Thursday, June 30, 2022

Prayers for COVID-19 period

https://sydneyanglicans.net/covid19prayers

For the nations, our leaders and health workers.

Our heavenly Father, we come before you with contrite hearts, yearning for your comfort and your grace. In the midst of COVID-19 spreading across the globe, we ask in your mercy that you would stop this plague and restore harmony and health to the nations, and especially Australia.

We thank you for all those who have dedicated their lives to serving our community, for health workers, doctors, nurses, paramedics, and especially those who labour In laboratories seeking a vaccine for the Coronavirus. Give them wisdom, skill and patience in their work, and by your grace, give them success in their endeavours.

We also pray for those who govern us, for our Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers, for their courageous leadership and national cooperation across States and Territories. Grant them wisdom in their decisions as they navigate the threats to lives and livelihoods. We also pray for our police force, our emergency services and defence force personnel as they seek to maintain order in our country. May all Australians respect their work, accept the limitations on our freedoms and seek the welfare of others, for the good of all.

And we pray for ourselves and our families, especially those who have lost loved ones to this disease, or those suffering from its effects. May we know the peace that passes understanding, as we place our trust in Jesus, in whose powerful name we pray.
Amen.

For Wisdom and calm

Sovereign Lord, you are the hope and healer of your people and have promised a world where there is no more sickness or crying or death.  

By your death and resurrection you have set your people free from the penalty of sin and death.  

We pray your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Please prosper the work of those who are seeking a vaccine for the coronavirus, please strengthen those who are treating the sick, please comfort those who are mourning the loss of loved ones or living in fear of this disease.  

Please give to governing authorities wisdom in their management of this crisis, and give to your people your peace beyond understanding, generous and wise hearts and a renewed trust in your sovereign goodness and glory.  

Turn the hearts of many now experiencing fear and anxiety that they they may find that peace which is the fruit of the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray, Amen.

On God's Sovereignty

Heavenly Father, I praise you as the sovereign Lord of the universe. I praise you that, to you, the nations of the world are like a drop in a bucket and like the dust on the scales. I am so thankful to know that you own the cattle on a thousand hills, and that nothing is too hard for you. I thank you that you care for me—that you number even the hairs of my head, and that all the days ordained for me were written in your book before any of them happened.

I thank you that you can be trusted. And I do trust you.

Help me to trust you more.

Thank you that the coronavirus, and all the frightening circumstances popping up around it, are not frightening to you. Thank you that you know everything there is to know about this virus.

Thank you for this desperately needed reminder that we need you. Lord, I confess that I spend so much time thinking and acting as if I were self-sufficient. Forgive me. Help me to remember that I depend on you for everything I need, whether I feel healthy or sick, whether the global economy is healthy or sick. Use this time to teach me to trust you more during good times and bad.

Father, please pour out your common grace on our world to halt this virus in its tracks. All things are possible for you, Father. And so I ask for healing for a sick world.

Please heal those who are already ill. Please protect the elderly and others who are especially vulnerable to this virus. Please intervene to slow the spread of this virus in countries all over the globe.

Please give wisdom, insight and knowledge to scientists and researchers as they search for the most effective treatments and for a vaccine. Please provide for a vaccine to be quickly discovered, tested, developed, and made available.

Please give wisdom to all rulers and officials who are making vital decisions and who are under such enormous pressure. Guide their hand so they make decisions based on both truth and love. Please withhold power and influence from anyone who would use this time for selfish gain of any kind.

Please be with church leaders making big decisions that will affect so many of your people and their fellowship together. Please give them wisdom on how to best listen to governing authorities and to respect the directions that are given, while still caring for one another and prioritizing the need to encourage one another as we see the day of Christ drawing near.

Wherever regular gatherings are interrupted, please provide ways for your people to stay connected to one another, and please strengthen us to care for one another in creative and genuine ways. Please be especially gracious to those who are already lonely and who may feel particularly isolated during the weeks ahead.

Loving heavenly Father, at a time of great need, please pour out your saving grace on our world and bring people into your kingdom in an extraordinary way.

Please use this virus, and all the circumstances surrounding it, to bring people to their knees. Turn people’s hearts and minds back to you in repentance and faith. Enable us all to see that, for too long, we’ve based on our life on shifting sand. Bring people all over the world – whether for the first time, or in a fresh way – to turn to the Lord Jesus as their Rock, and to put their hope and trust in him.

Thank you that, no matter where we have wandered or how long we’ve run from you, you are always ready to welcome us back through Jesus and what he’s done for us.

