Reflections

Requests for prayer

OPENING

 

‘Our Lady, with Baby Jesus in her arms, decided to come down to earth and visit a monastery. The monks proudly joined in a long queue, and each of them came before the Virgin to render their homage. One declaimed beautiful poetry, another showed his illuminated paintings of biblical subjects, a third repeated the names of all the Saints. And so on, one monk after the other, praising Our Lady and the Baby Jesus.

 

‘The last monk of all there was the humblest in the whole monastery, who had never studied the learned books of the time. His parents were simple people, who worked in an old travelling circus, and all they had taught him was to throw balls into the air and juggle with them.

 

‘When it was his turn, the other members of the order wanted to bring the homage to a conclusion, since the old juggler would have nothing important to say, and might lower the image of the monastery. But in the bottom of his heart, he also felt a burning need to give something of himself to Jesus and the Virgin.

 

‘Ashamed, conscious of the disapproving looks of his brothers, he took a few oranges from his bag, and started to juggle them in the air, saying that juggling was all he knew how to do.

 

‘It was at that moment that the bay Jesus, sitting on Our Lady’s lap, smiled and started to clap his hands. And the Virgin reached out her arms, inviting him to hold the baby.’

 

From Paulo Coelho’s introduction to The Alchemist

         

                                                            

SUNDAY

 

 

Christ’s is the world in which we move,

Christ’s are the folk we’re summoned to love,

Christ’s is the voice which calls us to care,

And Christ is the one who calls us here.

 

To the lost Christ shows His face;

To the unloved He gives His embrace:

To those who cry in pain or disgrace,

Christ makes with His friends a touching place.

 

John Bell & Graham Maule

 

   

Alleluia!

Praise God in his holy temple;

praise him in the firmament of his power.

 

Praise him for his mighty acts;

praise him for his excellent greatness.

 

Praise him with the blast of the ram’s horn;

praise him with lyre and harp.

 

Praise him with timbrel and dance;

praise him with strings and pipe.

 

Praise him with resounding cymbals;

praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.

 

Let everything that has breath

praise the Lord.

Alleluia

 

Psalm 150

 

 

Pray for all the services at St Francis , especially during Lent when our Simbabwean friends will be joining with us and at Easter; for Youth Church ; for all the other services throughout the week.

 

May God’s love, joy and peace fill the hearts of all who come to St Francis , especially to find quiet, peace and reflection.

 

World-wide: Heavenly Father, help us to ‘go global’ in our prayer and in our giving this Lent.  Bless the work of USPG our Lent project, as it enables some of the world’s poorest people to grow spiritually, thrive physically and have a voice in an unjust world.  Show us what we need to learn from them.

 

MONDAY

 

Feel for the people we most avoid,

Strange or bereaved or never employed;

Feel for the women, and feel for the men

Who fear that their living is all in vain.

 

To the lost Christ shows His face;

To the unloved He gives His embrace:

To those who cry in pain or disgrace,

Christ makes with His friends a touching place.

 

John Bell & Graham Maule

 

If I climb up to heaven, you are there;

if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

 

If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

 

Even there your hand will lead me

and you right hand hold me fast.

Psalm 139 v7-9

 

 

“Well, why did you say that I don’t know about love?” the sun asked the boy.

 

“Because it’s not love to be static like the desert, nor is it love to roam the world like the wind. And it’s not love to see everything from a distance, like you do. Love is the force that transforms and improves the Soul of the World. When I first reached through to it, I thought the Soul of the World was perfect. But later, I could see that it was like other aspects of creation, and had its own passions and wars. It is we who nourish the Soul of the World, and the world we live in will be either better or worse, depending on whether we become better or worse. And that’s where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are.”

The Alchemis –t Paul Coelho

 

 

 

Pray for everyone who comes to activities in St Francis ’ church hall, parish room & cellar; for Coffee for All & Thursday Lunches and the fellowship there.

