Prayer

Eternal and ever-living God,

We thank you for the many blessings you give us, for the many gifts you bestow upon us. Help us to be always mindful that the gifts we receive are intended for the promotion of the good of all. Touch our hearts that we might recognize that our gifts and talents are best expressed when we use them as vehicles of love for others. Inspire us, through the lives of saints, to lead lives of selfless love. We make this prayer in the name of the Lord who calls each of us to holiness. Amen.

Prayer

God of goodness,

Today, we celebrate World Humanitarian Day. May our celebration of this day enliven within us hearts dedicated to the service of others. Inspire us, through the gift of your Holy Spirit, to pursue the good of others. May our acts of kindness and goodness combine to build a world where justice and peace flourish. In hope, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Lord of life,

It seems our problems grow more complex by the day. Yet, we know in our interpersonal relationships and encounters, we can still make a difference in the lives of others through our commitment to care. Fill us with the gift of your Holy Spirit that we might remain steadfast in our commitment to care for all those people whom we encounter this and every day. Amen.

Prayer

Compassionate God,

Today, we recall the appearance of Mary the mother of Jesus along with Saint Joseph and Saint John the Evangelist in County Mayo in Ireland in 1879. The mother of your son Jesus is a model for us because she heard the word of God and acted on it. As we recall inspiration Mary continues to be in the lives of so many of the faithful, stir within our hearts love for her and dedication to your call in our lives. May we, moved by the example of Mary, cultivate the development of minds open to hearing your word and hearts filled with the courage to act on it. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer

Merciful God,

Too often, we look for you high up and far away and wait for miracles in the form of parting seas. As a result, we too often miss the daily miracles through which you reveal your loving presence. Today, we thank you for the gift of our frontline workers who daily perform miracles of compassion and care. As we continue to deal with the reality of pandemic, fill our hearts with gratitude for all those who daily sacrifice and risk in the effort to create a safe, secure, healthy world. We pray in the name of the God of miracles. Amen.

Prayer

Gracious God,

Today we celebrate the assumption of Mary, body and soul, into heaven upon her death. Mary, keenly aware of God’s presence in the history of her people and in her own life, allowed God to work through her, that salvation might come to all. Being the first to experience the redemption accomplished through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Mary became a sign of our hoped-for destiny, life with God and one another forever. May we, like Mary, be attentive and open to God’s call in our lives. And may the example of her faith inspire us and affirm our commitment to proclaim the good news of the gospel through the lives we lead. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer

Loving Lord,

Saint Maximilian Kolbe served the truth by sacrificing his own life to save another person while in the death camp at Auschwitz. Open our minds to the gift of your truth. Fill our hearts with the courage to live your truth. Transform us that we might dedicate our lives to serving your truth, regardless of what it asks. We make our prayer in your name. Amen.