Prayer

God of all creation,

On this day, as the Church celebrates Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven, we are invited to celebrate the goodness of the body and to remember that you are the very author of life, who loves life and gives life to our bodies, who laid down your own life for love’s sake and then took it up again, in resurrection power! Death is your enemy, as is sickness, disease, and all forms of suffering. Therefore, today, we pray to be filled with resurrection hope, that we might comfort those who are suffering, strengthen the weary, and accompany the fearful through their time of trouble. Amen.

Prayer

Encouraging God,

With humble hearts we pause to appreciate the vast contributions of so many talented, gifted, and devoted colleagues across this ministry. Providers and caregivers, partners and vendors, associates of all kinds, all who serve so selflessly as your hands and feet to people in need. Open our eyes today, to see this diversity as a colorful spectrum of your own compassion and love for humanity. May we encourage each other in words and gestures to stay the course and keep up the good work. Amen.

Prayer

God over all,

The culture in which we live is prone to selfishness and short-sightedness. As those devoted to your mission of healing, help us continue to resist such tendencies and to continue advocating for a society founded on unity and the pursuit of the common good. May we stand out for the sincerity of our commitment to serving patients and communities, not for our own sake but because you called us, equipped us, and sent us to do this good work. With thanks for your invitation to be part of this mission, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Spirit of hope,

We work hard as a ministry to bring more of your dream for the world into reality. Yet we also face challenges that can sometimes distract us from the vision we’re called to pursue. In responding to setbacks, we invite you to dispel every doubt that would otherwise tempt us to think we aren’t making difference. Grant us instead an unwavering faith in your promises and the resilience to hold on to your mission. May we trust that, with your hand to guide us, all things are possible. Amen.

Prayer

God who hears us,

We pause now to seek your face again, thankful that you are so faithful to answer our prayers and deliver us from every fear that would grip our hearts. Help us focus on you today, the source of all joy, so we might freely share your life-giving love with others, especially those who are most in need. For the sake of all our patients and families and wider communities, may our lives reflect your healing compassion, drawing all those we serve into a deeper experience of wholeness, integrity, and peace. Amen.

Prayer

Holy Spirit,

Bravery and heroism are expressed in many ways, yet perhaps never so powerfully as when we choose to forgive those who wrong us; or when we are strong enough to confront hatred with love. As those called by your name, fill us with your spirit so we can exemplify your character towards all those we encounter, including even those who are hard to love or who otherwise offend us. May our lives bear witness to your grace and mercy, and may we be instruments of peace and reconciliation in a world that desperately needs your healing touch. Amen.

Prayer

God of all people,

We take time today to honor all the indigenous peoples who, long before us, dwelt on the land we now inhabit together.  The wisdom of their cultures and their practices of living in harmony with nature are needed correctives to much of the waywardness we see in today’s means of production and consumption. As we recognize and celebrate those ancestors who gave their hearts and souls to shape a world worth leaving their children, help us to honor them concretely by reforming ways of being and doing that are destructive to sustainability, community, and the harmony you embedded in the gift of creation. As one human family, we pray. Amen.