CEIST Staff Prayer Service to Begin

CEIST Staff Prayer Service to begin

a new school year

2013/14

Leader

As we gather today to begin this new school year we look around and greet the familiar faces of our colleagues, whom we have journeyed with over the years in this school. We also welcome those who are joining our staff for the first time, whom we will get to know and who will bring so much newness and freshness to our staffroom. We look forward to a shared sense of purpose and support in this our staff community.

We thank God for the blessings we have experienced during the summer holidays and what a wonderful summer it has been, with sunshine in abundance. We pray together for the year that lies ahead of us: We pray for each other, that it may be a fruitful year, during which we enjoy the friendship and support of each other, while also imparting to our students, not only knowledge, but that real sense of belonging to a faith community which is the mark of the Catholic school.

Reading from St. Matthew’s Gospel

‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed

that someone took and sowed in his field;

it is the smallest of all the seeds,

but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree,

so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches’.

(Matthew 13:31-32)

(Please feel free to choose the Gospel Reflection or the Prayers of Intercession if time does not permit both.)

Gospel Reflection

Many if not all great undertakings begin in small hidden ways.

Seeds need the darkness, isolation and cover of the earth in order to germinate.

Therefore, for something to begin small, hidden, anonymous, is an advantage.

It means it can develop away from publicity.

There are no pressures. No burden of expectations.

It can develop at its own pace. There is no hurry.

Hurry ruins so many things.

Hence the importance of beginnings,

Of taking care of things in their beginning,

Of the small in the accomplishment of the great.

How did Christ begin his great work, the salvation of the world?

He began simply, quietly. No fanfare. No fireworks. No public launching.

He began by calling a few people – two in fact.

It was as simple as that.

He began with personal contact

And that is how his work developed.

It was passed on from person to person by word of mouth.

We shouldn’t be surprised at this.

Things which begin with a splash often peter out.

Whereas those which begin quietly put down deep roots,

Grow steadily, and survive to produce fruits that last.

So, if there is something which we want to do,

Let us not hesitate and think too much.

Let us make a small start, however small.

Let us take one step. Let us plant one seed.

Let us trust that if our cause is good,

God will support us, and it will grow and prosper.

Not all of our students will appreciate our efforts; but we may be sure that the seed we sow, not just in academic terms, but also pastorally and spiritually, will take root in them, sprout and grow in ways that we will never know.

Intercession Prayers

In the spirit of the values of the CEIST Charter and of *Nano Nagle/*Catherine McCauley/*Jules Chevalier/*Anthony de Receveur / *Sts.Vincent and Louise

Let us pray together:

That each member of our school community may experience the warmth of welcome and the presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ here in our school.

We pray to the Lord.