Officiant: Our Lord and our God be with you.
People: And also with you.
Officiant: Bless us, O Lord, and grant us strength and bravery to follow You in all things.
People: Hear us, O Lord, in Your grace and goodness.
Officiant: Help us to comprehend with faith the changes life brings, and how transitions bring us ever nearer to You.
People: Hear us, O Lord, in Your wisdom and kindness.
Officiant: Let us be mindful that in the seasons of our lives our physical changes and our transient emotions are part of the natural cycle of creation and rebirth, and are in keeping with Your divine plan for each of us.
People: Hear us, O Lord, in Your compassionate love and care.
Officiant: In Your mercy, increase our understanding. Help us to accept the challenges of bodily existence that are at times overwhelming, always trusting in You that all will be well.
People: Hear us, O Lord, in Your infinite power and glory.
Officiant: Grant us Your might, O Lord, to make our life, and whatever problems it presents, a living testament to Your loving sacrifice and constant presence.
People: Hear us, O Lord as we walk (and sometimes crawl) through this earthly life.
Officiant: In His everlasting light and eternal love, may the God of peace, compassion and joy live in you and through you, healing you in time of all wounds and scars, and remaining by your side now and forever. Amen.
The Officiant invites all who would like to be anointed with healing oil to come to the altar at this time.
Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
Silence is kept.
Officiant: Let us pray.
All kneel.
Dearest Lord,
Who wisely knows what is in our lives and in our hearts, help us to traverse the twists and turns of our life, knowing that at each bend You are there to guide and support us. Be with us in the dark places, where despair lingers; stay with us in the cold, foggy haze that offers little comfort; support us in the shadowy gray areas of uncertainty. Grant us courage and confidence to meet the next question, the next milestone, the next challenge. There is but one hope in this earthly life and that is to live our life in You, learning life’s lessons with love, kindness and consideration – toward ourselves and toward all those who journey with us. To God be all praise, glory and gratitude. In the name of our Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.
or
Dear Heavenly Father,
In times of tears and times of joy, when life offers a scenic roller coaster ride, do not let the dizzying heights scare us, or the plunge downward create fear. Help us make the climb back up exhilarating and full of adventure, with arms waving freely and resounding peals of laughter. Let us take this unruly, crazy, amazing ride and rejoice in it. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Participants rise and read together: Psalm 69
Collects for Life Changes
Most Gracious God, It is in You that we find a haven from all that is unknown and frightening. Let not life events and unexpected changes push us down. Rather, let our transitions lift us up – to new heights, to new goals, to new worlds. Our hope and steadfast faith depend upon Your grace and divine love, for which we are eternally thankful. In the name of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Heavenly Father, At times the physical changes of our bodies are hard to bear. Please help us to know that You are ever-present, ready with a sympathetic ear and a strong shoulder to lean on. Let our tears be our strength, our sorrow new hope, and our innate restlessness a fertile ground for growth and harmony. We trust in the perfect peace of the Holy Spirit, offered to each of us in love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Give us grace, O Lord, to know You, to love You and to trust You. In times of delight, let us recall that whenever our hearts overflow with praise and thankfulness, it is a mere foretaste of what awaits us all in Your heavenly kingdom, where bliss and happiness reign. In times of sorrow, let us also turn to You, to feel Your divine consolation, with loving arms that encircle us and lift us up. Grant us an abiding faith that our tears will pass, and that Your love and our life with You lasts forever. All praise, honor and glory be Yours, O Lord. Amen.
Most loving Father, our souls reach out to You in yearning and in trust. Let these fleeting trials teach us that no matter what befalls us in life, we do not walk – or stumble – alone. You are as constant as the night sky in the darkest of times, and in happy moments, as bright as the morning sun on a cloudless day. Please grant us, O Lord, strength and resolve to deal with pain, physical and emotional, and to triumph over it, for the greater good not only in our own lives but in all the lives we touch. To God be the glory. In Christ Jesus we pray. Amen.
Reading: 1 Corinthians 15: 51-58
Officiant: Walk with God in all things and through all things - your faith will make you well. May the hope and glory of God’s compassion and love keep you strong and vibrant, embracing this life, and looking forward to our divine life together in the world to come.
People: All praise be to God, now and forever. Amen.