Please help me to be strong and courageous, not afraid or discouraged, because you are near. Help me not to be anxious, but to present all my requests to you in prayer. As I do that, may your peace guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

At a time where it feels like the whole world is changing, I praise you, Father – for you never change. I praise you, Lord Jesus, for you are the same yesterday, today and forever.

A global prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, 
You are the God of all compassion and comfort. We thank you that you listen to our prayers. We pray today for our world, our nation, our city and our church as the Coronavirus spreads. 
Please bring help to all our communities according to their needs. Heal those afflicted and strengthen all who have the responsibility for care. In your mercy, please provide a cure and give wisdom to those seeking to develop a vaccine for this condition. 
We pray, too, for ourselves. Enable us to walk by faith. Help us to be careful and wise in taking whatever precautions are necessary to limit and contain the spread of this virus. Strengthen us to remain calm while vigilant; responsible citizens seeking the welfare of others above ourselves. 
At times of uncertainty and anxiety, help our world to look to security in your Son, Jesus Christ. And give courage to Christians as we point others to the One in whom there is always hope. 
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

For Governing Authorities

Lord of heaven and earth. Give wisdom to all those in authority in every land. We pray especially for Queen Elizabeth and Our Prime Minister Scott Morrison. We pray for Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Lord Mayor Clover Moore. Give them wisdom and wise counsel, that they may lead our communities to respond to this crisis with calm and generosity. Assist them to govern for the good of all.

Enable our leaders to properly resource and support Police, Ambulance, and Fire services in such a way that our communities maintain peace and safety.

For God's People

Lord God, we give thanks that you are always attentive to the prayers of your people. We pray for your people throughout the world, and for those here in Sydney. Strengthen us for our witness and work in the world. Assist your people to boldly confess our trust in Jesus, and speak of your grace and glory to our anxious and fearful world.

For Health Care Services

Lord God, please prosper the work of those who are seeking a vaccine for the coronavirus. Strengthen those who are treating the sick, and comfort those who are mourning the loss of loved ones or living in fear of disease. Protect health care workers from both infection, and the anxious frustrations of the patients they are treating.

For Our City and Wider Community

We commend to your keeping, Father, ourselves and each other; our families and our neighbours; our friends and all the people of this city. By your Spirit enable us to live in love for you and for one another.

Help us to lay aside our own concerns. Focus our attention and care upon all who are most vulnerable and isolated among us. May we first pursue the good of those who are most anxious, fearful, sick, and the lonely. May we mirror to others, the Fatherly attention and care you daily show us.

For Future Hope

Sovereign Lord, you alone are the hope and healer of your people. You have promised us the hope of a world where there will be no more sorrow, sickness, or dying. Comfort and heal, merciful Lord, all who are in sorrow, need, sickness, or any other trouble.

By Jesus death and resurrection you have set your people free from both the penalty of sin and the fear of death. Give us a firm trust in your goodness, and bring us into the joy of the bodily resurrection, and the fulfilment of all your precious promises. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

For God's mercy and care

Dear Loving Father

You are the loving God of all the nations and peoples on this earth.  Please look with mercy and compassion on all you have created. This day we ask for your help. Please deliver us from the coronavirus and limit its impact on Australia and the world. In your mercy bring a swift end to this crisis.Please protect with your loving care those we love- our families, friends and neighbours. Let your fatherly hand guide, shelter and strengthen them.Cast out all anxious fears and doubts.

Give us an increasing trust in you and fill our hearts and minds with your peace. We pray for those around the world now struggling with COVID-19. Heal and comfort those who are sick and suffering. Protect and guide the health professionals who are at the front line.Please give wisdom and courage to those who bear responsibility for confronting this challenge. We ask these things through the powerful name of Jesus, Amen

A prayer for Australia in a time of pandemic

Great God and Heavenly Father,
Please come powerfully to our nation in these dark and difficult days.
Please slow the spread of this virus throughout our land, and please protect the vulnerable from its deadly touch. Please lay your healing hands upon those who are now infected—please restore them to health and strength.
Please comfort the families of those who have died from this disease. Please fill their hearts with your presence and gather around them friends, family and neighbours who will comfort and support in their time of loss.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the gift of modern medicine, and thank you for the passion and dedication of medical staff everywhere.  Please give each one of them your wisdom in every decision they make; please protect and sustain them, and give them the strength, energy and courage they need to carry on.
Please guide the minds of our leaders in the decisions they make that will affect all our lives. Please lead them to act wisely, carefully and in the best interests of all Australians. Please shine your light on the path ahead.
Please draw close to the anxious hearts and troubled minds of those who now face great financial stress; please protect them and their families from long term economic damage and guide them day by day and step by step through this crisis.
Please give each one of us the calmness and wisdom we need to carry us, together, through the days, weeks and months ahead.
Please plant into the heart of every Australian the spirit to love our neighbours as ourselves, to follow in the footsteps of Jesus in caring for those around us—friends and strangers alike—as you draw our community together in love.
Please, loving Heavenly Father, draw especially close to those who are alone or troubled at this difficult time. Calm their troubled hearts, and move their friends, family and acquaintances to call them to encourage and support them. 
Thank you, Heavenly Father, that you understand our suffering for you too have suffered—you have seen your beloved Son suffer rejection, humiliation and death on the cross to rescue us from the powers of darkness.
Please bring great good out of this great evil; please remind each of us that we do not need to make the journey of life on our own, in our own strength, but that you are here, as close to us as our own breath, to fill our hearts with your love, surround us with your powerful protective arms and guide us in your path.
And we ask all these things for this country, and these people, we love in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

