This is a collection of eloquently written prayers drawing believers to the essence of faith—prayers that will glorify God's wondrous works, comfort during troubling times, and help readers lift others' needs to God.

For the times when you are led to pray, but don't know what to say, this chapter may help you find just the right expression for the situation.

Just click on the headings below

FOR TODAY

I will be attentive to any worries or concerns about the future that my loved one has.

I will offer assurance of my love.

I will also be attentive to my own worries and concerns

and try to entrust them into God's loving care.

SPIRIT OF PEACE

Spirit of Peace,

You know how worry and fear

Can take over and hound

A person's tranquility.

​

Today I place my loved one,

With all his (her) worries and fears,

Into your caring hands.

I place myself and my concerns

In your caring hands, as well.

Calm our hearts and minds.

Encourage us to face what troubles us.

Help us each to let go of what we fear.

Breathe your peace

Through our anxious hearts, 

And deepen our trust

In your abiding presence.

PRAYER FOR DECISION MAKING

Spirit of Guidance, I see before me numerous choices and a decision to be made.

​

There is division in my heart.Sometimes I want none of what I find.Sometimes I want it all.

Sometimes I want to give up making decisions and wish that the future would go away.

​

I entrust my decision-making into your hands, ready to do my part but also knowing that I cannot do this without your help.

​

Lead me through all the unsure, unclear, doubtful, hesitant, and questioning moments that are mine as I search to find the right way in which to go.

​

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.

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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.

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*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.

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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.

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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.

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GIVING THANKS 

O Divine Gift-giver,

I stand beneath the endless waterfall

of your abundant gifts to me.

I thank you especially for the blessing of life,

the most precious of all Your gifts to me.

I thank you, Ever-generous One,

for clothing to wear,

for food and drink to nourish my body, 

for all the talents and skills that You have bestowed upon me.

I thank you for the many joys of my life,

for family and friends,

for work that gives to me a sense of purpose

and invests my life with meaning.

I thank You as well

for the suffering and trials of my life

which are also gifts

and which together with my mistakes are among my most important teachers.

Grant that I may never greet a new day

without the awareness of some gift

for which to give you thanks.

And may constant thanksgiving

be my song of perpetual praise to you.

​

PSALM OF FEARLESSNESS    

I am surrounded by a peaceful ebbing

as creation bows to the mystery of life;

all that grows and lives must give up life,

yet it does not really die.

as plants surrender their life,

bending, brown and wrinkled, 

and yellow leaves of trees 

float to my lawn like parachute troops, they do so in a sea of serenity.

​

I hear no fearful cries from creation,

no screams of terror,

as death daily devours

once-green and growing life.

Peaceful and calm is autumn's swan song,

for she understands

that hidden in winter's death-grip

is spring's open-handed

full-brim breath of life.

​

It is not a death rattle that sounds

over fields and backyard fences;

rather I hear a lullaby

softly swaying upon the autumn wind.

Sleep in peace, all that lives;

slumber secure, all that is dying,

for in every fall there is the rise

whose sister's name is spring.

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GOD HAS A PLAN FOR MY LIFE    

God has created me to do Him some definite service.

He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.

I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.

He has not created for me a naught.

I shall do good; I shall do His work.

I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place,

while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.

Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away.

If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him.

f I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.

He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about.

He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers.

He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me.

Still, He knows what He is about.

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DAY FOR LIFE PRAYER​

We thank you Lord for the gift of life.

Help us to appreciate the unique dignity

of every person and the individual

contribution they make to the world,

in fulfillment of the task you give them.

Enable us by your grace to promote their

wellbeing, serving you in one another

in a spirit of generosity,

through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

"Only the great certitude of hope that my

own life and history in general, despite all its

setbacks and failures, are held firm by the

indestructible power of Love, and that this

gives them their meaning and importance,

only this kind of hope can give the

courage to act and to preserve."

​

Pope Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi, n.35

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PSALM 80    

Eternal Listener, give heed to

your people.

