COVID - 2: Prayer: Like the disciples in the boat - Terrified by the Storm

Dear Lord Jesus,

Truly, you are the Son of God. You have revealed your glory to us during the storms in our lives. Gigantic waves of illness and suffering have buffeted us. Howling gusts of confusion and distress due to the virus threaten to disturb our peace. Our vision is distorted by all kinds of terrifying news from across the world. Fear of the unknown and unseen cripples us.

COVID-19: Prayer- 4: You test us in the Crucible of Sorrow

Dear Lord,

You test us often in the crucible of sorrow and confirm us in fidelity. These days, you test our faithfulness through the corona virus. You kindle in us also the fire of your zeal.

Through the number of doctors, nurses, medical and social facilities and ministers, you send our people to witness to your love. When it is dark, you come as our light. When it is cold and desolate, you come as our warmth. When isolated and lonely, you come as our friend.

Giver of life, we ask not to be rescued from the frustration and anguish and the dying we surely must endure, but for the strength and courage we need to endure it with you in patience and joy.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

COVID-19 - Our Prayer in Confinement

Dear God,

Being alone is hard. We were created for community, not confinement.
But we’re grateful that no matter how alone we may feel, You never leave or forsake us. And, we’re grateful for technology that helps us stay in touch with each other.

Today, please remind us that this time of social distancing and isolation will not last forever.

Give us the strength to endure this difficult season, and deepen our connection with You and Your people.

Empower us with an extra dose of Your love, peace, hope and joy, because we need it. Remind us of Your promises, and please heal our land. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

4th Week of Lent, Saturday, Mar 28th

Jeremiah 11:18-20 / John 7:40-52 

The crowds speak out about Jesus: Some believed; others did not.

During his presidency, Andrew Jackson offered a pardon to a man who had been completely rehabilitated after committing a serious crime. But the man refused the pardon and insisted on staying in prison. He said that even if he was rehabilitated, he owed a great debt to society. Nothing Jackson, or anyone else, said could convince him to accept the pardon. The lawyers of the time even engaged in a famous debate to determine whether a pardon that was refused was a pardon. Many people in Jesus’ time were like that man. Nothing Jesus could say or do would convince some people to accept his message.

4th Week of Lent, Friday, Mar 27th

Wisdom 2:1, 12-22 / John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 

Jesus continues speaking to the Jews: “I did not come on my own.”

In 1945 Igor Gouzenko, a staff member of the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa, decided to defect to the Canadian government. He took with him secret documents exposing a Russian spy ring. Gouzenko was shocked to discover that the Canadians didn’t believe his story. It was too incredible. Finally, Ottawa police took Gouzenko into protective custody, but only after embassy goons broke into his apartment and wrecked it. Nothing is more painful or frustrating than trying to deal with people who find your message too incredible to believe. Jesus, too, knew this kind of pain and frustration. His message was also too incredible to believe.

COVID-19: Prayer for Our Leaders

Dear God,

All authority is Yours, but You have given authority to leaders to protect and guide us. 

Today, we ask that You would give all our leaders wisdom, discernment, strength, and resolve. Keep them healthy, safe, and rested so that they can continue to guide us through this troubling time.

Give our government leaders wisdom about what needs to be done to stop the virus and stabilize our economy.

Give our spiritual leaders Your discernment on how to meet people’s needs as they continue to glorify Your name and encourage the Church.

Give our medical leaders insight into how to stop the virus. Strengthen their resolve and honor their hard work in creating a treatment for COVID-19.

Give our civic leaders inspiration, courage, joy, and strength to meet the needs of their communities.

And help us, as leaders in our communities, to display courage, hope, generosity, and kindness. Would the way we honor others inspire those around us.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

4th Week of Lent, Thursday, Mar 26

Exodus 32:7-14 / John 5:31-47 

Jesus speaks to the Jews: “My works testify on my behalf.”

Seventy-nine-year-old Clara Hale has served as the foster mother to over 500 babies. “Mama Hale” takes care of babies of drug-addicted mothers until the mothers are able to take care of their babies themselves. Babies of drug-addicted mothers enter life with a drug dependency themselves. That’s what makes Mama Hale’s job so hard. “When a baby is crying for a drug,” she says, “all you can do is hold it close and say to it, ‘I

Annunciation-Mar 25

Annunciation, Wednesday, 25-03-20

Isaiah 7:10-14 / Hebrews 10:4-10 / Luke 1:26-38 

St. Augustine was quoted as saying: God does not ask of us the impossible. He may ask us to do the difficult thing, but He will make it possible. 

Lent 5th Sunday A: Liturgical Prayers

Greeting
May the Spirit
who raised Jesus from the dead
be alive in you.
May we live Jesus’ life to the full now,
that we may be raised up on the last day.
May Jesus, the Lord of life, be always with you.

Lent 5th Sunday A - Lazarus is Raised

The five Sundays of Lent gives the picture of death and Resurrection in faith and in life.
1. The first two Sundays depict Jesus' own death and resurrection in daily life (Temptation/Desert/Rejection and Transfiguration / Mountain / Belovedness)
2. Then we have three Sundays with three scenarios of death and resurrection:
a. The Samaritan woman (sociological death to become the first missionary) - her faith in Jesus
b. The Blind man (Physical and spiritual death to growth in faith - he recognizes Jesus, the man, Jesus the prophet and then Jesus the Lord - daring missionary to proclaim the healing and the Lord despite threats of ostracism) - his faith
c. Lazarus - Physical death to actual resurrection - belovedness to Mary and Martha and to Jesus - their faith
d. Passion Sunday: Moving from another "mount" (donkey) to "crucify him". Life is a constant journey of baptism to the desert to the transfiguration to simple realities of our daily life and mission and occasional anniversaries and jubilees. That summarizes the Lenten season, I suppose.

-Tony Kayala, c.s.c.