For our schools, teachers and students

Heavenly Father,

You are worthy of all praise as the one who created all things, sustains all things and is moving all things towards the glorious conclusion you have planned for them. We thank you especially for sending your Son, that through him we have forgiveness and life and hope. Thank you for your wonderful plan of redemption and for fellowship we now have with you through your Son and in your Spirit.

Father, our world is broken and we are more aware of that than ever as a result of this COVID pandemic. We long for that day when every tear will be wiped away, when death will be no more, and there will be no more grief or pain. But we know we are not there yet and we pray that you might enable us to live as your light in the midst of this darkness, testifying to your continued goodness and the hope that has been secured for all your people through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

We pray that you might sustain us in all that you have given us to do in this moment. Especially we pray for those involved in education and training. As our schools seek to continue their important work in stressful and difficult circumstances, would you please keep teachers and students safe, and help them to care for each other. We pray for those who are  facing critical points in their education, particularly those preparing for their final exams and assessments towards the HSC, and ask for a diligence in study that is surrounded at every point by a calm confidence in you and your provision.

We pray for those training for Christian ministry in this context. Please enable them to grow in faith and love and in the knowledge of your word. May they be shaped by you in ways which will prepare them well for what lies ahead on the other side of this pandemic. Would you pour out your Spirit and enable a new season of evangelism, Christian growth and healthy church life to emerge in the months ahead.

Father, all our hope is in you. We trust your promises and look forward to the day to come when the Lord Jesus will return to bring all your purposes to their fulfilment.

It is in his name that we pray. Amen




 

https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/coronavirus-prayers


Prayers During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Prayers for those with the Coronavirus, those who care for them, and those who are suffering from anxiety during this stressful time.

Prayers

See Also

Click to Submit a Prayer

We Asked

Before I begin, I would like to offer a brief prayer of thanksgiving that I have relied upon heavily, especially throughout the past year as we have suffered as a community, and as a nation, and as a world, in so many ways:

Loving Creator,

We asked for strength, and you gave us difficulties to make us strong.

We asked for wisdom, and you gave us problems to solve.

We asked for prosperity, and you gave us purpose and brains to use.

We asked for courage, and you gave us fears to overcome.

We asked for patience, and you gave us situations where we were forced to wait.

We asked for love, and you gave us troubled people to help.

We asked for justice, and you called us to be just and lead with integrity.

Lord, we have received nothing that we asked for or wanted.

And yet, we receive everything that we needed.

For this we give thanks.

- By Colleen Hanycz, PhD incoming President at Xavier University


My Mask

Holy God, you see me and you hear me.

Through my mask, you see if I smile or if I scowl.

Through my mask, you hear me if I whisper a brief prayer or mutter a muffled curse.

My friends don’t see or hear or know; nor do my family; nor my colleagues.

But you do.

This mask takes away power – the power of clear communication but also the possibility to infect. But it also grants a freedom to be with.

My smiles, my thoughts, my mumbles, though – these I know, but they are a greater mystery to others now.

But not to you, Lord. You see past my mask, you hear through it, you know.

But your mask, Lord, what about your mask? Who can see through your mask? Hear through it?

I cannot.

I cannot see if you smile or if you scowl.

I cannot hear if you whisper an answer to my prayer or brush off my curse.

I cannot sense if you are pleased with me or if you are waiting for me to do much better.

Can we all take off our masks, Lord? Put them away?

When the disease that moves us to mask our faces for safety fades away, will our eyes and our ears be stronger, better able to see and to hear the smiles and the frowns, the cries and the whispers of those who fill our lives? Who make our lives worth living?

Will we see, Lord, that what we think of as your mask is really also our own, our inability to find you in the rush of our lives, our failure to see you in all the wonders you show us, our incapacity to hear your gentle voice in the tumult that surrounds us.

