In the Gospel today,/ Jesus begins his ministry/ inviting us to turn our lives over to the rule of God./ May we be eager to know what it is that God asks of each of us,/ and then have strength to do it./ We pray to the Lord.
As the government shutdown ends,/ we pray for the many who have lived with fear these many weeks/ and suffered inconvenience and want./ We ask for heaven to sweeten the current culture of divisive anger that is causing great sorrow and pain./ We pray to the Lord.
World Youth Day closes in Panama today./ For the safety of pilgrims returning home./ For the young people of the world who feel that all hope is lost,/ who lack work,/ who have lost friends to violence/ or whose lives have been ruined by the drug trade./ We pray to the Lord.
January is Respect Life Month./ We ask for a new world where every child can be valued,/ welcomed and loved./ For refugees,/ prisoners and those trapped in wars./ For those who are enslaved,/ abused or victimized./ We pray to the Lord.
So many people suffer decline and decay because maintaining the war-state is so costly./ We pray to learn wisdom,/ creating a nation where no one is lost to ignorance,/ sickness,/ old age,/ unemployment,/ homelessness or poverty./ We pray to the Lord.
We pray for ourselves and those with us at Mass today./ For our families and friends./ And as we pray for our worship to be pleasing to God,/ we pray for those who have no church or Mass to go to/ and for those who choose to stay away./ We pray to the Lord.
