HOME ROOM / PASTORAL GROUP PRAYERS

FOR THEINTERNATIONAL MARIST VOCATION YEAR 2005

Schools are encouraged to use these 45 prayers, twice a week for the rest of this year. The choice of days is up to yourselves, but you may wish to choose one of these days as a Wednesday, as this is the day favoured throughout the Marist World for special vocation prayers to be used. (Hence whichever days in the week you choose, it is best to stick to the same days, plus you will need to adjust the first line of each prayer.)

1. Simple Service: (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) There is a brutal scene in Victor Hugo’s “Notre Dame of Paris”. The hunchback, named Quasimodo, is chained to a wheel and being scourged before a huge mob. As blood flows from his wounds, he calls out for water. The mob responds by jeering him and pelting him with stones. Suddenly, a little girl with a flask of water pushes through the crowd and presses it to his lips. The girl’s loving action makes him do what his torturers could not do – a tear rolls down his cheek.Sometimes it’s through the simple things that we can make a difference. Saying ‘thanks’ to mum or dad for cooking our dinner. Taking the time to kick a footy or throwing a ball with a younger brother or sister instead of just ignoring them. Helping the next door neighbour when they need a hand. Recognising that our classmates feel lonely sometimes and would appreciate being invited to join in a game. Let Us Pray: Help us, Lord, to always look for the opportunity to be people of love and service, and in whatever future vocation you are calling us to, may our service now, grow to become the best way for us to help make your “Kingdom come” in this world. We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

2. Classes Of People: (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) We begin our prayer, as St Marcellin teaches us, by taking a moment to be aware of God’s presence here with us today…..Somebody said: “There are three classes of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who have no idea what is happening.” Where would I locate myself?Let Us Pray: Help us, Lord, during this Marist Vocation Year to not just stand on the sidelines, but to be people of both prayer and action! There are so many people in our world who are in desperate need, and we can make a difference in their lives, both now and in the future. Help us in the little things we can do for each other and our families, the community service we can carry out, the money we can raise, and the various projects we organise to help other people. Thank you for the opportunities that we have to live out our vocation to the full, at this time in our lives, to make a difference in our world. We ask St Marcellin Champagnat to pray for us in our efforts, and we make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

3. Teach us to Pray (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) Prayer, like plugging in an electrical appliance or logging on to the Internet, is a way of connecting. We may not understand how electricity or the World Wide Web actually works, but we still benefit from using them. Likewise, when we pray we may not at first understand to whom we are praying, nor how we might be answered, but by daring to make the connection we can access a reservoir of energy and understanding that is buried within us.Let Us Pray: Help us to listen each day, Lord, to the ways you communicate with us. Help us to really connect with You in prayer and so make contact with that reservoir of energy buried deep inside us. And in this International Marist Vocation Year, help us to use that energy to bring a power of good into our world, just as St Marcellin would want us to.St Marcellin Champagnat … Pray for us. Mary Our Good Mother … Pray for us.We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

4. Affirming our Gifts (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) First a true story: Thomas Edison and a team of assistants had just finished making improvements on the first light bulb. Edison gave the bulb to a young helper, who nervously carried it upstairs, step by step. At the last moment, the boy dropped it. The whole team had to work another 24 hours to make another bulb. Edison looked around, then handed it to the same boy. The gesture probably changed the boy’s life. Edison knew that more than the bulb was at stake.Our vocation in life is a great gift from God, and like most of God’s gifts to us, they are often mediated or transmitted to us through the nurturing actions, role modelling, training, and affirming words given to us by others. Who is helping me at the moment to reflect on where my life might be going? Who is helping me to see some of the possibilities that God is calling me to?Let Us Pray: We thank you, Lord, for trusting us with the responsibility, just like the boy in the story, of carrying our light forward. And thank you for those people in our life who affirm us and help develop our gifts and talents. Help us to listen to where you might be calling us to use our gifts to make a difference in our world, just as St Marcellin used his gifts.We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

5. Love means Sacrifice (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) Firstly a story: Little Jason was returning home later and later each afternoon from school. His father lectured him on punctuality, but it made little impact on the boy. Finally, he told Jason, “The next time you come home late, you can expect bread and water for your dinner.” Sure enough, the next night Jason was late. When he sat down to dinner, he was stunned. On his plate was a single slice of bread. Jason saw that his father meant business. When the punishment had sunk in fully, Jason’s father gave him his own full plate and took Jason’s single slice of bread. That was all Jason’s father ate that night.Let Us Pray: Sometimes, Lord, we don’t realise how much our parents love us. Often they don’t say the words, but by their actions they continually say “I love you”. It is these words we so long to hear but at the same time are often embarrassed to hear. Thank you, Lord, for the love that our parents have for us, and, even when they struggle to show this, they are revealing to us an image of Your love for us. In this Marist Vocation Year, help us to appreciate the wonderful gift and the awesome responsibility that is involved in the vocation to marriage. For those of us eventually called to this vocation, may we have the wisdom to love our own children, just as Little Jason was loved.We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

6. Many Pathways (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) Let us be aware of God’s presence here with us …..Firstly a story: The head of the Parish Council, the Parish Priest, and the local Bishop were discussing the best posture to use while praying. The first said, “I’ve tried them all, and kneeling is still the best.” The second said, “that may be true, but most Eastern mystics recommend sitting cross-legged on the floor.” The third said, “I pray best with my eyes closed as I lie in bed before sleep.”An electrician, working nearby, overheard them and said, “For what it’s worth, fellas, the best prayer I ever prayed was hanging by one leg from a telephone pole in a thunderstorm.”How do you pray? How do you connect with the power, the life-force within you?Let Us Pray: Creator God, the one who is closer to us than our own breath. St Marcellin wanted all students in his schools to be constantly aware of Your presence, Lord, living and moving and active in our lives. Help us to find time in our busy lives to pray, to be aware of Your love for us.And in this Marist Vocation Year, help us in prayer to be aware of where You might be calling us in our future lives.We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

