Prayerful Concerns of Our Parish Community – 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

We share these Prayers of the Faithful from the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Feb 18-19, 2023) with the hope that they are helpful to you in your own reflections and prayer life.

As we move toward the Holy Season of Lent, the Scriptures call us to follow in a very practical and challenging way, Christ’s command that we love one another. We call upon you, God, for ability to reflect honestly on these words and follow with courage. We pray for:

Our church, universally and in our parish, that we be a living example of forgiveness and mercy and show a willingness to meet people where they are and journey with them, we pray to the Lord.

Single parents and grandparents – and others – who carry the responsibility of raising children, may God give them the inspiration and strength they need and may our community support them, we pray to the Lord.

Those who have received a difficult medical diagnosis and those carrying chronic or disabling illnesses. Comfort them, Lord, in their fears and struggles. Let us see ways to be caring and loving, we pray to the Lord.

People suffering and dying in Turkey and Syria, in Ukraine and other parts of our world because of war, political repression, natural or human-caused disaster. Open hearts worldwide to help them. Open minds that ways to end violence, care for our world, and feed the hungry may be found, for such things ARE possible, if we would but act. We pray to the Lord.

Lord, touch those parts of our hearts that are fearful of what and of who we do not know, of ways of thinking that challenge our own. Soften our tendencies to build physical or mental walls and let us rather seek to understand what brings us together more than the things that divide us. We pray to the Lord.

We give thanks and ask blessing on those who bring joy and whimsy and creativity into our lives. Bless the Valentine Day Bandit – or Bandits –  artists, musicians, dancers, poets and story-tellers. We pray to the Lord.

Take into your heart all our loved ones who have died – and those who knew little or no love in this life. At this liturgy we especially remember:

4:30 PM James A. Banks, Sr. by Sister Cathy & Banks Family

7:30 AM Lois Spaulding by Jim & Elizabeth Merrill

9:30 AM Gregory Napolitano by Bob & Ann Marie Roy

5:00 PM The People of the Parish both Living & Deceased

We pray to the Lord.

We offer you these prayers and those we hold silently. We ask your blessing on those helping us to grow in your love, including the Team which is now preparing the Women’s ACTS retreat later this Spring. We make all these prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.