You, who are our Guide and our 

Light!

You, who dwell amidst the angels,

shine forth into the heart of

all nations!

Enliven your people with compassion

that peace and justice

might flourish.

Restore us, O Holy One;

let your face shine upon us,

teach us to love!

Gentle Teacher, help us to turn

to You in prayer,

fasting from our negative thoughts.

In your steadfast love, You weep

with our tears,

tears that rise from fear,

doubt, and illusion.

You uphold us when we feel the sting

of pride,

when anxiety threatens to

paralyse us.

Restore us, O Holy One;

let your face shine upon us,

teach us to love!

You companion us through the wilderness,

through the shadows created by fear.

You plant your Seed into each heart.

You uproot the weeds of our sin,

You cultivate the soil of our 

goodness.

Truly, in You, we become like a tiny 

acorn,

holding the secret of a mighty oak.

You nourish us with the food of Love,

with streams of Living Water.

Be our strength as we break down walls

that separate and divide;

let not fear pluck away the gifts

we would share.

Roll away the stones that become obstacles

to growth,

to producing a bountiful harvest.

Receive our gratitude, O Heart of

all hearts!

Look upon us and see what

Love can do;

rejoice in the new birth

that You create!

​

O LORD, FORGIVE

O Lord, forgive.

​Our insensitivity to the needs of others,     

O Lord, forgive.

Our prejudice and fear that prevent us from loving,     

O Lord, forgive.

The narrowness of our vision and our shrinking from your demands, 

O Lord, forgive.

Our resentment against those who have hurt us,    

O Lord, forgive.

Our desire to do your work in our way,    

O Lord, forgive.

Our impatience with those who are different from us,    

O Lord, forgive.

Our failure to listen properly to other points of view,    

O Lord, forgive.

Our fear of coming out of the fortress of our own souls into fuller life and deeper love,      

O Lord, forgive.

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PRAYER FOR ONE WHO YEARNS FOR A NEW HEART     

Spirit of God,

I feel too tired to go on,

too empty even to want to be filled,

too broken to put the pieces together again.

Still, I feel a quiet stirring in me.

It is the call to come back to life, to be energised and renewed.

It is my heart crying out for newness,

for a lighter spirit, for a keener sense of hope in the future.

Spirit of God, who draws together bones of the desert and dryness of the heart,

come and take of my spirit all that has died in me.

Dream in me again.

Create of my brokenness a new and free heart.

Draw together life in me.

Let the dancing that's meant to be start its movement anew.

The grace of freedom, the gesture of rebirth, all of this awaits me.

I want to believe in my depths.

O God, I need a heart that is free from the dross of the past,

a heart that is fresh with enthusiasm and energy for the present as well as for the future.

A steadfast heart is what I want to claim,

a heart that does not waver about the truth or fall short when it comes to loving well.

Do not allow the events of the past to dominate my memory

or chain my heart to negative feelings.

Move me beyond this, God of new hearts.

Fill my entire being with a fresh freedom

so that I will walk the journey as well as possible.

Create in me a vibrant spirit, one that carries hope,

one that believes in peace.

Take this heart of mine and fill it with your goodness.

Amen.

​

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INNER HEALING​

God of love, you are the shepherd and I am one of your flock.

The words of Ezekiel speak to me of your comforting presence and the truth of your care.

I bear so much hurt inside from what has happened to me.

My inner world has been one of anxiety and distress.

In Ezekiel you promise never to let me out of your sight, to look after me and to keep me from harm.

You assure me that you will rescue me when I am scattered,

that you will draw me close

when I lose my way in the mist and the darkness created in my wounds.

The pain of my hurts keeps me in a foreign land

where I do not feel at home with myself or others.

Help me to believe that you will lead me into a future rich with growth and peace.

Show me where to rest,

how to lay down my burdens and what to do in order to be healed.

Loving shepherd, I need to find a source of new life.

Come, bandage my wounds

and grant to this weak one

a profound and deep strength to go on.

