Day 9 — Feast of Blessed Solanus — The Potter and the Clay
Throughout this Novena we have learned about the lives of the many saints whose feasts led up to this day, as well as the faith and holiness of Fr. Solanus Casey. Today let us consider these themes together in the light of the first reading. The themes from the past 8 days:
Recognizing Jesus in others;
The blessings of marriage and family-life;
Conversion of heart leading to unity, peace, and joy;
Suffering well with Jesus; giving our trials in every moment;
Living in gratitude and thanking God ahead of time;
Noticing little blessings that grow our lives in Christ;
Simple faith that encourages others;
Giving hospitality to others and listening to Jesus in them.
All of these themes were manifest in the life of Blessed Solanus. He was like the potter in the first reading today, and he allowed the grace of Jesus Christ to flow through his actions and words into other people.
“This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Rise up, be off to the potter’s house; there I will give you my message. I went down to the potter’s house and there he was, working at the wheel.Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand,he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased. Then the word of the LORD came to me: Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the LORD.Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel” (Jer 18:1-6).
Fr. Solanus did the work of God day-by-day, greeting people, feeding them, listening to them, and interceding for them. Were all his prayers answered right away? No, but God, the true Potter, continued to work the clay to form it according to His will. This is how prayer works. Saint Paul says “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28). God will take every part of our lives and make it into something good. There is nothing that He cannot use for our good.
We are the clay, but we can also be the potter! The families that we grow up in are the trinitarian image of God’s love that continually form us, pick us up when things are going badly, and start anew. The saints we meet in our everyday lives are God’s forming hands that encourage us and pray for us. (Blessed are we to have even one of these saints of God in our lives!). Just as God showed Jeremiah what He can do through the example of a potter, God shows us what He can do through everyday saints like Blessed Solanus. We are called to be imitators!
Today, on his feast day, let us ask Blessed Solanus to intercede for our Church, that we will be the image of the most loving and merciful Jesus to our families and to our world. Let us pray that as the potter, in the image of the divine Potter, we will be patient and gentle; and that as the clay we will receive with joy and gratitude the blessings the Potter gives. Amen. Alleluia!
“Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.” (Lk 10:38-39).
The passage from Luke is the optional Gospel for today’s feast of Saint Martha; it is fitting for the petition for today. The Scriptures do not say if Jesus knew Martha and Mary yet, but it was clear that He was not only welcomed by a woman, but sat at table in the home of the two sisters. Something radical is going on: in this instance openness to Jesus requires letting go of social norms. In fact, openness to Jesus will require letting go of something. In return, Jesus gives Himself, life-giving water through His words. There is a communion established when we listen to Jesus. There is a continuous giving and receiving through our listening and hearing. Martha welcomed and provided the food to eat. Jesus spoke. Mary listened.
Indeed, today it is difficult for us to practice this kind of radical hospitality. Let us pray today for the grace to see Jesus in everyone we meet, to listen to His (their) stories, and to give them what they need.
Day 7 — July 28, 2020 — Blessed Maria Teresa Kowalska, Capuchin Poor Clare martyred by Nazis in a concentration camp, 1941: in contrast to her time and ours, invites us to open wide the doors of our hearts to welcome in and appreciate brothers/sisters of different races, religions, cultures.
“We wait for peace, to no avail; for a time of healing, but terror comes instead. We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness, the guilt of our fathers; that we have sinned against you. For your name’s sake spurn us not, disgrace not the throne of your glory; remember your covenant with us, and break it not” (Jer 14:19c-21).
Today we receive a harsh-sounding word from the prophet Jeremiah. It is spoken as calamity comes upon Judah. Jeremiah had warned them that the consequences of their injustice, their false worship, and their indifference to the blessings of God would be very grave. Seeing this in the light of the Gospel for today: the seeds that God had sown in Judah had not been cared for, and the weeds were taking over. Jeremiah was living in the midst of this tribulation and he offered, on behalf of his people, a prayer of repentance; a prayer for mercy.
