Prayers for the week 21 - 25 May 2018 On Sunday 20 May the Church celebrated the great feast of Pentecost. The feast day is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles. It is a commonly held belief that this event represents the birth of the Catholic Church. The point of Pentecost is mission, and the goal of mission is that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea”. The purpose behind this great historic event was to take the Word of God to the four corners of the earth. The passage from the bible that describes the events of Pentecost appears on the next two slides. Pentecost by El Greco 1600

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles When Pentecost day came round, they had all met together, when suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and there appeared to them tongues as of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak different languages as the Spirit gave them power to express themselves. Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, and each one was bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. They were amazed and astonished. 'Surely,' they said, 'all these men speaking are Galileans? How does it happen that each of us hears them in his own native language?

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed them in a loud voice: 'Men of Judaea, and all you who live in Jerusalem, make no mistake about this, but listen carefully to what I say. This is what the prophet was saying: In the last days, the Lord declares, I shall pour out my Spirit on all humanity. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young people shall see visions, your old people dream dreams. Even on the slaves, men and women, shall I pour out my Spirit. I will show portents in the sky above and signs on the earth below. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the day of the Lord comes, that great and terrible day. And all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God

Prayer for exams to be said at the start of each day Lord, We pray that our minds might be rested, our bodies energised, and our spirits inspired for the exams that we must sit. Grant us peace and assurance, that we might do the best we are able. Be with us and help us to be a good example to each other, offering reassurance and confidence regardless of how we feel. May we be honest and insightful, and able to give a true record of what we have learned. In the end, may any disappointment be born with grace and any joy accompanied with humility. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Monday 14 May Monday 21 May Lord God We light a candle to enjoy the flickering light, the fragrance and warmth it creates. But without the spark that ignites, there will be no flame. Without the wax, the source of power, the wick will not burn. Without the flame, there will be no fragrance, no warmth, no light. And so with us, Lord. You are the catalyst that ignites us, and the fuel that sustains us. We ask you to fill us with your fragrance as you enter our lives. Help us to carry your flame in our hearts, to be the fragrance, warmth, and light of your love, in this dark world. Through Christ our Lord, Amen

Tuesday 22 May The Spirit came and your Church was born, in wind and fire and words of power. The Spirit came blowing fear aside, and in its place weak hearts were stronger. The Spirit came as your word foretold, with dreams and signs, visions and wonders. The Spirit came and is here today, to feed the hearts of a world that hungers. A page from the Gospel Lectionary portion of the Bamberg Apocalypse depicting Pentecost

Wednesday 23 May Lord, We ask for your forgiveness when we forget the power that lies within, and trust instead upon our human strength. Remind us of that glorious day when your Spirit transformed the lives of those who hid in fear, into men of power. Renew these hearts which have grown cold with flames of fire, as on that Pentecost, that might be the church that you desire. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord Amen

Thursday 24 May For the Spirit of Peace that calms our mind and stills our life, we give you thanks. For the Spirit of Love that touches hearts and reaches out, we give you thanks. . For the Spirit of Joy that lifts our soul and gives us faith we give you thanks. For the Spirit of Power, that gift of grace for this your church, we give you thanks. Spirit of life ALL: Fill our emptiness with your fullness Spirit of power ALL: Stir our hearts afresh Spirit of love ALL: Touch us, and through us, our neighbour Spirit of Creativity ALL: Enable and empower the gifts you have given Spirit of Eternity ALL: Draw us ever deeper into your Kingdom

Friday 25 May Examen Be silent and place yourself in God’s loving presence. Think about all that has happened during the six weeks of this half-term and give thanks.​ Who have you left a good memory with this week? Look back over your week. Where have you felt joy and what has been difficult and challenged you? In the quiet of your heart, tell God about your experiences.​ Give thanks for who you are. As you look ahead, how will you spend the half-term holiday? How will you bring joy to others next week? Ask God to help you.

Afternoon Prayer and Reflection Lord Thank you for the morning, for watching over me and walking with me. May I find joy and understanding this afternoon, in all I do. Grant me the zest and the strength I need to work for you until nightfall. Amen Let us pause for a few moments in silence and remember those family members and friends who need our prayers and support today………… Let us ask Mary, our Mother, to join us in our prayers as we say: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst 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. Amen We end our reflection with a prayer inspired by our foundress followed by the school prayer: Loving Father, life-giving spirit – Marie Madeleine believed in your power, hoped in your promises and lived for your glory. We ask her to pray for us and be with us as we carry the FCJ spirit into the 21st century. Protect and guide the pupils and staff at Upton and at all FCJ schools in this country and around the world. Amen May the Lord bless us and keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen