Prayers & Meditations

[majestyjo]

Let’s pray for peace in parts of our world
where there is war and violence and
bloodshed. We pray in the words of what
is called “The Universal Prayer for Peace”
- a prayer that is used in many countries
and in many different languages:
O God,
lead us from death to life,
from falsehood to truth.
Lead us from despair to hope,
from fear to trust.
Lead us from hate to love,
from war to peace.
Let peace fill our hearts,
our world, our universe. Amen.
(‘The Universal Prayer of Peace’)

[majestyjo]

1 The words “Do not be afraid” appear 366
times throughout the whole of the Bible
- as though it is a daily message for each
day of a leap year. “Do not be afraid” is a
very basic message of the Bible.
2 The angel tells Mary not to be afraid
when she is asked to be the mother of
Jesus. Joseph is told not to be afraid, but
to take Mary as his wife, and the shepherds
in the fields were told not to be
afraid.
3 Jesus calls Simon Peter to follow him,
telling him not to be afraid. When Jesus
walks on the water towards his disciples
in their boat, he sees what they are like
and says: “Have courage, don’t be afraid;
it’s me!”
4 Jesus says: “No one is forgotten in God’s
sight. There’s no need to be afraid, because
you are precious. Don’t worry about the
future.” When Jesus rises from the dead,
he says to his friends: “Don’t be afraid…I
leave you my peace.”
5 Let’s pause for a moment in silence, remembering
that God calls each of us by
name and tells each of us not to be afraid.
Let’s pause for a moment and each simply
repeat those words in silence a few
times - “Do not be afraid” - starting with
our own name.
(pause…)

[majestyjo]

MARCH

It is not only amidst our joys and hopes
but also in our grief and anguish, Lord,
that you are with us.
Sustain us today in your love

Let us pray:
Lord of life,
we give you thanks
for the beauty of creation,
and we rejoice
when we see signs of new life.
May we be Spring to others
and never Winter.
Amen

[majestyjo]

This is my prayer when I am filled with resentment:

"This person who offended me, is a sick person. God save me from being angry. I need to avoid retaliation or argument. I wouldn't treat a sick people this way. If I do, I will destroy my chances of being helpful to them. God help me show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that I would cheerfully grant a sick friend. I cannot be helpful to all people, but at least, God show me how to take a kindly and tolerant view of this person and all else that I feel angry with or hurt. How can I be helpful to this person? Your will be done. Show me my part in this problem and show me if I need to make amends. I know fear and pride are an underlying problem in this situation. Fear somehow touches about every aspect of my relationships. It is an evil and corroding thread. It has set in motion trains of circumstances which brought me misfortune I felt I didn't deserve.

But, somehow this fear started with me and my reactions. I know I always want to run the show but now You are my director. I am in the world to play the role You assigned me. Just to the extent that I do as I think You would have me, and humbly rely on You, You will enable me to match calamity with serenity.

Demonstrate, through me what You can do. I ask You to remove my resentment fear and direct my attention to what You would have me be."

Original Source Unknown

[majestyjo]

Bringing this prayer forward as I need it in today.

The Other Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to stop beating myself for not doing things perfectly, the courage to forgive myself because I'm working on doing better, and the wisdom to know that You love me just the way I am.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Lord, you have watched me grow
in my mother’s womb,
and I know that you love
all that you have made.
Help me to transform
my difficulties and disabilities
into opportunities for growth.
Shine the light of your Spirit on me
that I may grow
as the person you are calling me to be.
Inspire me
to develop the talents
you have given me
for the benefit and the service
of those people
you have placed in my life.
May each of us
become a blessing for others.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Father,
into your hands I place my successes.
Into your hands
I also place my failures,
and I pray that, through your Spirit,
I may face the challenges of life
with courage and determination.
Help me to think anew
and see things more broadly
than in terms of “success”
and “failure”.
Lead me always to trust
and place myself confidently
in your hands.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

