I am about to go back for that "first day of term" as a teacher for the 25th time! I have cobbled together this rosary, using lots of borrowing, fusing together and gratitude to Chat GPT for finding references!
It is more complicated that usual. It starts with the usual cross and invitational, however for each cruciform and weeks there is a theme. The cruciform has a bibilcal quote to support the theme, and there is a short prayer for each of the weeks' beads... BUT each bead has a different teacher reflection based on that same theme: so you should repeat the prayer seven times but have a different school-based reflection for each one.
Hope that's not too complicated or tiring!
The Cross
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit. Amen.”
“Lord Jesus Christ,
you welcomed children, taught those who came to you,
encouraged the uncertain and challenged those who had grown comfortable.
As we begin this new school year,
make us patient teachers, attentive listeners
and faithful examples of your love.
Amen.”
At the Invitatory Bead
“Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth.”
(Psalm 86:11)
“Holy Spirit, be with us as we begin again.
Give us wisdom for what we can prepare,
courage for what we cannot predict,
and grace for every person we shall meet.”
First Cruciform Bead — Our Calling as Educators
On the cruciform bead, pray:
“Lord, rekindle in us the gifts you have given, that
we may teach and serve faithfully” (from
2 Timothy 1: 6)
For each of the Seven
Week Beads the prayer is:
“Give me wisdom to teach,
patience to listen,
and grace to encourage.”
but with a different focused memory for each bead:
1) Remember the enthusiasm with which we first entered teaching, as we pray: “Give me wisdom to teach, patience to listen, and grace to encourage.”
2) Remember the gifts and experience we bring to our work, as we pray: “Give me wisdom to teach, patience to listen, and grace to encourage.”
3) Remember the things we still have to learn, as we pray: “Give me wisdom to teach, patience to listen, and grace to encourage.”
4) Remember the patience we will need when plans go wrong, as we pray: “Give me wisdom to teach, patience to listen, and grace to encourage.”
5) Remember the courage we will need to admit when we make mistakes, as we pray: “Give me wisdom to teach, patience to listen, and grace to encourage.”
6) Remember the wisdom we will need to know when to speak and when to listen. We pray as we pray: “Give me wisdom to teach, patience to listen, and grace to encourage.”
7) Remember the joy of helping another person discover something new, as we pray: “Give me wisdom to teach, patience to listen, and grace to encourage.”
We finish praying this set of weeks’ beads with the words:
“Lord, renew in us the joy of our vocation.
Keep us patient in difficulty, curious in learning,
generous with our gifts and humble in our mistakes,
that through our teaching others may grow in confidence, wisdom and hope
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen.”
Second Cruciform Bead — The Young People we are
entrusted to educate
On the cruciform bead, pray:
“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me.’” (Matthew 19: 14)
For each of the Seven
Week Beads the prayer is:
“Lord, help me to see the person
before I see the problem.”
But with a different focused memory for each bead:
1) Remember the student arriving eagerly on the first day, as we pray: “Lord, help me to see the person before I see the problem.”
2) Remember the student arriving frightened or anxious, as we pray: “Lord, help me to see the person before I see the problem.”
3) Remember the student who finds learning difficult, as we pray: “Lord, help me to see the person before I see the problem.
4) Remember the student whose behaviour may hide hurt or insecurity as we pray: “Lord, help me to see the person before I see the problem."
5) Remember the student carrying troubles we may never fully know, as we pray: “Lord, help me to see the person before I see the problem.”
6) Remember the student who feels unseen, unheard or excluded, as we pray: “Lord, help me to see the person before I see the problem.”
7) Remember the student who will unexpectedly teach us something too, as we pray: “Lord, help me to see the person before I see the problem.”
We finish praying this set of weeks’ beads with the words:
“Lord, keep every child entrusted to our care safe.
Help us to notice those who need help,
to celebrate those who flourish,
and never to mistake achievement for worth.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen”
Third Cruciform Bead — Our Colleagues and School Communities
On the cruciform bead, pray:
“Bear one another’s burdens,
and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
For each of the Seven
Week Beads the prayer is:
“Christ beside us,
make us generous colleagues
and builders of peace.”
but with a different focused memory for each bead:
1) Remember those teachers beginning their first year in the profession, as we pray “Christ beside us, make us generous colleagues and builders of peace.
2) Remember those colleagues taking on new responsibilities as we pray “Christ beside us, make us generous colleagues and builders of peace.”
3) Remember teaching assistants and support staff as we pray “Christ beside us, make us generous colleagues and builders of peace.”
4) Remember the office, cleaning, premises and kitchen staff as we pray “Christ beside us, make us generous colleagues and builders of peace.”
5) Remember school leaders carrying difficult decisions as we pray “Christ beside us, make us generous colleagues and builders of peace.”
6) Remember colleagues returning with worries or burdens of their own as we pray “Christ beside us, make us generous colleagues and builders of peace.”
7) Remember the union reps who not only carry their own responsibilities and worries, but also seek to speak up for and seek justice for all of their colleagues as we pray “Christ beside us, make us generous colleagues and builders of peace.”
We finish praying this set of weeks’ beads with the words:
“Save us from impatience with one another.
Give us humour when days become absurd,
kindness when somebody is struggling,
and the humility to ask for help ourselves.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen”
Fourth Cruciform Bead — The Year Ahead
On the cruciform bead, pray:
“Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday and today and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
For each of the Seven
Week Beads the prayer is:
“For whatever this year may bring,
Lord, be with us.”
But with a different focused memory for each bead:
1) We place before God: The lessons we have carefully planned, as we pray “For whatever this year may bring, Lord, be with us.”
2) We place before God: The lessons which will not go according to plan, as we pray “For whatever this year may bring, Lord, be with us.
3) We place before God: The successes that will delight us, as we pray “For whatever this year may bring, Lord, be with us.”
4) We place before God: The disappointments from which we will have to learn, as we pray “For whatever this year may bring, Lord, be with us."
5) We place before God: The conversations whose importance we may only understand afterwards, as we pray “For whatever this year may bring, Lord, be with us.”
6) We place before God: The young people we shall eventually have to say goodbye to, as we pray “For whatever this year may bring, Lord, be with us.”
7) We place before God: The countless ordinary days through which relationships are quietly built, as we pray “For whatever this year may bring, Lord, be with us.”
We finish praying this set of weeks’ beads with the words:
“Lord, remind us that education is not made only from
examinations, targets and timetables, but from curiosity awakened, confidence
restored,
kindness remembered and lives enlarged.”
“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen”
Prayer on returning to the Invitatory
Bead
God of wisdom and new beginnings,
we offer you this coming school year.
Bless the classrooms before they fill,
the names we have not yet learned,
the questions we cannot yet anticipate,
and the relationships which have not yet begun.
When we are confident, keep us humble.
When we are uncertain, give us courage.
When we are weary, renew us.
When we become impatient, make us gentle.
When we wonder whether anything we do makes a difference,
remind us that seeds may grow long after the sower has moved on.
Bless all who teach,
all who learn,
and all who make our schools places of safety, discovery and hope.
And at the end of each day,
help us to entrust to you
the things we have done well,
the things we wish we had done differently,
and the things which must simply wait until tomorrow.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Grace at The Cross
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us all evermore. Amen.
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