Prayer for all Occasions 1

Grant me the grace to choose freely, without being attached to the outcome. I trust that you will be with me as I make my decision prayerfully and with faith.

Assure me that your peace will rest deep within me as I make the decision that seems best for me at this time. I may continue to experience feelings of turmoil and confusion, but deep within I know that I can return to that settled place in me where you always dwell.

Guide and Director of my life, I place my life in your hands. Lead me to the path that will best deepen and strengthen my relationship with you.

BLESSED PRAYER FOR HEALING

May (you*) desire to be healed.

May what is wounded in your life be restored to good health.

May you be receptive to the ways in which healing needs to happen.

May you take good care of yourself.

May you extend compassion to all that hurts within your body, mind, spirit.

May you be patient with the time it takes to heal.

May the skills of all those who are caring for you be used to the best of their ability in returning you to good health.

May you be open to receive from those who extend kindness, care, and compassion to you.

May you rest peacefully under the sheltering wings of divine love, trusting in this gracious presence.

May you find little moments of beauty and joy to sustain you. May you keep hope in your heart.

*If praying for oneself insert 'I' instead of 'you'

Hold your hands over your own heart and remember the power of love within you. Then, extend your hands of love toward the one who needs healing. Give this healing love to the one being blessed. If blessing oneself, recognise and accept this power of love within you.

PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

In order to unite with one another,

We must love one another;

In order to love one another,

We must know one another;

In order to know one another,

We must go and meet one another.

REFLECTION-THE EARTH'S QUIET SEASON

Holy God, this is earth's quiet season.

The season of waiting.

We rest in the shelter of your love.

This is the season of darkness,

When we seek stars to guide us.

We trust in the light of your promise.

This is the season of solitude,

When we listen to our own heart's rhythm.

We find warmth in the signs of your presence.

This is the time to make room,

A time to make ready.

God, Lord of eternity, your Son came to visit us in time.

Grant to each one of us the heart of a child which never

ceases to marvel at your wonders, so that once again you

may find us watching in hope.

PRAYER OF SURRENDER

Lord Jesus,

I give you my hands to do you work.

I give you my feet to go your way.

I give you my eyes to see as you see.

I give you my tongue to speak your words.

I give you my mind that you might think in me.

I give you my spirit that you might pray in me.

Above all, I give you my heart,

that you may love in me,

your Father and all creation.

I give you my whole self,

that you may grow in me,

so that it is you Lord Jesus,

who live and work and pray in me.

Direct Lord, we beseech you all our actions by your

holy inspiration and carry them on by yourgracious assistance,

that every prayer and work of

ours may begin always from you

and by you be happily ended,

Through Christ Our Lord

Amen.

HOLY ONE YOU HAVE GIVEN US THE GIFT OF STORY IN OUR LIVES

Holy One, you have given us the gift of story in our lives,

ways of understanding who we are,

ways of making sense of our world,

of finding meaning and knowing how to respond to all that happens in our lives.

Please show us where our stories fall short or are too narrow,

where they exclude rather than include,

where they divide rather than unite.

Help us to see where a story we live out of may go amiss of what is real,

where it allows us to escape becoming whole,

where it lets us live comfortably in fear.

Fill us with your story, the story of unity and compassion and love.

Fill us with images that energise us and give us hope

and lead us to the fundamental truth that you have tried to teach us all along:

we are all one.

Amen.

GOD BE IN MY HEAD

God be in my head,

And in my understanding;

God be in my eyes,

And in my looking;

God be in my mouth,

And in my speaking;

God be in my heart,

And in my thinking;

God be at my end,

And at my departing.

I AM A WREAK

O Lord,

I am in ruins, restore me.

I am distressed, give me peace.

I am walking in the darkness,

Draw me again into your light.

I am afraid your glory will blind me,

Lord, protect me by your love.

Let me know you are watching,

And wanting me to return.

You wait with open arms

To welcome me home.

Forgive me Father, I have sinned.

I feel like a long-lost sheep,

I have erred and strayed far away.

Let me hear your voice calling me,

The voice that calls me by my name.

Lord, you are my strength and my salvation,

You are the hope and joy of my life.

Lord, I will come to you soon,

Give me the courage and strength to return.

FOR SOLITUDE

May you recognise in your life the presence,

Power and light of your soul.

May you realise that you are never alone,

That your soul in its brightness and belonging

Connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.

May you have respect for your individuality and difference.

May you realise that the shape of your soul is unique,

That you have a special destiny here,

That behind the facade of your life

There is something beautiful and eternal happening.

May you learn to see yourself

With the same delight,

Pride and expectation

With which God sees you

in every moment.

FOR ONE WHO IS GRIEVING

Begin by quieting yourself.

Take a deep breath. Let the breath our slowly. Do this three or four times.

Relax. Be at ease.

Remember that you are held in the arms of God''s protective love.

Go inside.

Look for that place within you that needs comfort and consolation.

Imagine that you are in a cemetery.

Find a tombstone that reminds you of the loss that you feel.

Sit down by the tombstone and allow your grief to be present. . . .

Look up and see Mary coming to be with you.

She sits down beside you and holds your hand.

You can tell that she understands your hurt.

Speak to Mary about your grief, tell her what hurts the most. . . .

Mary sits quietly with you. . . . Then she speaks to you about your loss. . . .

Ask Mary any questions you have and listen to her response. . . .

Now Mary lets go of you hand.

She invites you to hold it open to receive a gift she has for you.

As you open your hand she gently places a small, brown seed in your palm.

Then Mary speaks this message to you:

' I know your sadness. I am sorry for how you hurt.

Please receive this tiny seed.

Let it be a reminder to your sorrowing heart

that there will be a new life for you.

Just as this little dry seed holds new life inside it, so do you.

In time, peace and joy will return to your heart.

Keep hope close to you. Don't give up. Joy will return.

Your sorrow is my sorrow. You are not alone.'

Hold the seed and stay with the message for as long as you like.

Let the message take root in your heart.

Thank Mary for being with you.

Bid her farewell and slowly come back to this time and place.

PSALM FOR PRAYING

O Beloved, Heart of my heart,

I call to You for my help by day;

I cry out in the night.

Let my prayer come before You,

bend your ear to my cry!

For my soul is full of troubles, and my life like dust,

I have fallen into a pit of despair;

I have no strength and I feel powerless,

Like one from whom You have turned, like the soil people walk upon.

You alone can comfort me in the deep pit,

in the darkness of fear.

Separation from You is an agony,

hopelessness threatens to overwhelm me.

Through You alone can I pray for my enemies, for those who ignore my plight.

I am in a prison chained by fear;

I am weary of tears.

Every day I call upon You, O Beloved;

I lift up my hands in supplication.

Will You raise me from this living death?

Will You mend a broken heart?

Let not your steadfast love pass me by;

have mercy on me, O Comforter!

Reach Your hand into the darkness of my fears,

by your saving grace forgive my unholy ways.

O Merciful Redeemer, I cry to You;

each day my prayer comes before You.

Let not separation keep me from your Heart;

be my strength as I face the darkness inside.

Too long have I let fear control me,

projecting onto others the demons dwelling within.

Let Your Love circle and envelop me;

in Your mercy raise me up.

Let peace become my companion all day long;

By night free me from the bonds of fear.

Let me be reconciled with family and friends;

and may I know You

as Loving Companion Presence

as in days of old.