PRAYER SPACE

PRAYER SPACE

First Week of Advent: Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

On the first Sunday of Advent, the Gospel reading points us to the Second Coming of Jesus. 

Gospel: St. Matthew 24:37-44

The Incarnation is Jesus’ First Coming —

we are invited to look for His return.

Since we don’t know which day the Lord will come,

we must stay awake and aware. 

“The whole Advent season is about merciful love.

We look upon God’s Infinite Mercy and

know He finds such joy in coming to us.”

He comes in the simple everyday life that is ours.

He loves to “walk among the pots and pans” of our life as St. Teresa of Jesus tells us.

Prayer for the first week of Advent:

“Grant almighty Father,

That when Christ comes again

we may go out to meet him

bearing the harvest of good works

achieved by your grace.

We pray that he will receive us into 

the company of the saints 

and call us into the kingdom of heaven

Through Christ our Lord, Amen”

 

 

“The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary

and she concieved of the Holy Spirit” –

Mary, our dear mother and sister,

teach us how to wait with you in hope this Advent

Feast of Christ the King

Opening Prayer 

Almighty ever-living God,

whose will is to restore all things
in your beloved Son, the King of the universe,
grant, we pray,
that the whole creation set free from slavery,
may render your majesty service
and ceaselessly proclaim your praise.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

Our Eternal King and our Gentle Shepherd shine your Love & Mercy on us.

 

 

 

 

 

If ever a saint had her heart in heaven

and her feet firmly on the ground –

it was Teresa of Jesus!

As a child, St. Teresa loved to repeat: ‘Forever! Forever! Forever!’

She was trying to get a handle on the reality of eternity.

She is a great realist who knows, and teaches that:

‘All things pass – save God’ Whenever St. Teresa heard a clock strick she reminded herself, and others, that life was passing and it is not worth spending it on trifles.

The only thing that really matters is Love – love of God and true love of neighbour.

This is the only currency Teresa was interested in – because it is the only thing we can take with us when we die!

If all things pass away, well then, St. Teresa tells us that we better get interested in that which lasts forever

– God, who is Love.

The more love we sow in this life the happier we will be in heaven. 

 

‘In You Lord, Creation finds its joy, you have clothed it in your beauty’

St. John of the Cross

Psalm 64:

To you our praise is due in Zion, O God.

To you we pay our vows, you who hear our prayer.

The ends of the earth stand in awe at the sight of your wonders,

The lands of sunrise and sunset you fill with your joy.

 

You care for the earth, give it water,

You fill it with riches.

You crown the year with your goodness. 

Abundance flows in your steps, 

 in the pastures of the wilderness, it flows. 

 

The hills are girded with joy,

the meadows covered with flocks, 

The valleys are decked with wheat. 

They shout for joy.

‘In You lord, Creation finds its joy, you have clothed it in your beauty’

On 1 st. of September Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Orthodox and Evangelicals from all over the world unite to celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. The ‘Season of Creation’, is an ecumenical initiative that aims to increase awareness among Christians of the need to protect our common home. The Season of Creation runs from Sept. 1st. to Oct. 4th. Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology.

For more information see: seasonofcreation.org

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF KNOCK
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit, Amen.
Give praise to the Father Almighty,
To His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord,
To the Spirit who lives in our hearts,
Both now and forever. Amen.

 

 

Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, you gave hope to your
people in a time of distress, and comforted them in sorrow.
You have inspired countless pilgrims to pray with confidence to
your divine Son, remembering His promise, “Ask and you shall
receive, seek and you shall find.”

