A prayer in sickness
O Lord,
today I feel suspended
in mid-air,
in that place between heaven and earth,
caught between the joy
that comes from your love,
and the pain
that threatens to crash me down
into the dust.
Sad, joyful,
at peace and miserable
all at the same time,
and it makes me think of you,
suspended between heaven and earth,
a willing sacrifice
caught up in the web of pain
and sorrow and reproach
for the love of us all.
Today, O Lord,
I offer you up
my pain and my tears,
my joy and my thankfulness
for in this cross you have given me,
I feel in some way more united to thee,
and for that,
I offer you my thanks.
Today, O Lord,
I offer you up
my pain and tears
for those sick and afflicted,
for those without people
who remember them,
for those without knowledge
of your love and care,
and for that,
giving me this gift to offer up,
I give you my thanks.
Amen.
Mother of Sorrows
O Mother of Sorrows,
with strength from above
you stood by the Cross
sharing in the sufferings of Jesus,
and with tender care you bore him
in your arms mourning and weeping.
We praise you for your faith,
which accepted the life God planned for you.
We praise you for your hope,
which trusted that he would do
great things for you.
We praise you for your love,
in bearing, with Jesus,
the sorrows of his passion.
Holy Mary,
may we follow your example
and stand by all our children
who need comfort and love.
Mother of God,
stand by us in our trials
and care for us in our many needs.
Pray for us now
and at the hour of our death. Amen.