Prayer For Paris & The World

Almighty God, we ask you to bring peace to our world which is full of so much discord, violence, distrust and hate.  

We ask you to bring solace to all those suffering from the recent attacks in Beirut and Paris. So many have suffered undered the threat and acts of terrorism which has been committed in your name. 

Bring to justice and conversion those who pervert religion in order to harm others. Protect cities, towns and countries from violence and acts of war. We are your children; we are brothers and sisters with you as our one Father. Teach us to love one another; cherish one another and protect one another. 

Bring peace to the hearts of those terrorists who believe that you justify division and violence. 

Bring peace to those who think Christianity and Islam are supposed to be opposing forces at war.  Protect the world from the wickedness and snares of the devil who has deceived many.

We ask you Our Lady to pray for us. Our Lady who is dear to the French and who holds many titles in France; Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of La Salette, Our Lady of Laus, Our Lady of Rue du Bac, and Our Lady of Pontmain.  

Please pray for your French children as well as your children suffering in Beirut and elsewhere. 

We ask you Our Lady to pray for the followers of Islam. The people of Portugal know you as Our Lady of Fatima; Fatima was the name of Mohammed's daughter. Only you can penetrate the hearts of your children, especially those few who use religion to cause harm.  Pray for them and lead them to your Son Christ and His Catholic Church.  

We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen     

Prayer for Peace in Israel & Palestine

Almighty God, we ask you to bring about peace, love and tolerance in your Holy Land.  This land which bears witness to your salvific work is now a battle ground between the children of Abraham, the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael.  Only you can breach the hardest of hearts and fill them with love.  For far too long many innocent men,women and children have died.  Blood is shed for reasons of hate, retaliation, immaturity, intolerance and territorial aggression.  They have forgotten the sacred place they kill each other on and that both the Jews and Arabs are children of Father Abraham regardless of how they express their faith.  Please unite your children in the Holy Land.  Bring them to set aside their weapons and replace them with a mutual genuine embrace that seeks peace, tolerance and co-existence.

AMEN      

In His Presence

We have just celebrated the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Pope Francis had the first ever global Eucharistic adoration. 

Adoration is an act that all believers in God must do.  Our Lord awaits us in the Blessed Sacrament.  He is present in the Blessed Sacrament Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  There is no better gift that to have direct access to the Creator in every Catholic Church and chapel throughout the world.

There is no reason why Catholics should skip spending time before the Blessed Sacrament.  Jesus asked His Apostles if they could watch for one hour. (Mark 14:37-38 )  They fell asleep instead of praying.  Our faith should not be asleep.  Every Catholic should try to make time to spend before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.  Most parishes have separate adoration chapels where Catholics can come and visit Our Lord and spend time in adoration.

I'm sure Catholics can relate to this:  When I go to adoration, this sensation of peace and tranquility enters my heart.  The stresses of the day disappear.  Sometimes time seems to be suspended and I may find myself spending more than an hour before the Blessed Sacrament.

Jesus is truly there!  I invite you to go visit Him daily or as often as you can.  The Eucharist is a gift that our separated brothers and sisters in the Protestant faith deprive themselves of.  Catholics have it easy - God is among us in our Churches.