A Selection of Prayers to help you through our Current Challenging Times.
God of expansive and faithful love, giver and sustainer of life,
You know the depths of our pain as we journey through
this time of unknowing.
Hear our voices and the cry of our hearts.
Guide us to see the most life-giving ways open to us.
St Joseph,
Man of courage, you protected Mary and Jesus when they were in danger.
Cradle us now safely in this same protecting embrace.
May we, like you, extend this care to our world that is in need.
St Mary of the Cross,
you faced difficult times with a heart filled with trust,
always believing in the watchful presence of God.
Walk with us now in this difficult time,
and may we be for others, examples of hope and trust.
St Joseph, and St Mary of the Cross pray with us in this time of need. Amen.
God has said: “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
So we may say with confidence,
“God is my Helper, and I will not be afraid.”
Hebrew 13:5-6
Annie Bond rsj
Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart
Almighty and all-merciful God,
lover of the human race, healer of all our wounds,
in whom there is no shadow of death,
save us in this time of crisis;
grant wisdom and courage to our leaders;
watch over all medical people
as they tend the sick and work for a cure;
stir in us a sense of solidarity beyond all isolation;
if our doors are closed, let our hearts be open.
By the power of your love destroy the virus of fear,
that hope may never die
and the light of Easter, the triumph of life,
may shine upon us and the whole world.
Through Jesus Christ, the Lord risen from the dead,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
Holy Mary, health of the sick, pray for us.
St Joseph, guardian of us all, pray for us.
The Most Reverend Mark Coleridge
Archbishop of Brisbane
Gracious God,
We give thanks anew for your providence and presence.
We prayerfully seek your grace, amidst COVID-19 here and overseas.
We pray for those in need of healing.
We pray for your peace with those who are anxious or grieving.
We pray you will continue to strengthen and sustain
all those who are serving in response.
We pray for your Holy Spirit’s discernment
amidst the many choices and decisions
facing our national, community and medical leaders.
We pray we each might see quickly what more we can do
to help those who are vulnerable.
This prayer for our nation in the family of nations,
with all that is on our hearts,
we gather now and pray
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Ecumenical Prayer from the National Council of Churches
Please find a Prayer to Saint Joseph from the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne below:
Do not lose hope; St Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the certainty that God never abandons us.
Thumbnail image: Person in brown jacket by Ümit Bulut obtained on Unsplash. Used with permission.