Here's the list of intentions for our Ecumenical Novena.
Day 1: Victims, witnesses and perpetrators of Domestic Violence.
Day 2: Victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violence in public, especially random gun violence.
Day 3: Victims, witnesses and perpetrators of economic exploitation, whether lawfully or otherwise.
Day 4: Victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violence in our caring institutions
Day 5: Victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violence in our justice systems
Day 6: Victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violence against refugees and asylum seekers, including internally displaced persons.
Day 7: Victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violence in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Day 8:Victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violence in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia
Day 9: Victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violence in conflicts that rarely make the news
And here's the prayer:
Lord we come to you in our bare human need.
We accept our incapacity to control ourselves, and to control others.
We recognise our personal failures.
We recognise the failures of the systems and societies into which we were born.
All our plans have come to naught.
We come to you defeated.
[pray the intention of the day in your own words, or wordlessly]
Lord, let your peace radiate afresh from your inner being.
Let the purest love generated within you spill out over creation.
Refresh us, relieve us, revive us
So that everyone, victims, perpetrators, witnesses of violence, those stirred to angry action, those who crumple, those who turn away, those who excuse, all of us are soothed.
Change us!
Use us!
Dwell within us!
And let your Kingdom come.
In the name of Christ
Amen.
I'm starting Friday 1/3/24 Aussie time. It's great to be praying with each other around the world as our leaders struggle to find a way for peace to break through.
Comments
Every day has been a struggle to focus for even a few minutes over here.
The novena seems even more needed, while we have the "christian" nationalism discussion going.
I’m in for another round, thank you @Simon Toad
Street gang conflict and the way prostitutes (of all genders) are often treated came to mind in this prayer.🙏
A snatch of a hymn came to me:
Come to the water, you who are thirsty;
Though you have nothing, I bid you come;
And be filled with the goodness I have to offer;
Come, listen, live.
Starting on round 2 - thank you @Simon Toad
Another hour to go here before it’s day 5, 14th March.