God of mercy, as we begin this new academic year we thank you for the mercy you
show each of us. We ask in the year ahead that you would enable us to show mercy
to others, and to receive it.
God of the past, we thank you for the experiences of our lives which have shaped
us into the people we are today. We ask in the year ahead that you would give us a
new appreciation for who you have made us to be.
God of the future, we thank you for the promise of your presence in all of our
endeavors. We ask that in the year ahead that you give us eyes to perceive your
presence in our lives, in the lives of others, and in the world around us.
God of wisdom, we thank you that you invite us on a path of seeking knowledge,
understanding, and wisdom. We ask that you guide us in our journey and deepen
the wisdom within each of us through all of the experiences of university life.
God of justice, we thank you that you see the plight of the oppressed, and that you
hear the cries of those who suffer. We ask in the year ahead that you would
increase our capacity for perceiving injustice and suffering around us and that you
would develop our ability to practice those actions that promote a just and merciful
world.
God of surprises, we thank you that every day brings new hope, new possibilities,
and new energy. We ask in the year ahead that you enable us to remain open to all
that you have in store for us.
God of the present, we pause now to recognize the sacredness of this moment in
our lives.
God of mercy, we thank you for the mercy you show each of us each and every
day. We ask in the year ahead that you would enable us to show mercy to others,
and to receive it.
