Wednesday,
Friday and Saturday of this week are Ember Days. So, we are in an Ember season.
The Book of Common Prayer describes these quarterly remembrances on the
Church’s calendar. The Ember Days, traditionally observed on the Wednesdays, Fridays, and
Saturdays after the First Sunday in Lent, the Day of Pentecost, Holy Cross Day,
and December 13.
Further, the prayerbook contains the following prayers
for Ember Days, which are set aside especially to pray for people in any sort
of ministry:
For the Ministry (Ember Days) - For use on the
traditional days or at other times.
BCP, pages 256, 257
I. For those to be ordained
Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, in your divine
providence you have appointed various orders in your Church: Give your grace, we
humbly pray, to all who are [now] called to any office and ministry for your
people; and so fill them with the truth of your doctrine and clothe them with
holiness of life, that they may faithfully serve before you, to the glory of
your great Name and for the benefit of your holy Church; through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and for ever. Amen.
II. For the choice of fit persons for the ministry
O God, you led your holy apostles to ordain ministers in
every place: Grant that your Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may
choose suitable persons for the ministry of Word
and Sacrament, and may uphold them in their work for the
extension of your kingdom; through him who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our
souls, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
III. For all Christians in their vocation
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole
body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our
supplications and prayers, which we offer before
you for all members of your holy Church, that in their
vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen.
As you can see, there is a prayer here for ALL of us.
Please take a moment to prayer one or all of these!
