Prayer Reflections

Year 7 Welcome Prayer Reflection

In Times of Transition God of Love, You are with us in every transition and change. As we enter into this new era with excitement and even some anxiety, we recall your deep compassion, presence, and abounding love. We thank you for the gifts, talents and skills with which you have blessed us. We thank you for the experiences that have brought us to this moment. We thank you for the work of others that gives breadth and depth to our own work. Be with us as we move forward, rejoicing with you and supporting one another. We ask this in your Holy Name. Amen.

J. Shadle

Prayers of remembrance

All Souls' Day, and throughout the month of November, we remember our loved ones who have died. We also remember the students and staff at St George’s who have sadly passed away and we share our condolence book with the students who are invited to sign it.

Prayers to say at home

You are the Resurrection and the Life

Christ Jesus,

You understand the pain of loss,

the grief that seems to take

the air from my lungs.

You are the Resurrection

and the Life.

All our hope is in you.

Lord Jesus,

may I find a way through

the darkness

to the light of your love.

You are the Resurrection

and the Life.

All our hope is in you.

Christ Jesus,

you wept at the death of your friend, Lazarus.

Now your compassion wipes the tears from our eyes.

May we find comfort in reaching out to others

who feel lost and alone.

You are the Resurrection and the Life.

All our hope is in you. Linda Jones/CAFOD

Prayer for those who mourn

Bless those who mourn, eternal God,

with the comfort of your love

that they may face each new day with hope

and the certainty that nothing can destroy

the good that has been given.

May their memories become joyful,

their days enriched with friendship,

and their lives encircled by your love.

Amen.

Vienna Cobb Anderson, from Prayers of Our Hearts (1991, Crossroad Publishing Co.)

The light of God's promise

May you be held by the God of compassion

as you remember your loved ones today.

May God be with you in your sorrow,

and comfort you in your loss.

May your God, your family and your friends,

give you strength and confidence.

May your spirit be lifted, may your heart be filled with peace,

and may the light of God's promise fill you with joy and hope.

Amen.

Hold me to your heart

God of compassion,

when I feel helpless in my grief,

hold me to your heart.

God of gentleness,

in those moments when life is dark,

keep me close to you.

God of comfort,

when I am overcome with sadness,

shelter me under your wings.

Ever-faithful God,

help me to find reassurance and hope

in these words of hope to all your people -

"Because you are precious to me,

because I love you,

there is no need to be afraid,

for I am with you." (Isaiah 43) Margaret Lillis/CAFOD

God of our longing

God of our longing,

hear our prayers

protect our dreams,

and listen to our silent hopes.

Deal gently with our pain,

speak to our sadness,

and remove the barriers

that imprison our spirit.

Shed your light

where shadows are cast,

that we may feel your warmth

and know your presence.

Give us courage

to hold fast to our vision

that we may build our world

and create our futureAmen.

Prayer by Annabel Shilson-Thomas/CAFOD

Lord of life and love

Lord of life and love,

as we give thanks for times past,

grant us courage to embrace the present

and grace to share the future.

In memory of loved ones dear,

kindle their flame to shine in the dark

and light the path ahead.

Show the way that leads to life

as we cherish days gone by

and inspire us with the touch of love

that faith and hope live on. Annabel Shilson-Thomas

Compassionate God

Compassionate God,

as your outstretched hands held a crucified world,

so let our hands convey the touch of love.

As you embraced our vulnerability

so cradle our hopes and fears.

Reach out to our frailty,

release our pain and in your tenderness,

bring health to our brokenness

that, in our weakness, we may find strength

and, in our poverty, the unfurled riches of your resurrection. Annabel Shilson-Thomas/CAFOD

A Daily Family Prayer Calendar during November

Prayers in a time of coronavirus

Working for your kingdom

Lord Jesus, give us the grace to hear your voice,

And the strength to continue working for your kingdom in this time of pandemic.

Do not allow us to be indifferent to those who today suffer the loss of a loved one, or who suffer from the absence of work.

But give us the courage to accompany and side with those who suffer violence or injustice. Amen.

Prayer: Javier Eduardo Martinez Rueda from Colombia. Javier is team director at Programa de Desarollo y Paz, an organisation working on peacebuilding as part of our Hands On Magdalena Medio project.

God's healing hand

To our brothers and sisters who have contracted

and are suffering due to the Coronavirus Disease,

we pray that God’s healing hand may rest upon you.

To medical doctors, nurses and the supporting staff

who are in the frontline of the fight against COVID-19,

may the Good Lord sustain you and inspire you

to render your life-saving services with due care, love and compassion.

To all those who have lost their loved ones due to the Coronavirus outbreak,

we convey our deepest sympathies.

We pray that their souls, through God’s mercy, may rest in eternal peace.

We pray that God may grant all bereaved families his consolation and strengthen their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord.

Amen.

Prayer adapted from the 2020 Easter Message of the Catholic Bishops of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

At this time

Dear Lord,

At this time of pandemic,

Let us foster respect and solidarity with others, especially those who are weak or poor.

Let us remain calm and ignore unsubstantiated rumours.

Let us take advantage of living together as a family.

Let us attend to moments of prayer.

Let us cultivate responsibility, patience and hope.

Amen.

Prayer adapted from a radio message from Rodolfo Valenzuela Núñez, Bishop of La Verapaz, Guatemala

We lift up our voices

Merciful God,

We place into your care all the refugees and migrants, especially the Rohingya.

God who hurts with humanity, we lift up our voices and pour out our hearts to you,

in sadness and grief, for those who don't have anyone to hear their suffering and pain,

for those who don't have anyone to love and care,

for those who don't have anyone to tell their stories

and especially for those who have been suffering due to this pandemic

and struggling with coronavirus to see another day in their life.

We pray for their courage of heart and strength of mind and body.

Keep them safe from harm.

Amen.

Prayer: Inmanuel Chayan Biswas, who works for Caritas Bangladesh in Cox's Bazaar refugee camp

Prayer of a health worker

Lord, we pray for those who need ongoing medical treatment who are forced to wait at this time.

God, please watch over their health and help them to stay positive and patient.

We pray that we overcome this global crisis and that after this pandemic, we build a more just and humane world. Amen. Prayer: Marlene Cruz who leads a community health team at the Guarjila Health Clinic in El Salvador

We stand together

We pray for all who are suffering and bereaved.

At this time of sorrow, incomprehension and tragedy, we stand together.

In this crisis, we pray for God’s mercy and healing for the sick

and for health and strength for all who care for them.

Amen.

Prayer: Adapted from a message from Sister Bridget Tighe of Caritas Jerusalem