Preparation

A prayer of preparation for your shift   

I reflect on a short reading from the Gospel of Mark:  
“A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: 'If you want to' he said 'you can cure me.' Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. 'Of course I want to!' he said. 'Be cured!'” {Mark 1:40]  
Lord God, I want to give you thanks that I have been given the talent and the training; the gifts and the graces to be your person in this world. And, most especially, to be made in your image and likeness as a healer of your people. And to be set with you in the company of healers.  
Today I am called once again to continue your ministry of healing. So as I begin this day of service, I ask your blessing. In my mind I set before myself an image of one patient whom I have seen recently… or whom I shall see today… and I pray that I may love them as I love you… and that I may serve them as you would have served in my place.  
I look into their eyes and I make that promise to them and to You…  
And so I ask today for these graces: I ask that today I may be given the grace to help my patients to choose life and to choose it to the full. 
I ask that today I may be given the grace to cure sometimes, heal often and comfort always. 
And today I ask this grace most of all - that I may never see in any of my patients anything other than a fellow human creature in pain. And I ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, my healing Lord.  
And now Lord, I go to your work. And You will come with me.