Weekly Prayers of the Faithful

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 09, 2025

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Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 09, 2025

Jesus’ call to the fishermen is a reminder of the power of the word of God.  We offer our petitions asking that for the grace to respond to that word so that we may better follow him in faith.   

  1. That the Church will not be discouraged by failures or sinfulness but will put out into deeper and troubled waters so that we may welcome those who despair and do not know Jesus.  We pray to the Lord.
  2. That the turmoil in the world that causes so many to fear for their families, their jobs, and their lives will be calmed by leaders who respond to demands of the people they serve for food, water, security, and peace.  We pray to the Lord. 
  3. That judges on diocesan marriage tribunals will “exercise prudence, justice, and charity” recognizing that their work is one of hope, “helping individuals to purify and restore interpersonal relationships.”[1]  We pray to the Lord. 
  4. That today’s celebration of World Marriage Day will help foster a culture of life and love that supports and promotes marriage and the family through its theme of marriage as a source of hope, a spring a renewal, and the pursuit of a lasting love.  We pray to the Lord.
  5. That spouses may humbly offer love to each other so that the pursuit of lasting love will find a home where it is lived and felt.  We pray to the Lord.
  6. That we will care for all children, no matter their situations, because every child has an equal claim to our protection and care so that their vision of a better world will be realized.[2]  We pray to the Lord.
  7. That people of all nations, cultures, and religions will denounce as unacceptable what we observe with children dying beneath bombs, at sea, in deserts or on dangerous journeys driven by desperation as they are sacrificed to the idols of power, ideology, and nationalistic interests.[3] We pray to the Lord.
  8. That the throwaway mentality in society by which the human being becomes all-powerful and which justifies the sacrificing of unborn life through abortion will be changed with each new life being seen as a source of hope for the future.3  We pray to the Lord. 
  9. That the grace of God may be with each of so that we may toil hard, preaching the Gospel by our lives.  We pray to the Lord. 
  10. That the celebration of the World Day of the Sick this week will provide hope to those who are ill, malnourished, or dehydrated even as resources that support the dignity of life are reduced and threaten to rob them of a future. We pray to the Lord. 
  11. That first responders, medical personnel, and aid workers who have lost their lives while toiling quietly amidst loud boasts, screaming bombs, and calls for more destruction will rejoice forever in the quiet peace of heaven.  We pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, we come to you with our weakness knowing that you called Isaiah despite his unclean lips, Paul who persecuted the Church, and Simon who confessed to being a sinful man.  May to look beyond our failings and answer our please so that we may leave what we have to follow your Son. We make these prayers through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

[1] Based on address of Pope Francis to the Roman Rota for the opening of the Judicial Year, January 31, 2025.

[2] Based on presentation by Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan at the Summit on Children’s Rights in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, Feb 2, 2025.  The queen also noted that 95% of children in Gaza feel that their death is imminent and almost 50% said they wished to die. 

[3] From remarks of Pope Francis at the Summit on Children’s Rights at the Vatican, Feb 2, 2025.

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