Love you. So, I posted love poems around the house the night before, baked his mothers famous chocolate cake, and organized a surprise Zoom birthday ritual with a few close friends holding candles and sending heartfelt wishes to him. For this next year, I wish for all your wildest dreams to come true. Take some time to sit down and think about what you've learned and how you've grown. Your birthday is gonna be lit. And we step into 2021. They came to some interesting conclusions: The rituals associated with birthdayslike giving cards and presents, or sharing cake or mealsimbue them with importance and significance. And stepped in where needed. [CDATA[ 21. Birthdays (and other temporal markers) can also be times to reassess our lives. Put them away? Ask for light and insight as you prepare to review your day. Wishing you a wonderful birthday and a fantastic year ahead. I pause (breathe in and out) and thank you for this day. Yes there is sickness. Social disparity. Gather a blanket, some of your favorite snacks, a bottle of wine or Champagne, and toast to another year of life. Hello here I am again, knowing that you are waiting for me with love and warming light.In the shadow of your wings I find respite and relief that feeds my innermost self and renews my soul. You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need. Pray for leaders responsible for making decisions about the pandemic. Yes there is isolation. Happy birthday. Rather than debate how smart animals are, we should care for them because of their capacity to feeland perhaps even have spiritual lives. Help us to remember that the gift of Christ, Immanuel, is our greatest treasure, not just at Christmas, but for the whole year through. Pope's Prayer for Protection from Coronavirus, episcopalrelief.org/what-we-do/us-disaster-program/faith-based-response-to-epidemics/, https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=1822, https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=229, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/03/02/coronavirus-prayer, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-03/pope-francis-prayer-our-lady-protection-coronavirus.html, Multi Faith Calendar of Religious Holy Days, Foundational Documents on Jesuit Catholic Education, Xavier University's Center for Mission and Identity. Is there a person or group of people especially affected by COVID-19 that you dont often choose to see or connect with normally? Hope this birthday is the best yet. )Do not reach out your hands.Reach out your heart.Reach out your words.Reach out all the tendrilsof compassion that move, invisibly,where we cannot touch. Through all these years, God, I feel your love and care. Today, Im overjoyed to celebrate your existence. I am praying that your special day brings you lots of love, peace, and . Think of how much change you've gone through in a year; 2020 was full of ups and downs, and you made it through. Can we know, Lord, that we put on many masks so we can cope, avoid, pretend, be acceptable? Well, I know exactly what youll say. Start with our ideas below, and add any personal details to it to make it extra special. Let Adobe Express be your COVID-19 birthday card design expert. Fill us with your joy and the peace of your Spirit. Be with people making decisions that affect the lives and futures of our families, communities, countries, and the wider world. I cannot see if you smile or if you scowl. 1. Let today be another reminder that youre the best. I hope that todays wishes, smiles, and heartfelt words turn into many amazing memories. Heres to hoping all your candles this year dont set off the fire alarm. 1 A Prayer to Remember What Christmas Is All About "Lord, I thank You for coming to earth so You could redeem me. And recently in this ordinary time we have seen our fellow citizens rise up in anger and violence, destroying, injuring, even killing others to push their narrow agendas. I hope that today you look at me and feel my love. I have also developed this, called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). I'm so grateful for you. Birthdays remind us of who we are and what weve done thanks for being an amazing role model to myself and for many others. Happy birthday, friend. I cannot hear if you whisper an answer to my prayer or brush off my curse. All over the world people are looking at their neighbors in a new way. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Lives have been lost and upended. Thank you that they have journeyed through so many ages and stages of life cultivating the gifts of wisdom, patience, persistence and dependence on You. We asked for love, and you gave us troubled people to help. Part must be the guardians of public safety who risk their lies and health, even give up that life, to keep order and peace. Researcher Eranda Jayawickreme offers some ideas that can help you be more open and less defensive in conversations. For firefighters, police, and emergency medical workers.For doctors, nurses, and all health care professionals.For those who serve in the armed forces. And the number of deaths chills survivors in worry and guilt what should I have done, what should I do now? The Other Side of the Virus, an Opportunity to Awaken Litany of Solidarity and Hope During a Pandemic, An Examen for Times of Anxiety and Depression, Prayer for People Critically Ill or Facing Great Uncertainty. Can we all take off our masks, Lord? For job losses. Proverbs 9:11. I love that were so much alike. Where is ordinary time? Help me to be generous and to keep contact with the forgotten. Here are some guidelines to follow. Help us to become more considerate of others, more mindful of how we can help one another, and how we can serve You and Your children well. Amen. Happy birthday. Were muted. addthis_share = { I don't even know if you exist or if I'm just talking to myself, but I know I need help to face my fears right now. Strengthenuswhen we feel discouragedor overwhelmed. And of course, the ending of the Fr. Editor's note: This essay is one in a series of first-person narratives by members of the Duke community reflecting on a year living with COVID-19. Yes there is panic buying. Understated. God, I give You thanks even in the unexpected and unwanted because You are good, You are just and You are right. 