Blessed Maria Teresa Kowalska (b. 1902) did the same as she suffered and died from sickness in a Nazi concentration camp in Dzialdowo, Poland. She endured the calamity of the Nazi invasion of Poland with grace. As a young girl she lived a “pious and exemplary life,” receiving full initiation into the Catholic faith at the age of eighteen. On the contrary, her father was a devout atheist. Moved by his socialist ideals, he decided to emigrate with the family to the Soviet Union in 1922. Maria Teresa, on the other hand, entered a Poor Clare Monastery in Poland. Her diary tells stories of her choosing “the difficult, enclosed life of the Capuchin Poor Clares in order to serve God and to offer herself in expiation for the sins of her family that had allied itself with communism.” After many years in the monastery, on 2 April 1941, she and 35 nuns were take to Dzialdowo. She died there on 25 July 1941. Sister Maria Teresa Kowalska offered her life for the sins of her family, and for the grace of release for her Sisters in the concentration camp. God heard her prayers. The Sisters were released on 7 August, 1941.
The great faith and confidence in the Lord of Blessed Solanus also won countless answers to prayer. While Maria Teresa’s personal suffering reaped the graces of freedom for her sisters, the mission of Blessed Solanus was to accompany others in their suffering, truly living the exhortation of St. Paul to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:8). Fr. Solanus would accompany people in their darkest situations. His prayers bore the fruit of radical conversions, miraculous healings, and countless favors from God. Through his charism of intercessory prayer and his expectant faith that would always “thank God ahead of time,” God planted new seeds of faith into His suffering faithful.
Today let us pray for the charisms of intercessory prayer and encouragement, that through simple faith we as individuals and communities can open the doors of our hearts to the suffering of others, especially those who are from different races and cultures.
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches’” (Mt 13:31-32).
It may seem like the thoughts we think or the things we do at any particular moment don’t mean very much. Jesus tells us differently. The smallest of the seeds grows into a giant bush and supports the livelihood of the birds of the sky. The Lord said to us in the Sunday readings not so long ago, that the word “that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Is 55:11). The seeds of the Word of God within us will bloom into holy lives that love and nurture our neighbor, building His Kingdom through us.
Blessed Mary Magdalene Martinengo was an example of this phenomenon of God’s simple Word bearing fruit one hundred fold. She was a Capuchin nun with great mystical gifts founded in her total availability to the will of God in serving others. One scholar claimed that she “became dish-washer, kitchen hand, porter, gardener, baker, sweeper, wardrobe keeper, laundress, wool weaver, shoe maker, cellarer, seamstress, chancellor or secretary, embroiderer, sacristy assistant, and without ever having the task of nurse, she nevertheless spontaneously undertook the lowliest and most burdensome of services.” What may seem like a monotonous life bloomed into beatification by Pope Leo XIII in 1900.
Blessed Solanus Casey lived with a similar simplicity. He struggled with his studies and was ordained as a “priest simplex,” and therefore did not have the faculties to hear confessions or to preach. His humble response to this disappointment was to give one of the greatest gifts to others that one can give — a listening ear. His ministry of mercy was nourished by a deep love for Jesus, which he shared with everyone he met, and in every moment.
Today let us pray to notice the little blessings and to be grateful for them, knowing that they are building our lives in Christ.
“We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Rom 8:28-30).
Is there anything that God cannot do?
Christian tradition tells us that Anne, wife of Joachim, was told by an angel after years and years of prayer that the couple would finally be blessed with a child. Anyone who has read the story of Abraham and Sarah knows that age is not a hindrance for God’s blessing of fertility. Scripture also tells us that the couple’s daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, was told by an angel, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Lk 1:27). Not only was Mary, a virgin, to become pregnant with the Son of God, but her elderly cousin Elizabeth was pregnant with His forerunner, John the Baptist! Indeed, the purposes of God cannot be shaken. He works all things for the good for those who love Him, and He does it through our weakness and brokenness. Jesus, the Son of Mary, took on our weakness in the flesh, yet without sin, so that we might be brought into the glory of His Kingdom. He is the fulfillment of the promises of God, the kindness and the comfort of which today’s psalm speaks: “Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to your servants” (Ps 119:76).
