A Prayer about Facing Our Mortality
…for dust you are
and to dust you will return. Genesis 3:19
Merciful and Everlasting God,
While this verse,
part of the curse
you pronounced
after Adam and Eve rebelled against you,
sounds pretty dismal,
open our ears to hear the hope
beyond these words.
In a world which often
makes promises it cannot keep:
“You’ll be eternally young,”
“You’ll live unhindered by loss,”
Your Word
frankly reminds us
of our mortality.
These bodies you fashioned have been dying
since the day they were born.
These bodies you fashioned
will one day return to the earth.
And yet, by your unfathomable mercy,
death does not end the story for believers.
Indeed, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
our death will be the beginning of an extraordinary life,
a life that lasts forever,
a life with you,
a life of love,
a life of joy,
a life of freedom,
the life for which you created us.
Because of that profoundly good news,
enable us to reflect on our mortality,
and send us out to love the aging
and to bless the dying.
In Jesus’ life-giving name. Amen.
Read Genesis 3:1-24; John 10:10-18.
