Hospitaller Prayer 20

God Is For All Of Us

In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and of Our Lady the Virgin Mary. God before and above everything in the world. Amen, Jesus

Opening Prayer

Let us pray.

Lord, through the practical help he gave to the people of Granada, our founder John showed how God’s presence is for all of us, no matter who we are, or what our personal condition or circumstances might be. May we have the faith, courage and determination to bring that same sense of God’s presence to the people we encounter in the course of our work. We ask this, our prayer, through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.  Amen.

First Reading

A reading adapted from The Life of Saint John of God by Francisco de Castro 

All manner of poor and needy people came to John. There were widows, innocent orphans, people with lawsuits, war-wounded soldiers and poor farm labourers, because there had been a disastrous drought that year. Many others came long too and he helped them all according to their needs, never sending anyone away without some kind of assistance. He gladly gave what he could to those who asked for something from him, while for others, it was a matter of trying to cheer them up with words of hope, encouragement or inspiration. As if that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, John’s concern took him in search of those people of noble birth who had fallen on hard times, sometimes referred to as “the genteel poor”. He had a particular interest in trying to help those whose circumstances forced them to suffer their poverty in silence, notably unmarried women, poor nuns and housewives whose proud husbands would have been mortified if they knew their wives had to beg for the food on their tables. John saw to all their needs with great kindness, begging himself from the wealthy ladies of Granada on their behalf. John himself bought the necessary bread, meat, fish, charcoal and other items they needed and passed these quietly and discreetly on to them. In this way they could retain their respectable standing in the community and go about their lives with no one else knowing about the real poverty of their circumstances. 

Reflection “Song of the Wounded” 

Where is the one who accepts me? 

– Who does not cringe at the sight of my crumpled body; 

– Who is not overwhelmed upon hearing my fractured story; 

– Who does not balk at the intrusiveness of my many demands. 

Where is the one who is not frustrated by my inabilities, or offended by my many transgressions? 

“Is there anyone out there who understands me”, say the wounded ones of this world. 

“Is love really possible? Hope a delusion? Are they the playthings of the innocent who have not yet tasted suffering or the privileged preserve of the few who are specially blessed?” 

And then suddenly, unexpectedly he came and he walked with us wounded ones, the Galilean. This one for whom not one of us is ever too much. And suddenly, now I have discovered love: 

– A love which accepts me in my crumpled body; 

– Which takes in my fractured story and absorbs my many demands; 

– A love which is patient with my inability and forgiving of my many transgressions, and now my life is irreversibly transformed. 

But where are the John-like followers of the Galilean? 

Those lovers for whom we wounded are never too much. 

Where are those who will burst into my world with refreshing energy, when others are paralysed, turned off, turned away by my presence? 

Where are those who will boldly seek me out, while I am still tentative, suspicious, weary and a long-way off? 

“for my heart aches”, say the wounded of this world, for the one who will tell me, teach me, proclaim to me and discover with me, that Christ-like love from which, even I, deeply wounded as I am, can never be separated. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

Intercessions

We pray for those who feel that because of society’s attitude or because of family circumstances, their suffering must be borne in silence and secrecy. May they find confidential and understanding carers to help them through their difficulty. 

Lord hear us. 

Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for those who have to care for the needs of others. May they be helped and supported so that the burden is never too much. 

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for the family of Saint John of God, that we may not lose heart at the sight of the needs of so many. But that, like John, we may be energised and empowered by the Spirit to intervene with appropriate help. 

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

We pray for those who feel they are alone in this world, with no one to care for, or about them. For these we pray to the Lord. 

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

We pray in silence for those whom we may have promised to pray for, those who have asked for our prayers, those known to us to be in particular difficulty at this time. 

For these too we pray to the Lord 

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
Amen.

May the Lord be with you. 

And also with you. 

Let us bow our heads and ask for God’s blessing. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you.  Amen.

May his face shine upon you and may he be gracious to you.  Amen.

May he look upon you with kindness and give you his peace.  Amen.

And may almighty God bless us all, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

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