Can we know, Lord, that we put on many masks so we can cope, avoid, pretend, be acceptable? (What scar did the Phantom’s mask hide? “Who was that masked man?”)

Help us, Lord, to move beyond our masks. You are here for us to see and to hear. Help us. Let us take off our masks.

 - By Fr. Edward Schmidt S.J.

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Pandemic 2020

2020. The year that taught us to minimize. To improvise. To compromise.

2020. The year we monitored, not the stock market. But rather open time slots.

2020. The year we slowed down. We paused. We realized what we could do without. Our celebrations. Were muted. Understated. But no less joyous.

2020. The year we cried. We mourned. For the unnecessary deaths. For job losses. For social justice.

2020. The year injustices were even more pronounced. Economic disparity. Social disparity. Racial disparity. Age disparity. Immune system disparity.

We worried about the age. Alone and isolated. We worried about the youth. Could their young minds handle all that was being thrown at them?

And then we collected ourselves. We adjusted. We empathized. We sympathized. We stepped up. And stepped in where needed. We reached out.

2020 is behind us. And we step into 2021. With hopes and some trepidation.

As we transition through this time we pray:

One day at a time sweet Jesus.
That's all that I ask of you.
Lord help me today.
Show me the way.
One day at a time.

As we transition through these times, we keep our faith as Bhagwad Gita, the Hindu Holy Scripture written more than 2000 years ago, says:

'Dharmo Rakshito Rakshita'...those who keep their faith strong during trying times are blessed with their faith carrying them through these times.

 - Reflection by Aarti Jaisinghani
 - Offered by Rashmi Assudani

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Prayer for the Safety of Returning to School in a Pandemic

Father please hear us when we tell You of our concerns of sending our children and educators back to school. 

Know that we are striving to make all of the right decisions and need Your love and power to help us overcome any difficulties. 

Please watch over everyone as times and routines are about to change once again. 

We know that we can do anything through You, so please help us ensure health and semi-normalcy in the coming months.  

We give our hearts to You, now and forever.  Amen.

- Author unknown

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Strength for this Challenging Time

We pray for your love and compassion to abound
as we walk through this challenging season.

We ask for wisdom for those who bear the load
of making decisions with widespread consequences.

We pray for those who are suffering with sickness
and all who are caring for them.

We ask for protection for the elderly and vulnerable
to not succumb to the risks of the virus.

We pray for misinformation to be curbed
that fear may take no hold in hearts and minds. 

As we exercise the good sense that you in your mercy provide,
may we also approach each day in faith and peace,
trusting in the truth of your goodness towards us. 

- www.holyspiritewloe.com

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A Prayer in Response to

An Ignatian Examen on Working During The Pandemic

Lord,

I am thankful for good colleagues and the opportunity to collaborate with so many around me.
I am thankful for the opportunity learn and practice new things.
I am grateful for extra time with family, and for all the new ways I have found to connect with friends.
I am grateful for my health and for the health of my family.

Over the course of the last months,
I have felt your presence in the care and compassion of those working around and with me to find the best path forward for our community.
I have felt your presence in our continuous striving for better, striving to find solutions that serve the greatest number of people in the best way possible with the least risk of harm.
I have felt your presence on days when my work – at my workplace or at home – was not great, and I was humble or needed to make apologies.

I have been challenged and needed your guidance in thinking with a community-focus rather than an individual one, and I’ve been challenged in finding the right response on other occasions when I judge that others are falling into that same pit.
I have felt challenged by all the meals I’ve cooked and dishes I’ve washed. I have felt true joy in the quiet moments of fellowship and connection that only could have happened because of this common event.

I continue to welcome and be open to your presence in my life and in this work.
As I look ahead to the coming academic year,
I pray that we make sound decisions for our students, our faculty, our staff, that protect them and serve them well, and also serve the institution well.
I pray that we continue to be inclusive and broad in our thinking, that we continue to be imaginative and innovative, that we have the energy required to sustain us.
I pray that we continue to be intentional collaborators, guided by your spirit.

 - By Rebecca L. Cull

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 Retreat During a Time of Isolation

We Bring Your Love

Loving God,

Help us
to focus on what we have
not on what is removed or changed.

Strengthen us
when we feel discouraged
or overwhelmed.

Embrace us
so that us we know your loving presence
within us and among us.

Walk with us
as we bring your love,
and carry your light,
into our world.

Amen.

- Sandra Lucas, MDiv., BCC

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The Other Side of the Virus, An Opportunity to Awaken...

Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.

But,

They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
       You can hear the birds again.

They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
       The sky is no longer thick with fumes
       But blue and grey and clear.

