Opening Prayer 1

Leader
We have gathered here in the time of Lent—a time of year in which the Church invites us to look closely at our lives and turn them toward the light of Christ. It is a fitting time of year to look closely at our institutional lives as well. A time to examine our "organizational consciences" like we examine our personal ones. A time to make sure that our institutions, too, are always turning toward the light of Christ.

As we begin our time of reflection and learning together, let us pause to listen to the scripture reading of the day, inviting us to turn toward that which can heal us.

SCRIPTURE READING

Reader
A Reading from the book of Numbers

From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road…
But with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, "Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!"

In punishment the Lord sent among the people seraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. Then the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned in complaining against the Lord and you. Pray the Lord to take the serpents away from us."

So Moses prayed for the people, and the Lord said to Moses, "Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and whoever looks at it after being bitten will live." Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

The Word of the Lord.

All
Thanks be to God

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS

Leader
In response to the scripture, let us take a moment to ponder in silence our own response to the invitation to turn toward that which heals.

• What needs healing in your life at this time? What needs healing in your health system at this time? (pause for reflection)
• When have you felt invited to turn toward healing this Lent? What would this healing look like? What would it mean for you and your system to turn toward healing at this time? (pause for reflection)

CLOSING PRAYER

Leader
O God of Moses, you led the Israelite people through the dangers of the desert and healed them of their affliction by helping them to keep their eyes turned toward you. In our gathering here these next several days, woo us and soothe us, turning our gaze toward you and your healing power. Bless our seminar and draw near, being part of the lectures, conversations, and meals that we share. O Lord, hear us as we pray:

All
Turn our eyes toward you.

Opening Prayer 2

Leader 
As we wake to greet a new spring dawn, we are reminded again of the way that all of nature turns at this time of year to welcome the warmth of the sun and flowers with new life. We recognize the nearness of God in the beauty of this season. And so, once again, we open the day by seeking to turn our own lives toward the warmth and the light of the divine. Let us pause to listen to the scripture reading for today, inviting us to turn toward the one who is always near, the one accompanies us—in good times, yes—but, even in times of great trial.

SCRIPTURE READING

Reader
A Reading from the book of Daniel

King Nebuchadnezzar said: "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up?... He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" "Assuredly, O king," they answered.

"But," he replied, "I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God." Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."

The Word of the Lord.

All
Thanks be to God.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS

Leader
In response to the scripture, let us take a moment to ponder in silence our own response to the invitation to turn toward the one who accompanies us at all times.

• Where in your life and in the life of your organization do you experience the greatest trial? (pause for reflection)
• In the reading, God does not prevent the men from being thrown into the fire, but rather accompanies them in the midst of the fire. What would it mean to turn toward God as a companion in these times? When have you known God to stand in the fire with you? What would it mean for God to accompany you and your organization in the fire now? (pause for reflection)

CLOSING PRAYER

Leader
O God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the flames of trial, you accompanied your faithful servants and did not abandon them. With their eyes fixed on you, they were able to enter into the fires of Nebuchadnezzar unafraid and confident. As we look long and hard at our organizational life again today, give us that same kind of confidence and courage. Draw near and walk with us, keeping us faithful to your call. O Lord, hear us as we pray:

All
Turn our eyes toward you.

Opening Prayer 3

Leader
We gather again this morning, enriched by the learning and conversation of the last two days, eager to engage anew this day. And so we pause, at the opening of the day, to listen to the lectionary passage for today. We welcome into our lives the invitation of scripture to turn toward hope.

SCRIPTURE READING

Reader
A reading from the book of Genesis

When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him: "My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you."

The Word of the Lord.

All
Thanks be to God.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS

Leader
In the reading today, Abram, who is old and without children is invited to hope that a whole nation shall spring forth from him. In response to the scripture, let us take a moment to ponder in silence our own response to the invitation to turn toward hope.

• Where in your life and in the life of your organization do you experience the greatest discouragement, even despair? Where do you find it hardest to believe that new life is possible? (pause for reflection)
• What would be your greatest hope for your organization? What makes you afraid to hope? What would it mean to turn toward hope this Lent? (pause for reflection)

CLOSING PRAYER

Leader
O God of Abraham, in an old age that seemed barren, you promised your friend a new tomorrow. You promised descendants as numerous as the stars. Give us this morning the capacity to dream the dreams that you have for us, to see the possibilities that you see for us. Possibilities as numerous as the stars. Grant us the hope that we need to move forward into the future. Draw near and walk with us, keeping us always hopeful. O Lord, hear us as we pray:

All
Turn our eyes toward you.

Closing Prayer

Reader
"But that's not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have just landed in them, usually — their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn't. And if they had, we shouldn't know, because they'd have been forgotten. We hear about those as just went on."

— J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings

Leader
Lord, as we come to the end of our seminar, we pause once more to call to mind your invitation in this season to "turn." The invitation to "turn" calls to mind so many images:
the turning of soil to prepare for new growth
the turn in a road that sets us off in a new unexpected direction
the turning of a dancer
the turning of a heart
the turning toward healing
the turning toward companionship
the turning toward hope

As the tiny hobbit reminds us in the classic Lord of the Rings the only turning never associated with great adventurers is turning back. Those who are remembered are those "as just went on."

And, so as we leave here, we ask you, God, to give us the strength and the courage that we need to "just go on." The perseverance that we need to turn in every which way you would have us to go, but backward. For the journey that you have launched us on, O Lord, is one that we will never regret. May every day of our work be a "yes" to you and to your invitation to serve Catholic health care.

Keep us safe in our travel as we return to our homes and remain with us in our Lenten "turning." Remind us daily of your desire to heal us, to accompany us, to give us hope. We pray, as we always have, in Jesus' name.

All
Keep our eyes turned toward you.