PRAYING IN THE PANDEMIC ON ASCENSION DAY
Today we commemorate Jesus’ last moments and words on Earth before being exalted to the Father’s right hand. This is known as the Feast of the Ascension.
He had to go! Like any good parent, He couldn't keep on "holding our hands" in any and every situation. Like a good parent He had to let go, so that we could get on with the business of living, and with Him, establishing a new order in humanity, grounded in love. Some get it, some don't. Many are overtly followers of Christ, some follow His way without realising it or naming it.
ACTS 1 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
As Jesus left His followers, they returned to The Upper Room in Jerusalem, to devote themselves in prayer.
They did this for the next nine days; and on the tenth day they experienced empowerment to do what Jesus asked of them.
The name of this time of prayer, “NOVENA”, is derived from the Latin
“Novem” – nine.
We wait in prayer in the coming nine days to pray for the world in the grip of this pandemic, and to discover how best we can serve in the light of it.
✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
WE THANK GOD FOR THE GIFT OF THIS DAY
and offer to the Lord what lies ahead of you today…
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
WE ASK MARY TO PRAY WITH US:
….to pray with you for particular individuals, especially for those who do not know her Son.
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now,
and at the hour of our death.
PRAYING IN THE PANDEMIC
God of heaven and earth,
in these times of isolation,
apart from loved ones
distant from friends
away from neighbours
thank you that there is nothing in all of creation, not even coronavirus,
that is able to separate us from your love.
And may your love that never fails
continue to be shared through the kindness of strangers looking out for each other, for neighbours near and far, all recognising our shared vulnerability, each of us grateful for every breath, and willing everyone to know the gift of a full and healthy life. Keep us all in your care.
A PRAYER FOR PEACE IN OUR WORLD …and may there be peace within me….
The Universal Prayer for Peace - Satish Kumar
Lead me from death to life,
from falsehood to truth. Lead me from despair to hope,
from fear to trust. Lead me from hate to love,
from war to peace. Let peace fill our hearts,
our world, our universe, Peace, Peace, Peace…..
(a time for silent prayer)
Jesus prayed to his Father for the coming of God’s Kingdom.
With Him we say:
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory;
for ever and ever. Amen.
TODAY'S PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER
Most compassionate Life-giver,
may we honour and praise you:
may we work with you to establish
your new order of justice, peace
and love.
Give us what we need for growth,
and help us, through forgiving others, to accept forgiveness.
Strengthen us in the time of testing,
that we may resist all evil.
For all the tenderness,strength and love are yours, now and forever.
W Wallace
Heavenly Father, you have entrusted to us
the work begun in your Son:-
Christ has no body on earth but ours. He has no hands but ours to raise up the fallen, no feet but ours to seek out the lost. He has no eyes but ours
to see the silent tears of the suffering: no ears but ours to listen to the lonely. He has no tongue but ours
to speak a word of comfort to the sad: no heart but ours to love the unloved.
Father, send us the Holy Spirit
for us to be your presence
in the place of your choosing. Saint Teresa of Avila
Let us bless the Lord;
and may the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, ✠ rest in peace and rise in glory.
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