7. The Need for Sacrifice: (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) In the 1940’s a boy in Italy had been working hard to make enough money to continue his singing lessons. One day his voice teacher told him he was wasting his time and money. The boy’s mother, a poor peasant woman, encouraged her son to pursue his dream in spite of the rejection. She even went barefoot to help him with the money for his lessons. Her faith and perseverance paid off; her son, Enrico Caruso, grew up to be one of the world’s greatest tenors, singing in Opera theatres all over the world.This story makes us ask, “how willing am I to serve or sacrifice something for people who need me to help them, people who, if just given a start, can be helped to live life to the full!?”Let Us Pray: Help each of us, Lord, to discover our vocation in life, our journey to become the most loving and the best people we can possibly be. Help us to develop the talents you have given us, then to use these talents to assist others, like Enrico, in becoming the best people they can possibly be. We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

8. Sharing Our Gems: (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) Henry Van Dyke wrote a story about an imaginary fourth wise man, Artaban. He was to go with the other three to search for the newborn king. Artaban had a pouch of precious gems as a gift for the baby King. On his way to join the other three he stopped to help a needy person. The delay was just enough to cause him to miss the other wise men. He never did catch them; he kept helping people and giving away all his gems. Artaban ended up as a beggar in a faraway city called Jerusalem. One day he saw a criminal being marched off to be executed by crucifixion. He felt close to this man and was sad that he couldn’t help him. As the criminal drew near, he turned to Artaban and said, “Don’t be sad, you’ve been helping me all your life.”Let’s pause for a moment, and think about how a character like Artaban might have felt with Jesus saying this to him? Could Jesus say a similar thing to each of us? ………. (pause)Let Us Pray: Thank you, Lord, for challenging us, especially during this Marist Vocation Year, to continually find ways to live out Marcellin’s Dream, for ourselves and our world. Help us to share the ‘gems’ you have given us to be able to serve You in those less fortunate around us. We

make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

9. You’ve Got To Aim High (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) We begin our prayer, as St Marcellin teaches us, by taking a moment to be aware of God’s presence here….First a story: It was the last game of the basketball tournament. Time was running out, and the score was tied. One of the players took the ball up the left side of the court, calling out the final play: a pick ‘n’ roll designed to put the ball in the hands of the team’s best player. But when he set a pick for his team-mate, no one switched, leaving a wide-open lane to the basket.As the last seconds fell, the player ducked his head and drove the lane, shooting just in time. The ball slowly rose, but then hit the bottom of the rim. As the players watched, they remembered the words of their coach: “To score, you gotta’ aim high off the backboard.” The player had all the right moves, but he missed because he didn’t aim high enough.That coach’s advice works in every area of life. If you want to reach your goals, you have to aim high. Set goals that are reachable, but set them high enough that you have to stretch to reach them. If you can dream it, you probably can do it.Let Us Pray: Lord, during this Marist Vocation Year help us to aim high in all that we do, that we might live Marcellin’s Dream, today and into the future. Call us and inspire us with the goals and vocations that will help us live life to the full, plus help meet the needs of a desperate world crying out for life and love.We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

10. Choosing the most loving path (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) We begin our prayer, as St Marcellin teaches us, by taking a moment to be aware of God’s presence here with us today…..Reading from the first letter of St Paul to Timothy (1Tim. 4:12): Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity. Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, sometimes in all the decisions and choices I’m called to make, I don’t feel I can do it all. Sometimes I feel that I’m being pushed to grow up too quickly and the load seems too much for me to carry. And also I can feel completely out of my depth when I think about the bigger decisions I will have to make in my life as I grow older – decisions about my vocation in life. Help me in all my decisions whether small or great, to always choose the most loving path, the one that will lead me to be my “best self” in all that I do.St Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us. Mary our Good Mother, pray for us.We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

11. Setting Priorities: (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) We begin our prayer, as St Marcellin teaches us, by taking a moment to be aware of God’s presence here with us today…..Lord, in choosing to start out on the Vocation to marriage, the love of our parents has brought us into this world. Help all of us to love them in return, particularly in the hard times. Help us to keep them and all our family members as a top priority. Also, help us to keep our schoolwork plus time for fun and recreation with friends as priorities. Help us keep a balance in life between play and work so that we can fit everything in.

And finally, help us, above all these, to keep You, Lord, as our very top priority. This was St Marcellin’s special Dream, that all young people come to know Your deep love for them. Help me to know that I am loved and cared for this day. AMEN (In the name of the Father, and of …)

12. Prayer for those Persecuted (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 4:29-30): The people dragged Jesus out of town, and meant to throw him over the cliff, but he walked through the middle of the crowd and went on his way.We usually think of Jesus as being embraced by loving crowds. But Jesus was also engulfed by violent crowds. Moreover, Jesus told his disciples, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” (Jn 16:33) And they did! The 12 apostles were whipped and eventually killed. Stephen was stoned to death and St Paul was beaten eight times by various mobs. On the other hand, Jesus told his disciples not to fear such things, saying, “Be brave! I have overcome the world!” (Jn 16:33) Let Us Pray: We pray today, Lord, for all those who are persecuted for their faith, and in this special Marist Vocation Year, we pray for all those Brothers, teachers, and Lay Marists who are struggling now or are under persecution. In the last 15 years there have been 12 Brothers martyred for their faith, and many more persecuted or living in countries where Christians are persecuted. May they continue to be given the strength of Jesus and those early apostles in preaching the Good News, and may many more young men and women take up the challenge to be the Brothers, Sisters, and Lay Marists of tomorrow. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