20 years later, I find myself in another life altering situation in a different hospital with a different disease. But there does not have to be disease of the soul. Adobe Express lets you create a custom-tailored message that will make your recipient feel special and honored. Virgin Mary, turn your merciful eyes towards us amid this coronavirus pandemic. It was really sweet.. Over the course of the last months, I have felt your presence in the care and compassion of those working around and with me to find the best path forward for our community. All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting. We asked for prosperity, and you gave us purpose and brains to use. May our hearts be unified in You more than ever. And when your body has become still,reach out with your heart.Know that we are connectedin ways that are terrifying and beautiful. Holding the Crucifix, say the Apostles' Creed. Let us ask for Gods grace and help as we pursue these endings and these beginnings together with patience, perseverance, and trust in what He has planned for us. Send a virtual birthday hug, "quill you meet again" with this cute Hello!Lucky card "Hedgehug" 2. Heal those who are sick with the virus. Amen. Even as we are being asked to distance ourselves from one another socially, ask yourself what connections you find yourself grateful for?Who makes you feel grounded and connected to God? } We choose to press in close to you today, and keep you first in our hearts and lives. Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. Let us turnto our Godandto the sacred lightof the Holy Spiritthat burnsineach of us. Be with the leaders of all nations. I have felt true joy in the quiet moments of fellowship and connection that only could have happened because of this common event. Fermented grapes. May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close remember those who have no options. Your birthday is a painful reminder of how old Im getting. More than 80 family members and friends from all around the country joined the call, offering congratulations and appreciations for her aunt. So, what can we do to fete people at this time and hold on to those benefits? Sorry, the work you have done for us is not needed any more. They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise You can hear the birds again. When the right words are hard to find, theres no shame in taking inspiration from someone or something else. Will we see, Lord, that what we think of as your mask is really also our own, our inability to find you in the rush of our lives, our failure to see you in all the wonders you show us, our incapacity to hear your gentle voice in the tumult that surrounds us. And the courage to reach out. Please forgive us for giving too much time and attention to other things, for looking to other people before coming to you first. 1 Psalm 91:16 "With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." Getty 2 2 Corinthians 9:15 "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" Getty Our God is purposeful, setting us in our families, communities, even in our generations. Old friends and colleagues are now out of control. For the sick and infected: God, heal and help. Happy birthday, friend. Weve celebrated birthdays together from our diaper days as kids, and I look forward to our diaper days as adults. The early Christians prayed in the church of the home. Our celebrations. Grahams tenure and the beginning of new leadership under Dr. Hanycz here at Xavier. Best friend, weve been through it all. Cant imagine my life without you. 2020. As I look ahead to the coming academic year, I pray that we make sound decisions for our students, our faculty, our staff, that protect them and serve them well, and also serve the institution well. Thank you for always providing me with hope, encouragement, joy, and support. So glad I can celebrate with you on this special day. What connections do you take for granted in your life? Racial disparity. For those who have survived.For those who have lost their spouses.For children who have been orphaned.For all those who mourn and those who comfort them. We have finished one academic year and are beginning to prepare for students to return in the fall. addthis.layers({ But it also grants a freedom to be with. May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all. RT @keithsrocknroll: "i'm a risk-taker. You are here for us to see and to hear. Could their young minds handle all that was being thrown at them? In Education. Mothers and fathers have worked hard to provide for their families, and now their jobs are gone. Hear our prayer. Father please hear us when we tell You of our concerns of sending our children and educators back to school. God of the present moment,God who in Jesus stills the stormand soothes the frantic heart;bring hope and courage to allwho wait or work in uncertainty. Yes there is fear. You stepped into my life at best possible time. From the GGSC to your bookshelf: 30 science-backed tools for well-being. The parade was filmed and posted on Facebook, which meant she could watch it in the months that followed whenever she felt the pandemic bringing her down. Gracious and Loving God,You are our comforter and our hope.Hear our prayers as we come before you.Strengthen us in this time of need.Inspire us to acts of solidarity