Prayer

God of renewal,

In our company today are servants whose fire has gone out. We see them persist in maintaining facades, yet inwardly we know that their passion for service has been squelched. With these colleagues in mind, and even as we celebrate the good work being done, we ask also for personal refreshment and the renewal of vision. Rekindle the flame of service within us, especially in the spirits of those who are so much in need of a renewing encounter. Heal them, protect them, and use us to inspire them. Let the flame of your healing compassion burn strong and bright within us. Within each one of us, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Healing spirit,

Especially mindful of our frontline caregivers, we ask you to fill them with your very own spirit of light and healing. In the face of suffering and pain, fill them with courageous compassion. Amidst the ever-present threat of exhaustion, fill them with resilience and stamina and power. In their otherwise ordinary days and routine encounters, fill them with vision and insight to answer your call and perform the extraordinary: indeed, the extension of your very own mission on earth. With gratitude for all the remarkable nurses you have entrusted to us and to a world in need, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Heartbeat of love,

Along with Nurses’ Week, Hospital Week invites us to acknowledge the good work being done in so many of our facilities and other sites of care. Yes, the ministry that you have entrusted to us is alive and flourishing, and we have great cause to give thanks! For extending your heartbeat to us, we are blessed and humbled. For giving us ample opportunity to extend it to others, we say thanks, wow, and help! May all healthcare workers experience a bounce in their step today, as we gratefully, wondrously, and humbly extend your compassionate ministry. Together, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

God over all,

We devote prayerful attention this week to all our nurses and caregivers. All those who embody our mission, vision, and values with such an inspiring level of commitment and tenacity. Day in and day out, they go above and beyond the call of duty, prioritizing the needs of others and putting them first. Our nurses are the heart and soul of this ministry we share together. Sincerely we thank you for them and ask you to empower them. Today and each day. Amen.

Prayer

Empowering love,

You do not consider your authority and power something to be grasped and held on to. To the contrary, you are ready to yield it and share it with all who believe and follow your way. In accord with your promise, help us live each day in humble expectation, believing that we will see your good works magnified in our own place and time, for the life of the world. We ask this in the same spirit with which you first came to us: not expecting to be served but to serve and to give our lives for the good of others. Amen.

Prayer

Beautiful one,

In the diversity of beings and creatures and things, we are given to see your goodness displayed and refracted in so many ways. Open our eyes today, to see the beauty around us and especially the beauty of those neighbors and family and colleagues we are prone to overlook, perhaps because of familiarity and history and sometimes pain. Refresh our vision. Reset out perception. Help us see beauty and to reflect it to others. Amen.

Prayer

God of our history,

Cinco de Mayo is an important opportunity for us to show respect and admiration for Mexican culture, history, tradition, and customs. Let the celebration of this special day take shape as we learn more about its origin and history, as we support Mexican-owned businesses in our communities as well as the arts and museums, and as we continue to advocate for immigration and employment policies respectful of human dignity and the rights of all workers. With gratitude for the specific contributions of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans to our collective history and culture, we pray. Amen.