Help me to remember that we are all pilgrims on the road to
heaven. Fill me with love and concern for my brothers and
sisters in Christ, especially those who live with me. Comfort
me when I am sick, lonely or depressed. Teach me how to take
part ever more reverently in the Holy Mass. Give me a greater
love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Pray for me now,
and at the hour of my death. Amen.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world;
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world;
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world;
Grant us peace.
ST. JOSEPH,
Chosen by God to be
The Husband of Mary,
The Protector of the Holy Family,
The Guardian of the Church.
Protect all families
In their work and recreation
And Guard us on our journey through life

 

 

ST. JOHN,
Beloved Disciple of the Lord, Faithful Priest.
Teacher of the Word of God.
Help us to hunger for the Word.
To be loyal to the Mass
And to love one another

Our Lady of Knock Pray for us
Refuge of sinners Pray for us
Queen Assumed into Heaven Pray for us
Queen of the Rosary Pray for us
Mother of Nazareth Pray for us
Queen of Virgins Pray for us
Help of Christians Pray for us
Health of the Sick Pray for us

Queen of Peace Pray for us
Our Lady, Queen and Mother Pray for us
Our Lady, Mother of the Church Pray for us
With the Angels and Saints let us pray:
Give praise to the Father Almighty,
To His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord,
To the Spirit who lives in our hearts,
Both now and forever. Amen

 

August 6th. Feast of the Transfiguration

Gospel Luke 9:28-36

‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’

 

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ – He did not know what he was saying. As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’ And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silent and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.

 

16th of July Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Flower of Carmel,

blossoming, bearing one,

light of heaven,

mother of God’s dear Son,

vine and virgin.

 

Gentle parent,

pure beyond human love,

bless your children

star shining far above,

this world’s ocean. 

 

Holy Lady,

Carmel’s great friend and queen,

feast your people

from your own bliss unseen

grace, God’s goodness

from a hymn for Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corpus Christi

 Soul of Christ, be my sanctification;

Body of Christ, be my salvation;

Blood of Christ, fill all my veins;

Water of Christ’s side, wash out my stains;

Passion of Christ, my comfort be;

O good Jesu, listen to me;

In thy wounds I fain would hide;

Ne’er to be parted from thy side;

Guard me, should the foe assail me;

Call me when my life shall fail me; 

Bid me come to thee above,

With thy saints to sing Thy love,

World without end. Amen      

 Anima Christi – St. John Henry Newman.

                                                                   

Trinity Sunday

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ

and the love of God

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

– 2 Corinthians 13:14

 

 

 

Pentecost – Come Holy Spirit – Alleluia!

Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 103(104):1,24,29-31,34

Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

Bless the Lord, my soul!
Lord God, how great you are,
How many are your works, O Lord!
The earth is full of your riches.

Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

You take back your spirit, they die,
returning to the dust from which they came.
You send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the earth.

Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the Lord last forever!
May the Lord rejoice in his works!
May my thoughts be pleasing to him.
I find my joy in the Lord.

Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

 

The Feast of the Visitation on the 31st. of May

reminds us of the joy of expecting mothers and

the gift of assurance they can find in each other.

Let us pray.

Almighty ever-living God,
who, while the Blessed Virgin Mary was carrying your Son in her womb,
inspired her to visit Elizabeth,
grant us, we pray,
that, faithful to the promptings of the Spirit,
we may magnify your greatness
with the Virgin Mary at all times.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

 

The Ascension of the Lord

Alleluia, his the triumph, his the victory alone.

Hark! the songs of Holy Sion, thunder like a mighty flood:

Jesus out of every nation hath redeemed us by his Blood.

Alleluia!, not as orphans are we left in sorrow now;

Alleluia!, he is near us faith believes nor questions how.

Though the clouds from sight received Him when the forty days were o’er,

Shall our hearts forget his promise: ‘I am with you evermore’?

 Liturgical Hymn for the Ascension  (S.S. Wesley)

 

May – Mary’s Month – arrives in the joy of Eastertide

 

4th. Sunday of Easter – Good Shepherd & Prayer for Vocations Day

Gospel John 10:27-30 I know my sheep and they follow me

Jesus said:

‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice;
I know them and they follow me.
I give them eternal life;
they will never be lost
and no one will ever steal them from me.
The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone,
and no one can steal from the Father.
The Father and I are one.’

 

Easter – He is Risen – Alleluia!

“Rejoice,  heavenly powers!

Sing choirs of angels!

Exult all creation around

God’s Throne!

Jesus Christ, our King has risen!

Rejoice, O earth in shining splendour,

Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!”

 

The wonder of our Risen Lord breaks through even

 the continued darkness of war and covid.

   Jesus, Risen from the dead, can come through any barrier.

