Weekly Theme W/C 9 th July 2012 “Caring for others”

In a few days time students from our Sixth Form along with members of staff from our college community will be going on Pilgrimage to Lourdes. They will be helping the sick pilgrims who are travelling with our Diocese. These young people over the last year have given up their time to raise money to help with their fare to Lourdes. During their time in Lourdes they will spend long hours working in the hospital, helping to take care of our sick pilgrims as well as those pilgrims who need a little extra help to get around. Jesus was rejected by the people of his own town and went elsewhere to help the sick. Today many of our young people also find it easier to serve others far from home. Father of the sick your Son devoted himself to the service of others. May we look for the opportunity to serve those who are in need and do it in the name of your Son Jesus. Amen

Lord, you said that when two or three would gather together in your name, then you would be present with them. I am praying by myself but I am uniting myself with many individual Christians throughout the world who, though separate, are gathered together in another sense to pray to you, and I trust that you are with me now. Amen

Lord Jesus, you told your friends not to worry about the future. You showed them how to have the attitude of simple trust that young children have, so that they could place themselves into the caring hands of your Father. And so I ask for the power of your Spirit that I may remain positive throughout all that is ordinary in my daily life. I know that your touch can change people and situations, and so I ask you to join me in offering to our Father not only the good things of this day but also the suffering and sacrifices that I want to offer cheerfully and lovingly, and in a quiet and hidden way. And so may any difficulties and frustration and pain of this day be transformed in your presence for the benefit of other people. Amen.

God our Father, the qualities I see lived out so well in some people are a reflection of your own goodness, and I know that I have much to learn from other people who reflect your image and likeness in different ways. Inspire me to respect others fully as my equals, seeing and loving in them what you see and love in them. Amen

Lord Jesus, I ask you to open my eyes as you did with the blind man, so that I may really see. Tune my ears as you did with the man who was deaf and dumb, so that I may really hear what you are saying to me. May the many experiences of my senses remind me to be aware of others and of all that is around me. May all that I experience lead me closer to you. Amen

"Lord, bless all who worry, who are in pain, who are suffering, who have lost hope, who are lonely, depressed or in grief. Fill them with your light, your love, your healing and great joy. Bless and protect us all.“ Amen

Caring for others The Message of Lourdes: a call to prayer Pilgrimage - a journey In Lourdes we are all equal, though personally unique. We learn and grow as people from these experiences and we must retain that joy of sharing which will change us at a deep level if we allow the Holy Spirit to enter and remain with us when we return home. It is our ability to enthuse others by our experience of practical love which will help alter our world. By Changing the way in which think, we can change our world as well. Lord, thank you for our differences, for without them we would have nothing to give each other.

Loving God, we thank you for the miracle of growth. We give thanks for the mystery of new life from seeds that are buried. May we give ourselves fully to you and in the service of others and so may we rejoice in the gift of life eternal life. Amen

We believe in God who gave us a world to share in friendship, equality and peace. We believe in God who created all people and our world out of love. We recognise that the world is unequal and unjust and that we are individually and collectively responsible for being good stewards and for working with hope and love to restore God’s kingdom on earth. We believe in Christ, living, suffering, dying and rising, the life force in the whole of creation. We believe in one world, one people, fed from one table. We believe that we are all vital parts of Christ’s body, reflecting his love, by and through our actions, compassion, attitudes and choices. We believe we are God’s instruments through which by faith, prayer and action we will change the world. We believe in a God of love, who calls all of us to listen to each other, to actively share and treat each other as equals in humility and hope. We believe that within God’s circle of love, faith and trust we all share in a worldwide hunger for justice as brothers and sisters in Christ.

God our strength and our refuge In our waiting in our praying in our being by our actions and our words by our choices and decisions May we make your love known In our tears And our anger By our sharing and our sheltering Through our joy And thanksgiving May we make your love known.

A prayer for use during the Olympic and Paralympic Games God our Creator, we pray for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We give thanks for the privilege of hosting them and the thrill of watching them; and we pray for all who are taking part. Give them courage and strength, wisdom and generosity. Make us warm in our welcome and generous in our hospitality. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our teacher and our friend. Amen.

A prayer for people who will travel God, our Protector, whose Son travelled to Bethlehem as a refugee and walked the streets of Jerusalem as a pilgrim, we pray for all who travel to London for the games: for competitors and coaches, cleaners and caterers; for umpires and judges, city guides and security guards; for audiences and volunteers. Grant them safe travel and journeys filled with enriching encounter. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our teacher and our guide. Amen.

A prayer for London Gracious God, we pray for London welcoming the people of the world to the Olympic Games. We give thanks for its long history and dazzling diversity offering a warm embrace to many. Grant enrichment and friendship to all who visit and receive hospitality here, that the world may be sustained in its journey towards tolerance, understanding and peace. Amen.