Fr. Solanus was no stranger to extraordinary faith and the hope in God to fulfill all of His promises. People would come to see him by the busload to receive his counsel, encouragement, and intercession. He witnessed to the pain and despair in the hearts of those who sought him out, and responded with one Word: Jesus. He used the practice of gratitude to inspire confidence in God’s providence and to fight against discouragement, exhorting all with whom he prayed to “thank God ahead of time.”
In His amazing Providence, God has worked multitudes of miracles throughout history to bring us to this point in time. From the faith of Abraham, to the prayer of St. Anne, to the “yes” of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the death and Resurrection of Jesus, to the intercession of faithful servants like Blessed Solanus, God has been working all things for the good for those who love Him.
Today let us pray to live in gratitude, thanking God ahead of time for the great blessings that He has in store for us today and for eternity.
“For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor 4:11).
“By death He conquered death, and to those in the tombs He granted life!” This is the Paschal troparion sung on Easter morning in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Rite of the Catholic Church. The compelling truth that Jesus has conquered death is the joy in the hearts of all Christians. It is the one thing that always conquers the evil one — the Love that is willing to experience suffering, and even death, for the sake of another.
St. James the Greater was the brother of John the apostle and son of Zebedee. He was the first apostle to be martyred in AD 44. He was buried in Jerusalem, but in the 9th Century his remains were brought to the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The Cathedral that holds his remains is the conclusion of the pilgrimage called The Way of St. James, or el Camino de Santiago.
We are the pilgrim Church that travels the path of everyday life and the joys and sorrows that come with it. Most of us are not called to be martyrs in the way of the Apostles, but we embrace the crosses of daily sufferings, moment by moment, and offer them to Jesus. Blessed Solanus wrote of five ways to do this everyday:
1. Detachment of oneself from earthly affections, Singleness of purpose.
2. Meditation on the passion of Jesus Christ.
3. Uniformity with the Divine Will.
4. Mental prayer – meditation and contemplation
5. Prayer – “Ask and it will be given to you.” (Mt 7:7)
Today let us pray for the grace of suffering well and embracing whatever trials we encounter on the way of life, thus sharing in the joy of Resurrection that Jesus offers us in every moment.
“But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” (Mt 13:23).
Unity. It is a mark of the Church. The seeds of the Word of God sown in unity will bear the fruits of peace and joy. Scripture tells us “…in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26c). Antioch was the birthplace of the the first Gentile Christian community, and began when Christians were scattered from Jerusalem because of persecution. The home of the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch, born from the seed of the Antiochian Church, is Lebanon. One of her great saints is St. Sharbel Makhluf. St. Sharbel is known for uniting Christians and Muslims in prayer and in favors granted through his intercession. He is therefore a great intercessor, along with Blessed Solanus, in times of disunity and persecution.
There are two great virtues in the life of Blessed Solanus that are essential for the grace of unity: humility and docility to the Holy Spirit. Insisting that we must praise God “in all His designs,” he responded to major disappointments in life with gratitude, always thanking God ahead of time for prayers answered. He lived every moment of his priesthood with confidence in God’s gracious Providence. Through this docility he was able to comfort the afflicted through prophetic words, and multitudes of souls received the graces of conversion of heart and miraculous healings through his intercessory prayer. He literally opened the door to all and sowed the seeds of God’s mercy, bearing fruit “a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
Today let us pray for the Lord to sow the seeds of conversion into the hearts of all His people, bearing the fruits of unity, peace, and joy.
“How precious is your mercy, O God! The children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They have their fill of the prime gifts of your house; from your delightful stream you give them to drink” (Ps 36:2-3).