They say that in the streets of Assisi
       People are singing to each other
       across the empty squares,
       keeping their windows open
       so that those who are alone
       may hear the sounds of family around them.

They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
      is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.

 Today a young woman I know
      is busy spreading fliers with her number
      through the neighborhood
      so that the elders may have someone to call on.

 Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
      are preparing to welcome
      and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary.

All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting.

All over the world people are looking at their neighbors in a new way.

All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
      To how big we really are.
      To how little control we really have.  
      To what really matters.
      To Love.

So we pray and we remember that

Yes there is fear.
     But there does not have to be hate.

Yes there is isolation.
   But there does not have to be loneliness.

Yes there is panic buying.
    But there does not have to be meanness.

Yes there is sickness.
    But there does not have to be disease of the soul

Yes there is even death.
     But there can always be a rebirth of love.

Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.

Today, breathe.

Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic-
     The birds are singing again
     The sky is clearing,
     Spring is coming,

     And we are always encompassed by Love.

Open the windows of your soul
          And though you may not be able
          to touch across the empty square,

          Sing.

- Written by Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM, March 13th 2020

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Covid Poem

When this is over,
may we never again
take for granted
A handshake with a stranger
Full shelves at the store
Conversations with neighbors
A crowded theatre
Friday night out
The taste of communion
A routine checkup
The school rush each morning
Coffee with a friend
The stadium roaring
Each deep breath
A boring Tuesday
Life itself.

When this ends,
may we find
that we have become
more like the people
we wanted to be
we were called to be
we hoped to be
and may we stay
that way--better
for each other
because of the worst.

- Laura Kelley Fanucci

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Litany of Solidarity and Hope During a Pandemic

For those who are sick.
For those with chronic illnesses and underlying health concerns.
For all those who are suffering.

For those who are lonely.
For those who have no one to check on them.
For families that are separated.

For those who are unemployed.
For those suffering financial hardships.
For those who face an uncertain future.

For those who are suffering from physical or emotional abuse.
For those who are disproportionately suffering because of societal structures and unjust policies.
For those who are struggling with physical or mental disabilities.
For those who are overwhelmed by anxiety and stress.

For those who are dying.
For those who have died while saving the lives of others.
For all who have lost their lives.

For those who have survived.
For those who have lost their spouses.
For children who have been orphaned.
For all those who mourn and those who comfort them.

For firefighters, police, and emergency medical workers.
For doctors, nurses, and all health care professionals.
For those who serve in the armed forces.

For public officials.
For business leaders.
For educators.
For innovators and inventors who provide new solutions.

For peace in our city and in our world.
For renewed friendships among neighbors.
For solidarity and unity among all peoples.
For a greater appreciation and love of all humanity.

For patience and perseverance.
For calm in the midst of fear.
For the grace to overcome adversity.

For the generosity of spirit.
For hope in times of despair.
For light in the darkness.

Gracious and Loving God,
You are our comforter and our hope.
Hear our prayers as we come before you.
Strengthen us in this time of need.
Inspire us to acts of solidarity and generosity
and give us hope of a brighter future.

- By Joseph P. Shadle

Litany with photos

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A Prayer for Our Uncertain Times

May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health and making their rent.

May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close remember those who have no options.

May we who have to cancel our trips remember those who have no safe place to go.

May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle in for a quarantine at home remember those who have no home.

As fear grips our country, let us choose love.

And during this time when we may not be able to physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.  Amen.

- Written by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II

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We'll Get Through This

I’m a garbageman, I can’t work from home and my job is an essential city service that must get done. It’s a tough job, from getting up pre-dawn to the physical toll it takes on my body, to the monotonous nature of the job, at times it’s hard to keep on going. 

Us garbagemen are gonna keep collecting the garbage, doctors and nurses are gonna keep doctoring and nurse-ering. It’s gonna be ok, we’re gonna make it be ok. I love my city. I love my country. I love my planet Earth. Be good to each other and we’ll get through this.

Right now though, right now I am feeling an extra sense of pride and purpose as I do my work. I see the people, my people, of my city, peeking out their windows at me. They’re scared, we’re scared. Scared but resilient.

- Found on Twitter: Jester D TGM - @JustMeTurtle

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Pandemic

What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down.
 
And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another’s hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.
 
Promise this world your love–
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live.
 
– Lynn Ungar, March 11, 2020 (posted with permission of the author)
   for more from this author, view: http://www.lynnungar.com/poems/

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A Coronavirus Prayer

Loving God, Your desire is for our wholeness and well being.

We hold in tenderness and prayer the collective suffering of our world at this time.

We grieve precious lives lost and vulnerable lives threatened.

We ache for ourselves and our neighbors, standing before an uncertain future. 