 

May all users of our premises find St Francis the pathway to a closer relationship with God.

 

 

 

World-wide:  Father of the poor, stir up in us a greater concern for justice and peace.  Help us all to play a part in ‘Making Poverty History’ and bringing about a fairer distribution of the world’s resources through our support of Fair Trade products and the work of Christian Aid.

 

TUESDAY

 

 

Feel for the parents who’ve lost their child,

Feel for the women whom men have defiled,

Feel for the baby for whom there’s no breast,

And feel for the weary who find no rest.

 

To the lost Christ shows His face;

To the unloved He gives His embrace:

To those who cry in pain or disgrace,

Christ makes with His friends a touching place.

 

John Bell & Graham Maule

 

 

   

We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.

 

TS Eliot ‘Little Gidding’ Four Quartets

 

 

 

Sing to the Lord a new song,

for he has done marvellous things.

 

With his right hand and his holy arm

has he won for himself the victory.

 

The Lord has made known his victory;

his righteousness has he openly shown

in the sight of the nations.

 

Psalm 98 v1-3

 

 

 

Pray for all who prepare & delivers the prayer cards around the Parish, & for those receiving them; for links with schools, John Lewis and all who live and work in our parish.

 

May the children and adults who receive the cards or hear about St Francis ’ Church know that its contact comes from the warmth of God’s love for each one of them.

 

 

 

World-wide:  Father of all, help us to work for the abolition of slavery today in all its hidden forms, in this country and throughout the world.  We ask your blessing on the Stop the Traffic march here on March 24^th.

 

WEDNESDAY

 

 

Feel for the lives by life confused,

Riddled with doubt, in loving abused;

Feel for the lonely heart, conscious of sin,

Which longs to be pure but fears to begin.

 

To the lost Christ shows His face;

To the unloved He gives His embrace:

To those who cry in pain or disgrace,

Christ makes with His friends a touching place.

 

John Bell & Graham Maule

 

   

‘But now – declares Yahweh –

come back to me with all your heart,

fasting, weeping, mourning.’

Tear your hearts and not your clothes,

and come back to Yahweh your God,

for he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger, rich in faithful love,

and he relents about inflicting disaster.

 

Joel 2:12-13

 

 

   

The risen Christ came and stood among his disciples

and said, ‘Peace be with you!’

 Then they were glad when they saw the Lord.

 

John 20:19, 20

 

 

Pray for all who work with the children & young people at St Francis ; for the uniformed organizations; for the Monday morning breakfast club; for the Youth Alpha, Cell & Rock Solid; for the links with other youth groups.

 

May we all help to let young people know God’s love, joy & peace through our welcoming ways.

 

 

World-wide:  Loving God, as religious and racial tensions grow worldwide, we pray for all interfaith initiatives, which build trust and understanding.   Strengthen all who work for human rights and religious freedom.  By our prayer and action may we support those who are persecuted for their faith.

 

THURSDAY

 

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

whom then shall I fear?

the Lord is the strength of my life;

of whom then shall I be afraid?

 

When evildoers come upon me to eat up my flesh,

it was they, my foes and adversaries,

who stumbled and fell.

 

Though an army should encamp against me,

yet my heart shall not be afraid;

 

And though war should rise up against me,

Yet will I put my trust in him.

 

One thing have I asked of the Lord;

one thing I seek;

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

All the days of my life;

 

To behold the fair beauty of the Lord

And to seek him in his temple.

 

For in the day of trouble

he shall keep me safe in his shelter;

he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling

and set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 27 v 1-7

 

 

   

God of life and love,

whose Son was victorious over sin and death:

make us alive with his life,

that the whole world may resound with your praise;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

   

 

 

Pray for the channels of God’s love, healing & support within St Francis : for house groups & other times of friendship & fellowship; for opportunities to support others.

 

May there be continued spiritual growth and response to God’s love within everyone at St Francis .

