Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 31, 2019

Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 31, 2019

We present our petitions to the Lord asking that the light of Christ may illuminate even the darkest corners of our world and of our hearts.

1. For the Church, that its leaders may recognize any blindness that afflicts them and turn to the Lord for healing that they may truly see. We pray to the Lord.
2. For an appreciation of goodness in this world, that acts of kindness and support for the downtrodden may not be viewed with the suspicion of the Pharisees but may be truly acknowledged as the product of Christ’s light. We pray to the Lord.
3. That our Lenten sacrifices may be pleasing to the Lord, remove our blindness, and help us “Awake and arise from the dead” so that “Christ will give us light.” We pray to the Lord.
4. That in the midst of the struggles in our lives that challenge our faith, our hope, and our charity, we may look to the Lord, our shepherd, who sustains us and provides for all our wants. We pray to the Lord.
5. That the thousands of victims of religious persecution in Nigeria and all who suffer persecution within the Church and from outside forces may be uplifted by our prayers of support and acts of compassion. We pray to the Lord.
6. That the hundreds of thousands of victims of Cyclone Idai and its flooding aftermath in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi may find food, shelter, and hope through prayer and generous and effective relief efforts. We pray to the Lord.
7. That we may be strengthened to fight all forms of injustice and abuse of power that hides within the Church under the disguise of pectoral crosses, elaborate vestments, clericalism, and pious posturing. We pray to the Lord.
8. That Fr. Christopher may be consoled by the Lord’s reminder to Samuel, “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.” We pray to the Lord.
9. That those who are fighting the effects of strokes, cancer, and serious illness may be strengthened and encouraged by caregivers whose eyes are open to the best plans of treatment. We pray to the Lord.
10. That those friends and family members who have died may be welcomed into heaven where all blindness is wiped away, that they may see the glory of God for all eternity. We pray to the Lord
11. For our own intentions that we recall in silence…….. We pray to the Lord.

God calls us to be people of light and offers that light in answer to our prayers.  May we receive the grace to allow the light of Christ to cut through the darkness so that we may clearly see God’s merciful actions in our lives and show his light to the world.    We offer our prayers through Christ our Lord.  Amen.