Amen.

​

DO NOT DELAY    

Come, my Lord, down from above,

Come, my Lord, surround me with love.

Come, my Lord, enter my heart,

Come, my Lord, never depart.

Come, my Lord, my light, my way,

Come, my Lord, do not delay.

Come, my Lord, Prince of peace,

Come, my Lord, give me release.

Come, my Lord, free me from sorrow,

Come, my Lord, today and tomorrow.

Come, my Lord, shield me from strife,

Come, my Lord, protect me in life.

Come, my Lord, my dearest friend,

Come, my Lord, abide to life's end.

Come, my Lord, with each breath,

Come, my Lord, save me from death.

Come, Lord.

Come down.

Come among us.

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LET THE MUSIC START    

Saviour, Master, let the music start

In the very depths of my heart.

Saviour, Master, let the music flow,

Until my whole life is truly aglow.

Saviour, Master, let my life vibrate

In your presence, let it celebrate.

Saviour, Master, let my whole being sing

Praise to you, Redeemer, Almighty King.

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COME RENEW US    

Come, Lord, come to us.

Enter our darkness with your light,

Fill our emptiness with your presence,

Come refresh, restore, renew us.

In our sadness, come as joy,

In our troubles, come as peace,

In our fearfulness, come as hope.

In our darkness, come as light,

In our frailty, come as strength, 

In our loneliness come as love,

Come refresh, restore, renew us.

​

When you see the face of anger

look behind it

and you will see the face of pride.

Bring anger and pride

under your feet,

turn them into a ladder

and climb higher.

There is no peace until you become

their master.

Let go of anger, it may taste sweet

but it kills.

Don't become its victim

you need humility to climb to freedom.

​

Let us fall in love again

and scatter gold dust all over the world.

Let us become a new spring

and feel the breeze drift in the heavens' scent.

Let us dress the earth in green, 

and like the sap of a young tree

let the grace from within sustain us.

Let us carve gems out of our stony hearts

and let them light our path to Love.

The glance of Love is crystal clear

and we are blessed by its light.

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BLESSING FOR PENTECOST   

May the enthusiasm of Spirit leap incessantly within you

and help you to live a vibrant life.

​

May the warmth of Spirit's fire be extended through your concerns

and care for all those who need your love.

​

May the blaze of Spirit's courage enable you to speak the truth

and to stand up for respect, dignity, and justice.

​

May the undying embers of Spirit's faithfulness support you

when you feel spiritually dry and empty.

​

May the strength of Spirit's love sustain your hope

as you enter into the pain of our world.

​

May the clear light of Spirit's guidance be a source of effective discernment

and decision-making for you.

​

May the Spirit's patient endurance be yours

while you wait for what is unknown to be revealed.

​

May the steady flame of Spirit's goodness within you

convince you every day of the power of your presence with others.

​

May the joyful fire of Spirit dance within you

and set happiness ablaze in your life.

​

May the spark of your relationship with the Spirit catch afire

in the hearts of those with whom you live and work.

​

May you be mindful of the Eternal Flame within you.

May you rely on this Source of Love to be your constant ally and steady guide.

Amen.

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​PRAYER FOR STUDENTS FACING EXAMINATIONS

Father,

Be with me as I take this exam.

Keep my mind alert and my memory sharp.

Calm my nerves and help me concentrate.

I know that you walk with me,

Guiding my path and inspiring my heart.

I pray that I would feel you with me,

And that your friendship would soften the pressure I feel.

I pray that I would pass this exam and go on to new things with you.

Thank you for your peace and your love in my life.

Thank you for your kindness and care for me.

Amen.

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PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO ARE FACING DIFFICULT EXAMINATIONS    

Lord I am worried and tense as I think about my forthcoming exams.

I feel the tension rising in my heart and at times I am afraid.

I ask you to send down upon me the power of your Holy Spirit

to ease my worry,

to fill my heart with courage

and to give me the great gift of your wisdom.

