Saint Francis of Assisi challenges us to hold on to life with gentleness. The sacredness of all life is observed among the birds of the air, the sea creatures, and the beauty of our faces. Our work toward caring for all creation begins in prayer. We surrender to such beauty so that God’s face may be revealed in our world. We seek the Kingdom of Heaven even in the chaos of how we have treated our earth. We surrender to the joy of God’s Kingdom, since God desires us to create our earthly home in reflection of what is to come in heaven.

We are not creators of the earth. We do not own our environment. We cannot possess its complexities or fully comprehend the interdependence of all life. All life comes from God.  Our place is to bask in the joy of the earth and find our ways to sustain life.

In this collage, I use the juxtaposition of trash and the beauty of zebras to illustrate how we either share in our earth’s future or help to diminish our resources. Saint Francis of Assisi may help us understand our place upon the earth and to honestly care for everything that keeps us alive. This litany reflects on the gift of water as miracle to renew our generations.

Saint Francis of Assisi: Inspire Our Praise to God Among Droplets and Seas

From dew drops on spring grass…From deep wells of drinking water…From pools of rain on country roads…From blue seas and rocky shorelines…From rain-soaked clothes on children at play…

From droughts and storm flooding…From melting snow to high blizzard drifts along a fence…From a drinking fountain near the school gym…From bottled water carried in a brief case…  

From dams that hold back spring flooding…From fountains in the town square…From forest streams creating their own paths…From country lakes where children learn to swim…From youth drinking from a hose in summer shade…From filling a carafe with cool water from a tap for first morning coffee…

From animals corralling their young aside a spring stream…From a barefoot mother balancing water jars on her shoulders…From rushing mountain streams melting into spring…From reservoirs relinquishing their levels in summer heat…

From our plastics washing ashore along powerless countries…From trash heaps that keep creatures from sipping or surviving…From factories pumping waste into streams…From rivers that flow into unknown places that silence our conscience …From Zebras searching for clean drink…From dirty waters that reveal our uncaring stripes…

From initiating waters that flow at baptism…From sprinkles of baptismal renewal at Easter Masses…From baptismal fonts where water and Trinity merge…From the droplets of holy water that mark our gravesite…   

Amen

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN to my audio reflection from Australia.

From the Centre for Liturgy at Australian Catholic University.

Fr Ronald Raab C.S.C reflects on the connection between Eucharist and justice in light of his ministry. He invites us to be truly transformed by the Eucharist so that we can participate fully in the mission of Jesus Christ in the world.  

Rev Ronald Patrick Raab C.S.C. ministers among the vulnerable and marginalized of society and the Church. He speaks and writes about prayer and service and knowing the love of God through our common poverty.  He is active as a retreat director, blogger, award-winning author, and visual artist. He serves as Religious Superior, Holy Cross House, Indiana.

October 6, 2024

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

For our leaders of faith, Francis, our Pope, and __, our Bishop. May courage be our voice and love become our action. May the gospel live in our sight.

We pray to the Lord.

For a new view of the brevity of life. May we gaze upon the sanctity of our human experience. May we breathe deeply into the joy of living upon the earth.

We pray to the Lord.

For the talents we possess in our bodies. May we treasure most deeply the values we hold and the insights we live by. May we express in our daily actions the bounty of God’s love.

We pray to the Lord.

For courage to express our sorrow. May our grieving hearts be expressed in God’s care for us. May we weep with those who cry and find our home among the lost.

We pray to the Lord.

For hope amidst our adversity. May we treasure our lives even in dark times. May we find the courage to surrender to the light of Christ along our path.

We pray to the Lord.

For married couples. May courage take root in our commitments and hope fill every household. May God inspire love among us.

We pray to the Lord.

For our children and their children. May our next generations discover the beauty of life and the well-being of the young.

We pray to the Lord.

For couples seeking a breakup or divorce. May God heal all losses and may we seek forgiveness and hope in our lives.

We pray to the Lord.

For our beloved dead. May God welcome each loved one home to heaven. May they find eternal joy in the face of Christ.

