Prayers for the Nation and for its People

Prayers for the Nation and for its People

The following are excerpts from the Ecumenical Service on Parliament Hill Saturday

Scriptural reading by His Eminence Maurice Cardinal Roy, Archbishop of Québec, Roman Catholic Primate of Canada, translated from French.

I ENTREAT you, then -- I, a prisoner for the Lord's sake: as God has called you, live up to your calling. Be humble always and gentle, and patient, too. Be forbearing with one another and charitable. Spare no effort to make fast with bonds of peace and unity which the Spirit gives. There is one body and one Spirit, as there is also one hope held in God's call to you: one faith, one baptism: one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But each of us has been given his gift, his due portion of Christ's bounty...to equip God's people for work in His service, to the building up of the body of Christ. So shall we all at last attain to the unity inherent in our faith and our knowledge of the Son of God -- to mature manhood, measured by nothing less than the full stature of Christ.

Let us speak the truth in love; so shall we fully grow up into Christ. He is the head, and on Him the whole body depends. Bonded and knit together by every constituent joint, the whole frame grows through and the due activity of each part, and builds itself up in love.

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Prayer of Thanksgiving by The Most Reverend H. H. Clark, Anglican Archbishop of Rupert's Land; Primate of All Canada.

ALMIGHTY GOD, of whose righteous with all things are, and were created; Thou hast gathered our people into a great nation, and sent them to sow beside all waters, and multiply sure dwellings on the earth. Deepen the root of our life in everlasting righteousness. Make us equal to our high trusts, reverent in the use of freedom, just in the exercise of power, generous in the protection of weakness. With all thy blessings, bless Thy servant Elizabeth, our Queen with all members of the Royal House. Fill her heart with such loyalty to Thee, that her people may be exalted by their loyalty to Thee, that her people may be exalted by their loyalty to her. To our legislators and councillors give insight and faithfulness, that our laws may clearly speak the right, and our judges purely interpret them. May wisdom and knowledge be the stability of our times, and our deepest trust be in Thee, the Lord of nations and the King of Kings. Amen.