Lord you know the path that lies ahead and how important my exams are for me.

Take away all fear and stress,

give me confidence and strength as I enter the place of examination.

Let there be no panic, but a deep trust in you and in my ability to succeed.

Help me to do myself justice for the work and effort I have put in to date

and may all my hard work bear fruit in plenty later on.

Spirit of calm, Spirit of peace, Spirt of confidence, Spirit of courage

come into my heart today and powerfully guide me as I sit and write.

Remove all fear from me and fill my heart to overflowing

with your understanding and love.

Amen.

DELIVER ME

Lord, deliver me;

Deliver my eyes from tears and my feet from falling.

Deliver me from deep darkness,

From eternal night.

Deliver me from evil,

From all that would harm.

Deliver me from anxiety,

My mind from despair.

Deliver me from isolation,

My heart from loneliness.

Deliver me from fearfulness,

And keep me from wastefulness. 

Deliver me from all that would disturb,

And enfold me in you peace.

Come, Lord, surround me with your light,

Keep me under your protecting love.

Strengthen me with your gracious power,

My strong deliverer and my Saviour.

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SAVIOUR OF THE SINFUL 

Saviour of the sinful,

Need of the needy,

Help of the helpless,

Hope of the hopeless,

Strength of the weak,

Healer of the sick,

Love of the loveless,

Come, O Christ.

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LENTEN REFLECTION

​

Lord,

Take my small offering of self-denial this Lent, 

as a sign of my great longing for you.

​

Lord I hunger for your presence in my life,

and I thirst for your love.

I hunger for justice for those who are wrong and oppressed,

and I thirst for your peace.

I hunger for a glimpse of your glory,

and I thirst for your stillness in my heart.

God of giving, God of longing,

God of pain, I hunger for you

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SPIRIT OF GOD     

Holy and Mighty One,

Holy and Strong One:

May the power of your Spirit

Enable us.

May the brooding of your Spirit

Awaken us.

May the fire of your Spirit

Enflame us.

May the wind of your Spirit

Move us.

May the wisdom of your Spirit

Inspire us.

May the breath of your Spirit

Enliven us.

May the gifts of your Spirit

Equip us.

May the presence of your Spirit

Be ever with us.

Holy and Mighty One, 

Holy and Strong One.

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LENTEN PSALM OF HEALING 

I thank you, God,

for the warming of the winds

that brings a melting of the snow,

for daylight hours that daily grow longer

and richer in the aroma of hope.

Spring lingers beneath the horizon

as approaching echoes of Easter

ring in my ears.

I lift up my heart to you, Beloved,

in this season of Lent

that gently sweeps across

my sluggish and sleeping heart,

awakening me

to a deeper love for you.

May the wind of the Spirit

that drove Jesus into the desert,

into the furnace of prayer,

also drive me with a passion

during this Lenten season

to enkindle the fire of my devotion

in the desert of Lenten love.

Birds above, on migratory wings,

signal me to an inner migration,

a message that draws me homeward bound

on Spirit's wings

to the heart of my Beloved.

May I earnestly use this Lenten season 

to answer the inner urge

to return.

Amen.

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LEAD ME LORD 

Jesus, Rest for the Weary,

the heaviness of my burden

overwhelms me.

The immensity of this situation

presses down upon me.

The weight of the pain I carry

crushes my hopeful vision of life.

I long for an easing of my distress.

Let me hear gain

Your promising words of comfort.

Speak them to my heart:

"Come to me, all you who are weary,

and carrying heavy burdens,

and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28).

I lean my burdened life

on the bosom of your love

and wait to be consoled.

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HEAVY BURDENS 

Jesus, Rest for the Weary,

the heaviness of my burden

overwhelms me.

The immensity of this situation

presses down upon me.

The weight of the pain I carry

crushes my hopeful vision of life.

I long for an easing of my distress.

​

Let me hear gain

Your promising words of comfort.