Just as he came into the

locked upper room

where the disciples were hiding in fear,

He can break down anything that binds us and come into our hearts saying:

‘Peace be with you, it is I do not fear.’ 

 

          Holy Saturday

Good Friday -Our beloved Lord Jesus  “suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified – died, and was buried”

Responsorial Psalm for Good Friday.

R/ Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free,
Into your hands, I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.

R/ Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

In the face of all my foes
I am a reproach,
an object of scorn to my neighbours
and of fear to my friends.

R/ Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Those who see me in the street
run far away from me.
I am like a dead man, forgotten in men’s hearts,
like a thing thrown away.

 

 

R/ Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

But as for me, I trust in you, Lord;
I say: ‘You are my God.
My life is in your hands, deliver me
from the hands of those who hate me.

R/ Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Let your face shine on your servant.
Save me in your love.’
Be strong, let your heart take courage,
all who hope in the Lord.

R/ Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

 

Holy Thursday – Eucharist – washing of each other’s feet in service and Priesthood

‘Stay here and keep watch with me.’

With Palm Sunday we enter the great days of Holy Week

and unite with all who are entering this week in great sorrow,

pain and the hell of war.

In Holy Week we ponder on the reality we recite in the Apostle’s Creed 

‘ He suffered..was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

On the third day, he rose again.’ 

There is nowhere that Jesus would not go with us even into the depths of our personal ‘hell’ of suffering. However, he does not leave us there – he will raise us up in the Victory of the Cross and Resurrection

His state was divine yet

Christ did not cling to his equality with God

but emptied himself …to become one with us

and he was humbler yet even to accepting death, death on a cross.

But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names

so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acclaim  Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

c.f. Philippians 2:6-11

The Preface of the Mass used

on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week

The victory of the Passion

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.

For the days of his saving Passion
and glorious Resurrection are approaching,
by which the pride of the ancient foe is vanquished
and the mystery of our redemption in Christ is celebrated.

Through him, the host of Angels adores your majesty
and rejoices in your presence forever.
May our voices, we pray, join with theirs
in one chorus of exultant praise, as we acclaim

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

 

 

Our Lenten journey continues in union with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine

It is so hard to believe that things in Europe could change so suddenly. War has become a reality for each of us. We feel helpless before the destruction of evil – and Oh! how evil war is.

” Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God –

have mercy on Ukraine and on the whole world”

Beloved St. Joseph.

“Joseph, our Father, tender and strong one,

Husband to Mary, Father to Christ,

Faithful protector of Him who made thee,

Breadwinner for the true Bread of Life.

In you, the faith of Patriarchs blossomed,

Rooted in silence, nurtured in Prayer,

 Bearing its harvest, of love pure and steadfast,

Keep us, loved Father, safe in your care.

Praise we the Father, Whom you reflected,

Praise we the Son, a Child at your knee,

Praise we the Spirit, Whose Spouse you cherished,

For you, St. Joseph, praise.” ever be.

St. Joseph with Our Lady and St. John around the Lamb, the altar and the angels in the Knock Apparition.

Knock is now an International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine.

2nd. of February: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,

we do well always. and everywhere

to give you thanks through

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Today your Son, who shares your eternal splendour,

was presented in the temple and revealed by the Holy Spirit,

as the glory of Israel and the Light of the peoples.

Our hearts are joyful, for we have seen your salvation,

and with the angels and saints we praise you forever:

 

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord,

God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

                                                                                                Hosanna in the highest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st. February – Feast of St. Bridgid of Ireland

Lord, you inspired in St.Brigid

such whole-hearted dedication

to your work

that she is known as

Mary of the Gael;

through her intercession

bless our country;

may we follow the example of her life

and be united with her and

the Virgin Mary in your presence. Amen

From the Liturgy for St. Bridgid celebrated in Ireland.

January 2022  18 – 25 Week of Prayer for Church Unity

We Saw His Star in the East:  

Prayer

God our Guide,

you sent the star to lead the Magi to your only begotten Son.

Fill us with the confidence that you are walking with us.

Open our eyes to your Spirit, and encourage us in our faith,

so that we may confess that Jesus is Lord,

and worship him as the Magi did in Bethlehem.

Amen.

