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May 7, 2023

Fifth Sunday of Easter

For our Church Universal in this Easter season. May we travel with hope when we are worn down with worries about our future. May we seek Christ who is our only way.

We pray to the Lord.

For our worshipping communities who seek to renew their mission of service in Easter. May we first seek God who reveals to us the truth and the life in every way.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who bear the burdens of fear and penetrating shame. May those who have been abused as children find a place in Christ’s compassion and mercy. May we all seek God’s healing for such tragedies to our children.

We pray to the Lord.

For people with unsteady tempers and who carry emotional unrest. May Christ’s resurrection bring new life from within our hearts, minds, and souls. May we receive only hope in Easter.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who starve for justice and who seek the horizon of peace. May those torn apart by war find shelter, food, and consolation on a new ground of possibilities.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who wander and stray aimlessly. May we seek Christ who is our way, our truth, and our life, no matter our journey.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who seek God in the midst of depression, loneliness and in uncertain times. May Christ’s fidelity emerge in our prayerfulness and in our ache for healing and forgiveness.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who are tired of the Church and who question their belief in God. May we learn to listen to our life questions and those who need our kind ears. May we be patient with our quests, our searching, and our path for newness and consolation.

We pray to the Lord.

For our beloved dead who have journeyed home. May they find the way to eternal life. May they be at home with the Father’s love and kindness.

We pray to the Lord.

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April 30, 2023

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Let us pray for leaders in our Universal Church. May we clearly imitate the Good Shepherd and sustain Easter hope for all people. May joy be our food and consolation become our way of life.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for Easter joyfulness in every worshipping assembly. May our churches proclaim the love of the Good Shepherd and ease the burdens of our people. May we learn to serve bringing comfort and delight to every corner of the world.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for desperate people unable to find solace. For people experiencing layoffs, continuing migraine headaches, daily hunger, and the inability to pay rent on time. May the Shepherd welcome our moments of fragility.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our loved ones who live in their beds. May the Good Shepherd heal the bedsores, the rashes of guilt and shame, and prepare them for green and rich pastures in heaven. May we never leave their side.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our young people who stream toward our alters this Easter season. May our children who receive Eucharist for the first time be ready to receive the Body and Blood of our Savior throughout their lives.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people who wash blood from the streets. May they claim peace on their sidewalks after the dozens of mass shootings across our nation. May the Shepherd prepare pastures of hope on concrete and asphalt.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to enable peace within our conversations and ways of life. May we never build walls that divide or walk paths that lead us to destruction and hatred. May the Good Shepherd take us by the hand.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for a new vision of Church in this Easter Season. May we all find the consolation of the Good Shepherd. May the Eucharist reveal justice and mercy for every person under heaven.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our loved ones who join the Shepherd’s heavenly embrace. May our beloved dead be united with the Savior for all eternity.

We pray to the Lord.

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I am grateful for Liturgical Press, Collegeville MN, for publishing this reflection in Give Us This Day.

A Glimpse of Heaven on Earth

God, our Father, does not hold anything back from Jesus. Nothing is reserved to heaven alone. Jesus Christ is fully endowed from above with the spirit of love, forgiveness, and tenderness. Such heavenly gifts are also offered to us on earth.

In this Easter season, even the brokenhearted receive such a miracle. God does not ration grace to us who believe in such beauty and remedy. We are followers of the Risen Christ, the one who promises to lead us to green pastures of delight, comfort, and healing.  

In my ministry, I cling to the God who promises such wonder to us all. I believe God’s ear is close to people who have been abused by clergy, who cry in the nighttime. I believe God’s hand stretches out to feed hungry children at the borders of nations. I believe the silence of God cradles the uncertainty and worry of family members who wait in the emergency room as doctors work diligently to save their loved ones. I believe God’s voice of peace is louder than gunfire in city streets. We do not ration compassion to those who most need us.

Easter offers us a glimpse of heaven on earth. God does not hold back raising Jesus from the dead or offering us consolation when our spirits are crushed. Whoever believes in Easter miracles believes we all belong to God, who animates the world in the glorious love of Jesus Christ. The Redeemer imitates the generous love of the Father. We always bless the Lord and serve with compassion, most especially when the poor cry out in need.

Fr. Ronald Patrick Raab

Ronald Patrick Raab, CSC, is presently on sabbatical. Learn more at http://www.ronaldraab.com.

April 23, 2023

Third Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Let us pray for our leaders of faith. May they discuss with us the gifts of love and the integrity of the Church. May our conversations not derail our trust but offer us deeper awareness of Christ’s resurrection.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to recognize our hearts burning within us as we celebrate Eastertide. May we seek healing and forgiveness along our paths of faith.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to walk with faithfulness and endless wonder. May our elderly who no longer take bold strides lean on us to journey in faith and hope. May Easter unite us in God’s fidelity on earth.  

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people who suffer in mind and body. May Easter joy be revealed in our pain, worry, and anxiety. May Christ’s resurrection be made known within our bodies and souls.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to feed upon Christ’s Real Presence. May the Eucharist offer peace within every human heart. May our Church be renewed in the Breaking of the Bread.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our children who receive Eucharist for the first time in the Easter Season. May their enthusiasm for God be revealed throughout their lives. May hope be embodied in our young. May love be passed to a new generation.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people who suffer along life’s journey. May the short-tempered be kept from needless worry and endless anxiety. May we converse with the sorrowful to bring hope even when frustration makes a home within us.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to cast negative and bitter words aside. May our conversations with one another bring deeper hope within our human families. May we take responsibility for our words and actions in faith and in justice.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to be grateful for our loved ones who have died. May we find in our memories the food of healing and the beauty of our faith in Christ Jesus.

We pray to the Lord.

CLICK here to read my latest article in The Priest Magazine, May 2023.

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April 16, 2023

Second Sunday of Easter (or Divine Mercy Sunday), Cycle A

For the health and well-being of Francis, our Pope. May God inspire his soul as he leads us in faith. May the healing grace of the Holy Spirit come upon him.

We pray to the Lord.

For our newly baptized this Easter. May all who are reborn in water and Spirit find within the Church the joy of prayer and service among those who need the basics of life.

We pray to the Lord.

For all artists, musicians, cantors, and writers, and for all who open our imaginations in Easter worship. May Easter inspire expressions of love and commitment within every community of faith.

We pray to the Lord.

For all healthcare workers, for all who bend down to help hurting bodies. For all who lift up the spirits of the ill or bedridden. May Easter peace and hope be in the hearts of caretakers.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who suffer addictions. May all who suffer from trauma be touched by the merciful presence of Christ Jesus this Easter season. May all restless hearts find the freedom of peace.

We pray to the Lord.

For our Church wounded by false power, abuse and scandal. May Christ’s peace abide in all people torn apart by the deep wounds of our humanity. May Christ’s Resurrection open new life for us all.

We pray to the Lord.

For people surviving in fear and isolation. May new life thrive in us as God breaks into our hearts this Easter. May we, like the disciples, be released of our anxiety about the future.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who grieve at the center of mass shootings.  May Easter bring hope to families who live in loss, hopelessness, and sorrow. May Christ offer peace in our most profound wounds.

We pray to the Lord.

For our beloved dead in this Easter Season. May our loved ones find a new home in heaven. May God’s glory receive them in love beyond measure.

We pray to the Lord.