Speak them to my heart:

"Come to me, all you who are weary,

and carrying heavy burdens,

and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28).

I lean my burdened life

on the bosom of your love

and wait to be consoled.

​

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BLESSING OF ACCEPTANCE    

May the grace of acceptance

well up within you;

may it trickle into your pockets of resistance;

may it water desert areas,

and wash away barriers.

May it fill your being

with a wholehearted 'yes' to your illness,

and to whatever the future holds.

May the blessing of acceptance 

be yours and yours in abundance.

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BLESSING OF FORGIVENESS     

May the God of forgiveness bless you

and bless you kindly.

May the forgiveness you offer yourself

be gentle and wholesome.

May the forgiveness you offer another

be generous and wholehearted.

May the forgiveness you offer yourself be lavish.

May the forgiveness you offer another be prodigal,

May all whom you may have harmed

touch you kindly with forgiveness,

and may you know the peace of true forgiveness.

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BLESSING OF JOY    

May all the sings sing in me.

May all that dances dance in me.

May all that delights delight in me.

May all that laughs laugh in me.

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EMBRACING HOPE     

Loving Gardener of Life,

turn my time of sorrow

toward a season of hope.

I long to return to joy.

I yearn to be free from sadness.

May the eyes of my faith 

look beyond my loss

and see the promise of spring 

that follows every winter.

Never-Ending Source of Hope,

may the power of the Resurrection

assure me of future happiness.

I hold out my downcast spirit to you

and offer you my trusting heart.

I await the healing I need,

confident that your grace

will restore my inner peace.

​

​

ONE WHO IS LONELY​

Eternal Presence,

you are with me on my journey.

You know the loneliness

that wraps around my heart

and leaves a void of sadness.

Comfort me on my dreary days

when emptiness is all I know.

Do not let me succumb 

to isolated self-pity.

Let me experience your presence.

Fill my downcast spirit 

with your joy.

Keep me close to your abiding love.

with every step I take.

​

​A PRAYER FOR PATIENCE

God, teach me to be patient -

Teach me to go slow - 

Teach me how to "wait on You"

When my way I do not know. . .

Teach me forbearance

When things do not go right

So I remain unruffled

When others grow "uptight". . .

Teach me how to quiet

My racing, rising heart

So I may hear the answer

You are trying to impart. . .

Teach me to let go, dear God,

And pray undisturbed until

My heart is filled with inner peace

And I learn to know Your will!

​

​A PRAYER FOR HEALING

Lord, I come now before you in the weakness

that has overcome me, with the feeling that I

cannot share and try to hide, with the emptiness

that sometimes grips me, and with the physical 

and mental pain that so often preoccupies me,

but I also come in faith and trust, in humility and

reverence, and I ask to be relieved and healed.

You took human weakness on yourself when you

lived, suffered and died for our sake. By rising

from the dead, you manifested your victory over

all human weakness, over all the negatives that

tend to break us, and over death itself. Because 

of that our trust in you is deepened. You can

overcome the negative feelings we experience.

Now I present myself to you, knowing that you

love me just as I am, but knowing also that your

will is my happiness and that you can bring this 

about in ways that I will not be able to

understand.

Help me this day not to be undermined by

illness, by pain, or by the problems that beset me.

I ask this, not just for myself but for the sake of

all those lives I touch.

Amen. 

​

ST. TERESA OF AVILA'S BOOKMARK    

Let nothing disturb you

Let nothing frighten you

All things pass away

God never changes

Patience obtains all things

Those who have God

find they lack nothing.

God alone suffices.

Amen.

LEAD ME LORD, GO AHEAD OF ME 

I am in trouble; Lord, hear me.

I am distressed in body and mind.

Listen to me, Lord of lords,

Hear my heartfelt cry, my prayer from the depths.

In my desperation I call upon you for survival.

In my great trouble I turn to you, God Almighty.

Lead me, Lord, go ahead of me.

Drive away my fears and my enemy.

