Wednesday February 14, 2024

Ash Wednesday

For our Universal Church as we begin this Lenten journey. May our communities discover God’s healing mercy in our days of reflection and renewal.

We pray to the Lord.

For all religious leaders as we begin our journey toward Easter. May every leader find humility in the cross of ashes on our foreheads this day. May we surrender to God and turn toward justice for all people under heaven.

We pray to the Lord.

For all communities and organizations who benefit from our almsgiving. May our communities be renewed with our financial efforts and volunteering. May the Lenten season reveal the goodness of all people.

We pray to the Lord.

For a new courage to pray. May our Lenten journey help us find Christ within our stories of life. May we trust God’s healing presence. May we surrender joyfully to Christ’s enduring love.

We pray to the Lord.

For all who fast in these Lenten days. May our fasting from food, violence and falsity, fill us with new life. May we learn a new reliance on Christ’s passion and resurrection.

We pray to the Lord.

For our neighbors who need assistance with the basics of life. May we open our eyes to the needs of people as we enter the Lenten desert. May we reach out to others in joy.

We pray to the Lord.

For all in need of renewal and healing during this Lenten time. May forgiveness be near for the sinner and hope be on the lips of us who renew baptismal promises this Lenten season.

We pray to the Lord.

For kindness in our political lives. May our divisions be healed and words of hope be on the lips of people who serve our country.

We pray to the Lord.

For all people who bear the marks of shame and guilt within them. May our Lenten journey heal our hearts in the Cross of Christ. May God’s love become our true identify.  

We pray to the Lord.

For our beloved dead. May our loved ones know God’s mercy and forgiveness in their eternal home in heaven.

We pray to the Lord.

Sunday February 11, 2024

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

For all who guide us in faith. May our leaders hear the pain and anguish of us all. May we work together for reconciliation, harmony, and a new life in Christ’s healing mercy.

We pray to the Lord.

For the courage to touch pain. May our physical and emotional pain be touched and named. May we offer all that darkens our souls to Christ’s life. May peace abound in us.

We pray to the Lord.

For hope in our trials and in times of trouble. May we humbly ask Christ to heal our anxiety and our worry about tomorrow.

We pray to the Lord.

For sustenance for the hungry. May we work without limits to feed the lives of our families who live in food deserts in our cities.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who have been shamed in social media. May the wounds of doubt and despair be named and may we all be set free in the presence of Christ Jesus. May we not scar our neighbor or degrade others.

We pray to the Lord.

For our youth who have given up on faith and institutions. May our young find new life in our outreach to their needs. May we learn to listen to our children.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who live in doubt and in the dreariness of sin. May forgiveness be in our actions and may love fill our lives.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who suffer from scars and wounds. May we not judge the skin of other people. May our injuries find home in love.  May every hardship and disfigurement be healed in Christ’s touch. May we tell the world of God’s miracles.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who are ill and who face surgeries and procedures this week. May God be on the side of healing for all in need.

We pray to the Lord.

For our loved ones who have died. May our home in heaven be eternal.

We pray to the Lord.

Always grateful to preach and preside at Eucharist at Saint Mary’s College.

Click here to read today’s scriptures

CLICK HERE to listen to today’s reflection

Sunday February 4, 2024

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Let us pray for Church leaders. May we lift up the weary in faith and offer our hands to restore hope for all people.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for peace in every land and nation. May we speak boldly of injustice and outrage against humanity. May love be on our lips and courage be forever in our hearts.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people weakened by illness and disease. May we not resist our own vulnerability and open our hearts toward people in need. May we see the Lord’s presence in weakness.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people burdened with mental illness and emotional decline. May we claim Christ as our guide toward hope for all who cannot help themselves. May healing begin and love be made known in our anguish.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to sing our praises to God in our brokenness. May we become spiritually weak in order to know Christ’s redeeming love and mercy. May we walk humbly upon the earth with songs of love on our lips.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our children and our children’s children. May faith be known and lived in every generation. May we not hinder justice or reject love in our actions. May our young use their gifts for the good of all people.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for the healing of our political efforts for our common good. May we not use words as bullets toward one another. May we not harm reputations or condemn our opponents.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people who grieve. May loss become food for hope. May grief be healed in our hearts to find new meaning and courage under heaven.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our beloved dead. May our loved ones who have breathed their last now find home and comfort in heaven.

We pray to the Lord.

Click here to read today’s scriptures

CLICK HERE TO listen to today’s reflection

CLICK HERE to read my latest article from The Congregation of Holy Cross

January 28, 2024

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Let us pray to serve God’s people even when we are challenged beyond our expertise. May we serve the vulnerable and the discouraged, and rely on the voice of the Holy Spirit to reveal the course of our service.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for courage to pray and to listen to God’s healing voice.  May our worshipping assemblies discover deeper reasons to unite in the Eucharist and to sing hymns of justice and love. May hardened hearts be healed in our praise of God.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for the ending of all war in our world. May gunfire be eased, may bombings cease, and may peace talk flourish in our day.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our nation. May politics unite us in the mission of serving people’s needs. May our actions be filled with integrity in order to serve the lives of our brothers and sisters.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our children who bear pain and uncertainty. May all foster children find housing, education and well-being. May our children who have been abused know stability, kindness and generosity to thrive in the future.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to entrust our pain to the mercy of God. May fear be released in our bodies. May we discover the healing miracles of Christ’s eternal presence within us.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our loved ones who hear voices in the nighttime. May we walk courageously with people who suffer any disease of the mind. May we listen to the healing voice of God.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for all peace and good in family life. May we take time to listen to our youth and may we all find a new curiosity toward life itself. May families find laughter and acceptance.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our dead and those who grieve. May our loved ones who have died now find the beauty of eternal life. May Christ receive them with forgiveness, and console us who remain on earth with mercy.

We pray to the Lord.

CLICK here to read today’s scriptures

CLICK HERE to listen to today’s reflection

January 21, 2024

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Let us pray for Francis, our Pope, and ___, our Bishop. May God console them to serve with wonder and praise. May they reveal to us all the beauty of God’s call and vocation.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for the unity of all Christians. May the baptized find common ground upon which to build God’s Kingdom on earth. May the integrity of our life in Christ be made known to all the earth.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for transparency and courage in our political systems. May we unify in our efforts to serve the common good. May harmony become our way of life so to ease bickering and arrogance.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to leave behind all things that keep us from Christ. May we cast sin, heartache, and anxiety into the wind and listen closely to the loving call of Jesus. May we follow him unreservedly.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our brothers and sisters who survive on the streets. May people who live outside find the consolation of our service and the safety of a new shelter. May God provide warmth, love and protection in the nighttime.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for a new vision of service within the Church. May we listen carefully to people who bear the weight of depression, mental anguish and despair. May hope and grace flourish among us.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our elderly confined to hospitals and nursing homes. May God provide healing for people who have lost family connections and satisfying relationships. May love protect them in the lonely nighttime.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people who are ill and in desperate need of healing and consolation. May we lift up to God the names of our loved ones who most need mercy and compassion.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our beloved dead. May our loved ones who have died now find true freedom and home in the presence of Christ Jesus.

We pray to the Lord.