PRIEST: We gather to celebrate the World Day of the Sick. We also celebrate the Mission we all share. Indeed our Mission is to be Healing Light for the world. In the Gospel Jesus allows himself to be besieged by the wounded and broken of the world – and like Simon’s mother-in-law raises us up from pain to be servants of others healing. He calls our parish to be God’s ‘Field Hospital’ of hope, healing and welcome. He calls all of us to protest against global inequality of health-care revealed so graphically during this Covid Pandemic. Will be bring hope and healing to the poorest of the earth? Will we, as a parish, respond to the challenges that the aftermath of this pandemic will bring?
READER: For the ways our words have wounded, not healed;
our hearts have hardened against another,
not opened in caring and compassion, offering hope
LORD HAVE MERCY…
For the ways we have not valued and supported
those whose work is medicine, research or caring;
when we could have shared the burden and have not
CHRIST HAVE MERCY…
For the times we have been too preoccupied with self
to reach out and listen to another’s pain, to touch the wounds;
slow to respect every person, fail to be bearers of Gospel Light
LORD HAVE MERCY…
PRIEST: O God of love without limit,
make us compassionate as you are compassionate;
Jesus, come to bring us Life in all fullness
makes us whole and holy;
Holy Spirit, breath of love and great Comforter,
bind us together in unbreakable bonds
of a love that give Light and Hope
and so bring all Creation to everlasting life…
AMEN!