Lord, make my way smooth and straight,

Until I recover my strength and my confidence.

Give me joy this day for my journeying.

Lord, let all who call upon you and find you.

Be to all a mighty strength and shield.

Forgive us our sinfulness and wandering.

We have left your way for confusion and darkness.

We have turned from your path and into trouble.

We have brought upon ourselves pain and distress.

Our wounds are self-inflicted, 

For you would not hurt us.

Lord, hear our cry, forgive our sins, 

Cleanse and restore us.

Holy God, listen to our plea,

And be our leader and guide.

Amen

I AM UNSURE  

Lord, I am unsure:

The future is all unknown.

I do not know what to do,

Or what lies before me.

Let me know who is there.

Let me know you are here.

I do not know what will happen:

I cannot predict my path,

I often walk in the darkness,

I cannot see what is ahead.

Let me know who is there.

Let me know you are here.

I do not know where I shall go:

I am unsure of the road.

I do not know much of tomorrow,

Yet I know you and your love.

I know you will meet me there.

I am uncertain of the way:

I do not know where I am to travel,

I am so able to get lost.

Yet you are there as my guide.

I know you will meet me there.

I do not know how life will treat me:

I do not know if friends will leave me,

Or if health and strength will fail me.

Yet I can depend on you and your love.

I know you will meet me there.

​

HELP ME TO COPE     

Open my eyes, that I sleep not in death,

Inspire me by your Spirit with every breath.

Touch my heart with the fire of your love,

Let my whole life burn with fire from above.

Guide my feet in your straight and narrow way,

Strengthen my will, that I do not stray.

I need you, Lord, I need your great might,

I need your protection by day and by night.

Here is my heart, here is my hope,

Lord, never depart, help me to cope.

Here is my mind, here is my will,

Lord, peaceful and kind, help me be still.

​

​

​

THE SHINING WORD "AND"    

"And" teaches us to say yes

"And'' allows us to be both - and

''And'' keeps us from either - or

''And'' teaches us to be patient and long-suffering

''And'' is willing to wait for insight and integration

''And'' does not divide the field of the moment

''And'' helps us to live in the always imperfect now

''And'' keeps us inclusive and compassionate toward everything

''And'' demands that our contemplation become active

"And" insists that our action is also contemplative

"And" keeps us from the false choice of liberal or conservative

"And" allows us to critique both sides of things

"And'' allows us to enjoy both sides of things

"And" is far beyond any one nation or political party

"And" helps us face and accept our own dark side

"And'' allow us to ask for forgiveness and to apologise

"And" is the mystery of paradox in all things

"And" is the way of mercy

"And'' makes daily, practical love possible

"And" does not trust love if it is not also justice

"And" does not trust justice if it is not also love

"And" is far beyond my religion versus your religion

"And" allows us to be both distinct and yet united

"And'' is the very Mystery of Trinity

​

​

​

​

FOR SELF-FORGIVENESS     

Today I am overcome with a sense of failure.

I am painfully aware of dreams not fulfilled,

of ambitions not realised, of work left unfinished,

of people not cared for, of bridges not mended,

of promises not kept.

I feel that I have wasted the days of my years.

Awaken within me an acceptance of myself as I am.

Quieten the voice of excessive self criticism within me.

Awaken in me a forgiveness that is unconditional.

Lead me to the conviction that:

in you all is forgiven, 

in you all is understood and accepted, 

in you the prodigal is welcomed home.

​

​

​

​

ADVENT PEACE PSALM     

O Prince of Peace,

whose Advent we seek in our lives,

come this day and show us

how to beat our swords into ploughshares,

tools of life instead of instruments of fear.

May your love strip us

of all weapons and strategies of conquest

which are not the tools of lovers,

wise ones and God's children.

Let us not lust for power

but rather strive for the insight

to be guided on the Way of Peace.

Let us not yearn for a victory

that requires a sister's sorrow

or a brother's shameful defeat.

