PRAYERS FOR VOCATIONS

Lord, we pray you, send labourers
Into your field for the enemy ravages the harvest.
Raise up men and woman who will tend and garner it,
Among the youth confided to our care,
Show us those of your choice,
That knowing them,
We may form them to labour for you.
O Mary, our Mother,
You are the superior and guardian
Of this Institute. You have gathered us
Under your banner to promote the glory of your Divine Son,
Notwithstanding the opposition of the world.
If you do not come to our aid we shall fail,
And like a lamp without oil, become extinguished.
But if this work should perish,
It is not our work that fails, but yours,
For you have done everything for us.
We therefore trust in your powerful protection
And we shall trust in it always.
Amen.

 

A Prayer of Thanks

God, you call each of us by name
And with great love and compassion.
We thank you for the grace of living our vocation
With love and fidelity.
Bless each of us as we daily respond
To your graciousness in our lives.
We celebrate and thank you for the rich diversity
Our vocation brings to the world.
Inspire many of our younger people today
To live lives of generosity, love, service and commitment.
We make this prayer, through Jesus –
The Way, Truth and Life.
Amen.

 

Offering our Day

Creator God, we rejoice in the gift of this day.
Thank you for entrusting us with such wondrous benefits.
At the end of this day, may our world be a better place
For my having been in it.
I thank you in anticipation for all those
Who will be your ambassadors to me.
May I recognise your face in each of them.
Give me a heart that is full of your love.
I wish to spend this dayIn loving and serving you in other people.
Be with me as I journey through today,
For your love’s sake.
Amen.

Lord, we present ourselves to you
At the beginning of a new day.
We acknowledge our dependence on you
For many daily blessings
As you provide and care for us.
We offer to you our humble efforts this day
To be your light, your witness and your instrument
In making your Kingdom present in the places
Where we live, work or travel.

Loving God
You call us to the dance of life and love.
How can we not respond to the call you make of us
When all that we are and have is your gift?
May we respond to your love today
In listening and acting as Mary did,
That we, too, may give flesh to the Christ within us
And show to others the warmth of your love
In all that we are and do.

Dear Father,
We hope to be of service to others this day.
Through, with and in Jesus
We offer you now our day,
With its prayers, works, joys and sufferings,
For a deeper understanding of the human heart of Jesus,
And for the union of all Christians
According to the mind of Jesus.

Mary, you found joy in God’s endless, loving mercy,
And you proclaimed in song
The great Son of Justice
Who would raise the lowly and feed the hungry.
May this new day be for us, your children,
A celebration of the presence and power of God
Who continues to bring light from darkness,
Harmony from chaos,
And life from death.
Sing your song in our hearts, Mary, throughout this day,
That we might be transformed
Into the image of your Firstborn Son;
Jesus, our Brother and Lord.

 

Prayers for Champagnat Marist Vocations

Strengthen us to be courageous in sharing the gift of our Marist call
In these times of uncertainty and change.
In Marcellin’s spirit of total trust in You
We pray that our Vocation Team,
Will be a sign of new beginnings and hope for the future.
Through this initiative may we inspire young men and women
To follow in the footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat
As Marist Brothers and Lay Marists
In meeting the needs of our society
And making Jesus and Mary known and loved.
We ask you to bless our Brothers in their brotherhood
And Lay Marists in their vocational call.
We pray this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

Touch the hearts and minds of young people today
To desire a life of great intimacy with you.
Bless vocations to religious life
And especially to the life of Marist Brotherhood.
May we find ways to encourage and enlighten young men
To be the Champagnats in this new millennium.
Gift each of us with zeal and generosity in our lives of brotherhood.
We make this prayer with the confidence on Mary, in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

Father, you call all who believe in you
To grow perfect in love
By following in the footsteps of Christ, your Son.
May those whom you have chosen to serve you as religious
Provide, by their way of life, a convincing sign of your Kingdom
To the church and to the world.
Look with favour, Lord,
On this family of Marist Brothers.
May it increase in numbers,
Lead its members to perfect love,
And work for the salvation of all peoples.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Father, you call all who believe in you
To grow perfect in love
By following in the footsteps of Christ, your Son.
May those whom you have chosen to serve you as Champagnat Marists
(Brothers and Lay)
Provide, by their way of life, a convincing sign of your Kingdom
To the church and to the world.
Look with favour, Lord,
On this family of Champagnat Marists.
May it increase in numbers,
Lead its members to perfect love,
And work for the salvation of all peoples.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Father, life is your gift.
You invite us to share our gift of life
In the service of others.
Be with us as we choose each day
To show your presence to the world.
Give us the courage to respond to your love and to your call
In the spirit of Marcellin Champagnat.
Open the hearts of many others
That they may accept your challenge
To build your Kingdom today.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

For Marist Teachers

Father, you chose Marcellin Champagnat
To give your people Christian education.
Give to your Church teachers who will devote themselves
To helping your people grow as Christians.
Help us, the family you founded through Marcellin Champagnat,
To be faithful and zealous ministers of your Word.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

 

For the Marist Family

Father, look with love
On our Marist Family, and its needs.
May we bring others, through our ministry,
The same healing and fulfilment
That we have received from you in joy and gratitude.
Through the intercession of Marcellin Champagnat,
May our faith and zeal inspire others
To follow Christ as Marist Brothers.
This we ask through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Father, look with love
On All Champagnat Marists, and their needs.
May we bring others, through our ministries,
The same healing and fulfilment
That we have received from you in joy and gratitude.
Through the intercession of Marcellin Champagnat,
May our faith and zeal inspire others
To follow Christ as Champagnat Marists.
This we ask through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

For Youth

God, our Creator,
Help all our young people
To know their vocation in life,
And assist them to prepare for it.
For your greater glory, and for the well-being of your people.