13. Called to a Community Lifestyle (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) First, a story: A mighty lion caught a puny mouse. The mouse cried, “Spare me, great one! Someday I may be able to help you.” The lion roared with laughter at the idea. The idea amused the lion so much that he decided to free the mouse. Some time later, hunters captured the mighty lion. They tied him to a tree while they went for a cage. The tiny mouse happened along, saw the great lion’s predicament, gnawed through the ropes, and freed him.This ancient fable can be seen as a good illustration of the different but complementary and important roles that we are each called to in our lives. And in this Vocation Year, we recognise that some people are called to live a Community lifestyle. The Marist Brothers, who founded our school [along with the ……] live together in a Community to support each other in their ministry, to pray together, and to show the world that God wants all of us to live together in harmony and peace. And each Brother in a Community has a different role – some are a bit like the lion and some a bit like the mouse in our story, but each in their support of the other helps to promote God’s Kingdom amongst young people, particularly young people who are poor or who do not experience God’s love in their life. Let Us Pray: Thank you, Lord, for those in our world who decide to show Your love through committing themselves to live a Community lifestyle. Bless those Sisters and Brothers who immerse themselves in Your love and who dedicate their lives to being Good News for those around them. We pray that you call many more in our own time to the adventure of this wonderful vocation. We make this prayer through Jesus, our Brother, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

14. Called to Greatness (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from the Gospel of Mark 7:11 … “Having crossed the lake, they came to land at Gennesaret and tied their boat there. When they disembarked, people at once recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village or town or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak.”A Reflection: Alexis Carrel was a Nobel prize winner and an unbelieving, atheist French surgeon. Then he saw a girl healed before his eyes at the shrine of Lourdes in France. He was stunned, unable to think. Later, he and two other doctors examined the girl and agreed she was totally healed. But he still had ‘intellectual doubts’. That night he went for a long walk to think things out. Later he wrote in his book ‘The Voyage To Lourdes’ – “Back in the hotel I’m writing in my big green notebook. It is 3 o’clock in the morning. A new coolness is somehow entering the window after a long evening of thinking. I feel the serenity of nature entering my soul. Somehow, all my intellectual doubts have vanished.”Carrel went on to become a deeply committed Christian the rest of his life.Let Us Pray: It is difficult for us to understand, Lord, everything that happens around us. And sometimes we don’t know what to believe about some of the things we hear. Help us in this Vocation Year to discern in our confusion what is best for us, where our gifts lie, and where you are calling us into our futures.Work powerfully in our souls as you worked powerfully in the diseased body of that little girl.We make this prayer through Jesus, our Brother, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

15. Called to Greatness (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) First, a true story: Seventeen-year-old George Smith volunteers as a coach and a tutor at a youth centre in a poorer area of town. Sometimes he does his homework at the centre to show the kids that homework is an important part of learning. One of the kids said of George “he’s almost like a teacher, maybe a little better, because he’s easy to talk to.” How do we put our faith into practice? Would people I interact with say of me what the kids say of George?Let Us Pray: Thank you, Lord, for the gifts you have given me. Perhaps my vocation at this stage of my life is in how I use these gifts for the good of others! Help me to use my gifts wisely, and so now, and as I grow into my future, really make the world a better place for all.We make this prayer through the intercession of St Marcellin Champagnat, and through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

16. Commitment (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) It’s amazing how some animals can unconditionally love their owners. You may have had a dog or a cat that greeted you enthusiastically when you walked through the front door. Your pet seemed to put its whole being into that welcome. No matter how badly your day had gone, the welcome was worth it.

God wants us to love Him with that kind of enthusiasm – nothing held back, wholehearted, and unreserved love. He wants us to love Him with our whole being.How can we love God? Well, two simple ways are pretty tried and true, and St Marcellin Champagnat’s Dream can be fulfilled through our practising both. First, we can keep a New Testament beside our bed, and take time to read some scripture, reflect and pray – even if it’s for a few minutes before going to sleep each night. And secondly, we are called to love God in and through the people in our life – by being a loving person to family and friends, and in the practical ways we can help those who are poor or lonely – those who experience little of God’s love in their lives.Let Us Pray: Guide us, Lord, in both our times of prayer and our times of service. Help us to live a vocation of love in this special Marist Vocation Year, and so help bring Your Kingdom ever closer. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

17. Following St Marcellin’s Example: (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) We begin our prayer, as St Marcellin teaches us, by taking a moment to be aware of God’s presence here with us today…..Lord, in this year, you put before us St Marcellin’s Dream, and You challenge us to find ways to live it today, to put it into practice in our lives. Marcellin’s heart reached out particularly to young people who were poor and who had no way of knowing Your love for them. The early Brothers in Australia started [the boys section of] this school and many others like it, particularly in country areas, to give poorer parents the opportunity to send their children to receive a Catholic education.Today, many Australian Marist Brothers continue this work both here and overseas, with similar young people, particularly in poorer and war-torn countries.We pray Lord for all those Australian and New Zealand Brothers and Lay Marists working today in India and Sri Lanka – struck recently by the Tsunami tragedy – and also those who work in the Philippines, East Timor, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Bougainville, Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands. Help us, Lord, to follow their example and give our lives to make a difference in the world, wherever You may be calling us. Help us to really live St Marcellin’s Dream, today and into the future. We make this prayer in Jesus name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

18. Called to Love: (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from St Paul to the Thessalonians: (1Thess. 3:12) “May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow more and more.”A true story: Fifteen-year-old Scott Ipswitch began a journal when he got the news that he was dying with leukaemia. After weeks of being hospitalised, he was permitted to go home for a while. He wrote: “I remember the ride home… the trees, grass, birds, even the sun seemed to greet me. For the first time in way over a month, I was really happy.”Commenting on some of the love that he experienced when in hospital he wrote, “When you are very sick, it helps to have someone hold your hand, letting the glowing warmth of their love for you trickle into you.”Let Us Pray: In this International Marist Vocation Year we are called to re-imagine what St Marcellin’s Dream is for us today, and once we grasp this, to choose a vocation that will truly allow us to love others to the best that our God-given talents will allow.

