Seasonal Prayers

A Lenten Prayer

Gracious God, in these Lenten days
we come together to remember who we are in your presence.
We are grateful for the privilage of serving others through our ministy of teaching.
Strenthen us in our efforts to work and pray together as we honor your image in each person.
Amen.

Sr. Jeanne Fallon, CSJ

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A Prayer in Ordinary Time

Sacred Mystery,
in you Holy Silence
utters the Eternal Word to us
in unspeakable Love.
Draw us into your presence,
usher us into the joy that is you.
Amen.

Sr. Jeanne Fallon, CSJ

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Thanksgiving Prayer

O Divine Gift-giver,
I stand beneath the endless waterfall
of your abundant gifts to me.

I thank you especially for the blessing of life,
the most precious of all your gifts to me.

I thank you, Ever-generous One,
for clothing to wear,
for food and drink to nourish my body,
for all the talents and skills
that you have bestowed upon me.

I thank you for the many joys of my life,
for family and friends, and community
for faith that gives me a sense of purpose.

I thank you as well
for the sufferings and trials of my life,
for which together with my mistakes
are among my most important teachers.

Grant that I may never greet a new day
without the awareness of some gift
for which to give you thanks.

And may constant thanksgiving
be my song of perpetual praise to you

When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light.
Give thanks for your life and your strength.
Give thanks for your food and give thanks for the joy of living.
And if you see no reason for giving thanks
rest assured the fault is in yourself.

-Native American Sioux Indian

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PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

LEADER: For the beauty and bounty of the earth,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For those who strive to preserve the treasures of the earth,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For the gift of life,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For those who work for justice so that life can be worth living,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For the abundance of the harvest of the earth,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For those who work to eradicate hunger,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For the gift of love we share with friends and family,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For those who have shared in our mission and supported our ministry,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For those who have prepared our meal,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For the gift of companionship and conversation at this meal
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: For the gift of eternal life, the fullness of life in your kingdom,
(All) it is right to give you thanks and praise.

LEADER: Source of life, source of love, it is right to give you thanks and praise every moment of every day of our lives. We live only to thank you for the gift of life. We love only to thank you for the gift of love. We look to the future only to give thanks for the promise of the fulfillment of your kingdom. Our humble thanks would be empty if it were not offered through the thanks and giving of your son, our brother, our Lord, and the generosity of your Spirit.

(All) Amen.

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A Thanksgiving Prayer

We thank you, God of all times, all places,
and all people,
Who provides food for every creature,
Who sustains all living things,
Who nourishes all people
With your steadfast love that endures forever.

We thank you, God,
That we live by more than bread alone,
That we are fed also by your every word.
Our prayer is for enough bread to feed
Both soul and flesh of all people on Earth.
Then may the hunger and thirst for
Justice, righteousness, and peace
For the whole world be satisfied.

We thank you, God,
For the memories of our mothers and fathers in the faith,
For your promises about the present and the future,
For the visions of hope for our children,
For great, unfathomable mysteries,
For simple, yet profound, joys.

We thank you, God,
For making us so aware of you infinite blessings
That we are prompted to respond with grateful hearts.
Let our gratitude be expressed in both word and deed
From both heart and hand
That we might bless each other as you have blessed us.
In our thankfulness
We proclaim your kindness throughout the day
And your faithfulness throughout the night.
O God, we thank you, now and forever!

Amen.

-Robert Shepherd

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AN AUTUMN PRAYER

God of Autumn, the trees are saying goodbye to their green, letting go of what has been.
We, too, have our moments of surrender, with all their insecurity and risk.
HELP US TO LET GO WHEN WE NEED TO DO SO.

God of fallen leaves lying in colored patterns on the ground, our lives have their own patterns.
AS WE SEE THE PATTERNS OF OUR OWN GROWTH, MAY WE LEARN FROM THEM.

