel for the women, feel for the men
Who fear that their living is all in vain.
Feel for the parents who've lost their child,
Feel for the women whom men have defiled,
Feel for the baby for whom there's no breast,
And feel for the weary who find no rest.
Feel for the lives by life confused,
Riddled with doubt, in loving abused,
Feel for the lonely heart, conscious of sin,
Which longs to be pure but fears to begin.
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