Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 15, 2022

Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 15, 2022

As Jesus declares to his disciples that he will be with them on Earth for only a little while longer, we ask the Father for the grace to live as his disciples as we look to the Holy Spirit to guide us.

1. That the Church and its leaders may demonstrate that we are disciples of Jesus through the love that we show to one another.  We pray to the Lord.
2. That the world beset by jealousy, greed, and hatred will hear the commandment that Jesus gives us to love one another despite the din created by lying words, bombs, and mournful cries.  We pray to the Lord. 
3. That our celebration of this liturgy will “lead us to go out to meet others, to meet the world around us, to meet the joys and needs of many who perhaps live without knowing the gift of God.”^[1]  We pray to the Lord.
4. That those who are persecuted for their faith may be given the grace and strength to proclaim God’s word by their lives and may join their suffering with the many hardships endured by Paul and Barnabas as they exhorted the people to persevere in the faith.  We pray to the Lord.
5. That on this International Day of Families, we will commit ourselves to strengthening family ties, to supporting children and parents enduring separation imposed on them by war and persecution, and to respecting family matriarchs and patriarchs even as they enter their declining years. We pray to the Lord. 
6. That we might be those who discourse of the Glory of the kingdom of God and praise his name forever each day of the life we are granted on Earth.  We pray to the Lord.  
7. That the people of Ukraine and the invading soldiers of Russia will know that God is always with them as their God, wiping every tear from their eyes so that there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the ordered invasion will pass away.  We pray to the Lord.  
8. That the summer season will bring gentle rains that water the parched lands, provide refreshment for those who thirst, suppress the fires of dried vegetation, and support a bountiful fall harvest.  We pray to the Lord.
9. That Fr. Christopher may be granted health of body, mind, and spirit as he endures the attacks on his priesthood.  We pray to the Lord. 
10. That refugees lingering on the border regions of nations around the world fleeing wars and poverty in their homelands will find support so that they may live with hope, preserve their cultures, and have faith that God in his mercy makes all things new.  We pray to the Lord.
11. That those suffering from covid, malnutrition, cholera, diseases spread by mosquitoes, and all maladies that destroy health will find appropriate and adequate medical care that reveals God’s love for them. We pray to the Lord.
12. That those who have died in the tumultuous times we live in will rest in peace and forever know the glorious splendor of the Kingdom of God.  We pray to the Lord. 

O God, who sent your Son into this world to show us kindness, compassion, and your love for each one of us. We ask you to answer our prayers so that we may better show that love to the corners of the world where love seems to have disappeared.   We make these prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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^[1] From “Discorso Del Santo Padre Francesco Ai Docenti E Agli Studenti Del Pontificio Istituto Liturgico”, May 7, 2022 (translated from Italian by Google Translate)