Joined by friendship

A single lantern stands in the middle of a table, its light splitting into many thin separate beams that each reach out to touch a different small named object (a key, a spool of thread, a tiny house, a folded letter) scattered around it, showing one light reaching many lives at once.

Christ, my Creator and the one who sets me free, Almighty Lord God, please forgive all the sins of everyone joined to me by friendship or by family: those who have asked me to pray for them, those I’ve decided to pray for, and all your faithful people. Rescue them from every evil. Keep them in everything good. And bring them to joy that lasts forever. Amen.

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—

1 Timothy 2:1 (BSB)

Adapted from an ancient prayer from the Corbie manuscript, tr. William Bright (1864), in plain words. The verse is from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). Drawing: Mutter.