We pray, Lord, that in whatever vocation you are calling us in our lives, that we truly become people of love, and be channels of love to all those in our world who desperately need your love.May we become lovers, deeply and passsionately like You. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN.

19. Considering a Religious Vocation: (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) Today we will pray for those young people who are considering a Religious Vocation. Many young men and women consider becoming a Brother or a Sister, to live with others in a Religious Community and work in Australia or as a missionary overseas, but often these young people feel unworthy of such a calling – they don’t feel good enough or holy enough to follow such a vocation. But God is the one who inspires us and gently leads us to consider these sorts of options in our life – whether we feel holy or not! Even if we fail sometimes to do the right thing, God gently leads us to make the right choices on how we can best become a loving person, and in which vocation we can best live this out. Let Us Pray: We pray, Lord, for our peers, our friends and our family members, who are thinking of following You as a Brother, a Sister, or a Priest. Strengthen, help, and guide them in their decisions, and help them know that they have the power to do all things in Your love. We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

20. God’s Dream for My Life (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from the Book of Jonah (Jonah 1:3): “The Lord called Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh. Jonah, however, set out in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord.” Psychologist Abraham Maslow says most of us suffer from a “Jonah complex”. As Jonah fled God’s call, so many of us flee inner calls and dreams. The reason? We think these things are beyond our grasp. Maslow tries to get his point across to students by asking them, “Which of you hopes to write a top-selling novel, own a huge company, or be a famous rockstar one day? The students joke around and laugh. They think such calls or dreams are completely beyond their grasp.What is one inner call or dream that I thought about but dismissed? What is the career path that I’m possibly being called to? And within this, what is the vocation that will carry my gifts and talents to build up the world and make a difference to the lives of others? Will it be in Marriage, in the dedicated Single life, as a Priest or Deacon, or as a Religious Sister or Brother?Let Us Pray: Creator God, we were made by You and implanted with the ability to listen to Your voice, gently leading us into our future. Help us to believe in ourselves, and, in this Marist Vocation Year, help us to truly connect with Your dream for what our vocation in life could be.We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, … AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

21. Extra Strength (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from the Gospel of St Luke: (Lk 5:4-5)Jesus told Simon Peter: “Let down your nets for a catch.” “Master” Simon answered, “we worked hard all night long and caught nothing.”

Have you ever wondered why circus elephants chained to a small wood peg in the ground never try to pull the peg up? Well, a baby elephant is trained by being chained to a concrete post buried deep in the ground. Should the young elephant strain against the post with all its might, it simply can’t pull it out of the earth. The result of such childhood training or conditioning is that later in life it will never attempt to pull up even a small post to which it is chained. In the Gospel we just heard, St Peter made the same mistake that the elephant did. His fishless night made him think that another try at fishing was useless. As the elephant failed to factor in the change that adult strength makes, so Peter failed to figure in ‘the Jesus factor.’ Are we, perhaps in our own lives, making the same mistake?How am I, in my ordinary everyday life, forgetting about Jesus? How am I not using the extra strength that he can give me as I struggle with the things that hold me back? In this Marist Vocation Year, Jesus is asking us to set our goals high and to think about following him, wherever he may be calling us to live our lives to the full.LET US PRAY: We pray, Lord, that we rely more and more on your courage and strength when things get difficult. Help us to break out of some of the negative ways we’ve been trained to think about ourselves – to know with St Marcellin that you love us, without measure, and that you call us to follow you always…. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, … AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

22. God the ‘Great Catcher’ (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) Have you ever been to the circus? Some of the acts can certainly teach us something about what is important in life – like ‘trust’.Trust is the basis of life. Without trust, no human being can live. Circus trapeze artists offer a beautiful image of this. Flyers on the trapeze have to trust their catchers. They can do the most spectacular doubles, triples, or quadruples, but what finally makes their performance spectacular are the catchers who are there for them at the right time in the right place.Much of our life is like flying. It is wonderful to fly in the air, free as a bird, but where are we flying to? We have to trust that God, working through the people in our life, the talents God has given us, and the desire and energy God has planted in our hearts – that God is there to catch us. Discovering our God-given vocation in life is like that also. In this special Marist Vocation Year we’re asked to reflect on where God is calling, both here and now, and in our future. What decisions will I make, how can I become the most loving and best person I can possibly be? And eventually, is God calling me to give my life to others either through the vocation of Marriage, or in Priesthood, or to a dedicated Single Life, or to Religious Life as a Sister or Brother?Let Us Pray: Thank you, Lord, for being the ‘Great Catcher’ in our lives. Help us to trust you in both the small and big decisions that we make with our lives. Help us to fly with confidence, and to take courageous risks when these are called for, knowing that you will always guide us and catch us if we put our trust in you. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN.(In the name of the Father, and of …)

23. Marcellin’s Cry from the Heart (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) UNICEF’s 2004 report on the state of childhood in the world reminds us that our planet is home to 121 million unschooled children, and many others have only had the benefit of a few grades in primary school. It’s estimated that there are about 100 million street children in the world. Many between the ages of 5 and 14 are full-time child-labourers working 12 hour days or more, 7 days a week, earning just enough to keep them alive. Many children now in these poorer countries are HIV positive or living with the AIDS virus, or they are caught up in armed conflicts as child-soldiers. Most are suffering from malnutrition.

