Prayers & Meditations

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Father,
I ask you
to help me to be generous
when I think
of the attitude and actions of others.
Forgiving someone
isn’t an easy option,
and I know that forgiveness
isn’t somehow pretending
that something wrong
hasn’t happened.
For what I have done wrong,
forgive me Father,
to the extent
that I am generous in forgiving -
or hoping to forgive -
those who have done wrong to me.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

1 Today sees the start of the Week of Prayer
for Christian Unity.
2 Pope John XXIII (the twenty-third) was
Pope in the early 1960s and he did a lot
for world peace at the time of the Cuban
Missile Crisis that almost became World
War III. He is also well-known for being
very keen to bring closer together Christians
of different churches. He said:
“In essential things - unity;
in unimportant things - freedom;
in all things - charity.”
3 The end of Church Unity Week on the
25th is the anniversary (in 1959) of the
announcement by Pope John that he
would call together all the Catholic bishops
across the world to look at bringing
the Church up-to-date, “to let in some air
and blow away the dust”. That meeting
would be called “The Second Vatican
Council”
4 Pope John wrote a prayer which we will
make our own today:
“Renew in our own days
your miracles
like a second Pentecost.
Grant that the Church,
re-united in prayer,
may extend the kingdom of Jesus
- a kingdom of truth and justice,
of love and peace.
Amen.”

[majestyjo]

Let’s pray for our school community
that, students and teachers together,
we may learn to recognise the face of
God in others today.
Father,
teach us to recognise your face
in the people
you put into our lives today.
Amen

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
God our Father,
with the gifts you have given to us
we have responsibilities and duties.
Inspire us to take the initiative
in treating others
as we would like them to treat us.
Amen

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Lord,
inspire me to live in such a way
that I always give of my best
and be welcoming and generous
towards others. Amen.

“If only I’d known, I’d have given my best.”

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
God our Father,
you call each of us by name,
and you treasure each of us
individually
as though no-one else exists.
Inspire us
to respect and value
each person
who comes into our lives this day.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Lord, whilst I pray
for peace and goodwill in our world,
I ask you to help me
to change my own attitude
for the better,
so that peace and goodwill
may start with the way I behave
towards those who have hurt me.
Inspire me to be as generous to others
as I would like them to be with me.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

The regular prayer is not applicable.

You Never Gave Up On Me

I often said you didn’t exist
Because my eyes wouldn’t see
I may have given up on you lord
But you never gave up on me

When troubles happened in my life
I would hang my head and cry
You let these happen to me
And at times I wondered why

I was quick to say if there was a God
He wouldn’t let these happen to me
I may have given up on you lord
But you never gave up on me

At many times during my life
When the troubles were hard to bear
I forgot the teachings of my youth
And said you were not there

I’ve heard your word again dear Lord
And my eyes they finally see
I thank you every day of my life
That you never gave up on me

- - by William A. Predeau

[majestyjo]

Let us pray, using some words of blessing
that Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth:

May the life of the Lord Jesus,
and the love of God the Father,
and the companionship of the Holy Spirit
be with us all. Amen.

[majestyjo]

1 Yesterday was the Feast of the Conversion
of Saint Paul. We’re going to listen
to some words that Paul wrote to the
Christians living in Rome, and we’ll use
his words to reflect and pray today:
2 Do not let your love be a sham,
but be sincere
in choosing good rather than evil.
Have warm affection for one another
as Christian brothers and sisters.
3 Be committed and enthusiastic
as you work for the Lord,
being happy and cheerful
as you place your trust in him.
Live in God’s presence
and keep on praying.
When difficulties arise, be patient.
Set out to welcome others
and be generous with those in need.
Don’t curse others; bless them,
even when they
have not been good to you.
Do all you can to live in peace
with everyone.
Support and encourage others
by rejoicing with those who are happy,
and sharing the sadness
of those who are in sorrow.
Never look down on another person,
but always be positive
in your attitude to others.
Be as concerned
for those who can do nothing for you
in return
as for those who are very close to you.
Break the cycle of evil
- conquer it with goodness.
(Romans 129-18,21)

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Lord, we ask you to inspire us
to encourage others
by what we say and do today.
Amen.