Let us be Advent adventurers and peacemakers,

hammering swords into shovels,

filling holes and levelling peaks.

Let us be disarmed and vulnerable,

for only through such open hands and hearts

can Emmanuel come.

​

​

A BLESSING OF ANGELS    

May the Angels in their beauty bless you.

May they turn towards you streams of blessing.

May the Angel of Awakening stir your heart

To come alive to the eternal within you,

To all the invitations that quietly surround you.

May the Angel of Healing turn your wounds

Into sources of refreshment.

May the Angel of the Imagination enable you

To stand on the true thresholds;

At ease with your ambivalence

And drawn in new directions

Through the glow of your contradictions.

May the Angel of Compassion open your eyes

To the unseen suffering around you.

May the Angel of Wildness disturb the places

Where your life is domesticated and safe,

Take you to the territories of true otherness

Where all that is awkward in you

Can fall into its own rhythm.

​

​

​

PSALM FOR PRAYING     

May the spirit of the Lord rest upon us,

may the call of God sustain us,

as we seek to be God's people,

transformed by the Gospel, 

announcing good news to the poor,

proclaiming freedom for those in prisons

of wealth, poverty, disease and disorder,

committed to making a difference

to the world's kingdoms

for the sake of Christ's Kingdom.

May we deploy our resources as the Spirit guides,

not shirk difficult decisions about the priority of mission,

pledge ourselves anew to work with all our fellow Christians

and use the gifts of all God's people

so that all may be filled

with the Spirit of healing, justice and peace.

Amen.

​

WALKING WITH SOMEONE WHO MOURNS     

Holy Shelter,

I walk with one who grieves.

Help me to be patient

with their journey of loss.

Let me not rush or push

the process of healing.

Grant me the gift of insight

to know when to speak

and when to be silent.

May my words of advice be few

and my loving presence ample.

May my heart reflect

the fullness of your compassion.

Heart of Consolation,

ease the sorrow.

Relieve the aching spirit.

Bring your soothing solace

and comfort them.

​

A PRAYER FOR OTHERS​

Through the open door of your divine heart

may blessings pour forth in great abundance to those I love.

I pray for those who are prisoners of fear or hate

and for the intentions of all peoples of this planet,

in particular this night for:___________.

May those who find it impossible to pray,

who are burdened with cares

or lost in the desert of loneliness,

be touched by your gentle healing

and find peace today and always.

​

​

EMBRACING HOPE 

​  

Loving Gardener of Life,

turn my time of sorrow

toward a season of hope.

I long to return to joy.

I yearn to be free from sadness.

May the eyes of my faith

look beyond my loss

and see the promise of spring

that follows every winter.

Never-Ending Source of Hope,

may the power of the Resurrection

assure me of future happiness.

I hold out my downcast spirit to you 

and offer you my trusting heart.

I await the healing I need,

confident that your grace

will restore my inner peace.

​

OPEN MY EYES 

​  

God open my eyes so I may see

And feel your presence close to me...

Give me strength for my stumbling feet

As I battle the crowd on life's busy street,

And widen the vision of my unseeing eyes

So in passing faces I'll recognise 

Not just a stranger, unloved and unknown,

But a friend with a heart

that is much like my own...

Give me perception to make me aware

That scattered profusely on life's thoroughfare

Are the best gifts of God 

that we daily pass by

As we look at the world with an unseeing eye.

​

WALKING WITH SOMEONE WHO SUFFERS     

Attentive and caring God,

you hear the cries of those in pain.

There are people everywhere who walk

a path filled with suffering and sorrow.

I have the privilege and challenge

of journeying with ____________.

It pains me to be unable to take away the hurt.

It saddens me to be unable to alleviate his/her burdens.

Help me not to be afraid to be there with the pain.

Let me not run from what distresses and disturbs me

when this suffering invades my peace and happiness.

I want to be generous with my attention and my care.

May your spirit guide me so that I will make good choices

about how much I can be and do for ____________.