The Tsunami that recently hit Asian countries killed up to 300,000 people. That many people die in Africa alone each week from preventable diseases, contaminated water, and starvation.We all may have heard the story of Jean-Baptiste Montagne, the 17 year old boy that St Marcellin Champagnat visited on his deathbed. The boy was from a very poor family, and had never been to school. What’s more he had no knowledge or experience of the love that God had for him. He was dying, alone and frightened. It was St Marcellin’s great desire, after this encounter, to start the Marist Brothers that very day. They were to be the ones who would reach out to the countless other “Jean-Baptiste Montagnes” in our world. Today, along with the Brothers, there are thousands of Lay Marists and co-workers with the Brothers, teachers and other staff who work in our schools, social works, and development projects to help us and other young people to go forward in life and to lead us to experience ourselves the deep love that God has for each and every one of us.But more needs to be done. St Marcellin still needs more Brothers and dedicated Lay Marists to minister to the poorest of young people throughout the world – both in our own country and in Marist Missions throughout our Asia-Pacific region.Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd.  You know each of us and you call us by name to serve you in faith. Help us respond generously to your voice.  Give courage and guidance to those of us you are calling to be priests and deacons, to be lay ministers, and to be Religious Brothers and Sisters dedicated to your cause.Give us the courage to respond, for the good of all those ‘Jean-Baptiste Montagnes’ who are crying out for your love and the basic needs of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

24. Come and See (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) We begin our prayer, as St Marcellin teaches us, by taking a moment to be aware of God’s presence here with us today…..A Reading from the Gospel of St John (John 1:39): Jesus said to them "Come and See." And they came and saw where he was staying.Let Us Pray: God of all nations, we are most grateful for the first peoples of this land, who for 60,000 years or more listened to your voice, speaking to them through their experiences on the land and through their natural surroundings.And we are most grateful, too, for the first Catholic missionaries and explorers who came to this land. As strangers in a strange land they brought with them countless skills, talents and traditions, but their greatest treasure was their faith. May the good News of Jesus Christ, which molded and shaped their lives, continue to mold and shape our lives today. Bless our diocese with men and women who will follow in their footsteps to serve the Church as lay leaders, and as religious brothers, sisters, priests, and deacons.Lord Jesus Christ, help us to hear your call to "Come and See." (In the name of the Father, and of …)

25. Prayer for Guidance (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) We begin our prayer, as St Marcellin teaches us, by taking a moment to be aware of God’s presence here with us today…..Gracious God, You have called me to life and gifted me in many ways. Through Baptism You have sent me to continue the mission of Jesus by sharing my love with others. Strengthen me to respond to Your call each day. Help me to become all You desire of me.Inspire me to make a difference in others' lives. Lead me to choose the way of life You have planned for me. Open the hearts of all to listen to Your call. Fill all with Your Holy Spirit thatwe may have listening hearts and the courage to respond to You.

Enkindle in my heart and the hearts of others the desire to make the world a better place by serving as a Lay Minister, Sister, Deacon, Priest, or Brother.We make this prayer through the intercession of St Marcellin Champagnat, and in Jesus’ name, Amen. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

26. To Walk a Different Path (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) It was a simple day at the pool. And then he yelled out “Me play!” “Sure”, I said. I threw him the ball. “Yeah! Me catch!” he screamed. “Okay, now throw it back,” I said. The boy threw it back. I caught it and dived underwater. The boy’s mother said to me, “You don’t have to do this”. “No, it’s fun,” I said. “Yeah, go under ‘gain!” yelled the boy. So I dived again with the ball and popped up with push from the bottom. We continued playing for half an hour. When the boy went away he had the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on his face. This small experience was the highlight of my week. And I thought that’s what anyone would do. A boy wanted to play, so I did. This made the boy feel good so it made me feel good. But after that people stared at me. One of my classmates came up to me and said, “Why were you playing with that retard?” I said nothing and just walked away.Let Us Pray: Loving God, your Son, Jesus, has shown us that an open heart finds the way. Help me to find my way in this world. Keep my heart open to following Jesus' way of servingothers in love. And give me the courage to accept the guidance you offer me through my family, my friends, and my parish community. Perhaps my way will eventually lead me to marry, or perhaps you have other surprises in store for me – to use my talents to serve you in the countless people who need your love, as a Priest, Lay Missionary, Deacon, Sister, or Brother. Guide me, through your Holy Spirit, to the particular way of life that will lead me and others to live life to the full. We make this prayer through Jesus our Brother, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

27. To Spread Justice, Love and Compassion (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A scruffily dressed young boy went to a police department auction of unclaimed bicycles accumulated over a period of time. Each time the auctioneer started the bidding, the boy would say, “I bid two dollars, sir.” The bidding would continue higher and higher until each bicycle was sold to the highest bidder. Each time the boy would bid two dollars. As the last bicycle to be sold was brought forth, an old and battered Malvern Star, the little boy cried out, “I bid two dollars, sir.” The figures in the bidding rose higher and the auctioneer finally closed the bidding at ten dollars to the little boy in the front row. Then the auctioneer reached into his pocket and pulled out eight dollars and laid them on the counter; the little boy came up and put his two dollars in loose change alongside it, picked up his new bike, and started out the door. Then he laid the bike down, ran back to the auctioneer and threw his arms around the auctioneer’s neck and cried.Let Us Pray: Thank you, Lord, for all the many great and wonderful gifts you give to us and to our community. Help us to live each day thanking you with joy and humility for all that we are given. Keep us totally dedicated to serving you through the small things we can do for other people. This special Vocation Year is organised by the Marist Brothers to help us think about where You might be calling us in our future lives. Give us the grace to answer your call to form, strengthen and expand your Kingdom of justice, love and compassion wherever we might be on this earth. We ask this through Christ, our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