We pray to the Lord.

CLICK HERE to read today’s scriptures

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September 29, 2024

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

For our leaders of faith. May God inspire Francis, our Pope, and __, our Bishop. May hope become food for the Church.

We pray to the Lord.

For assistance and encouragement of people in need. May we support the lives of people who seek shelter and food, education and healthcare.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who have been abused. May God show us the next steps in the healing process of our families. May abuse of all kinds end with our generation.

We pray to the Lord.

For hope among people ravaged by storms, floods and fires. May the needs of people inspire us to rebuild lives. May hope become the brick and mortar of our futures.

We pray to the Lord.

For the end of war and violence. May we seek justice among nations and support families devastated by war. May hopefulness fill every corner of every nation.

We pray to the Lord.

For people in prison. May every heart find freedom and light. May our brothers and sisters in our prison systems know our support and prayer. May faith open windows and hearts.

We pray to the Lord.

For the end of racism, misogyny, and bigotry. May we see people in the light of love. May God bring us together in our common humanity.

We pray to the Lord.

For reconciliation within our families. May peace be born at our kitchen tables. May we speak of love and acceptance. May we reach out to relatives who most need us.

We pray to the Lord.

For our beloved dead. May we sing of God’s wonder as we entrust those we love to the Kingdom of Heaven.

We pray to the Lord.  

Click here to read today’s scriptures

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CLICK HERE TO READ my latest article in the CSC newsletter

I painted this image of Saint Francis a few months ago for this article.

September 22, 2024

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Let us pray for Francis, our Pope, and ___, our Bishop. May wisdom be born in leadership to protect the innocent and marginalized. May we work all our days for the benefit of the lost and weary.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people who cannot forgive themselves. May God rain down mercy upon the weary. May our hearts welcome the gift of peace and serenity.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our children. May our young find genuine purpose in life and the zeal to use their gifts. May God inspire and delight the next generation.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people who need the basics of life. May our unhoused and unfed find support and encouragement as they seek daily survival. May God inspire our outreach to our brothers and sisters.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people who are making decisions about their healthcare. May we lift our voices up and speak the truth about our mental and physical health. May our future be entrusted to God alone.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people discouraged by life decisions. May we seek humility and love every day of our lives. May we entrust our life to the richness of God’s presence and never regret our path.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to care for our lands, our waters, and our air. May our earthly environment be entrusted to our children with our good decisions and divine love. May our earth become a healthy home for our future.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our loved ones who are ill. May God bring healing to people in body and spirit. May God show us how to surrender to such love.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our beloved dead. May our loved ones now find home and love in the Kingdom of God.

We pray to the Lord.

CLICK HERE to read today’s scriptures

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September 15, 2024

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

For all leaders of faith. May God invite Francis, our Pope, and ___, our Bishop, into the depths of surrender. May they find their lives in the beauty of God’s fidelity.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who cannot find inner peace. May all hearts rest assured in the miracle of God’s love. May we breathe deeply into our lives of faith and not be diminished by other’s actions.

We pray to the Lord.

For our children in this school year. May our youth find love along the path of learning. May their inner lives thrive in faith and fidelity to God.

We pray to the Lord.

For all people imprisoned by despair. May we surrender to such suffering and rise in the foundation of God’s compassion toward us all.

We pray to the Lord.

For all who seek to care for the earth. May we live upon the earth realizing the gift of God’s presence and the sustaining nature of hope.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who live without shelter and food. May our desperate poor find hope in our service to them. May we act with courage to support people who most need the basics of life.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who seek education and secure employment. May we find new life upon the earth to support our families and our future. May hope be lived in our daily lives.

We pray to the Lord.

For people in need of reconciliation. May hope be on the lips of all who apologize. May every heart be known in kindness and generosity.

We pray to the Lord.

For people living with illness and disease. May our loved ones who are ill find hope in their suffering and support in their recovery.

We pray to the Lord.

For our loved ones who have taken their last breath. May our dead not be forgotten and may the cross of Christ open them to eternal life.

We pray to the Lord.