and generosityand give us hope of a brighter future. O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal that we lose not our hold on things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Pause to reflect and refresh. R: The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty has given me life. I love my planet Earth. It imbued the otherwise mundane Zoom social hour with more meaning and emotional resonance. Happy birthday, friend. Father, we seek Your wisdom daily. Angela J. of Los Angeles, California, attended a surprise Zoom birthday for an aunt living in Philadelphia who was turning 90. It isnt what it will be. Is there a person or group of people especially affected by COVID-19 that you dont often choose to see or connect with normally? I ask for compassion and love when Im unable to give those to myself. Amen. Help us, Mother of Divine Love,to conform ourselves to the Fathers willand to do what Jesus tells us: He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us,through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Thank you that you came to give new life, peace, hope, and joy. As we exercise the good sense that you in your mercy provide,may we also approach each day in faith and peace,trusting in the truth of your goodness towards us. Right now though, right now I am feeling an extra sense of pride and purpose as I do my work. And this is my birthday, so it seems fitting that I would read this passage. Every birthday, every celebration ends with something sweet, a cake, and people remember. PRAYERS IN TIME OF A PANDEMIC . I have felt your presence on days when my work at my workplace or at home was not great, and I was humble or needed to make apologies. when its hard to travel and gather together. Comfort those who are distraught and mourn their loved ones who have died, and at times are buried in a way that. For the challenges, the emotions, the struggle. Maybe it helpsto imaginethis timeas a dousingof gasolinetossed onto ouralready steadyburning flamesofpurpose and love. Hone your creativity with the power of Adobe Express. My most precious prayers and wishes are reserved for you today, my dear! We ask for wisdom for those who bear the loadof making decisions with widespread consequences. Assist us and restore us to health so that united more closely to your family, the Church, we may give praise and honour to your name. For those who are lonely.For those who have no one to check on them.For families that are separated. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Let us help you decide your next Birthday Party read more. I am thankful for the opportunity learn and practice new things. Nearly everyone has had a pandemic birthday. We pray for misinformation to be curbedthat fear may take no hold in hearts and minds. God, you gave me a life that day I was born, and I hope I will spend all my life and do as much as I can to show you my love and gratitude! Happy birthday. A very small selection of people who suffer from Crohns or Ulcerative Colitis go on to develop a very rare liver disease which affects the bile ducts. We stepped up. We paused. Today a young woman I know is busy spreading fliers with her number through the neighborhood so that the elders may have someone to call on. 4. Let this accelerantconsume and quicken usfor the greater good. Youre not old. Happy birthday. As fear grips our country, let us choose love. we're so lucky to still have you on this earth 28 Feb 2023 00:27:44 -Found on Twitter: Jester D TGM - @JustMeTurtle, What if you thought of itas the Jews consider the Sabbaththe most sacred of times?Cease from travel.Cease from buying and selling.Give up, just for now,on trying to make the worlddifferent than it is.Sing. For those who are dying.For those who have died while saving the lives of others.For all who have lost their lives. In your mercy, Lord, Grant us the strength to rebuild. When the disease that moves us to mask our faces for safety fades away, will our eyes and our ears be stronger, better able to see and to hear the smiles and the frowns, the cries and the whispers of those who fill our lives? - ByColleen Hanycz, PhD incoming President at Xavier University. Our University rose to the many challenges. I dont know how I got so lucky to have a best friend like you. Thanks for being my friend over the years through it all. The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. - Oprah Winfrey, Today you are you. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace. If you are a person of faith, take a moment to pray with it. That is truer than true. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Some of these endings come suddenly or unexpectedly. In this uncertain agea time whenour brothers and sistersyearn forpeace and lightwe are calledand stand readyto do magisto do morethan we didbefore. To how little control we really have. Enjoy your cake, your party and your presents today but remember that your friendship is the greatest gift of all. Happy birthday. Holy God, loving God, can this really be ordinary time?. Many of them wanted to get to know her and her husband better, figuring that anyone who brought out that much enthusiasm for a birthday must be nice and worth becoming closer to. Now I am relying on you to lead and guide me, to put my anxiety in its place. Read more A Blessing for Healthcare Workers in a Time of Covid-19 Pandemic Kate Williams wrote this prayer as a blessing for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. With . She's the world's leading animal behaviorist and an Autism advocacy leader. in Venues & Event Spaces, Skating Rinks. Happy birthday. Make time to reflect and be thankful for what is ending. Happy birthday. Three years ago, the Covid-19 pandemic began here in our city, killing thousands of New Yorkers, and eventually .