Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, A, June 18, 2023

Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, A, June 18, 2023

We offer our prayers to the Father asking that we may be instruments of peace in the disturbances that we encounter.    

1. That the Church may be blessed with leaders who are good shepherds so that Jesus’ heart may not again be moved with pity for people who are troubled and abandoned.  We pray to the Lord.
2. That people of every nation may live with compassion, humility, and mercy that declares, indeed, that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  We pray to the Lord.
3. That Pope Francis may continue to heal from his surgery, be released from the hospital, be restored to health and give witness to God’s love by enduring his suffering in unity with Jesus who suffered for our salvation.  We pray to the Lord.
4. That in this upcoming Religious Freedom Week, we will be mindful of the importance of freedom to practice religion without fear or persecution and have the courage to insist on religious freedom in all countries.  We pray to the Lord.
5. That fathers may be blessed with patience, wisdom, humor, and faith so that they may love and lead their children as models of God’s love for all humanity.  We pray to the Lord.
6. That on World Refugee Day this week, we may honor and celebrate those who are rebuilding their lives in our country as well as those opening their doors in welcome.  We pray to the Lord. 
7. That refugees will not be used as pawns of war or in political disputes, but that the value of their lives and of all human life will be proclaimed by our words and actions.  We pray to the Lord.
8. That our experiences and observations of displacement in our own country due to hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, or other disasters will enable us to build empathy and understanding for the 30,000 refugees who each day are forced to leave everything behind to escape war, persecution, or terror.  We pray to the Lord. 
9. That those now advocating for war in Ukraine will recognize the power of peace so that the vicious fighting will subside, families may return home, children may grow without fear, and distrust between people will be eliminated.  We pray to the Lord.
10. That those who are sick will not lose heart but will know that the kindness of the Lord endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.  We pray to the Lord. 
11. That fathers, grandfathers, Godfathers, foster fathers, spiritual fathers, and father figures who have died may be welcomed with joy into the kingdom of God, our Father in heaven.  We pray to the Lord. 

O God, we ask that you answer our prayers so that we might follow your Son’s call to each of us, determined to be laborers for the abundant harvest.  We make these prayers through Christ our Lord.  Amen.