We pray: may love, not fear, go viral. 

Inspire our leaders to discern and choose wisely, aligned with the common good.

Help us to practice social distancing and reveal to us new and creative ways to come together in spirit and in solidarity.

Call us to profound trust in your faithful presence,

You, the God who does not abandon.

- By Sister Christine Koelhoffer, IHM

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An Examen for Times of Anxiety and DepressionRobin in tree

I pause (breathe in and out) and thank you for this day. For the challenges, the emotions, the struggle. For in all this, I grow closer to you.

I pause (breathe in and out) and ask that in the darkness, I see your light and in my fear, I feel your strength.

I pause (breathe in and out) and remember that today, As in days before, I have survived. When I’ve wanted to run, I’ve stayed. When I wanted to hide, I’ve faced the day.

I pause (breathe in and out) and ask for forgiveness for The days I falter and the disease takes over. I ask for compassion and love when I’m unable to give those to myself.

I pause (breathe in and out) and resolve to love myself more tomorrow. And always feel your spirit surround me in safety.

I pause (breathe in and out) and rest.

- By Erin Roush

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An Examen in Caring for Others

What interactions with others were significant to me today?
What care and compassion did I show?
What was going on in my head during these interactions? Was I truly present?
What control do I have over the circumstances of these individuals?
Did I do all that I could in this point in time?
What can I do for tomorrow?

Prayer for Compassion

Merciful God,
Open my heart and mind to be fully present to those I interact with throughout the day.
Allow me to listen to others without passing judgement or haste to solve what I cannot change.
Give me patience and understanding and grant me grace in my shortcomings.
Be with me in times of fatigue and lift me up with the strength to carry out your compassionate love to all those I meet. Amen.

- By Ashley Henkes, Hall Director, Residence Life

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An Examen to Become More Loving

Creator, thank you for my many blessings, especially ______________.

Be with me at this moment,
and guide my thoughts to those places
where I could have been more loving in my day
and consider how I will improve. 

Help me to see those places where I was loving
and strengthen those parts of me
so that I can better do your will.

Thank you for all the love I’ve been blessed with
and help me in the moments ahead.

- By Ellen Hurst, Senior Teaching Professor, Economics

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An Examen for Life During COVID-19

Take a moment to settle. Take a deep breath. Get comfortable. Like a rock settling on the bottom of a lake after it’s thrown in, let yourself settle.

1.   Acknowledge how you are feeling in this moment. If being calm is hard, acknowledge it. If you find yourself frustrated or stressed, acknowledge it. God wants to be present in all parts of our lives—not just the easy or serene moments.

2.   Ask for light and insight as you prepare to review your day. For some that light may come in the form of a sense of the Divine. For others it’s from a deep sense of your true self.

3.   Take a moment to think about how COVID-19 has impacted your life. Even as we are being asked to distance ourselves from one another socially, ask yourself what connections you find yourself grateful for?Who makes you feel grounded and connected to God?

4.   Public health issues have a way of making us recognize how interwoven our lives are with others in society. It can help us realize who we may often choose not to see or connect with. Is there a person or group of people especially affected by COVID-19 that you don’t often choose to see or connect with normally? What connections to others are you becoming more aware of? Who do you normally choose to reach out and connect to? Who do you avoid or refuse to see? If you can, picture the faces of these people. What connections do you take for granted in your life? What connections impact you the most?

5.   Note the emotions you feel when you think of these individuals without judging or overanalyzing. Simply acknowledge them, pay attention, and listen to where God may be speaking.

6.   As you think of the ways we are connected or disconnected to one another, pick a connection (or lack thereof) that seems important, significant, or is manifesting itself the strongest. Pause and reflect on where you’re being invited to grow from that moment. If you are a person of faith, take a moment to pray with it.

7.   God gifted us with limitless creativity and imagination. Even in this time of separation and possible isolation, what is one way you can maintain meaningful connection to others—whether directly, through technology, or intentional focus and attention?

Take a deep breath and moment of quiet. When you are ready, return to your day. 

- By Susan Haarman, Loyola University Chicago 

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Prayer in a Time of Anxiety

It seems that I return to you most easily when I need comfort, O God.
Hello… here I am again, knowing that you are waiting for me with love and warming light.
In the shadow of your wings I find respite and relief that feeds my innermost self and renews my soul. Day and night, you are my refuge.

These uncertain days of news conferences and quarantines tempt me to assume the worst for my loved ones, myself and my community. “Pandemic” is a frightening word, and I can easily feel confused or helpless to respond. Now I am relying on you to lead and guide me, to put my anxiety in its place. Help me see it as a human response that keeps me conscious of the seriousness of this moment, but do not let it overwhelm my spirit. Buoyed by your love, I choose each day to let peace reign in me. Breathing deeply of your calm, I repeat, again and again, “You are here.”