The family is the fundamental unit of society and is a refuge for children “in the shadow of [the Lord’s] wings.” There is no societal institution that can support, nurture, and educate children like one in which the mother and the father are unified through marriage, and live in harmony. In the Gospel today Jesus speaks of “knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven” that is freely given to His disciples. The family is the first school of discipleship. Indeed, family life provides the “prime gifts” of which the psalm speaks, and in which the material and spiritual needs of persons are best met. The family is meant to image the Blessed Trinity in its love and unity, and be God’s light of truth to the world.
St. Bridget of Sweden (c. 1303-1373), whose memorial we celebrate today, lived her married life serving as lady-in-waiting to the queen in the court of the Swedish king Magnus II. She was the mother of eight children. She received mystical visions that compelled her to serve the sick, often with her children in tow. She did her best to be a holy influence on the king and his court, eventually encouraging him to give her not only what she needed to care for the poor and sick, but also to found a monastery for men and women. She is a true example of a disciple, formed and nurtured through family life, who then brought the healing love of Jesus to the world.
Blessed Solanus was formed and nurtured as a disciple in the domestic Church as the sixth of 16 children born to Irish immigrant parents in Big River, Wisconsin. He had nine brothers and six sisters! Fr. Solanus once recalled his father’s exhortation to him and his brothers, “Prayer, boys, prayer!” His mother taught him to pray the Rosary, and this became his favorite daily devotion. Several of his siblings also entered religious life. The Casey household was a school of divine love, and was a springboard that propelled Solanus to continually live in the presence of God and serve as a powerful witness of Jesus’ love for all.
Today let us pray for a renewal of marriage and family life, and for all those who are suffering difficulties in their marriages and families — that God’s healing love is poured out upon them in abundance!
The readings for Mass on today’s special feast begin with the love poem from the Song of Songs, in which the beloved is sought and finally found. The Psalm chant is the beautiful morning prayer, “My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God” (Ps 63:2). We then hear the story in the Gospel when Mary Magdalene is searching for her Lord in the tomb (Jn 20:1-2, 11-18).
She who stayed with him in death was given the grace of first seeing Him alive again! The scene is a sign of the intimacy between a shepherd and his sheep that Jesus describes earlier in John, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (Jn 10:3b). It is when Jesus calls Mary by name that she instantly recognizes him. St. Gregory the Great reflected: “Jesus is not recognized when he calls her “woman”; so he calls her by name, as though he were saying: Recognize me as I recognize you; for I do not know you as I know others; I know you as yourself.”
A person’s name is not just a word. It is by virtue of our name that we are known by others at the very beginnings of relationship. For Christians, it is by our name that we are baptized and by which we are welcomed into the heavenly realm (cf. Rev 3:5). Fr. Solanus Casey exemplified this truth as the Porter for the Capuchin Friary of St. Bonaventure in Detroit. All who visited were known by name and welcomed. He was a channel of God’s love through person-to-person engagement. He opened the door of his heart to God’s people and listened to them, having “ears to hear” their concerns. He helped all encounter Christ — to know that He loved them, had a plan for them, and that faith in God would set them free. Like the Good Shepherd, he turned away no-one who was seeking, and he joyfully delivered the Good News of God’s saving and healing power.
We ask Fr. Solanus to intercede for us as we pray for the gift of knowing others in Christ — that we may recognize Jesus in all whom we encounter, and that they may know Him through us.
It is important to remember the Truth about God during times of great trial: God is our Father, leading us and guiding us through all these things. He doesn’t cause them. He created us to be one with Him in joy and peace. When sin entered the world not only was the human person broken, but all creation suffered. God became one of us through the Word made flesh, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to show us the way through the suffering we endure. We are seen and knownand loved by the Father through the sacrifice of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, Who is always working things for our good. The Lord accompanies us through all things, (even our own sins), and He gave us His mother from the Cross to be our Mother. This is why we ask for her intercession today and always.
