Prayers on reading of the woman who wept at Jesus’ feet

A woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.
[Jesus said] “I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. . . . ”
Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7.37-38,-47-48

God of love,
the woman wept at Jesus’ feet
-and Jesus gave her your gift of forgiveness.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

We weep at Jesus’ feet
not only for ourselves, but for the earth, damaged by human greed and foolishness-and we ask for your gift of forgiveness and life.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

We weep at Jesus’ feet
not only for ourselves, but for peoples and nations, beset by war and violence, hatred and bigotry-and we ask for your gift of forgiveness and peace.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

We weep at Jesus’ feet
not only for ourselves, but for the needs of our land-challenged by drought and flood-troubled, like many lands, by political and social disputes-and we ask for your gifts of forgiveness and mercy.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

We weep at Jesus’ feet
not only for ourselves, but for your church throughout the world, divided by lack of understanding, weakened by lack of faith, hope and love-and we ask for your gift of forgiveness and unity.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

We weep at Jesus’ feet
not only for ourselves, but for those who are sick or in pain, lonely or heartbroken, unemployed or in poverty-and we ask for your gift of forgiveness and healing.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

We weep at Jesus’ feet
not only for ourselves, but in grief at the deaths of those we love, and compassion for those who mourn-and we give thanks for your gift of forgiveness and eternal life.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.