Today is the feast of St Joseph the Worker, patron saint of workers. In our prayers today let’s remember all workers but particularly those who are keeping the country going at this time and all health and social care workers.

Prayer for the Spirit of Work

God our Father, Creator and Ruler of the universe, in every age you call us to use and develop our gifts for the good of others. With St Joseph as our guide, help us to do the work you have asked and come to the rewards you have promised. Please grant this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

“It helps now and then to step back and take the long view.

The reign of God is not only beyond our efforts.

It is beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work.

Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying the reign of God always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.

No prayers fully express our faith.

No confession brings perfection.

No pastoral visit brings wholeness.

No program accomplishes the church’s mission.

We cannot do everything but there is a sense of liberation in realizing that, because this enables us to do something and do it well.

It may be incomplete but it is a beginning, a step along the way,

an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest“

Lord we ask you to help see the things that we can do and help us to do it well at this time. We may not see the whole picture but give us the vision to see a small part of it that we can do something about for your glory. We ask you to use us to do your will. Amen

Today is the feast of St Catherine of Siena One of the great Dominican saints. She spent time looking after those suffering with the plague. In our prayers today let’s ask her to pray for those suffering with covid-19 and those who care for them. She was the first female doctor of the church for her work healing the rifts that had grown during her time.

Our prayer today was written by her:

Eternal God, eternal Trinity,
You have made the Blood of Christ so precious
through His sharing in Your Divine nature.
You are a mystery as deep as the sea;
the more I search, the more I find,
and the more I find the more I search for You.
But I can never be satisfied;
what I receive will ever leave me desiring more.
When You fill my soul I have an ever-greater hunger,
and I grow more famished for Your light.
I desire above all to see You,
the true light, as you really are. Amen.

St Catherine of Siena pray for us

Today let us pray for those who are ill at this time.

Merciful God,
we entrust to your tender care
those who are ill or in pain,
knowing that whenever danger threatens
your everlasting arms are there to hold them safe.
Comfort and heal them,
and restore them to health and strength;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.