Below is a pdf document of the Mary, Undoer of Knots Novena, which is prayed in the context of the Rosary.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We come to you today with our fears and concerns — You know what’s in our hearts. We love You, trust You, we need You. We ask You to be with us. Stay with us. Help us through these times of uncertainty and sorrow.
We know you are the Divine Physician, the healer of all. And so we ask that you bring your loving and healing presence to all those who are sick and suffering right now. Please comfort them.
Please be with the grieving families of those who have passed away.
Please have mercy on those who have died, may they be with You in heaven.
Please stand at the side of all medical professionals who are putting themselves at risk while they work to bring healing to others.
Lord, we are scared and we are sorrowful. Please heal us. Send us your peace and overwhelming presence.
(Mention your intentions here)
Mary, Undoer of Knots, please pray for the knot of this virus to be undone for the greater glory of God!
Jesus, we thirst for You. You chose to enter this world as a vulnerable baby. Be with the most vulnerable now. Help us to continue to return to You with our whole hearts throughout this ordeal.
Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Mother Cabrini
Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We come to you today with our fears and concerns — You know what’s in our hearts. We love You, trust You, we need You. We ask You to be with us. Stay with us. Help us through these times of uncertainty and sorrow.
We know you are the Divine Physician, the healer of all. And so we ask that you bring your loving and healing presence to all those who are sick and suffering right now. Please comfort them.
Please be with the grieving families of those who have passed away.
Please have mercy on those who have died, may they be with You in heaven.
Please stand at the side of all medical professionals who are putting themselves at risk while they work to bring healing to others.
Lord, we are scared and we are sorrowful. Please heal us. Send us your peace and overwhelming presence.
Jesus, we thirst for You. You chose to enter this world as a vulnerable baby. Be with the most vulnerable now. Help us to continue to return to You with our whole hearts throughout this ordeal.
Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We come to you today with our fears and concerns — You know what’s in our hearts. We love You, trust You, we need You. We ask You to be with us. Stay with us. Help us through these times of uncertainty and sorrow.
We know you are the Divine Physician, the healer of all. And so we ask that you bring your loving and healing presence to all those who are sick and suffering right now. Please comfort them.
Please be with the grieving families of those who have passed away.
Please have mercy on those who have died, may they be with You in heaven.
Please stand at the side of all medical professionals who are putting themselves at risk while they work to bring healing to others.
Lord, we are scared and we are sorrowful. Please heal us. Send us your peace and overwhelming presence.
Jesus, we thirst for You. You chose to enter this world as a vulnerable baby. Be with the most vulnerable now. Help us to continue to return to You with our whole hearts throughout this ordeal.
Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
From Sacred Heart Basilica, Notre Dame, IN
Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We come to you today with our fears and concerns — You know what’s in our hearts. We love You, trust You, we need You. We ask You to be with us. Stay with us. Help us through these times of uncertainty and sorrow.
We know you are the Divine Physician, the healer of all. And so we ask that you bring your loving and healing presence to all those who are sick and suffering right now. Please comfort them.
Please be with the grieving families of those who have passed away.
Please have mercy on those who have died, may they be with You in heaven.
Please stand at the side of all medical professionals who are putting themselves at risk while they work to bring healing to others.
Lord, we are scared and we are sorrowful. Please heal us. Send us your peace and overwhelming presence.
Jesus, we thirst for You. You chose to enter this world as a vulnerable baby. Be with the most vulnerable now. Help us to continue to return to You with our whole hearts throughout this ordeal.
Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We come to you today with our fears and concerns — You know what’s in our hearts. We love You, trust You, we need You. We ask You to be with us. Stay with us. Help us through these times of uncertainty and sorrow.
We know you are the Divine Physician, the healer of all. And so we ask that you bring your loving and healing presence to all those who are sick and suffering right now. Please comfort them.
Please be with the grieving families of those who have passed away.
Please have mercy on those who have died, may they be with You in heaven.
Please stand at the side of all medical professionals who are putting themselves at risk while they work to bring healing to others.