Hymn Verse

Hope of my heart, strength of my soul,

Guide Thou my footsteps and keep me whole;

My grace and fortress, Thou wilt be,

Oh, let Thy mighty hand ever lead me.

Barney E Warren, 1893

Reflection

Again and again, the scriptures tell us how God walks with us. The path may not always be straight: sometimes we are led to retrace our steps, sometimes to return by a different route. But in all our journeying through life, we can be confident that God, who neither “sleeps nor slumbers”, is with us when we slip or fall.

Even in the greatest darkness, God’s light is with us. Most perfectly, in the fullness of time, God sends Jesus Christ, who is the guiding light for all nations, the glory of God in the world, the source of divine light and life.

The way ahead into unity with one another, into closer union with Christ, is not always clear. In our earnest attempts to build unity ourselves, it is all too easy to lose sight of this fundamental message of the scriptures: that God does not abandon his people even in their failures and divisiveness. This is God’s message of hope for the whole world. As the story of the Magi reminds us, God guides people of all kinds, by the light of the star, to where Christ, the light of the world, is to be found.

 

 

‘Mother of Christ! hear thou thy people’s cry,

Star of the deep, and portal of the sky!

Mother of Him who thee from nothing made,

Sinking we strive, and call to thee for aid:

Oh! by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee,

Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.’

 

We are blessed to start the Year with Our Lady,

Mother of our God become Man for us.

On the cross, Jesus gave Mary to us as our Mother

and it is to her we fly for protection

as the Covid 19 pandemic reaches its highest level yet

as the Omicron variant spreads.

We do everything we can to keep safe

and to keep others safe but after that our help is

‘in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth’

‘Unto us, a Child is given,

Christ our Saviour brings release;

Counsellor, Eternal Father,

God made man and Prince of Peace.

Born of Mary, gentle Virgin,

By the Spirit of the Lord;

From eternal ages spoken:

This, the mighty Father’s Word.

Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal

Forty Years living and praying in Knock! 1981-2021

We give praise to You, O Lord for bringing us to this Holy Place.

On the 15th of October 1981, our community transferred from Dublin to Knock. We give thanks to God for all the blessings of these years and a very sincere ‘Thank You’ to all who made this possible and who have been with us throughout the joys and sorrows of daily life in our adopted County Mayo.

 

We also give thanks that our community continues to grow and the Solemn Profession of Sr. Elizabeth was the best anniversary gift God could give us!

We include this in our Prayer Space and hope you will join us in prayer and praise for all God’s Blessings.

‘We give thanks to the Lord with you our Mother’.

My soul glorifies the Lord,

My spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

He looks on his servant in her lowliness;

henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me.

Holy his name!

His mercy is from age to age,

on those who fear him.

He puts forth his arm in strength

and scatters the proud-hearted.

He casts the mighty from their thrones

and raises the lowly.

He fills the starving with good things,

sends the rich away empty.

He protects Israel, his servant,

remembering his mercy.

The mercy promised to our fathers

to Abraham and his sons forever.

Praise the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,

both now and foever. Amen.

The ‘Season of Creation’ 

‘In You Lord, Creation finds its joy, you have clothed it in your beauty’

St. John of the Cross

Psalm 64:

To you, our praise is due in Zion, O God.

To you we pay our vows, you who hear our prayer.

The ends of the earth stand in awe at the sight of your wonders,

The lands of sunrise and sunset you fill with your joy.

You care for the earth, give it water,

You fill it with riches.

You crown the year with your goodness. 

Abundance flows in your steps, 

 in the pastures of the wilderness it flows. 

The hills are girded with joy,

the meadows covered with flocks, 

The valleys are decked with wheat. 

They shout for joy.

‘In You lord, Creation finds its joy, you have clothed it in your beauty’

On 1 st. of September Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans,

Orthodox and Evangelicals from all over the world

unite to celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the Care of

Creation which launched the ‘Season of Creation’,

an ecumenical initiative that aims to increase awareness

among Christians of the need to protect our common home.

The Season of Creation runs from Sept. 1st. to Oct. 4th. Feast of St. Francis of Assisi,

patron saint of animals and ecology.

