This week in Singapore/ a baby born just short of 25 weeks and weighing 7.47 oz./ the weight of an apple,/ was sent home after thirteen months of intensive care./ May we know who lives in the womb./ We pray to the Lord.
"May our hearts be broken only by the things that break the heart of God," * — lies disseminated to protect power,/ injustices that keep people poor,/ the neglect and greed that leaves our planet in flames,/ hatred born of willful ignorance./ We pray to the Lord.
School is resuming in some places,/ and the adults are often fighting over vaccines and masks./ May we do only what is best for the health and safety of children/ and the faculty and staff who serve them./ We pray to the Lord.
Elected officials are frequent sources of disinformation/ — sewing chaos, suspicion and fear./ Not a few of them are Christian./ We pray for them to rediscover themselves as servant-unifiers and healers./ We pray to the Lord.
We join Pope Francis in lamenting the murder of Father Olivier Maire of the Company of Mary last weekend./ We pray for our terribly violent world,/ for the victims of violence/ and those who cause harm, injury and death./ We pray to the Lord.
For Christian communities around the world gathering this Sunday./ May we be healed of every inclination to stigmatize,/ demonize or marginalize people/ contributing to the energies which already reject so many./ We pray to the Lord.
*This slightly amended quote belongs to Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision-Samaritan Purse. It echoes the Prophet Jeremiah, called the Weeping Prophet 8:9.
