A Valentine’s Liturgy for Love

If you’re like me you may feel a little nauseous in the swirl of pink, chocolate and Shades of Grey this Valentines.  Sure, I could rant for a while about the shallowness of holiday consumerism or the dehumanization of our oversexed culture but instead lets just pray.

Here are some selections from an Anglican Valentine’s liturgy I found.  Read them and pray them alone or with your special someone, for yourself or for someone else’s marriage and for our culture.  If pain and regret are the main emotions that register for you this time of year you may just want to go straight for the final prayer for absolution.  I hope that those feelings become the context for encountering the true love of Jesus this week.

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COLLECTS 

God our Father, from the beginning, you have blessed creation with abundant life. Pour out your blessings upon all who are married, that they may continue in mutual love and companionship, in holiness and commitment to each other. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Alleluia, alleluia. God is love; let us love one another as God has loved us. Alleluia.

INTERCESSIONS 

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we lift up our hearts to you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him you have made a covenant of grace with your people by the outpouring of your Holy Spirit.

We praise you for the gift of marriage in which the love of husband and wife is brought together and reflects your plan of love for the world.

We thank you today for N and N [or all who have been married in this place], and for leading them to each other in friendship and love, commitment and trust, and for bringing them here for the blessing of their marriage.

Living God, by the presence of your Holy Spirit, may they know the risen Christ to be with them now, as they celebrate this covenant together. May their lives be a witness to your saving love in this troubled world.

As you pour out your love, may they grow together in your sight, and each be to the other a companion in joy, a comfort in sorrow and a strength in need.

As you blessed the earthly home at Nazareth with the presence of your Son, may their home be a place of security and peace.

And bring us all at the last to that great marriage banquet of your Son in our home in heaven, where, with all your saints and angels, in the glory of your presence, we will for ever praise you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

A PRAYER FOR COUPLES

Heavenly Father, we offer you our souls and bodies, our thoughts and words and deeds, our love for one another. Unite our wills in your will, that we may grow together in love and peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ABSOLUTION

May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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I hope these prayers have blessed you.  You may want to share this on Facebook and tag someone you are praying for. You can find more at: https://www.churchofengland.org/media/45625/celebrationofmarriage.pdf

I think I can actually say this now and mean it, “Happy Valentine’s Day!”