For more information see: seasonofcreation.org

 

Who is she ascends so high,

Next the heavenly King,

Round about whom angels fly

And her praises sing?

This is she in whose pure womb

Heaven’s Prince remained;

Therefore in no earthly tomb

Can she be contained.

 

The feasts of The Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi, and the Sacred Heart refresh us in these times of pandemics, wars, freak heatwaves, and such suffering.

We can only pray:

‘Jesus I trust in you, I love you have Mercy. Deep from thy wounded side pour out your Love and Mercy.

Mercy, Mercy – forever will I sing of the Mercies, the Mercies of our King.

 

 

 

 

‘When the day of Pentecost had come,

the disciples were all together in one place,

with Mary the Mother of Jesus,

when suddenly the rush of a mighty wind came from heaven.

The Holy Spirit descended upon them like tongues of Flame.’

‘Spirit of God, on the waste and the darkness

hov’ring in power as creation began,

drawing forth beauty from clay and from chaos,

breathing God’s life in the nostrils of man.

Come and sow life in the waste of our being,

pray in us, form us as sons in the Son.

Open our hearts to yourself, mighty Spirit,

bear us to life in the Three who are One.

Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal –

 

(while we like to use inclusive language where possible – we draw a line at changing hymns or poetry!)

 

 

March 14th.

4th. Sunday of Lent-

Rejoice! Sunday & Mother’s Day

Gospel Acclamation Jn3:16

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son:

everyone who believes in him has eternal life.

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Today is called Rejoicing or’Refreshment’ Sunday

a little ‘rest’ to mark that we are more than halfway

through Lent and close to Holy Week and Easter.

Lent only makes sense because Christ has Risen,

and we rejoice in that reality even in our darkest hour. 

Ephesians 2:4-10  You have been saved through grace.

God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy: when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ – it is through grace that you have been saved – and raised us up with him and gave us a place with him in heaven, in Christ Jesus.

This was to show for all ages to come, through his goodness towards us in Christ Jesus, how infinitely rich he is in grace. Because it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God; not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit. We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 8th.  St. Josephine Bakhita

International Day of Prayer & Intercession against Human Trafficking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Sunday 3rd. of January we will remember the Holy Name of Jesus.

Let us pray this holy name to offer glory to Him,

for the power of this Holy Name casts out all evil.

 

‘At the Name of Jesus,

Every knee shall bow

and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord

to the glory of God the Father’

 

 

 

 

 

‘Christ has been born for us. Come let us adore Him!’

‘Unto us, a Child is given,

Christ our Saviour brings release;

Counsellor, Eternal Father,

God made man and Prince of Peace.

Born of Mary, gentle Virgin,

By the Spirit of the Lord;

From eternal ages spoken:

This, the mighty Father’s Word.

Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 In Advent ‘the hopes and fears of all the years’

are gathered together in a great cry of:

‘Come Lord Jesus!’

And, in 2020, this cry echoes around our bewildered humanity

as we try to make sense of a pandemic that has traumatized our world.

The hardest part for us all seems to be that

‘We have no one to tell us how long it will last.’

 

We bring our shared sorrow to the Lord of Mercy

Praying that He will shorten these days for all His children

May Our Lady of Advent 

Bless and keep us safe

as we await with her 

The coming of Jesus

 

 

 

 

 

16th of July Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Star of sea and ocean,

gateway to man’s haven,

Mother of our Maker,

hear our prayer, O Maiden.

Guard us through life’s dangers

never turn and leave us.

May our hope find harbour

in the calm of Jesus.

Sing to God the Father

through the Son who saves us.

Joyful in the Spirit,

everlasting praises.

 

                                           Aylesford Carmelite Priory, England.

God does not ask us

to be brave

but to trust –

nor does He ask us

to do great things

but to clothe ourselves

in the holiness of

His Merciful Son – Jesus.

 

This has been very different Easter for us all

but the hope of the Risen Lord is ours to proclaim!

Rejoice,  heavenly powers!

Sing choirs of angels!

Exult all creation around

God’s Throne!

Jesus Christ, our King has risen!

Rejoice, O earth in shining splendour,

Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!

Darkness vanishes forever!