Prayer Resources

The Prayer for Communal Discernment for Action was originally composed for the 2021 Adelaide Diocesan Assembly. The prayer has since become more widely used for meetings and group discernment processes.

Prayer for Communal Discernment and Action

Merciful and Loving God,

author of our story, animator of our mission, and hope of our future,

You have called us to be your family in this place,

To discuss the things that matter to us,

To discern the path ahead,

And to share in the life and mission of your Son, Jesus.

We ask you to make us ready for the work at hand.

Come, Holy Spirit, prepare our hearts,
That we may be filled with compassion, courage and love.

Come, Holy Spirit, prepare our minds,
That we may receive your wisdom, dream new dreams, and be open to new ideas.

Come, Holy Spirit, prepare our eyes,
That we may see you in one another, perceive the need of our neighbour, and envision new horizons.

Come, Holy Spirit, prepare our ears,
That we may hear your voice, listen deeply to the other, and attend to the voice within.

Come, Holy Spirit, prepare our mouths,
That we may speak on behalf of the voiceless, cry out for justice, and bear witness to your love.

Come, Holy Spirit, prepare our feet,
That we may walk in the footsteps of Jesus, go to the peripheries, and accompany one another on the way.

Come, Holy Spirit, prepare our hands,
That we may embrace our sisters and brothers, heal wounds, and build bridges of peace.

Come, Holy Spirit, prepare our community,
That we may be your one body, eliminate borders of exclusion, and welcome all into your love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.