28. Self-Sacrifice (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) During a training camp in the Second World War, a drill sergeant came out and threw a hand grenade into a group of young soldiers. The men all ran away and took cover away from the grenade. The drill sergeant told them that the grenade was a dummy, not set to explode and he just did it to see their reaction time. The next day a newly recruited soldier joined the group. The drill sergeant told the other soldiers not to tell the new soldier what was going to happen. As the drill sergeant came out and threw the grenade into the crowd of soldiers, the new soldier, not knowing it was a dummy, threw himself on top of the grenade to prevent it from killing the other men. He was willing to die for his fellow soldiers. That year the young man was awarded the only medal for courage and bravery that had not been won during battle.Let Us Pray: Gracious God, thank you for calling us at our Baptism to be your people. In response to your call we take this brief moment to reflect on our response down through the years, and for many of us, we can again say, "Yes." Keep us faithful to your mission and our vocation which you are gradually unfolding to us. All vocations involve service and self-sacrifice, and for some who become martyrs, the giving of their very lives to save the life of others.Bless with a renewed spirit of courage and enthusiasm all who dedicate their lives in service to your people, and inspire more women and men of faith and compassion to serve as lay ministers and deacons, priests, sisters, and brothers. May the sacrifice of their lives for the good of others witness powerfully to your presence among us.We make this prayer through the intercession of St Marcellin Champagnat, and through Christ Our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

29. Marist Novices (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) During this Marist Vocation Year let us pray today for all those young men and women in our world who are presently deciding whether or not to enter Religious Life. A person who is interested in finding out if they are called or not to Religious Life first spends a year living in a Community to see if the life suits them. During this time they might still be attending University or be working full-time. After this year, if they decide to continue to the next stage of discerning their vocation, they set out on the first stage of training to be a Brother or a Sister. At this second stage they are called a Novice.Presently throughout the Marist world, there are 130 young men training as Novices to become Marist Brothers.Let Us Pray: We thank you, Lord, for calling these young men to love and serve You as future Brothers and for the ministries they will undertake, particularly as missionaries in poorer countries throughout the world. Bless their future efforts to help young people experience Your love and care for them. We make this prayer through Jesus, our Brother, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

30. Uncertain Future (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters.”Let Us Pray: Lord, I don’t really know what is ahead of me. My surroundings are continually changing. My friends and the people in my life are often changing around me. Help me to not be afraid, and to always know that You are with me. You will only lead me in things that are good for me.

Thanks for being God in my life. Thanks for knowing what is best for me and for gently showing me the way. Thanks for calling me to rest beside Your “still waters” and for holding me when I am frightened.When deciding things in my life, what subjects to take, what groups or teams to join, whether to take up part-time work, whether to later go on to University, how to save for my future – I pray that You give me peace and lead me to know what to do.Often I don’t know where to go, but You do in the bigger picture of things. And so, help me to trust you with all these decisions in my life, and with the bigger lifestyle and vocation decisions that you are calling me to in my future.St Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us. Mary Our Good Mother, pray for us. We make these prayers through Jesus, who is the way, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

31. Courage (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) We begin our prayer, as St Marcellin teaches us, by taking a moment to be aware of God’s presence here with us today…..Lord, give me the strength to be able to step out of my comfort zone when You call me to. Help me to not always rely on situations and people that are familiar, but to step out and take risks when they are needed. Help me to not be afraid of failure, because You can always work things for my good out of any situation, because I am Your child and I have a special purpose in this world. Thank You Lord, for loving me into life and calling me to bigger and wider horizons.Help me to make a difference with my life, that Your purposes call be fulfilled through the decisions I make. May I eventually live my vocation as fully as possible, just as St Marcellin Champagnat lived his vocation, and those around me live their vocation.We make this prayer through Jesus, our Brother, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

32. Bringing Life to the World (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) In this Marist Vocation Year we recognise the important contribution that the Marist Brothers have made in the establishment of our school. The Brothers continue to work today in 77 countries, ministering particularly to young people in poorer countries where the opportunities for education and the possibility to grow in their faith are extremely difficult. We will pray, today, for all those Australian and New Zealand Brothers and Lay Missionaries presently working in India and Sri Lanka – struck recently by the Tsunami tragedy – And we will also pray for those who work with the poor in the Philippines, East Timor, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Bougainville, Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands. Let Us Pray: Lord, continue to sustain all Brothers and Lay Marists in the important work you have called them to in all these countries. In this we particularly pray for those Brothers who are ex-students of our school who are serving in these areas. And help us, too, to listen to Your voice and to have the courage to follow the vocation You might be calling us to. Help us to bring life to the world in the way You are calling each of us. We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

33. Prayer for Courageous Labourers in the field (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 10:1-3): After this the Lord chose seventy-two others and sent them out two by two, to go ahead of him to every town and place where he himself was about to go. He said to them, “The harvest is great but the labourers are few. Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather it in. And behold, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.”In the last fifteen years there have been twelve Marist Brothers killed in different parts of the world as they went about their ministry with young people who are poor and abandoned. Four were killed in the Congo in Africa while they were working in a Refugee Camp. Six were killed in Rwanda by the different factions of the warring tribes there. One was killed in Algeria by terrorists who did not want the Brothers to be teaching there. And one was killed in Guatemala in Central America because he was standing up for the rights of poor indigenous students at his school. Since the Brothers were started by St Marcellin in 1817, one hundred and ninety years ago, there have been a total of 204 Brothers who have been killed while going about their ministries with young people.Let Us Pray: Heavenly Father, You so loved the world that You sent Your only Son, Jesus, to bring eternal life to those who believe in Him. Today we join Him in His prayer for labourers in Your harvest. May Your Holy Spirit inspire and strengthen generous men and women to continue His mission in the World, even if it means venturing in to situations that are dangerous. Give Brothers and Lay Marists Your courage to help young people in difficult situations, particularly those in countries that are unstable and unsafe. May this same Spirit make known to each of us Your will, and give us the courage to make the necessary sacrifices that we are called to make in our own lives, to bring Your life to the world. We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

