The Prayers of the Church

By Rev. William M. Cwirla

Prayer is a primary activity of the Church as the priesthood of believers. Priests pray. They speak to God on behalf of others. Jesus Christ is our High Priest, standing as the sole Mediator between God and Man, continually interceding for us before the Father. And we, the priesthood of Christ, also intercede “for the whole people of God and for all people according to their needs.”

The Prayer of the Church takes one of three forms. It can be a series of standalone prayers, much like the Collect of the Day. Or it can be prayed as a series of responsive petitions, either as “Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer” or “Let us pray to the Lord…Lord, have mercy.” In the former case, the entire petition is itself a prayer with both pastor and people speaking to God. In the latter case, the petition is expressed as a bid addressed to the congregation followed by a simple “Lord, have mercy.” Congregations tend to favor one or the other. It isn’t easy to go back and forth between the two. Careful attention needs to be given to pronouns and to whom we are praying. For example, compare these two forms of the same prayer for protection:

For Your divine protection, that You would guard us from every evil of body and soul; Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For God’s divine protection, that He would guard us from every evil of body and soul, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For what then do we pray? The apostle Paul wrote, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4). The Prayer of the Church embraces all people in every walk and condition of life. It deals with both eternal and temporal matters, in home, church, and civil society, from congregational needs to global issues to whatever news comes to our attention.

In my congregation, the Prayer of the Church is shaped something like an inverted triangle, moving from general to specific and from eternal to temporal. Here is how a typical Sunday’s Prayer of the Church is structured:

Introduction: addressing the Father through the Son on the basis of the Gospel text.

For the whole Church scattered throughout the world…

For our fellowship in the Missouri Synod and our sister congregations,

For our synodical and district presidents, our circuit visitors, our congregations, pastors, and missionaries…

For the government, for the president, the governors, the legislatures and courts…

For various global, national, and local concerns of which we are aware…

For people whose names are on our congregation’s prayer list…

For the unborn and their mothers, especially for expectant mothers known to us, and for members celebrating birthdays…

For those receiving the Body and Blood of Christ at Communion…

Conclusion: “Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”

You’ll notice a few things about this way of prayer. First, it is very compact compared to the Collect form. Many things can be prayed for with very few words. Second, there is a back and forth rhythm between the person praying and the people praying with him. This is a very corporate way to pray, engaging the whole priesthood of the baptized. Third, most of the petitions simply state needs, concerns, or names. There are no diagnoses or prescriptions. Our Father knows what we need even before we ask Him anything.

You might consider trying one of these responsive forms of prayer in other gatherings, such as at your youth group or around the family table. Each person may contribute a petition and the whole group adds together “Hear our prayer” or “Lord, have mercy.” You don’t have to be wordy or articulate. Just say, “For [whatever is on you mind and heart], let us pray to the Lord.” Everyone is involved in this priestly work of intercession. This way of praying also broadens our perspective to pray for others instead of only ourselves. The Lutheran Service Book provides a helpful guide to prayer topics for each day of the week (p. 294).

As you pray for people in all sorts of circumstances, your prayers will grow beyond yourself to embrace the whole people of God and all people according to their needs. That is what a priest does, and you are such a priest to God in your Baptism, interceding for others through the intercessions of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest.

For a lively life of prayer, that by your Spirit you would stir up among us prayers, petitions, and intercessions for all people in every circumstance; Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Rev. William M. Cwirla is the pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hacienda Heights, California, as well as a president emeritus of Higher Things.