“Thy will be done”

26th July 2025

Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their sibling are liars; for those who do not love a sibling whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 1 John 4:20

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

May your name be hallowed.

You call us to love every neighbour as ourself: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A reading from Matthew 25: 35-40

for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?”  And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[a] you did it to me.”

Love the Lord your God with heart and soul and mind and strength.

The migrant is a figure of hate, 

the asylum seeker despised; 

the Jew is stereotyped, 

the Muslim is vilified.

“Thy will be done”?

Have mercy on us good Lord, 

that we learn to do your will.

Love your neighbour as yourself.

The homeless lie destitute on the pavement, 

the lonely sit isolated in their homes, 

the poor queue in food banks, 

the rich are spoilt for choice.

“Thy will be done”?

Have mercy on us good Lord, 

that we learn to do your will.

Do not opposes the orphan, the widowed, nor the foreigner.

The children are reduced to bones by malnutrition, 

the widowed go hungry;

the stateless have no rights 

and the alien is deported.

“Thy will be done”?

Have mercy on us good Lord, 

that we learn to do your will.

Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty.

Food aid sits in compounds as Palestinians die on their feet; 

whilst those collecting water become targets for snipers.

In the West, food banks and food waste co-exist, 

whilst health service tackle obesity and malnutrition.

“Thy will be done”?

Have mercy on us good Lord, 

that we learn to do your will.

Seek justice, love mercy.

Warfare grinds on in Ukraine and the Congo, 

in Myanmar and Thailand, in Gaza and Yemen.

Justice falters where drug wars and gang violence, 

land grabs and forced migration take precedence. 

The rich and powerful have no mercy.

“Thy will be done”?

Have mercy on us good Lord, 

that we learn to do your will.

Speak out for the voiceless and rescue the oppressed.

Refugees languish unreported in North Sudan and Yemen;

Afghan women wait at borders with no hope of rescue, 

and trafficked workers remain hidden out of sight.

“Thy will be done”?

Have mercy on us good Lord, 

that we learn to do your will.

Release the prisoner, heal the sick.

Activists are imprisoned, 

political opponents jailed, 

the disabled are trapped by lack of support, 

the mentally ill are left in limbo for lack of care.

“Thy will be done”?

Have mercy on us good Lord, 

that we learn to do your will.

Tend and protect the Earth; declare the year of the Lord’s favour.

Soils are degraded through overuse, 

waters are polluted with sewage and chemical spills;

temperatures rise and glaciers melt; 

industrial farming displaces forests; 

wildlife diminishes.

“Thy will be done”?

Have mercy on us good Lord, 

that we learn to do your will.

Lord whenever we pray as Jesus taught us, 

inspire us with the vision of how things could be on Earth just as jn Heaven. 

Challenge us to live according to your will. 

Embolden us with strength to make the  changes that are needed. 

Empower us with wisdom to speak the truth to power where your will is ignored. 

And enfold us in your loving compassion.

Amen. 

remind us that how things are is not ‘Thy will’ help us understand that we are called to