34. St Marcellin says I am loved by God! (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) St Marcellin Champagnat had a heart of deep compassion. Of the poor children living in the mountains in southern France where he first started the Brothers, he used to say “I cannot see all the children without wanting to tell them how much Jesus Christ loves them.” And when he invited the first young men to become Brothers in 1817, he stated that the aim of the Brothers’ life was “To make Jesus Christ known and loved”.Let Us Pray: Loving God, help me to keep my eyes fixed on the path that you are calling me to, the path whereby I can become the best and most loving person that I’m called to be. Help me not to listen to the voices that tell me that I’m not worth anything, because I know that I am incredibly precious to You, that I am loved just as St Marcellin says I am. And call many young men and women to be the Brothers and Sisters of tomorrow, bringing Your love to all. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

35. Our Spiritual Hunger (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St John (Jn 6:27): Jesus said, do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you.”Four billion people live on Earth. Half a billion suffer from chronic physical hunger and malnutrition. But perhaps another frightening statistic is this – perhaps, three billion people suffer from chronic spiritual hunger. It is this hunger that Jesus refers to in today’s reading when he encourages the people to seek not just bodily food but also spiritual or soul food.

Let Us Pray: In this Vocation Year, we thank you, Lord, for the ex-students of our school who have decided to take up the call to serve in our School and Parish Communities. We thank you, too, for those ex-students who have publicly declared, through taking vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, to witness to your presence in our world with their whole lives, as Sisters and Brothers.As young people in a Marist school we thank you for the positive influence that the teachers and the Brothers have in helping us to feed the spiritual hunger in our lives. In our confusion and restlessness, we can sometimes tend to feed this hunger with all the wrong things, but there is only one thing that will truly satisfy our deepest hunger and thirst in this life – the experience and recognition that we are deeply loved by You, our Creator, that we are eternally important, and that You, Lord, have a plan for our ultimate happiness in the vocation that You are calling us to.We pray for each of us here today who are considering taking up a career to serve others, and particularly for those of us who feel a calling to help feed the spiritual hunger of people in our world. Strengthen them, Lord, in the decisions they will make for the good of all. We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

36. Are We Tuned In? (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) During the Great Depression after the First World War, a room was filled with applicants for a job opening as telegraph operator. The drone of conversation of the young men there competed with a steady flow of dots and dashes. The door opened and yet another applicant entered the room. He stood there a minute, walked over to a door marked “Private,” and knocked. A man opened it and said to the others, “You may all go; we have our applicant.” The others were furious and demanded an explanation. The man said, “Listen!” They did. The dots and dashes kept repeating over and over again, “If you hear this, come in; the job’s yours.” This story reminds us that God is constantly speaking to us, but we are rarely listening.In this Vocation Year, what are some ways that God is speaking to us? How is God leading us to consider following him now in our life? How might God be calling me in my future to follow him?Let Us Pray: We thank You, Lord, for speaking to us each day, in and through the people who love us, in the experiences that challenge us, and in the invitations we receive to become the best people we can possibly be, developing all our skills and talents. Help us to continually listen to Your voice, wherever you may be calling. We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

37. An Act of Love (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) During World War II, a prisoner escaped from a labour detail in Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration camp in Poland. To discourage such escapes, the Nazis randomly picked ten prisoners to be killed. One was the father of a family. As the guards marched the victims away to be executed, a priest, Fr Maximilium Kolbe, stepped from the ranks of the other prisoners and volunteered to take the man’s place. The Nazi officer in charge was stunned, but he regained his composure and said, “Accepted.” The priest’s heroic act of love for a fellow prisoner is a faint reflection of Jesus’ love for us. How open am I to whatever act of love the Holy Spirit may be inviting me to make?In this Marist Vocation Year, we pray in thanksgiving for all the acts of love that have brought each of us here today – the sacrifices that our parents have gone through to raise us and eventually to send us to this school, the love of our extended family members, the love of our friends, and the deep love of God, who continually loves us and calls us to life.

Let Us Pray: Thank You, Lord, for all that you have given me. And I ask, how are You calling me to be a person of love in return? What sacrifices might You be calling me to make to bring life and love to others? Will it be in marriage, or to a dedicated life of service as a single person, will it be as a Deacon or Priest, or will it be in Religious Life as a Sister or Brother? Guide me and show me how I’m called to make my ultimate act of love, through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

38. Called to Connect (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) During the Vietnam War, an old man collapsed in a Melbourne street and was taken to the local hospital. From a blurred address in the man’s wallet, nurses deciphered the name of a soldier at the local base at Watsonia, who appeared to be the old man’s son. They put in an emergency call to the camp. When the soldier arrived, the old man reached out his hand feebly. The soldier took it and held it for the next four hours – until the man died. After the man passed away, the soldier asked, “Who was he?” the nurse replied, “Wasn’t he your dad?” “No,” said the soldier, “but I saw he needed a son, so I stayed.”Let Us Pray: Thank you, Lord, for those strangers who act as good Samaritans in our world – who reach out a supporting hand to those who are in need. St Marcellin Champagnat was just such a man. He saw the needs of poor children and young people and cried out urgently “We need Brothers!” to respond to the physical and spiritual poverty in the world. And in our day, we can say “We need Brothers and Lay Marists, dedicated teachers, social workers, welfare workers and psychologists, to assist all who are in need.” Help those of us, Lord, who sense a call from You, to respond generously. We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

39. Bearers of the Vision (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A tribal chief lay dying. He summoned three of his people and said “I must select a successor. Climb our holy mountain and return with the most precious gift you can find.” The first brought back a huge gold nugget. The second brought back a priceless gem. The third returned empty-handed, saying, “When I reached the mountaintop, I saw on the other side a beautiful land, where our people could go for a better life.” The chief said, “You shall succeed me. You’ve brought back the most precious gift of all: a vision for a better future.”Let Us Pray: Thank You, Lord, for those amongst us who point out with their lives the vision of life and love that you want us all to share in. During this Vocation Year help more people to listen to the deep needs we have as a community and as a nation. Help them to take up your call to be beacons of hope, for all. For those You are calling to be Brothers and Lay Marists, give them the courage and strength to say “Yes” to the wonderful adventure You are calling them to. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

40. Listening to God’s voice (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew (Mt 6:7): Jesus said, “When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, who think that God will hear them because their prayers are long.”