Good and gracious Companion, my family and friends need tranquility and assurance. Help me to offer them your tenderness. Those in my community who are suffering need care. Help me to be generous and to keep contact with the forgotten. Our world calls for cooperation among national leaders, scientists, health care providers, and all who are instrumental in overcoming this crisis. May my prayers and support be with them all.

I have come back to you, and I will return, knowing that your open arms will never fail. God of hope, may your love blanket the earth, as you teach us to live more generously today than yesterday. May my anxiety be transformed into love.

- Author requested to remain anonymous

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Prayer for a Pandemic

May we who are merely inconvenienced, remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.
May those who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.
May those who have the flexibility to care for our children when schools close remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel a trip remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.
May those who settle for quarantine at home remember those who have no home.

As fear grips our country, let us choose love during this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, let us find ways to be the loving embrace to God and our neighbor.

- Prayer by Cameron Wiggins Bellm

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Prayer for People Critically Ill or Facing Great Uncertainty

God of the present moment,
God who in Jesus stills the storm
and soothes the frantic heart;
bring hope and courage to all
who wait or work in uncertainty.

Bring hope that you will make them the equal
of whatever lies ahead.

Bring them courage to endure what cannot be avoided,
for your will is health and wholeness;
you are God, and we need you.

- Adapted from New Zealand Prayer Book, p. 765
- Prayer originated from episcopalrelief.org/what-we-do/us-disaster-program/faith-based-response-to-epidemics/

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Prayer in Time of Illness

Lord Jesus, you came into the world to heal our infirmities and to endure our sufferings. You went about healing all and bringing comfort to those in pain and need. We come before you now in this time of illness asking that you may be the source of our strength in body, courage in spirit and patience in pain. May we join ourselves more closely to you on the cross and in your suffering that through them we may draw our patience and hope. Assist us and restore us to health so that united more closely to your family, the Church, we may give praise and honour to your name.

- Prayer originated from https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=1822

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Prayer for the Sick

Father of goodness and love, hear our prayers for the sick members of our community and for all who are in need. Amid mental and physical suffering may they find consolation in your healing presence. Show your mercy as you close wounds, cure illness, make broken bodies whole and free downcast spirits. May these special people find lasting health and deliverance, and so join us in thanking you for all your gifts. We ask this through the Lord Jesus who healed those who believed. Amen.

- Prayer originated from https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=229

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A Coronavirus Prayer

Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.” At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.

Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.

Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.

Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.

Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.

Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.

Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.

Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.

Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.

Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.

Jesus Christ, heal us.

- Prayer originated from https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/03/02/coronavirus-prayer

Pope's Prayer for Protection from Coronavirus

An English-language translation of the Pope’s prayer is below:

O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick.

At the foot of the Cross you participated in Jesus’ pain, with steadfast faith.
You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need.

We are certain that you will provide, so that, as you did at Cana of Galilee,
joy and feasting might return after this moment of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform ourselves to the Father’s will
and to do what Jesus tells us:

He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us,
through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen.

We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God.
Do not despise our pleas – we who are put to the test – and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

- Prayer originated from https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-francis-prayer-our-lady-protection-coronavirus.html

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Burn Brighter

Ignatius calls us
to go forth
and set
the world on fire.

We embrace this metaphor
because we believe
our purpose
is inextricably linked
to helping others
clarify and attain theirs.

But how do we
set our world on fire
in this age of sickness,
uncertainty,
and fear.

How do we
serve and lead
when we
are disconnected
from each other
and the physical space
that unifies our team.

Who will show us
how to press on?

Lives perish
while the flames
of leaders
around us
dance erratically
in the blistering
winds of change
their lights
flicker
to near extinction
their sparks
barely visible
struggle
to light the way.

We cannot wait
for them
to lead.

Let us turn
to our God
and
to the sacred light
of the Holy Spirit
that burns
in
each of us.

Let our spirits
draw closer
to each other
in spite of
the distance
between us
and march boldly
into tomorrow.

Maybe it helps
to imagine
this time
as a dousing
of gasoline
tossed onto our
already steady
burning flames
of
purpose and love.

Let this accelerant
consume and quicken us
for the greater good.

Shine on
my friends
may the bright flames
of our spirits
burning in unison
create a bonfire
that
sparks hope
ignites faith
illuminates love
and lights the way.

In this uncertain age
a time when
our brothers and sisters
yearn for
peace and light
we are called
and stand ready
to do magis
to do more
than we did
before.

To
burn
brighter.

