The first priority in Archbishop Mark’s Apostolic Priorities for the Archdiocese of Brisbane, documented in With Lamps Ablaze, is Teaching Prayer. He says, “Often we urge people to pray but don’t really teach them how to pray… Now is the time to teach ways of prayer which are mature and all-embracing. Christian prayer begins not with speaking but with listening; and learning to pray is therefore learning to listen – to listen even to the silences of God. If all we do is speak, then in the words of Jesus we “babble like the pagans” (Matt 6:7). But if we speak after listening and in response to God who always has the first word, then we speak according to the mind of the Holy Spirit. That’s what we need to teach and learn. In the Gospel of Mark, we read that Jesus called the twelve apostles to himself, first of all, “that they might be with him” (3:14). This is where the mission starts: being with Jesus, which is what prayer is.”

Join us for our new weekly series, Let’s Pray, where we invite you to pray along with us. Each week we will invite you to pray a new prayer with us – maybe you don’t know what to pray, or want to pray along with someone, or want to practice your faith through prayer. Our Let’s Pray series is for everyone.

On this first weekend of summer, we invite you to pray with us a prayer for protection over our communities from extreme weather ahead of us. As we welcome the warm, sunshine-filled days, we are also reminded that we are subject to the whimsy of Mother Nature. This is the time when the gentle rain may turn into storms and floods, and the warm sunshine may turn into drought and fires. So, please join us to pray for our community as we stand at the start of the summer season and to remind ourselves that God is always here with us in all our needs in this turbulent world. Let’s pray.

• Prayer for Protection from Extreme Weather

  Prayer for Protection from Extreme Weather

  Author: Archdiocese of Brisbane

  
  Hello, I’m Fr John Sullivan, a priest here in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, retired at the age of 83 to what we call lesser duties which simply means that I’m not any longer responsible for a Parish. So I am very free then to be available to do supply ministry. Some of you will have known me from the ten years I was at Greenslopes Hospital as chaplain, or the fifteen years I was parish priest of Banyo-Nundah.

  I’m sure you’ve been outside on many occasions these last few weeks, and there is little doubt in our minds that summer is on the way. I spent most of my childhood in regional Queensland and have fond memories of once going by horse and cart to Mass as the heavy rain meant we couldn’t get the car out. Then, as now, we’re subject to the whimsy of Mother Nature. With her gentle rain, her warming sunshine, and in the fury of her storms and fires. I love to garden. A particular favourite of mine is roses, which are not so easy to care for in this hot weather.

  Do we look forward to summer? I know it can be a season of experiencing nature’s fury. On this first weekend of summer, I invite you to pray with me a prayer of protection over us and our loved ones in our communities.

  So let us pray in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

  Father, we pray for our community as we stand at the start of the summer season. There are many among us who have already experienced loss and tragedy due to bushfires and of course to floods. We pray that their healing will be something that will come from the care of the community. We pray for those first responders who assist us in disaster situations that their strength and calm will remain with them and us and give us comfort. We pray that the government agencies who must make difficult decisions for our good will have that wisdom that they need. We pray that the community will support with compassion and a helping hand all who experience loss this summer, especially those who live on the margins of society. May we like Christ around us, pray for the wisdom to care for the Earth and to love and respect our common home. We thank our God that He is with us in all our needs in this turbulent world, will strengthen our faith and trust in the recognition that you are our God always with us and we are your people.

  We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord, our Brother, our Saviour, forever and ever. Amen.

  Thank you for being with us today. May we meet again.