Strolling on a beach, a woman spotted a tiny shell. Picking it up, she said, “You are a vacation gift from God! I will take you back with me and set you on my desk. There, when things get hectic, you’ll say to me, ‘Stop! Be still, like the axis of a wheel. Relax a moment in your inner core!’ ”This little story fits beautifully with Jesus’ instruction in today’s reading. Our best praying often takes place when we simply sit still and listen – in the inner core of our being and not use a lot of words going around in our head.Let Us Pray: Help me, Lord, to become more comfortable with the listening phase of my prayer times. And in my sitting still, help me to imagine where you might be calling me in my future life – Whether to spend some of my free time doing volunteer work for the poor. Whether to live in a Christian Community for a while. Whether to work as a Lay Missionary in another country for a while. Whether to be successful in my career and use some of my money and skills to help people who are desperately needy. Or whether to take up a career that will be helpful in working directly with others like teaching, nursing, psychology or social work. Or whether to go in to the area of law or politics to work for justice and the rights of others. And whether to do all these things in the vocation of marriage, a dedicated single life, as a priest, or as a religious sister or brother living in a Community. In all my decision making, help me to sit and listen to where You are taking my heart. We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

41. Speak to us of God (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) One of the touching legends that sprang up around the memory of St Francis of Assisi tells how one day he walked up to an almond tree and said: “Speak to me of God!” and at once the almond tree blossomed!The same command is insistently addressed to us by the world today: “Speak to us of God!” And just as Mary made the Word of God, till then hidden and unknown, come to flesh in Jesus, so Marists in our day are to make Christ come to life for the world. Marist Brothers, Lay Marists and all the teachers in our school are called to speak clearly to the world of Christ – not merely by words but by actions.Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, we thank You for those who serve us in our school who follow You “in the way of Mary”. Call many more to be members of Your Marist Family, to be the future Lay Marists and Brothers who by their words and actions can “speak to us of God!”We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

42. Living Informed Lives for Others (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reflection: One of the characteristics of successful people is that they are aware of their world. They use every opportunity to stay informed on current events and issues. They know that this gives them an edge, whether it’s in their personal decision-making or in their interaction with others.To know what’s going on in the world, you have to read. In just a few moments each day, you can become aware of what’s happening in your world. For example, take a few minutes to look over the newspaper headlines each day. Another way to stay informed is to watch the occasional T.V. news programme or read a news Website.Let Us Pray: We are challenged in this Vocation year, to live Marcellin’s Dream. Lord Jesus, this dream is based on Your Dream, that believing in You and Your call to us we might dedicate our lives and sacrifice a number of our luxuries to reach out to those who are poor and lonely, suffering and struggling in this world. Thousands of Brothers and dedicated Lay Marists have done this over the last 180 years.

Aware and informed by the headlines we see of the needs around us, call us, Lord, in our turn to be the Marists of tomorrow.We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

43. Speak to us of God (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) In any football or basketball game, seeing the goal isn’t that difficult for the players. Why? It’s not difficult because the goal is clearly visible from anywhere on the field. It would be impossible for anyone to score if he or she didn’t know where the goal was.It’s the same in other areas of your life. If you have clearly marked goals, it will be easier for you to make progress. You usually achieve the things that you first ‘see’ in your mind. So your progress is a result of your ‘vision’.What’s your vision for life? And ultimately, what’s the vocational path that will help you make this vision a reality?Let Us Pray: Thank You, Lord, for the freedom You give each of us to outline our vision and choose the goals we want. Help us choose wisely that we can become the best people we can possibly be. And through this lead us to our ultimate vocation in life where we can be most loving and really make a difference in our world – either as a dedicated Single person, Married, a Priest or Deacon, or as a Religious Sister or Brother.We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

44. Speak to us of God (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from the Gospel of St John (Jn 2:1): “On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited.”The Vocation of Christian Marriage is the way that most people are called to become their best selves, and truly learn to walk the way of love, as opposed to living at a level of a self-focused selfishness. And true love in marriage, like true love in all vocations, takes sacrifice to achieve the goal.Let Us Pray: Help me, Lord, to always choose the most loving thing in all my relationships. Help me not to use my partner simply to satisfy my own needs. To choose love rather than selfishness is one of the hardest choices I’ll ever have to make, and eventually, if You are calling me to the vocation of marriage, may the discipline and sacrifices that I make now, for love, lead me eventually to true and total happiness with my future life partner.We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, the one who died to teach us the meaning of true love, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)

45. Love’s Healing Touch (for 2 readers)

Our Wednesday Vocation Prayer: (In the name of the Father, and of …) A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 8:1-3): A leper approached Jesus and said, “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I do want to,” he answered. “Be clean!” At once the man was healed.Evidence is mounting to show that when hands are placed on sick people with a desire to heal them, their recovery rate improves. One explanation for this amazing fact is that the loving touch of loving people releases within a sick person an energy that promotes healing. If this explanation is correct, and if Jesus is God amongst us, and if God is infinite love, then the touch of Jesus could not help but release in a person an enormous healing energy.

Let Us Pray: Help me to discover, Lord, how best to show Your love to the world. If my vocational path leads me to work with the sick, then help me to bring your healing love. And if my vocational path leads me to work with those who need education and guidance, then help me to bring Your love in such a way that others will be affirmed in their gifts and talents.St Marcellin Champagnat often said: “I cannot see a young person without telling them how much Jesus Christ loves them.”May we in our turn bring Marcellin’s Dream Alive Today, by bringing Your healing love, Lord, to all we meet.We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, our Brother, AMEN. (In the name of the Father, and of …)