Prayers for the week of February 22-February 28, 2009

For his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, and his intentions...

For expectant mothers, may they know the joys of nurturing and bearing new life and look to Mary as an example of motherhood...

For expectant fathers, may they know the joys of fatherhood and look to Joseph as an example of fatherhood...

For Catholics and Christians everywhere, as we enter the holy season of Lent, may we turn our hearts and minds to the Lord, our paths to repentence, and renew ourselves as we travel through this spiritual desert to the glory of Christ's Passion and Resurrection...

For abused and neglected children, may they find loving homes and parents through the word and actions of people of faith...

For an end to all abortions and euthanasia and a flourishing of the Culture of Life...

For those afflicted with drug, alcohol, and other addictions, may they find healing and stregth to change their lives...

For those affected by severe seasonal weather...

For the elderly and infirm, may they find comfort and peace through communities of faith...

For those suffering from any emotional or physical distress, may their pains be united with the pain and suffering of Christ and offered up for the good of all...

For the faithful departed, may their souls, through the mercy of God, rest in peace...

For the American people, may we turn our focus back to Christ and away from fruitless avenues of hope and embrace the source and summit of all hope, Christ Jesus...

For all the intentions on the blogosphere...

For personal intentions...

Readings for the Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

Reading 1
Is 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25

Thus says the LORD:
Remember not the events of the past,
the things of long ago consider not;
see, I am doing something new!
Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
In the desert I make a way,
in the wasteland, rivers.
The people I formed for myself,
that they might announce my praise.
Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob,
for you grew weary of me, O Israel.
You burdened me with your sins,
and wearied me with your crimes.
It is I, I, who wipe out,for my own sake, your offenses;
your sins I remember no more.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 41:2-3, 4-5, 13-14
R. (5b) Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

Blessed is the one who has regard for the lowly and the poor;
in the day of misfortune the LORD will deliver him.
The LORD will keep and preserve him;
and make him blessed on earth,
and not give him over to the will of his enemies.

R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

The LORD will help him on his sickbed,
he will take away all his ailment when he is ill.
Once I said, "O LORD, have pity on me;
heal me, though I have sinned against you."

R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

But because of my integrity you sustain meand let me stand before you forever.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from all eternity. Amen. Amen.

R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

Reading II
2 Cor 1:18-22

Brothers and sisters:
As God is faithful,
our word to you is not "yes" and "no."
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,
who was proclaimed to you by us, Silvanus and Timothy and me,
was not "yes" and "no," but "yes" has been in him.
For however many are the promises of God, their Yes is in him;
therefore, the Amen from us also goes through him to God for glory.
But the one who gives us security with you in Christ
and who anointed us is God;
he has also put his seal upon usand given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

Gospel
Mk 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
"Child, your sins are forgiven."
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?"
Jesus immediately knew in his mind
what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk?'
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"
—he said to the paralytic,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home."
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astoundedand glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

Prayers for the Week of February 15-21, 2009

For Pope Benedict XVI and his intentions...

For those afflicted with diseases of the skin, may they know healing...

For persecuted Christians throughout the world, may their right to religious freedom be respected...

For the unemployed and those affected by economic downturn, may they find gainful employment and assistance from communities of faith...

For married couples, may their relationship be a reflection of Christ's love for His Church, and open to the miracle of life...

For all the faithful departed, may they be remembered in prayer and rest in the glory of our Risen Lord...

For those affected by natural disaster, may they find support and recovery from people of faith...

For J., and those afflicted with terminal illness, may they grow in unity with Christ through their suffering, and find grace in a happy death...

For vocations, may faithful men answer the call to serve Christ and His Church...

For personal intentions...

For all intentions throughout the blogosphere...

Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Reading 1
Lv 13:1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
"If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch
which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,
or to one of the priests among his descendants.
If the man is leprous and unclean,
the priest shall declare him unclean
by reason of the sore on his head.
"The one who bears the sore of leprosy
shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,
and shall muffle his beard;
he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'
As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,
since he is in fact unclean.
He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 32:1-2, 5, 11

R. (7) I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD,"
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Reading II
1 Cor 10:31-11:1

Brothers and sisters,
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do everything for the glory of God.
Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or
the church of God,
just as I try to please everyone in every way,
not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,
that they may be saved.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Gospel
Mk 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said,
"If you wish, you can make me clean."
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched him, and said to him,
"I do will it. Be made clean."
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
He said to him, "See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them."
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Prayers for the Week of February 8-14, 2009

For the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, and his intentions...

For the Catholic Church, that we may find the strength to be witnesses to Christ...

For the unborn, may they be protected as human beings and never denied the fundamental right to life...

For chastity, may our culture embrace God's plan for love, marriage, and our bodies...

For married couples, may they persevere and be a reflection of God's love for His Church...

For the poor, the unemployed, and those hit hardest by these economic struggles...

For those denied the freedom of speech and freedom of religious expression...

For persecuted Christians throughout the world...

For a just end to war...

For those affected by harsh winter weather, may the coming spring offer them hope and encouragement...

For the people of Australia, affected by horrible wildfires...

For J., G., and all who seek gainful employment...

For those who struggle to live out their faith...

For J., who is struggling with health issues, and for her family...

For personal intentions...

For all the intentions mentioned in the blogosphere...

Readings for the Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Reading 1
Jb 7:1-4, 6-7

Job spoke, saying:Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, "When shall I arise?"
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (cf. 3a)

Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:Alleluia.

Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.

R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:Alleluia.

He heals the brokenheartedand binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.

R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:Alleluia.

Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.

R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:Alleluia.

Reading II
1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23

Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach,
I offer the gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.

Gospel
Mk 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their synagogues,
preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.