Thursday is the Feast of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha,/ North America's first indigenous saint./ It is said of Kateri that she prayed more with her eyes than with her lips./ Grant that we would pray well,/ admitting silence and sight to our prayer./ We pray to the Lord.
In the Book of Joshua we read:/ "Be strong and courageous,/ do not be frightened or dismayed,/ for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."/ May we learn to trust in stressful times./ We pray to the Lord.
We pray for the peace,/ health and wellbeing of family and friends./ But we also pray for our enemies as Jesus requires./ And if I believe I have no enemy,/ I pray for those who irk,/ confound,/ disappoint or sadden me./ We pray to the Lord.
Today it seems that it is not enough to simply disagree with others,/ but that people increasingly menace others,/ take them down in today's wild media world,/ and even make anonymous death threats./ We pray for the calming of minds,/ hearts and souls./ May we learn again how to live peaceably and respectfully./ We pray to the Lord.
Pope Francis will soon go to Canada to apologize to the Native American community for the painful failures of the church to love and serve./ We ask for a Church that not only says, "Sorry,"/ but which feels the broken heartedness of the many who have been victimized by clergy and religious around the world./ We pray to the Lord.
War is anguish and waste,/ smoke and flame,/ terror and blood,/ tears and death./ We pray for Ukraine/ and the many other places where there is war — for healing and restoration./ We pray to the Lord.
July 4th was the 185th day of the year,/ but also the day marking the 308th mass shooting,/ leaving hundreds dead and many more injured,/ even damaged for life./ Forgive and heal the nation slowing bleeding itself,/ allowing its children to be murdered./ Raise up pro-life voices of true lament and change./ We pray to the Lord.
