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It has been a hectic week, and you are responsible for your community’s next gathering. Here is a simple prayer service you can use. [Material taken from Marianist Soundings, vol. 7, no. 1 (Dayton, OH: NACMS, Fall 2002), pp. 34-35.]
Setting:
A small table is placed in the center of the gathering.
The Bible, an empty bowl, and a pitcher of water are placed on it.
Scripture is open to Jn 4:4-26.
Song: "Come to the Water" (located in Gather)
Opening Prayer:
Gracious God, we thank you for this opportunity to reflect on your Holy Word as we gather in community. In the same confidence of your disciples and prophets who have gone before, we count on the healing power of your grace. We come thirsty. We come ready to serve.
Scripture: Woman at the Well (Jn 4:4-26)
Ten minutes of quiet reflection as participants ask themselves:
- In what way am I thirsty?
- How am I called to conversion?
- In what way is my community called to a deeper experience of God?
Ten minutes of small-group sharing
Closing Litany:
Let us pray in the spirit of God's witnesses:
Like the woman at the well, may we be humble before God, ready for God's grace to awaken our hearts.
Like Adèle, may we come to God with a prayerful heart, staying faithful to our mission through adversity and success.
Like Marie Thérèse, may we claim a boldness of spirit and be a safe haven for all seeking conversion.
Like William Joseph Chaminade, may we envision a better world and commit to living that vision throughout our lives.
Like Mary, Christ's Mother, may we give birth to the Word, so that justice and reconciliation triumph.
We offer theses prayers to you, Gracious God. We are confident that you quench our thirst, and we respond to you, together, in faith, hope, and love.
Closing Prayer:
Glory to you, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit! (Participants bless themselves with the water while making the sign of the cross.)
+ Amen