Reflections
PRAYER with Sr Monica Sparks
As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile the future at once holds great peril and great promise.
The following prayer may be used singly for prayerful meditation or for Community Prayer.
As such it may be prayed as "CHOIR" 1 and 2 with common responses.
If used with schools it could well become a response to the children's project of collecting pictures and information on the Reef.
- LEADER: Bless God - the source of all life
- Response: Give praise and glory forever
- LEADER: Bless God - heaven and earth
- Response: Give praise and glory forever
- LEADER: Bless God - land and seas
- Response: Give praise and glory forever
- LEADER: Bless God sand and reefs
- Response: Give praise and glory forever
Choir 1 Bless God all algae and sea grasses; Bless God all sea sponges for you have fed sea creatures for 70 million years.
All respond: Sing Alleluia to our creating God
Choir 2 Bless God marine worms, molluscs and crustaceans.
Together you form a closely-knit community balancing coral growth and manifesting extraordinary complexity.
All respond: God speaks and all things are brought into existence.
Choir 1 Bless God all you fishes of the Reef; You reflect and praise God with your radiant rainbow of colour.
All respond: Sing Alleluia to our creating God.
Choir 2 Bless God reef turtles with your hatchlings, slithering sea snakes and playing dolphins.
All respond: God speaks and all things are brought into existence.
Choir 1 Bless God you Communities of mangroves, harbouring, sheltering and nourishing rich life.
All respond: Sing Alleluia to our creating God.
Choir 2 Bless God all human kind who interact with the reef for its health.
All Respond: God speaks and all things are brought into existence.
ALL: We thank you God for sand, sun and waters which sustain our reefs.
May we become more conscious of the gift with which we are entrusted.
Your presence speaks to us in the energy, the beauty and the complexity of our reef systems and particularly in our endangered Great Barrier Reef.
May your wisdom be with us that we may know how to protect, sustain and treasure your Creation that we may be in union with your Creating Spirit.
Amen
