Prayers in a time of coronavirus

Working for your kingdom

Lord Jesus, give us the grace to hear your voice,

And the strength to continue working for your kingdom in this time of pandemic.

Do not allow us to be indifferent to those who today suffer the loss of a loved one, or who suffer from the absence of work.

But give us the courage to accompany and side with those who suffer violence or injustice. Amen.

Prayer: Javier Eduardo Martinez Rueda from Colombia. Javier is team director at Programa de Desarollo y Paz, an organisation working on peacebuilding as part of our Hands On Magdalena Medio project.

God’s healing hand

To our brothers and sisters who have contracted

and are suffering due to the Coronavirus Disease,

we pray that God’s healing hand may rest upon you.

To medical doctors, nurses and the supporting staff

who are in the frontline of the fight against COVID-19,

may the Good Lord sustain you and inspire you

to render your life-saving services with due care, love and compassion.

To all those who have lost their loved ones due to the Coronavirus outbreak,

we convey our deepest sympathies.

We pray that their souls, through God’s mercy, may rest in eternal peace.

We pray that God may grant all bereaved families his consolation and strengthen their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord.

Amen.

Prayer adapted from the 2020 Easter Message of the Catholic Bishops of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

At this time

Dear Lord,

At this time of pandemic,

Let us foster respect and solidarity with others, especially those who are weak or poor.

Let us remain calm and ignore unsubstantiated rumours.

Let us take advantage of living together as a family.

Let us attend to moments of prayer.

Let us cultivate responsibility, patience and hope.

Amen.

Prayer adapted from a radio message from Rodolfo Valenzuela Núñez, Bishop of La Verapaz, Guatemala

We lift up our voices

Merciful God,

We place into your care all the refugees and migrants, especially the Rohingya.

God who hurts with humanity, we lift up our voices and pour out our hearts to you,

in sadness and grief, for those who don’t have anyone to hear their suffering and pain,

for those who don’t have anyone to love and care,

for those who don’t have anyone to tell their stories

and especially for those who have been suffering due to this pandemic

and struggling with coronavirus to see another day in their life.

We pray for their courage of heart and strength of mind and body.

Keep them safe from harm.

Amen.

Prayer: Inmanuel Chayan Biswas, who works for Caritas Bangladesh in Cox’s Bazaar refugee camp

Prayer of a health worker

Lord, we pray for those who need ongoing medical treatment who are forced to wait at this time.

God, please watch over their health and help them to stay positive and patient.

We pray that we overcome this global crisis and that after this pandemic, we build a more just and humane world.

Amen.

Prayer: Marlene Cruz who leads a community health team at the Guarjila Health Clinic in El Salvador

We stand together

We pray for all who are suffering and bereaved. 

At this time of sorrow, incomprehension and tragedy, we stand together.

In this crisis, we pray for God’s mercy and healing for the sick

and for health and strength for all who care for them. 

Amen.

Prayer: Adapted from a message from Sister Bridget Tighe of Caritas Jerusalem

Protection and peace

With heavy hearts, we bring before you the plight of the Caritas frontline staff around the world.

May they know our love and feelings for all they are doing to heal and help those affected by coronavirus.

God of all consolation, may they know your protection and peace.

Bless them in these challenging days and bless their families.

Amen.

Prayer: Inmanuel Chayan Biswas, who works for Caritas Bangladesh in Cox’s Bazaar refugee camp

We cry out to you

God of all,
we cry out to you for help.
In your mercy, hear our prayer.

Protect us, Lord, and be with us
especially those of us most vulnerable
during this coronavirus crisis.

Move us to reach out in love
to our neighbours near and far.
So that the humble may be exalted,
the hungry filled with good things.

Grant us the courage
not to rush back to our old ways,
but to rebuild our world together,
creating foundations of justice,
with equality and peace for all.

Amen.

Prayer: Catherine Gorman/CAFOD

The breath of the Almighty

Lord God, loving Creator,

You fashioned us from clay,

And breathed life into us.

We are made and loved by you.

R: The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of the Almighty has given me life.

Heavenly Father,

Your Spirit fills us with hope

And lights the path to fullness of life.

Hear us!

As we cry out to you, uncertain and afraid.

R: The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of the Almighty has given me life.

In your mercy, Lord,

Grant us the strength to rebuild

When all seems lost.

And the courage to reach out

To those in pain.

R: The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of the Almighty has given me life.

Prayer: Linda Jones/CAFOD

Prayer for the end of the virus

SECAM, the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences in Africa and Madagascar, has suggested the following prayer for all those affected by the coronavirus:

Almighty and merciful Father, who show your love to all your creation.

We come before you asking for a quick control of the Coronavirus currently ravaging our world.

Hear graciously the prayers we make for those affected by the virus in various parts of the world.

Grant healing to the sick, eternal life to the dead and consolation to the bereaved families.

We pray that an effective medicine to combat the sickness be speedily found.

We pray for the relevant governments and health authorities that they take appropriate steps for the good of the people.

Look upon us in your mercy and forgive us our failings. Amen.

Source: cafod.org.uk