 

 

 

World-wide: God of hope, we pray for all who suffer and have no voice in the many areas of conflict in the world.  We ask your blessing on the millions of refugees who long to return home and on the work of aid agencies.   We continue to pray for peace in the Holy Land, in Iraq and Afghanistan , for an end to terrorism and suicide bombings. 

 

FRIDAY

I am poured out like water;

all my bones are out of joint;

my heart within my breast is melting wax.

 

My mouth is dried out like a potsherd;

my tongue sticks to the roof or my mouth;

and you have laid me in the dust of the grave.

 

Packs of dogs close me in,

and gangs or evildoers circle around me;

they pierce my hands and my feet;

I can count all my bones.                                                           

Psalm 22 v14-16

 … your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

So you should pray like this:

 

Our Father in heaven,

may your name be held holy,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

And do not put us to the test,

but save us from the Evil One.

 

‘Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.’                                               

Matthew 6:8-15

 

Lord, take my life it is all I can offer you,

I put it in your hands.

Lord, from the depth of my heart

I can only cry that I am yours

that I am your child and you are my Father in whom I trust.

                                   Brother Roger of Taize

 

 

Pray for all responsible for the smooth running of St Francis ; for extra help to maintain God’s house in good order; for the Annual Parochial Church Meeting and election of Church Wardens, PCC members and others who serve in the church; for all who work in & come to the Parish Office.

 

May all involved in decision making be filled with God’s wisdom and sensitivity.

 

 

 

 

World-wide:  Suffering God, we pray for the sick and dying.  We remember the work at Khayelitsha with Aids babies and the St Andrew’ Orphanage in Peru and give thanks for Mercy Ships.  Bless children in need and all who work on their behalf. 

 

SATURDAY

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.

As a father cares for his children, so does the Lord care for those who fear him.

For he himself knows whereof we are made; he remembers that we are but dust.

 Psalm 103 v11-14     

    

Christ, ‘poor and humble of heart’, never forces anyone’s hand.

If he imposed himself, who would dare invite you to follow him?

In the silence of your heart he whispers, ‘Don’t be afraid; I am here.’

Recognized or not, the Risen Christ remains close to every person, even those unaware of him. He is there in secret.

A fire burning in the human heart, a light in the darkness, he loves you as if you were his sole concern. He has given his life for you. That is his secret.

 Brother Roger

   

Pray for everyone to take their part in the preparations for worship: cleaning, sacristy, laundering altar linen, flowers, gardening; for all that makes St Francis a welcoming church.

 

May everyone at St Francis ’ Church bring glory to God, and draw those who do not yet know his love into a growing relationship with him.  

World-wide:  Loving God open our eyes to the needs around us.  Teach us to serve you in our neighbour.   We pray your healing and peace in homes where there is pain and breakdown in relationships.  We pray for the lonely and unloved.

 

CONCLUSION

 House by the Sea

I built my house by the sea.
Not on sand, mind you.
Not on the shifting sand.
And I built it of rock.
A strong house.
By a strong sea.
And we got well-acquainted, the sea and I.
Good neighbors.
Not that we spoke much.
We met in silences.
Respectful, keeping our distance,
but looking our thoughts across the fence
   of sand.
Always, the fence of sand our barrier;
always the sand between.
 
And then one day
(I still don't know how it happened),
but the sea came.
Without warning.
Without welcome, even.
Not sudden and swift, but sifting across the
   sand like wine.
Less like the flow of water than the flow
   of blood.
Slow, but coming.
Slow, but flowing like an open wound.
And I thought of flight and I thought of drowning and I thought of death.
And while I thought the sea crept higher,
   till it reached my door.
 
I knew, then, there was neither flight nor
   death nor drowning.
That when the sea comes calling you stop
   being good neighbors,
Well-acquainted, friendly-from-a-distance
   neighbors.
And you give your house for a coral castle,
And you learn to breathe under water.                  

Carol Bialock rscj