God of misty days and harvest moon nights, there is always the dimension of mystery and wonder in our lives. We always need to recognize your power-filled presence.
MAY WE GAIN STRENGTH FROM THIS.

God of harvest wagons and fields of ripened grain, many gifts of growth lie within the season of our surrender. We must wait for harvest in faith and hope.
GRANT US PATIENCE WHEN WE DO NOT SEE THE BLESSINGS.

God of geese going south for another season, your wisdom enables us to know what needs to be left behind and what needs to be carried to the future.
WE YEARN FOR INSIGHT AND VISION.

God of flowers touched with frost and windows wearing white designs,
MAY YOUR LOVE KEEP OUR HEARTS FROM GROWING COLD IN THE EMPTY SEASONS.

God of life, you believe in us, you enrich us, you entrust us with the freedom to choose life.
FOR ALL THIS, WE ARE GRATEFUL.

God of love, you enter in our Autumn seasons, into our deepest places of inner dwelling, into the heart of our transformation. You give glimpse of the truth.
MAY WE ALLOW OUR EXPERIENCE OF AUTUMN TO SPEAK TO US OF NECESSARY CHANGE AND GROWTH.

God, we are grateful that you are our faithful companion on this Autumn journey.
MAY WE ACCEPT THE INIVITATION TO REFLECTION.

God of this Autumn season,
HELP ME TO TAKE DELIGHT IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE SIMPLE THINGS OF LIFE WHICH ARE THE TRUE SOURCES OF JOY.

GOD OF AUTUMN BLESSING, WE NEED TO CELEBRATE LIFE'S MOMENTS AS THEY COME, ENJOY WITH REVERENCE THE BEAUTY OF EACH DAY IN THE UNIVERSE, LIVE MORE SIMPLY AND FREELY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT EACH MOMENT IS PART OF AN ETERNAL PROCESS OF BECOMING.
HELP US TO PAUSE...HELP US TO RECEIVE...

From "May I Have This Dance?"
by Joyce Rupp

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A THANKSGIVING LITANY

WE ARE GRATEFUL for the beauty of our senses that allows us to appreciate the world You've created; to see the mountains punch up against an orange, red and purple sunset; to hear ocean thunder against the shore; to smell the soft, dusty green of a meadow; to taste the rich sweetness of fresh fruit; and to feel the warmth of the morning sun on our face.

WE ARE GRATEFUL for the treasures of loved ones whose hearts of openness and acceptance have encouraged us to be who we are. We give thanks for their faithfulness in our doubt, their strength in our weakness, their devotion in our need, their delight in our joy.

WE ARE GRATEFUL for the eyes of faith that see and know Your presence, hope in our emptiness, courage from the Spirit, and light in our darkness.

WE ARE GRATEFUL for the journey of becoming more full Your children. We give praise for mountains we must climb, for the sunrises that shine along our way, for the meadows we can rest in, and for the sunsets that remind us that the journey ends with You.

WE ARE GRATEFUL for those timely messages You send through people, events, written or spoken words, that touch us in the right place at the right time.

WE ARE GRATEFUL for the opportunity to labor for You with the gifts, talents and graces You provide for the just and responsible service of others.

WE ARE GRATEFUL that You care that we have the necessities of life so that we may hear the cries of the poor and respond with our abundance.

WE ARE GRATEFUL for the miracle we call life, for the gift of this world to live in, and for the opportunity of offer our lives up to You so that through our actions, our choices, and our love, we may bring this divided world back to the peace You intended.

CLOSING PRAYER: O gracious God, who so generously lavishes our lives with goodness, create in our hearts a deep center of gratitude, a center that grows so strong in its thanksgiving that sharing freely of our treasures becomes the norm and the pattern of our existence. Remind us often of how much you cherish us, of how abundantly you have offered gifts to us, expecially in the hours of our greatest need. May we always be grateful for your reaching into our lives with surprising of joy, growth, and unearned love. AMEN.

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