Prayer

Joyful Spirit,

We celebrate the feast of St. Brigid today by joining our words with hers, asking that we all might experience more of your heavenly feast in our midst. In the here and now, let us see your kingdom come! And as a sign of your goodness among us, let cheerfulness preside over us as we perform your ministry, striving to extend your abundant life to people and communities in need. For the sake of those who are especially vulnerable, make us agents of gladness who can brighten their day and assist them in finding new paths of healing and wholeness. Amen.

Prayer

God in our work,

Our workplace invites us to practice the kind of culture we deserve. A culture in which we build environments of trust that encourage people to be their whole selves at work, and to bring all their marvelous dimensions into the mission we share. Lead us to create collaborative spaces where our organizational value of integrity and the gift of our diversity can be embodied fully and joyfully, so that every one of our colleagues feels welcomed and empowered to be creative, productive, and focused. Amen.

Prayer

Gracious God,

Your comfort among us is a true gift, in the sense that it doesn’t stop giving! It is a grace that empowers us and restores us so that we can be agents of comfort to others. Today, make us into better conduits of your comfort. For those who are especially weary, bless them with an abiding sense of your comforting presence. May they receive such a great gift in full, and thereby find themselves refreshed and encouraged to extend the blessing they have received to others in need, especially those who are most in need a comforting presence beside them. Amen.

Prayer

God,

It is easy to talk about loving all people and this one human family. Yet to express love concretely in our daily interactions takes more than just words and sentiment. As the world around us struggles to find unity and cohesion, help us as a ministry to be faithful in revealing your own love for humanity, in the specific ways we show respect for every one of our patients, their family members, the vendors and partners we work with, and of course with each other. That the “love” we profess might go far and rise high, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

God of those most vulnerable,

Today we recognize the ongoing impact of leprosy and other diseases that for much of our history have caused untold suffering. Not just physical suffering, but the emotional and relational suffering that attends these illnesses, as they become laden with stigma and prejudice. As those who have partnered on mission with you, help us to recommit ourselves each day, to touch the wounds of those ostracized by illness and to serve all people as you served them, with compassion, love, and inclusion. Amen.

Prayer

God of new beginnings,

You call us out of the comforting places we create for ourselves and into the wider world where we must exercise faith and take risks. Yet we often drag our feet, and the first steps are always the hardest. Inspire us today to stop the cycle of worry, of turning plans over in our minds, that we might get out of our heads and be brave. May we respond to your calling by remaining always beginners, eager to step out and follow you in new directions. Amen.

Prayer

God of all kindness,

So many stories attest to this truth: it only takes one real encounter with genuine kindness to change a life. Help us to never underestimate the value of a kind word or gesture. Inspire us to take more advantage of the many creative and sincere ways we can show our love and respect for others. Regardless of how the world prefers to measure “success,” let those of us who extend your compassion today always measure success by the kindness we’ve shared with those we serve, and also towards those with whom we serve: our colleagues and partners. Amen.