Hymn
Option I. Let Justice Roll Like a River (Gather 810)
Refrain:
Let justice roll like a river, and wash all oppression away;
Come, O God, and take us, move and shake us,
Come now, and make us anew, that we might live justly like you
- Take from me your holy feasts, all your off’rings and your music;
Let justice flow like waters, and integrity like an ever-flowing stream. Refrain - You have been told the way of life, the way of justice and peace;
to act justly, to love gently, and walk humbly with God. Refrain
Option II. Send Down the Fire (Gather 557)
Refrain:
Send down the fire of your justice, Send down the rains of your love;
Come, send down the Spirit, breathe life in your people, and we shall be people of God.
- Call us to be your compassion, Teach us the song of your love;
Give us hearts that sing, Give us deeds that ring,
Make us ring with the song of your love. Refrain - Call us to learn of your mercy, Teach us the way of your peace;
Give us hearts that feel, Give us hands that heal,
Make us walk in the way of your peace. Refrain
Prayer
Leader:
Leader:
All:
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Let us pray as one:
Good and Gracious God,
We come before you as the community of St. Margaret of Scotland,
gathered today to pray a Novena for clarity of mind and heart
during this search for new school leadership.
We ask you, O God, for support and strength,
direction and guidance,
joy and peace
as we seek to be people who reflect your radiant light
and live in your abundance.
Lead us the way we need to go, as our story unfolds before us.
We make this prayer, filled with hope,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading
Social action is not the preserve of some special-interest group. It is an imperative of faith. This is true not only because of the content of the New Testament and the nature of the vocation to which Christ calls men and women; it is also true because there are social conditions which minimize the very possibility of experiencing love, hope, and faith. Destitution, degrading prisons, world hunger, and armament are affairs of spirituality. The human spirit is at stake, not ‘just’ the human body.
From “Following Christ in a Consumer Society” by John F. Kavanaugh, S.J.
Response
Leader:
All:
Leader:
All:
Leader:
All:
At dawn, fill us with your merciful love;
we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Let your deed be seen by your servants,
and your glorious power by their children.
Let the favor of the LORD our God be upon us;
Give success to the work of our hands.
O give success to the work of our hands.
Word of God
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you,
whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matthew 25: 31-46
Questions for Reflection
After leader reads questions aloud, all pause to reflect during one minute of silence.
- What does it mean to you that the work of justice is “an imperative of faith”?
- In what ways does the doing of justice impact our decisions regarding school personnel? What do we need to do to make that a reality?
Petitions
Leader: Christ hears and saves all who hope in him. Let us bring him our needs.
That our school community continues to act in ways that respect the dignity of each person, and values each contribution made for the common good; we pray…
R. Lord, hear our prayer.
That our children might have their needs met so that they thrive as members of the St. Margaret’s community; we pray… R.
That our community remembers, always, to reach out to those on the margins of society, recognizing that all are members of the Body of Christ; we pray… R.
(opt.) For what else shall we pray?
Individuals may offer intentions.
Prayer of Saint Margaret of Scotland
Leader: Let us recall our mission as together we pray:
Loving God,
You call your people to holiness and create among them models of kindness.
We thank you for the life of St. Margaret of Scotland:
a woman of leadership and hope in a confusing world;
a wife and mother excelling in patience, dedication and love;
a teacher supported and inspired by a life of learning;
a generous friend and a loyal servant to the poor and helpless;
a model of Christian faith and constant prayerfulness.
As we build our faith, help us to grow rich in the values of St. Margaret:
That faith, hope and love might inspire
our presence in the city and neighborhood,
our relationships with family and friends,
our concern for the education of the young,
our care for the poor and the weak,
our community’s prayer in word and sacrament.
Bless our parish and our school;
Let it be for us a community of love and sharing,
and a source of life and grace;
Let it be a witness to our neighbors
of your life, your presence and your love.
Through Christ, Our Lord,
Amen.
Optional, following Novena:
Share your reflections from above questions, focused on the mission value of the day.
- Index cards available at the shared novena, or
- Email PraySMOS@gmail.com
- Comments received may be shared with the community and those who search for our new staff members.