Morning prayer in celebration of sexuality and love

MORNING PRAYER ~ Ecumenical Centre, Geneva ~ Friday, 23 May 2008

This morning prayer liturgy was written for the meeting of the WCC's human sexuality working party which is meeting in Geneva.

Call to Prayer

L: God, open my lips.
All: And my mouth shall declare your praise.

L: Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
All: As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen

Prayer

Here we are before you, God. We are always before you.
You hold in mind each one of us as if there were no one else in the world:

(names of those present )

But we are often unaware of your presence.
Here, together, coming to meet with you, we become conscious of you as the reality, the true basis of life.
Life is your gift – air to fill our lungs, bodies, which we can transform into energy: but the gift was made ours. We have chosen life not just eternal life. Red-blooded, food-loving, friendship and love-seeking life – such as Jesus enjoyed at the feasts of publicans and sinners.
We affirm life, we choose life, we are her for one more day of life and we say ‘yes’ to it.

We ask you to help us to use it well: not bothering about making a good impression on others but bringing to this day our authentic selves; and, at the end of this day, may we give it back to you as something preciously received, preciously used, preciously offered – a period of time such as has never been before in human history and never will be again, alive with your presence and purpose.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask it.
Amen

Song: Nothing is lost

Scripture Reading - Song of songs 1:1-7

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.
Colloquy of Bride and Friends
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!For your love is better than wine, your anointing oils are fragrant,your name is perfume poured out; therefore the maidens love you. Draw me after you, let us make haste.The king has brought me into his chambers.We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine;rightly do they love you.
I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem,like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
Do not gaze at me because I am dark, because the sun has gazed on me.My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards,but my own vineyard I have not kept! Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock,where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who is veiledbeside the flocks of your companions.

Song: The soul loves the body

A reading from the song of songs is not often heard or read at church and we have to confess
That the church has had a phobia for talking about sexuality and love;
That we have looked on as others in society as having distorted love and sexuality;
That in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, we might have spent more effort talking about sex but not enough effort on love and sexuality.

Song: The soul loves the body

We can learn
That sexuality and love are gifts from God which ought to be celebrated;
That sexuality is beautiful;
That it is appropriate to speak honestly and openly about love and sexuality;
That both men and women are free to express themselves on love and sexuality.

Song: The soul loves the body

We can pray
For the church to become bolder in its engagement with matters of sexuality and love;
For a balance between talk about sex and talk about romantic love especially when talking to young people.

Song: The soul loves the body

We can
Feel relieved that there are sections of the Bible that speak openly about sexuality and love, indicating that it is appropriate for us to do the same.
Accept ourselves as sexual beings who can and should fall in love;
Encourage our churches to speak more freely about matters of love and sexuality.

Song: The soul loves the body

Prayer
(According to the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle we are especially praying this week for the people and the churches in Malawi and Zambia. Please remember these countries in your prayers.)

Eternal God,
you created heaven and earth,
you created human beings in your image,
giving each of us identity and dignity.
We thank you for your gift of life –
life which binds us to you and to your creation.
Help us – as Christians and as churches –
to receive your gift in all its fullness
so that we may be able to overcome whatever limits
or reduces your gift of love and life.
Fill us with your good Spirit
so that we may grow into the image of Christ
and become his image in the world.
Amen.

Time for Silent Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer (each in his or her own language)

Song: Pues si vivimos (1st stanza in Spanish, 2nd and 3rd in English; see song on last page)

Blessing
As we are fully women, fully men
in all your rainbow glory,
so walk with us, and embrace us.
With your blessing,
kiss the lips that praise you;
now and always
make it so.
Amen