Do not allow me to become so engulfed with the suffering

that I lose my balance and my ability to be with his/her pain.

Bless all who walk with someone who suffers.

​

 ENCOUNTERING DEPRESSION 

Giver of Life,

I am in the wasteland of depression.

I cry out to you, Source of Solace,

as I meet this empty void within me.

Sustain me as I try to exist

in this day-to-day dying

of my energy and vitality.

Wrap your arms around me.

Carry me through this bleak journey.

Help me to stay open to your love.

I rely on you. I lean on you.

I trust you to hold me close

as I stumble on this joyless path.

​

COMPASSION FOR SELF   

​

Unwavering Love,

when I am going through troubled times,

help me to attend to my own spirit.

I need to believe that my heartaches

are also worthy of a compassionate gaze.

Teach me how to offer kindness

to the part of me that hurts.

With your grace I can overcome

any obstacles that keep me

from being attentive to my own needs.

Remembering your great love for me,

I turn toward myself with understanding

and reach out with tenderness

as I lovingly embrace my hurting self.

​

MEETING MY OWN PAIN    

Tender and loving God,

I know that you are with me.

Take my hand and stretch it

toward that which brings me hurt.

Lead me into my sufferings

and help me to be healed.

Together let us touch my woundedness.

Together let us meet my pain.

Teach me how to enter my suffering in a way

that brings me greater wisdom and growth.

Gift me with determination not to turn away.

Help me to meet myself with kindness and mercy.

Tender and loving God,

together let us walk the road to my healing.

​

FOR SUFFERING

May you be blessed in the holy names of those

Who, without you knowing it,

Help to carry and lighten your pain.

May you know serenity

When you are called

To enter the house of suffering.

May a window of light always surprise you.

May you be granted the wisdom

To avoid false resistance;

When suffering knocks on the door of your life,

May you glimpse its eventual gifts.

May you be able to receive the fruits of suffering.

May memory bless and protect you

With the hard-earned light of past travail;

To remind you that you have survived before

And though the darkness now is deep,

You will soon see approaching light.

May the grace of time heal your wounds.

May you know that though the storm might rage,

Not a hair of your head will be harmed.

​

​

REFLECTION    

The disciples were sitting on

a bank of a river.

"If I fall off this bank will

I drown?" one of them asked.

"No," said the Master. "It isn't

falling in that causes you to 

drown; it's staying in."

​

I ARISE IN THE NEW YEAR    

I arise with amazement at the presence of the Holy One.

I arise with gratitude for life.

I arise with hope that all shall be well.

I arise with courage to meet what will be difficult.

I arise with conviction to do what is life-giving.

I arise with eyes ever alert for beauty.

I arise with openness to greater truth.

I arise with desire for continued transformation.

I arise with compassion for the hurting ones in the cosmos.

I arise with grief still settled in my spirit.

I arise with a sense of kinship with all whom I love.

I arise with determination to make good choices in using my time.

I arise with willingness to help those who will need my care.

I arise with hesitation as I think about the pain that may come.

I arise with longing for ever greater inner freedom.

I arise with happiness, knowing that I am invited to live life more fully.

I arise with love for the Holy One, my Intimate Companion.

Compassionate God and faithful Friend,

thank you for the opportunity to walk into another year of life.

Help me to be faithful, to be generous, to be yours.

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.

AN OLD HEBREW PRAYER

​

Birth is a beginning

And death a destination

And life a journey:

From childhood to maturity

And youth to age;

From innocence to awareness

And ignorance to knowing;

From foolishness to discretion and then,

Perhaps to Wisdom:

From weakness to strength

Or strength to weakness - and back, we pray.

To health again;

From offence to forgiveness,

From loneliness to love,

From joy to gratitude

From pain to compassion,

And grief to understanding - from fear to faith;

From defeat to defeat to defeat -

Until, looking backwards or ahead,

We see that victory lies

Not at some high place along the way,

But in having made the journey, stage by stage.

HOLY SPIRIT RENEW US