[caressa222]

1 On this day in 1986 the United States’
Space Shuttle “Challenger” roared into
the sky from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
The world’s TV cameras were focused on
the rocket as it carried five men and two
women. One of the women, Christa
McAuliffe (a high school teacher), had
won a contest to be the first “ordinary
person” in space.
2 Millions of people watched live on television
as, suddenly, a minute after blastoff,
“Challenger” exploded
3 In a speech to the people of the United
States, President Ronald Reagan quoted
a few lines from a poem written by a 19-
year old British Second World War pilot,
John Magee, who was killed in an air-collision
in 1941 just three months after writing
the poem. John Magee captures something
of the spirit and adventure of flying,
and talks of having put out his hand and
touched the face of God. We’ll use his
poem to reflect and pray today:
4 Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies
on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed,
and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred
things
You have not dreamed of
- wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along,
and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights
with easy grace,
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
God and Father of all people,
never let me look down on others
or make anyone feel inferior.
Show me how to remove any prejudices
so that
I may appreciate individuals more
for who they are.
Inspire me to live in such a way
that I may discover you
in the people I will meet today.
Amen.

Gandhi said:
“If you don’t find God
in the very next person you meet,
it is a waste of time
looking for him further.”

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Lord,
this day and forever,
may I have the courage
never to be afraid of anyone.
May I have the generosity
to bear ill-feeling toward no-one.
Lead me to live in such a way
as to treat others
in the same way
as I would like to be treated.
Inspire me
never to be violent
in thought, word or action,
and lead me
to conquer evil with goodness.
Amen.

“I shall not fear anyone.
I shall not bear ill-feelings toward anyone.”

[majestyjo]

John Bosco said:
“Young people should not only be loved
but they must know
that they are loved.”

Let us pray:
Lord, show me how to live today
with genuine concern for others.
In expressing my care,
may I show people
that they are valued,
loved and appreciated
for who they are.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

FEBRUARY

As art is a journey of discovery, Lord,
so may I grow more aware this day
of your life-giving presence.

And so we pray:
Lord, we come before you as we are.
We ask you to take away from us
all that makes us less than human.
Strengthen us
with the power of your Spirit
that our attitude and outlook
may develop,
and our “way of looking”
may become more like yours
Help us to remain positive -
encouraging and appreciating
one another,
looking upon people
in the same way that you do.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

A candle may be lit.
1. Today is 40 days after Christmas Day.
The feast is called “Candlemas” or “The
Presentation of the Lord”.
2 It was 40 days after the birth of Jesus
that his parents presented him to God
the Father in the Temple in Jerusalem.
At his Presentation in the Temple, Jesus
was recognised for who he was by two
people - Simeon and Anna. They were
elderly and had spent their lives growing
closer to God. Now they meet him
face to face and recognise him in their
midst.
3 Simeon prays: “Now, Master, you can let
your servant die in peace because my eyes
have seen your salvation which you have
prepared for all nations to see. He will be
a light to enlighten all people.”
4. Because Simeon referred to Jesus as the
one who brings light to all nations, candles
are lit this day, and the feastday is
often called “Candlemas”.
5 The response to our prayers will be:
May your light be reflected in us.
May your light be reflected in us.
6 Lord Jesus, 40 days after your birth
you were taken to the Temple
and presented by your parents
to God our Father.
Make us aware that we are the Temple
of your Holy Spirit who lives in us.
May your light be reflected in us
7 Simeon’s eyesight grew dim,
but he recognised who you were.
Open our eyes
that we may always recognise you
in our midst.
May your light be reflected in us
8 Simeon prophesied
that Mary would be pierced
to the heart.
As Mary stayed with Jesus
in his suffering,
we pray that we may help
those who are part of our lives.
May your light be reflected in us.
9 You said
that you are the light of the world.
May your light be reflected in us.

[majestyjo]

Let’s pray for the gift
of being able to see what is needed:
Lord, there are times
when we are so concerned
about ourselves
that we don’t think of others.
We ask for the gift of your Spirit
that we may grow in awareness
of others:
- noticing when someone is unhappy,
- sensing when there’s something
wrong for somebody,
- seeing when someone feels cut off
or isolated,
- knowing when to say the right word,
- expressing thanks and compliments,
- being thoughtful when someone is ill,
- giving words of encouragement,
- helping someone to feel welcome,
- realising when someone needs the
opportunity to talk.
May we grow in sensitivity
towards others. Amen

[majestyjo]

February 4

“Lord God,
give me such love
for you and for others
that it will blot out
all hatred and bitterness.”

[majestyjo]

February 5

Let us pray in the words of Saint Ignatius:
Teach us, good Lord,
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and to ask for no reward,
save that of knowing
that we do your will.
Amen.