Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 8, 2021
Jesus is the Bread of Life. We offer our petitions to the Father that we may share in that life more fully.
- That the Church may be gifted with wisdom, resolve, and clarity in proclaiming the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist despite the murmurings of disbelief. We pray to the Lord.
- That all people who experience physical and spiritual hunger may receive nourishment from heaven: food which strengthens and renews the body and the Living Bread that offers eternal life. We pray to the Lord.
- That political and religious leaders may not grieve the Holy Spirit of God but instead may strive to remove all bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling along with all malice among nations, people, and faiths. We pray to the Lord.
- That when life is hard and we cry out in prayer with Elijah, “This is enough, O Lord!,” may we be restored in body and mind through the intercession of the angels and all the saints. We pray to the Lord.
- That the Catholic people in Nigeria, Pakistan, Iraq, and all nations where religious freedom is denied be strengthened by the Bread of Life for all eternity even as they face persecution and death in this world. We pray to the Lord.
- That the atrocities committed against the people of Afghanistan, the Uyghurs in China, and in all places where life is devalued might embolden responsible world leadership to implement plans and actions that lift up those who are bowed down. We pray to the Lord.
- That we may stand with all in power to accept Pope Francis’ invitation “to work together with the [20 to 40 million] victims [of human trafficking] to transform the economy of trafficking into an economy of care.”[1] We pray to the Lord.
- That we may act responsibly against the life-stealing pandemic and take actions that protect ourselves, serve the well-being of our community, and foster the distribution of the vaccines to those who are desperate and underserved. We pray to the Lord.
- That communities will work together to withstand the challenges posed by the winds, rains, heat, and floods of summer and seek the Lord who delivers us from all our fears. We pray to the Lord.
- That Fr. Christopher may find good health, happiness, a sense of purpose, and joy as he strives to live his ministry. We pray to the Lord.
- That those who are afflicted with illness may look to the Lord that they might be radiant with joy and call out to him knowing that he hears and saves us from all our distress. We pray to the Lord.
- That during this year of St. Joseph, patron saint of a happy death, we may look to him to accompany those who have eaten the living bread into everlasting light and to obtain peace for those who mourn. We pray to the Lord.
O God, as we present our needs to you, may we understand that first of all you wish to live with us in a relationship of love and may we know that in response to our prayers you act far beyond our expectations.[2] We make these prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.
[1] Comments of Pope Francis on the World Day Against Trafficking in Human Persons, 30 July 2021.
[2] Based on Angelus remarks of Pope Francis, August 1, 2021.
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