22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, August 29, 2021

22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, August 29, 2021

We turn to the Lord asking that all evil may be dispelled from our minds and hearts as we seek to live according to the message of the Gospels. 

1. That the Church may not cling to human tradition while disregarding God’s commandments so that it may be more able to reach out to the poor, the marginalized, those without hope, and those who struggle with faith.  We pray to the Lord.
2. That all nations may adopt and live by statutes and decrees rooted in care for the afflicted, justice for all people, and the law of the Lord that give evidence of wisdom and intelligence to the world.  We pray to the Lord.
3. That the people in Haiti, Bangladesh, and Vietnam may find hope despite the misery caused by the earthquake, floods, cyclone, and covid through the financial support offered by Pope Francis and the good will, prayers, and assistance of all people.  We pray to the Lord. 
4. That the deaths of Sister Mary Daniel Abut and Sister Regina Roba, who were murdered in South Sudan, will inspire commitment to protect the lives of those who serve the poor and sick in parts of the world being torn by violence and hatred.  We pray to the Lord.
5. That the women, children, and citizens of Afghanistan will be protected from harm and be enabled to live in safety and without fear of reprisals.  We pray to the Lord.
6. That the “particularly detestable hypocrisy” in the Church will be rooted out of all diocesan offices, chanceries, and parishes that are “inwardly filled with vice”^[1] for the well-being of Fr. Christopher and all clergy and laity who suffer from a lack of truth. We pray to the Lord.
7. That Pope Francis’ call “to speak the truth, to hear the truth, [and] to conform ourselves to the truth”^[2] and the urgings in the reading from James may inspire us to be doers of the word as well as hearers.  We pray to the Lord.
8. That we may humbly welcome the word that has been planted in us and is able to save our souls and pray for the grace to be converted to Jesus’ “words of eternal life.”^[3] We pray to the Lord.
9. That we may root evil out of our lives by assessing the way we live and humbly acknowledging that the evils that come from within are those that defile.  We pray to the Lord.
10. That the covid pandemic will be controlled by access to vaccines, by prudent measures that reduce danger, and by recognition that “getting vaccinated is a moral responsibility, an act of love for all, especially the most vulnerable.”^[4] We pray to the Lord.
11. That the Season of Creation, beginning on September 1 with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and ending on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4, will be a time when we are renewed in “living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork” as an “essential [element of] a life of virtue.”^[5] We pray to the Lord.
12. That those who are fighting physical, mental, or spiritual illnesses and those who care for them will turn their hearts to the Lord seeking patience, grace, and his presence.  We pray to the Lord.
13. That the justice done by those family and friends who have died will provide them with life eternal in the presence of the Lord.   We pray to the Lord.

O God, we ask for your grace that we may be people of truth who welcome and proclaim your commands through the way our lives reveal your love for us and for all people.  We make these prayers through Christ our Lord.   Amen.

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^[1] Based on comments at General Audience of Pope Francis, August 25, 2021.

^[2] Based on comments at General Audience of Pope Francis, August 25, 2021.

^[3] Based on James 1:21b and Angelus address of Pope Francis, August 22, 2021.

^[4] Combined quotation from Cardinal Cláudio Hummes of Brazil and Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chávez of El Salvador in Ad Council Video featuring Pope Francis and select bishops from the Americas.

^[5] Quoted text from paragraph 217 of the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ of Pope Francis, May 24, 2015.