This week/ while his mother drove him to kindergarten,/ six year old Aiden Leos was killed in a road rage shooting./ Last weekend fourteen people were shot in Chicago,/ Portland,/ Miami Dade,/ Indianapolis and Salt Lake City./ Heal the nation, sick with gun violence,/ By the action of your Holy Spirit,/ take us beyond thoughts and prayers./ We pray to the Lord.
Bless our own fathers and grandfathers./ Heal the fathers who are sick,/ addicted,/ imprisoned,/or negligent of their families./ May fathers everywhere share the love their children need./ We pray to the Lord.
For the Christian people,/ whether they be in church today or not —/ may they set their hearts on eternal things,/ with gratitude for God's kind mercies./ May they be a source of joy in an often troubled world./ We pray to the Lord.
We ask for the priests ordained in June to have servant-hearts./ We pray for the health and renewal of priests who are suffering,/ worn out,/ rigid,/ sick or frail./ We pray to the Lord.
We pray for the nations which are weakened or breaking down by lies,/ corruption,/ secrecy,/ violence and greed./ Restore freedom where it has been taken away,/ convert leaders who are hurting,/ not helping./ We pray to the Lord.
We pray for our planet,/ the waterways,/ forests,/ fields and gardens,/ all the creatures and the living things that are not seen./ May we learn a deep reverence,/ pursuing restoration and the healing of hearts that cause destruction and division./ We pray to the Lord.
