The name Gethsemane means olive press./ As Jesus prayed in that garden the night before his death,/ was it the vision of all the world's horrifying wars that pressed him to the ground?/ On Sunday,/ we ask the Risen One for the healing of our war obsessed world./ We pray to the Lord.
Like much of the world,/ the church is bitterly polarized and distracted./ Many people long for a return to the past/ while others are satisfied only with innovation./ "May the Church be overwhelmed by joy,"/ Pope Francis prays./ Grant that the Christian people would re-discover Christ,/ where this First Love has been exchanged for another./ We pray to the Lord.
Seemingly every day there is news of yet another mass murder in our country./ The nation's children are being trained in sorrow,/ pain and home-grown violence./ May God forgive and heal us/ covered in shame/ as innocent people die by gun violence./ Give new hearts to those in leadership who do nothing to remedy this illness./ We ask for a prolife vision that extends far and wide./ We pray to the Lord.
As Election Day is close,/ grant that we would be kept safe from leaders who want only to perform and secure power./ May we elect people who are qualified for the positions for which they are running;/ who want to help and serve./ We pray to the Lord.
Safeguard our families,/ friends and colleagues with good health and safety./ Heal the ones who are feeling afraid or sad./ Bless the parish family as we worship together:/ the pastor/ and those who assume liturgical roles and ministries of teaching and service./ Take us beyond good intention and talk,/ to action/ born of Christ's Gospel./ We pray to the Lord.
Every week at Mass/ we hear the scriptures./ May we be saved from those who use the bible as a hammer to control people/ and instead open it as the living Word of God,/ revealing God's presence among us/ in love,/ encouragement and promise./ We pray to the Lord.
This week,/ the insanity of war was made apparent in the death of a Ukrainian man and his wife,/ six months pregnant/ and even the family cat./ Nothing is spared./ May God heal us of the evil we do./ We pray to the Lord.
