25 PRAYERS FOR MERCY SHIPS - SEA HARVEST OF HEALING With recommendations from An African Prayer Book, by Archbishop Desmond Tutu

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1 25 PRAYERS FOR MERCY SHIPS - SEA HARVEST OF HEALING With recommendations from An African Prayer Book, by Archbishop Desmond Tutu VOCATIONAL PRAYERS 1. For Those Who Travel by Sea God, You brought our fathers through the Red Sea And carried them safely through the deep As they sang praises in Your name! We humbly ask You To guard Your servants, onboard ship, And driving away all adversities, Bring them to their destination port after a calm voyage. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son Who lives and reigns with You, In the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Article provided by Catholic.org 2. The Nurse s Prayer When I falter, give me courage When I tire, renew my strength When I weaken because I m human, Inspire me on to greater length. If doctors and patients become demanding, And days are too short for all my duty, Help me to remember that I chose to serve; To do so with grace, and spiritual beauty. In humility, Lord, I labour long hours, And though I sometimes may fret; My mission is mercy. Abide with me, that I may never forget. Article provided by Catholic.org 3. The Physician s Prayer Lord Great Physician, I kneel before You! Since every good and perfect gift comes from You, I pray that you give skill to my hand, clear vision to my mind, Kindness and sympathy to my heart, and strength to my body. Lord, I ask for singleness of purpose, and the ability to lift At least a part of the burden of suffering, from my fellow man. I pray that I will always realize That being a physician is a privilege and honor. And Lord, take from me all guile and worldliness, So that with the simple faith of a child, I will rely on you.. Author unknown, from Angelfire.com

2 4. The Sailor s Psalm 23 (paraphrased) The Lord is my pilot, I shall not go adrift; He lighteth my passage across dark channels; He steereth me through the deep waters, He keepeth my log. He guideth me by the evening star for my safety s sake. Yea, though I sail mid the thunders and tempest of life, I shall fear no peril for Thou art with me. The vastness of thy sea upholds me. Surely, fair winds and safe harbors shall be found All the days of my life; And I shall moor, fast and secure, forever.. 5. The Fisherman s Prayer God grant that I may live to fish For another shining day, But when the final cast is made I then most humbly pray, When nestled in your landing net As I lay peacefully asleep You ll smile at me and judge That I m good enough to keep. Author unknown, Angelfire.com 6. A Fisherman s Song of Praise, from An African Prayer Book, p 22 PRAYERS FOR HEALING 1. Lord make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console Not so much to be understood, as to understand, Not so much to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, It is in dying that we awake to eternal live. Prayer of St Francis of Assisi

3 2. Lord God, Giver of Life, Source of Healing, Who alone can help us grow in wholeness We thank you for the gift of life and health, And remembering your faithful servants, We ask you to guide and uphold All doctors, surgeons, hospital staff and All engaged in the ministry of healing Together with those they serve, That disease and disunity May everywhere be overcome; Through Christ the Divine Healer, Who suffered and died and lives and reigns With you and the Holy Spirit Our God of Salvation, now and always. Parish Prayer - St. Cosmus & St. Damian in the Blean 3. A Balm in Gilead from Desmond Tutu s African Prayer Book, p Dear Lord, turn this weakness into strength, suffering into compassion, sorrow into joy and pain into comfort for others. May your servant trust in your goodness And hope in your faithfulness, Even in the middle of this suffering. Let him be filled with patience and joy in your presence As he waits for your healing touch. Please restore your servant to full health, dear Father Remove all fear and doubt from his heart By the power of your Holy Spirit, And may You be glorified through his life. As you heal and renew our servant, may he bless and praise You. All this we pray, in Jesus name. from About.comChristianity 5. Holy is God, Heal the Sick, An African Prayer Book, p As the rain hides the stars As the autumn mist hides the hills, As the clouds veil the blue of the sky, So the dark happenings of my lot Hide the shining of your face from me. Yet if I may hold thy hand in the darkness, it is enough. Since I know that, though I may stumble in my going, Thou dost not fall. Author unknown

4 7. Love is giving, not taking Mending, not breaking Trusting, believing, Never deceiving, Patiently bearing And faithfully sharing Each joy, every sorrow Today and tomorrow. Author unknown PRAYERS FOR HARVEST 1. Bless those minding cattle, Bless those minding sheep, And those fishing the sea While the rest of us sleep. Irish Blessings and Prayers, 2. We Kneel Before Thee, Zaire, An African Prayer Book, p Great Spirit, Rozwi, South Africa, An African Prayer Book, p Seed Silence, by Harry Alfred Wiggett, An African Prayer Book, p There s trouble in the fields, Lord, The crops are parched and dry. We water them with tears, Lord So help us, hear our cry. There s trouble in our hearts, Lord, The world is full of pain. Set us to work for healing, Send blessings down like rain. Lois Rock PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING 1. Thanksgiving for a Beginning of Recovery O Lord, your compassions never fail and your mercies are new every morning: We give you thanks for giving patients on the Africa Mercy and everywhere, relief from pain and hope of health renewed. Continue in them, we pray, the good work you have begun; that they, daily increasing in bodily strength, and rejoicing in your goodness, may so order their life and conduct that they may always think and do those things which please you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Book of Common Prayer

5 2. For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, For love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends, we thank You. Ralph Waldo Emerson For food in a world where many walk in hunger; for faith in a world where many walk in fear; for friends in a world where many walk alone, We give you humble thanks, O Lord A Girl Guide world hunger grace Extract taken from A Book of Prayers by Lois Rock, published by Lion Hudson BLESSINGS 1. God Bless Africa: Guard her children; Guide her leaders; And give her peace, for Jesus Christ s sake. Rev Trevor Huddleston, South Africa 2. Deep peace of the running wave to you, Deep peace of the flowing air to you, Deep peace of the quiet earth to you, Deep peace of the shining stars to you, Deep peace of the infinite peace to you. adapted from The Dominion of Dreams Under a Dark Star Fiona MacLeod, Old Irish Blessing May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, And rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand. Irish Blessings and Prayers, 4. The Blessing of Rain, The blessing of sun, To all the world To everyone