04 September 2009

Prayers for use in a time of crisis, with particular reference to the current flu pandemic.

General Prayers

Heavenly Father,
giver of life and health:
comfort and restore those who are sick,
that they may be strengthened in their weakness
and have confidence in your unfailing love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Creator and Father of all,
we pray for those who are ill.
Bless them, and those who serve their needs,
that they may put their whole trust in you
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For those who have contracted the virus

The almighty Lord,
who is a strong tower for all who put their trust in him,
whom all things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth obey,
be now and evermore your defence.
May you believe and trust that the only name under heaven
given for health and salvation
is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

May our Lord Jesus Christ,
who healed the sick and brought comfort to those in need,
by his risen presence be with all who have contracted this virus,
take from them all that harms and hinders them,
and fill them with his healing and his peace.
Amen.

The general prayers and prayers for those who have contracted the virus are adapted from ‘Common Worship’, published by the Archbishops’ Council.

Spread Over Us Thy Shelter of Peace

Grant, Lord our God, that we lie down in peace,
And that we rise, O our King, to life.
Spread over us thy shelter of peace,
And direct us with good counsel of thy own.

Save us for thy name's sake; Shield us,
And remove from us every enemy and pestilence,
Sword and famine and grief;
Remove the adversary from before us
And from behind us;
Shelter us in the shadow of thy wings;
For thou art our protecting and saving God;
Thou are indeed a gracious and merciful
God and King.

Guard thou our going out and our coming in,
For life and peace, henceforth and forever;
Blessed art thou, O Lord,
Who guardest thy people Israel forever.

Courtesy of American Jewish Committee -- Long Island.
From Church World Service Response Programme

O Merciful God, who answerest the poor,
   Answer us.
O Merciful God, who answerest the lowly in spirit,
   Answer us.
O Merciful God, who answerest the broken of heart,
   Answer us.
O Merciful God,
   Answer us.
O Merciful God,
   Have compassion.
O Merciful God,
   Redeem.
O Merciful God,
   Save.
O Merciful God, have pity upon us,
   Now,
   Speedily,
   And at a near time.

Prayer for the Day of Atonement
The Oxford Book of Prayer

Risen Lord,
we are bewildered
by the incomprehensible suffering of the innocent.
Receive those who have died into your light and love.
Comfort their families and friends.
As we remember and mourn,
do not let our hearts be filled with sadness,
but help us to respond
with peace, love, and compassion.
You are Lord forever and ever. Amen.

A prayer for those dealing with the pandemic

Almighty God, bless with your wisdom those who are fighting this pandemic;
be with doctors and nurses as they care for the sick and dying,
be with scientists working for an effective cure,
be with those who care for loved ones now departed,
be with the emergency services and public health authorities as they seek to protect us,
and protect us all beneath the shadow of your wing;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *

A prayer for deliverance from this crisis

Loving God,
you set a rainbow in the sky as sign of your everlasting covenant with humankind,
and gave your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins
and raised him from the grave to bring us new life:
as you have delivered us from sin and death, deliver us now from this pandemic,
that all your children may live free from fear and secure in the knowledge of your love for them;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *

If prevented from being able to go to church for worship and to receive Holy Communion, you may wish to make a spiritual communion.

The Church contemplates that the benefits of Sacramental Communion may be obtained by the faithful believer, when the actual reception of the Holy Sacrament is impossible owing to certain circumstances. This is set forth in the rubric at the end of the Prayer Book Service for the Communion of the Sick.

The circumstances are these:--

1. In extreme sickness and consequent inability to communicate.
2. That a Priest cannot be obtained.
3. The absence of any fellow-communicants and consequent inability to fulfil other Prayer Book rubrics.
4. Any other just cause.

A simple form of Spiritual Communion.

You may find it helpful to have an icon, a crucifix, a holding cross or a lighted candle to focus your thoughts as you make your spiritual communion

Preparation:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Gather your thoughts in a time of silence, reflecting on those times when we have failed to live as a faithful disciple of Christ. You may wish to repeat the prayer a number of times before asking for God’s forgiveness.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God,
have mercy on me a sinner.
May God who is both power and love
forgive and free me from my sins,
heal and strengthen me by the power of the Spirit,
and raise me to newness of life, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Word:

Use the Daily Prayer website of the church of England to guide your reading and to provide a Collect for the day. If you do not have internet access, read a short passage from the gospels.

Prayer:

Hold in your mind the things that concern you most, and offer them to God the Father through his Son Jesus and in the power of the Spirit.

The Lord’s Prayer

Spiritual Communion:

Holding a cross, reflecting on the image of an icon or the flame of a candle, say this modern version of the Anima Christi, which has its origins as a prayer before a crucifix and has been used in the devotions of Christians since the fourteenth century:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ's side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen

Ending:

Resolve to go to church to receive Holy Communion as soon as you are able and give thanks for being able to make your Spiritual Communion.

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
For all the benefits thou hast won for me,
For all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I know thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
And follow thee more nearly:
For ever and ever.

--St. Richard Chichester (1197-1253)