Lord, we are scared and we are sorrowful. Please heal us. Send us your peace and overwhelming presence.
(Mention your intentions here)
St. Rocco, you are venerated for your prayers for those suffering from infectious diseases, pray for us!
Jesus, we thirst for You. You chose to enter this world as a vulnerable baby. Be with the most vulnerable now. Help us to continue to return to You with our whole hearts throughout this ordeal.
Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We come to you today with our fears and concerns — You know what’s in our hearts. We love You, trust You, we need You. We ask You to be with us. Stay with us. Help us through these times of uncertainty and sorrow. We know you are the Divine Physician, the healer of all. And so we ask that you bring your loving and healing presence to all those who are sick and suffering right now. Please comfort them. Please be with the grieving families of those who have passed away. Please have mercy on those who have died, may they be with You in heaven. Please stand at the side of all medical professionals who are putting themselves at risk while they work to bring healing to others. Lord, we are scared and we are sorrowful. Please heal us. Send us your peace and overwhelming presence. (Mention your intentions here). St. Damien of Molokai, you put yourself at risk to minister to those suffering from leprosy, pray for us! Jesus, we thirst for You. You chose to enter this world as a vulnerable baby. Be with the most vulnerable now. Help us to continue to return to You with our whole hearts throughout this ordeal. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We come to you today with our fears and concerns — You know what’s in our hearts. We love You, trust You, we need You. We ask You to be with us. Stay with us. Help us through these times of uncertainty and sorrow. We know you are the Divine Physician, the healer of all. And so we ask that you bring your loving and healing presence to all those who are sick and suffering right now. Please comfort them. Please be with the grieving families of those who have passed away. Please have mercy on those who have died, may they be with You in heaven. Please stand at the side of all medical professionals who are putting themselves at risk while they work to bring healing to others. Lord, we are scared and we are sorrowful. Please heal us. Send us your peace and overwhelming presence. (Mention your intentions here). St. Edmund, patron for victims of pandemics, pray for us! Jesus, we thirst for You. You chose to enter this world as a vulnerable baby. Be with the most vulnerable now. Help us to continue to return to You with our whole hearts throughout this ordeal. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We come to you today with our fears and concerns — You know what’s in our hearts. We love You, trust You, we need You. We ask You to be with us. Stay with us. Help us through these times of uncertainty and sorrow. We know you are the Divine Physician, the healer of all. And so we ask that you bring your loving and healing presence to all those who are sick and suffering right now. Please comfort them. Please be with the grieving families of those who have passed away. Please have mercy on those who have died, may they be with You in heaven. Please stand at the side of all medical professionals who are putting themselves at risk while they work to bring healing to others. Lord, we are scared and we are sorrowful. Please heal us. Send us your peace and overwhelming presence. (Mention your intentions here) St. Anthony the Great, patron of those affected by infectious diseases, pray for us! Jesus, we thirst for You. You chose to enter this world as a vulnerable baby. Be with the most vulnerable now. Help us to continue to return to You with our whole hearts throughout this ordeal. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We come to you today with our fears and concerns — You know what’s in our hearts. We love You, trust You, we need You. We ask You to be with us. Stay with us. Help us through these times of uncertainty and sorrow. We know you are the Divine Physician, the healer of all. And so we ask that you bring your loving and healing presence to all those who are sick and suffering right now. Please comfort them. Please be with the grieving families of those who have passed away. Please have mercy on those who have died, may they be with You in heaven. Please stand at the side of all medical professionals who are putting themselves at risk while they work to bring healing to others. Lord, we are scared and we are sorrowful. Please heal us. Send us your peace and overwhelming presence. (Mention your specific intentions here) We ask the Fourteen Holy Helpers, those who lived during the time of the plague, to pray for us and all who are at-risk! Jesus, we thirst for You. You chose to enter this world as a vulnerable baby. Be with the most vulnerable now. Help us to continue to return to You with our whole hearts throughout this ordeal. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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