Prayerful Concerns of Our Parish Community – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
We share with you here the Prayers of the Faithful from the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Aug 12-13, 2023). May they be helpful to you in your own reflections this week.
As Elijah was called to be active in serving you, we, too are called. Help us to respond with generosity of hearts that in our faithful response we might meet you.
You did not come to Elijah in storm or powerful visions. You came as Elijah stood in silence and waited for you. Help us to quiet ourselves, that we might recognize you in those silent places. We pray to the Lord.
When his friends were afraid, Jesus came to them and calmed the storm. They recognized him not just as a good man but as the Son of God. Help us to experience the presence of the Risen Jesus when we are afraid: of loss, of illness, of rejection, afraid of an uncertain future. We pray to the Lord.
We will likely never be asked to walk on water as Peter was. But Jesus does ask us to trust him and to risk as he asked Peter. Give us the faith and courage to try, to speak words of forgiveness and welcome which seem beyond our ability, to take on tasks and service that seem impossible. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for ourselves, those we know, and anyone who is afraid and facing what seems to them to be disaster. Bring comfort and hope. Help us to find words and actions of comfort to those in our lives who are suffering. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for those who experience pain because of what has been done to them by the Church, or by those who bear the name Christian. We pray for those who yearn to experience welcome and acceptance from the church. For them in their pain and for us that we might be that welcome, we pray to the Lord.
God, you know our community is seeking a maintenance person and a Finance Manager. Hear our prayers and help us to recognize your answer. We pray to the Lord.
For many of us death is the greatest unknown, maybe the greatest fear. Give us reason to trust in your promise that death is not the end but the beginning of a fuller life. At this liturgy we especially entrust to you:
4:30 PM Dominic Aceto by his daughter Maureen
7:30 AM Ida Thibodeau by Jean & Family
9:30 AM The People of the Parish both Living & Deceased
5:00 PM Marjorie Lenois by Natalie Baltos
We pray to the Lord.
God, in hope we offer you our prayers today. Increase our hope. You have created each one of us to do some definite service. You have committed some work to each one of us that you have not committed to any other. You have not created us for nothing. Help us to listen for you in tumult and in silence for then we shall be led to do good, to do your work. We shall be preachers of truth in our own places while not intending it, if we but keep Jesus’ commandments. Whatever we are, we can never be thrown away. God, you do nothing in vain. You know what you are about. We make these offerings in your name, Christ our Lord. Amen. (adapted from a prayer by Cardinal John Henry Newman)