Prayer Service for the Pandemic

‘Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.’
– Desmond Tutu
We are seeking refuge and solace in these turbulent times and turn out hearts to and prayers to the Almighty.
At SJBHS, the virtual prayer service, held on 26 June 2021, was a collective seeking of the petitions, intercessions and supplications of people all around the world.
The prayer service commenced with the lighting of the lamp which held a special symbolism. It was a plea for hope in the darkness of despair, a cry for enlightenment in the corridors of desolation and a faith that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
The scripture readings from the holy books, hymns, Bhajans and reflections in English, Kannada and Hindi mirrored the sentiments of the Josephite family as they stood in solidarity with their own losses and the misfortune of the suffering humanity. There were prayers for the sick, for the departed souls, for the bereaved families, for the people with financial and material difficulties and most of all for peace in the world.
Our Principal Fr Sunil Fernandes SJ, in his address, urged the stakeholders to reach out and to connect with each other, to remember that their loved ones who were not with them were in fact, safe in the hands of God.
Fr Sunil said that SJBHS has had its own share of grief and this collective sorrow of its staff, students, alumni, well wishers and benefactors could be a source of shared strength - in prayer. The Principal said that the Josephite family held the Covid warriors close in their prayers.
As the song ‘Heal Our Land’ marked the end of the prayer service, it felt like an extension of the support system, the continuation of prayers and the sense of belonging – an integral part of the school ethos