- By Ray Angle, Assistant Vice President, Career and Professional Development, Gonzaga University

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A Prayer of Thanksgiving

"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is Thank You that will be enough." - Meister Eckhart

Holy and Living God,

in this Thanksgiving year of 2020,

when we are separated from family and friends,

when it’s hard to travel and gather together,

and celebrate Thanksgiving as we’ve done in the past,

help us to embrace what is.

Help us to give thanks within the uncertainty.

Help us to give thanks within our sorrow, within our fears.

In all things, may we open our hearts and give You thanks.

Amen.

- by Sandra Lucas, St. Andre Health Care

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A Prayer for Hope After A Hard Year

God, Thank you for helping us to make it through this difficult year. Thank you that you’ve carried us through the uncertainty of deep waters, through the flames of trials, and through the pain of hard losses. We are constantly aware of how much we need you, your grace, your strength, your power working through even the toughest days.

Help us to keep our focus first on you this season. Please forgive us for giving too much time and attention to other things, for looking to other people before coming to you first. Help us to reflect again, on what Christmas is really all about. Thank you that you came to give new life, peace, hope, and joy. Thank you that your power is made perfect in our weakness.

Help us to remember that the gift of Christ, Immanuel, is our greatest treasure, not just at Christmas, but for the whole year through. Fill us with your joy and the peace of your Spirit. Direct our hearts and minds towards you. Thank you for your reminder that both in seasons of celebration and in seasons of brokenness, you’re still with us. For you never leave us. Thank you for your daily powerful Presence in our lives, that we can be assured your heart is towards us, your eyes are over us, and your ears are open to our prayers. Thank you that you surround us with favor as with a shield, and we are safe in your care.

We choose to press in close to you today, and keep you first in our hearts and lives. Without you we would surely fail, but with you, there is great hope. Thank you for your healing power, thank you for bringing us into this new semester that will undoubtedly be filled with many challenges and opportunities. We look forward to all that You still have in store. In Jesus' name, Amen.

- Crosswalk.com

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Prayer for Ordinary Time

Loving God,

Our church calendar tells us that we are back again in Ordinary Time.  Advent passed through its four weeks. We celebrated the birth of Jesus with angels singing and shepherds visiting and magi following a star from the East and bearing gifts. Yes, we have finished this holy season. Still, somehow, this time does not seem ordinary; it is anything but that.

This “ordinary time” is marked by masked faces, social distancing, and “germ circles.” Headlines shout out frightful numbers of individuals who have contracted Covid-19, thousands every day. Each of these numbers affects the lives of spouses, children, friends with care and worry, with work to help cure and coax loved ones back to health. And the number of deaths chills survivors in worry and guilt – what should I have done, what should I do now? Just to travel to a small funeral to say good-bye to a loved one and offer you our prayer leads to days of quarantine and extra separation. Holy God, loving God, can this really be “ordinary time?” 

This “ordinary time” is marked also by deep economic hardship for many. Mothers and fathers have worked hard to provide for their families, and now their jobs are gone.  “Sorry, the work you have done for us is not needed any more. Good-bye!” “Sorry, we appreciate what you do, but we cannot afford it any more. Good-bye and good luck!” The ordinary ways of working and providing and living have disappeared for many.

And recently in this “ordinary time” we have seen our fellow citizens rise up in anger and violence, destroying, injuring, even killing others to push their narrow agendas. In scenes that would fit easily into war zones, they invade our honored spaces and violate standards of citizen behavior. Neighbors have turned into crazed killers. Old friends and colleagues are now out of control. Where is ordinary time?

Perhaps, Lord, no time is really ordinary. Where you are, the extraordinary tries to lift us up, to let us see beyond the everyday and catch hints of what can be, of who we could be if we gave room to our best selves, of what we could do if we banded together in common purpose and resolve.

Part of ordinary time is the dedication of health care workers. Part is families sharing resources to get through economic breakdown. Part must be the guardians of public safety who risk their lies and health, even give up that life, to keep order and peace. 

We come to you, loving God, with hope in our hearts and prayer on our lips. We pray that care and compassion, watching and accompanying be part of our ordinary lives. We pray that our eyes be open to see the needs of those who struggle to provide for their families and that if we can help, we do help in ordinary ways. We pray that we try to understand each other in our struggles to make sense of the forces that are beyond any one of us, that we see beyond threats imagined or real, that we hear beyond shouted anger or mocking taunts or cursing threats and note the cries for help that rest mostly silent in ordinary times.

Holy God, you make all times holy, all places, all people in all the seasons of our lives. Ordinary time? It is all extraordinary with you.

- By Ed Schmidt, S.J., written January 12, 2021

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