Prayer to Christ the Healer

In the comfort of your love, I pour out to you, my Savior, the memories that haunt me, the anxieties that perplex me, the fears that stifle me, the sickness that prevails upon me, the frustration of all the pain that weaves about within me. Lord, help me to see your peace in my turmoil, your compassion in my sorrow, your forgiveness in my weakness, and your love in my need. Touch me, O Lord, with your healing power and strength. Amen
© Alexian Brothers

Prayer for Most Holy Trinity

O God, almighty Father, Creator of all things, the heavens stand in wonder, while earth your glory sings. O most Holy Trinity, Undivided unity, Holy God, mighty God, God immortal be adored! O Jesus, word incarnate, Redeemer most adored, All glory, praise, and honor be yours, O sov'reign Lord. O God, the Holy Spirit, who lives within our soul, Send forth your light and lead us to our eternal goal.

-anonymous text, tune: from Limburg Gesangbuch, 1838

Prayer for PENTECOST

Come, Holy Spirit, fill my heart with your holy gifts.
Let my weakness be penetrated with your strength this very day that I may fulfill the duties of my state in life conscientiously, that I may do what is right and just.
Let me charity be such as to offend no one and hurt no one's feelings; so generous as to pardon sincerely any wrong done to me.

(Sylvia G. Dunstan)

PENTECOST SEQUENCE

Come, thou Holy Spirit, come! And from thy celestial home shed a ray of light divine!
Come thou Father of the poor! Come, thou source of all our store! Come, within our bosoms shine!
Thou, of comforters the best; Thou, the soul's most welcome guest; Sweet refreshment here below.
In our labor; rest most sweet; Grateful coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed light divine, shine within these hearts of thine, And our inmost being fill!
Where thou art not, we have naught, nothing good in deed or thought, nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength, renew; on our dryness, pour the dew; wash the stains of guilt away.
Bend the stubborn heart and will; melt the frozen, warm the chill; guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore and confess thee, evermore in the sevenfold gift descend.
Give them virtue's sure reward; Give them thy salvation, Lord; Give them joys that never end.

Rabanu Maurus (776-856)

PRAYER FOR ASCENSION

Go to the world! Go into all the earth. Go preach the cross where Christ renews life's worth,
Baptizing as the sign of our rebirth. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Go to the world! Go into every place. Go live the Word of God's redeeming grace.
Go seek God's presence in each time and space. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Go to the world! Go struggle, bless and pray; the nights of tears give way to joyous day,
As servant church, you follow Christ's own way. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Go to the world! Go as the ones I send, for I am with you'til the age shall end,
when all the hosts of glory cry "Amen!" Alleluia! Alleluia!

(Sylvia G. Dunstan)

PRAYER FOR A PEACEFUL WORLD

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 my heart, my world, my universe. Amen

(universal peace prayer)

Prayer for Easter 4

Guide me, O shepherd of my heart; lead me homeward through the dark, into everlasting day. Show me the way of truth and light; keep me always in your sight. May my life never part from the shepherd of my heart.

-Francis Patrick O'Brien

Prayer for Easter 3

This day was made by God; let us sing and rejoice forever!

Praise God who is always good; God will always be true! Let Israel shout forever, God will always be true. The right hand of God is our power and lifted high above the nations. I did not die; I am still here to sing of the wonderful gifts of God!
The stone rejected has become the cornerstone; believe it or not, this is from God! Our eyes are dazzled by this sight!
This day was made by God; let us sing and rejoice forever!

Prayer for Easter

Risen Savior, your rising from the dead fills us with immense wonder and great hope. In your abundant mercy, you endured death to prove your love for us and set us free from sin and death. Fear, hatred, suffering and failure cannot endure. In our celebration of the great feast of Easter, we look forward in certain hope for new life, not only after death, but in our hearts right now. Throughout the Easter season, may we seek and find your gift of a spirit renewed. Amen.

Prayer for Palm Sunday

Jesus Christ, may your death be my life and in your dying may I learn how to live. May your struggles be my rest, your human weakness my courage, Your embarrassment my honor, your passion my delight, Your sadness my joy, in your humiliation may I be exalted. In a word, may I find all my blessings in your trials. Amen.--Blessed Peter Faber, SJ

Lent V

"Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." John 12:24

Many people want to grow spiritually. Very few want to accept the conditions for it, however. Growth usually includes some pain and letting go, like the seed falling into the dark soil. If we could squeeze inside the heart of a wheat seed, we would be astonished at the potential for growth that is there. If we could see into our own soul, we would also be amazed at our own capacity for growth. Jesus saw into these depths and urged his followers to let go, to fall into the unknown darkness, and to wait for fuller life to evolve. Let us trust in our potential and give ourselves to fuller growth.

Lent IV

Jesus, thank you for revealing yourself to me, so that I may be filled with the faith that you so graciously give. My life belongs to you, Lord! Send me out in confidence to carry your word to others.
Lord, thank you for your grace. Bring everyone, especially those thirsty, hungry, and wounded by unbelief, into the river of life. By the power of your spirit, may we all become fruitful witnesses in life and word. Amen.

"Then he (the blind man) went and washed and came back able to see" John 9:7

Lent III

To you, loving God, we offer loving hearts during these Lenten days. You have gifted us with faith, yet we sometimes fail to accept it. Deepen our understanding of what it means to be Catholic. Renew our commitment to bring your word to those around us. Open our eyes to recognize your Son, Jesus Christ, in our midst. He lives in the lonely, the angry, and the disenfranchised. Slow us to listen and give them our time. He lives in those we have hurt. Humble us to seek forgiveness. He lives in those who have hurt us. Strengthen us to offer forgiveness. He lives in all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. Help us to act with compassion. If we but open our hearts, we find Christ's presence in all whom we meet. Be with us during those Lenten days, dear God. Open us to your spirit and help us to live our faith in all we do. Amen.

Lent II

Redeemer Lord, as we prepare to celebrate the great mystery of your dying and rising, send you Holy Spirit to guide us this Lent. May we be led to a spirit of true repentance for our sins and grateful appreciation for the gift of salvation. May we forgive as we have been forgiven, love as we have been loved and serve as we have been served. May we trust in you at all times, confident that in your mercy you have willed the redemption of the whole world. Amen.

Lent I

Jesus, dear Savior, during these forty days of Lent, I want to fast, to pray, to repent. Above all else, I want to stay in the circle of your love each day. Walk with me, surround me with your light; lead me, guide me, and keep me in your sight. Thank you for your great love and care; may I give witness to it everywhere. In these forty days, help me to follow you, and imitate your love in all I do. Amen.

Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd, I need nothing more. You give me rest in green meadows, setting me near calm waters, where you revive my spirit. You guide me along sure paths, you are true to your name. Though I should walk in death's dark valley, I fear no evil with you by my side, your shepherd's staff to comfort me. You spread a table before me as my foes look on. You sooth my head with oil; my cup is more than full. Goodness and love will tend me every day of my life. I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I shall live.