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.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray that people be inspired to
appreciate all that is good and beneficial
around them. Let us pray that good
decisions be reached concerning the environment
- decisions that look to our
heritage as well as to our needs.
Lord, in your mercy - hear our prayer.
Let us pray for those who are concerned
about their health and their future. We
pray for people in physical pain, for those
who make little progress, and for those
who will never get better.
Lord, in your mercy - hear our prayer.
Let us pray for all who are sad, and for
all who have had bitter experiences in
their lives. Let us pray that we may be
protected from all that may harm us.
Lord, in your mercy - hear our prayer

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Speak to him, all people of the earth,
because his love is great
and he is always faithful.
(Psalm 117)

[majestyjo]

The prayer that I normally post isn't fitting, at least not to my eyes.

Let us pray:

I pray that I may recognize the goodness I see in others. May I acknowledge and affirm the source is reflected from within me. Amen.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Lord God,
Creator of light,
at the rising of your sun each morning
let the greatest of all lights - your love
- rise, like the sun, within my heart.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray
that each of us develops
the skills and talents
we have been given,
and that we remain open and sensitive
to all that is around us.
Lord, hear us - Lord, graciously hear us.
Let us pray that we may live in such a way
that we use things and love people,
instead of using people
and loving things.
Lord, hear us - Lord, graciously hear us
We pray that we may value and treasure
all who come into our lives
- not just for what they can do,
but for who they are.
Let us pray that we live in such a way
as to express appreciation
by the way we look at people
and in what we say.
Lord, hear us - Lord, graciously hear us

[majestyjo]

Today is the anniversary of the death of
Alexander Fleming - 11th March 1955.

Let’s reflect and pray:
I shall pass through this world but once.
Therefore, any good that I can do,
any kind act that I can perform
for any fellow-creature,
let me do it now.
Let me not delay or omit it,
for I shall not pass this way again.

(attributed to Stephen Grellet)

[majestyjo]

Let us pause for a moment in silent
prayer, thinking of all who suffer prejudice
and persecution because of their
race, colour, religion or political views…
(pause…)
God our Father,
you call each of us by name
and you know
the innermost thoughts
that we keep to ourselves.
Stay with us, day by day,
in good times and in bad.
Empower us with your Spirit
that we may grow in character
and develop a true sense of values
and ideals
through following Jesus,
your Son and our Brother.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Lord,
inspire us to act justly, love tenderly,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Breathe upon us your Spirit of peace
that we may be
bearers of reconciliation
wherever you place us.
May there be peace in our hearts,
in our homes, in our land,
and between all people.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray:
Father, preserve in us
a sense of wonder
at the marvels of life.
May all that we see around us
lead us to you. Amen.

[majestyjo]

And so we pray:
May we learn
to value and appreciate one another,
bringing out the best
in those around us.
May what is not good
die within us,
and may we bring life to all we meet.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

Let us pray for the needy and hungry of
our world:
God our Father,
we think of the beauty of the world
which you proclaimed to be good,
but we are also conscious
of our misuse
of what you have given to us.
Our governments
spend money in our name
maintaining “butter mountains”
and “wine lakes”,
and we subsidise farmers
to “set aside” land
so that less food is produced
- even though
our brothers and sisters
die each day from hunger.
On our paper money
we print the images
of famous people,
yet often do not treasure and uphold
the dignity of all who are made
in your image and likeness.
Open our hearts
to be influenced for good,
and inspire us
to touch the hearts of others.
Enable us to change the things
that contradict your love,
and may all your people
work and grow together
as brothers and sisters.
Amen.

[majestyjo]

We’ll use one of St Patrick’s prayers:

Let us pray:
Christ be with me and within me.
Christ be behind me and before me.
Christ be beside me
to comfort and restore me.
Christ be below and above me
in peace and in danger.
Christ be within the hearts
of all who love me.
Christ be in the words
of friend and stranger.