Daily Prayers for April 25
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “I Want -Jesus to Walk with Me”
Show us your way, O Lord : and we will walk it to the end.
Psalm 119:33 – 38
Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes : and I shall keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law : I shall keep it with all my heart.
Make me go in the path of your commandments : for that is my desire.
Incline my heart to your decrees : and not to unjust gain.
Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless : give me life in your ways.
Fulfill your promise to your servant : which you make to those who fear you.
Show us your way, O Lord : and we will walk it to the end.
Leviticus 19:1 – 18 1 Peter 1:1 – 12
Show us your way, O Lord : and we will walk it to the end.
Sixth-century hermit Dorotheos of Gaza wrote, “Scripture says, Love your neighbor as yourself. And yet, you ask, ‘How can I love my neighbor as myself when I have things hidden in my heart which I cannot see, or even know?’ Do not consider virtues excessively difficult or unattainable, but make at least a little effort and have confidence in God. If our brother or sister needs something, give it freely. By this we go up the ladder of righteous-ness one rung at a time, until finally, with God’s help, we reach the top. For through this repeated coming to your neighbor’s rescue, you do what is advantageous for both your neighbor and yourself.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, help us to see that our well-being is inextricably bound to the well-being of our neighbor. Our sorrows are shared. Our longings are shared. Our fears are shared. Enable us also to share compassion, patience, and courage today. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for April 24
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
May the Lord direct our hearts : into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Psalm 116:1 – 4
I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication : because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.
The chords of death entangled me; the grip of the grave took hold of me : I came to grief and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord : “O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”
Gracious is the Lord and righteous : our God is full of compassion.
May the Lord direct our hearts : into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Leviticus 16:20 – 34 2 Thes-salo-nians 3:1 – 18
May the Lord direct our hearts : into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Francis of Assisi, a twelfth-century mendicant preacher, said, “Above all the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, which Christ grants to His friends, is that of self-conquest and of willingly bearing sufferings, injuries and reproaches and discomforts for the love of Christ. If we shall bear all these things patiently and with cheerfulness, thinking on the suffering of Christ the blessed, which we ought to bear patiently for His love, O Brother Leo, write that here and in this is perfect joy.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Christ of the cross and of the empty tomb, strengthen us to bear the burdens of the day, to seek you amid the hurts and questions, and to trust you for mercy enough for this day. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for April 23
Cesar Chavez (1927 – 1993)
Cesar Chavez was a Latino farmworker in the United States who organized the United Farmworkers Union (UFW). Inspired by a priest who taught him God’s desire for social justice, Chavez gave himself to voluntary poverty and a nonviolent struggle on behalf of America’s poorest and most exploited workers. “When you sacrifice, you force others to sacrifice,” he said. “It’s an extremely powerful weapon.”
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Vamos Todos al Banquete”
O Mighty God, our Prince of Peace : you order your kingdom with justice.
Psalm 110:1 – 5
The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand : until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The Lord will send the scepter of your power out of Zion : saying, “Rule over your enemies round about you.
Princely state has been yours from the day of your birth : in the beauty of holiness have I begotten you, like dew from the womb of the morning.”
The Lord has sworn and he will not recant : “You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
The Lord who is at your right hand will smite kings in the day of his wrath : he will rule over the nations.
O Mighty God, our Prince of Peace : you order your kingdom with justice.
Leviticus 16:1 – 19 2 Thes-salo-nians 2:13 – 17
O Mighty God, our Prince of Peace : you order your kingdom with justice.
A prayer by Cesar Chavez: “Show me the suffering of the most miserable, so I will know my -people’s plight. Free me to pray for others, for you are present in every person. Help me take responsibility for my own life, so that I can be free at last. Grant me courage to serve others, for in ser-vice there is true life. Give me honesty and patience, so that the Spirit will be alive among us. Let the Spirit flourish and grow, so that we will never tire of the struggle. Let us remember those who have died for justice, for they have given us life. Help us love even those who hate us, so we can change the world. Amen.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Loving God, teach us to order the desires of our hearts according to the call to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for April 22
In the spring of 1970, Gaylord Nelson announced that a demonstration about the environment would happen on April 22. Approximately twenty million -people showed up to celebrate the first Earth Day. Since then, environmental concerns such as oil spills, global warming, extinction of wildlife, and pollution have been pushed to the forefront of political agendas and popular concern.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “All Creatures of Our God and King”
The Lord has lifted up the lowly : and has filled us with good things.
Psalm 107:1 – 3, 8 – 9
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good : and his mercy endures for ever.
Let all those whom the Lord has redeemed proclaim : that he redeemed them from the hand of the foe.
He gathered them out of the lands : from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his mercy : and the wonders he does for his children.
For he satisfies the thirsty : and fills the hungry with good things.
The Lord has lifted up the lowly : and has filled us with good things.
Exodus 40:18 – 38 2 Thes-salo-nians 2:1 – 12
The Lord has lifted up the lowly : and has filled us with good things.
A sixth-century rabbi wrote, “God, from the very beginning of creation, was occupied before all else with planting, as it is written, ‘And first of all, the Eternal God planted a Garden in Eden.’ Therefore, occupy yourselves first and foremost with planting.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, give us humility to remember that we are made from dirt so that we might till the dirt and love it as we love ourselves. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for April 21
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
If I stand, let me stand on your promise : when I fall, let me fall on your grace.
Psalm 105:1 – 2, 8 – 11
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name : make known his deeds among the -peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him : and speak of all his marvelous works.
He has always been mindful of his covenant : the promise he made for a thousand generations:
the covenant he made with Abraham : the oath that he swore to Isaac,
which he established as a statute for Jacob : an everlasting covenant for Israel,
saying, “To you will I give the land of Canaan : to be your allotted inheritance.”
If I stand, let me stand on your promise : when I fall, let me fall on your grace.
Exodus 34:18 – 35 2 Thes-salo-nians 1:1 – 12
If I stand, let me stand on your promise : when I fall, let me fall on your grace.
Peter Maurin, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, liked to say, “They say that I am crazy because I refuse to be crazy the way everyone else is crazy.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, help us to be foolish enough today to stand for you, foolish enough to trust you, foolish enough to call upon you, and foolish enough to wait on you. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for April 20
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Come, Ye Sinners”
Lord, you have the words of life : you have the words of eternal life.
Psalm 102:1 – 4
Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come before you : hide not your face from me in the day of my trouble.
Incline your ear to me : when I call, make haste to answer me,
for my days drift away like smoke : and my bones are hot as burning coals.
My heart is smitten like grass and withered : so that I forget to eat my bread.
Lord, you have the words of life : you have the words of eternal life.
Exodus 34:1 – 17 1 Thes-salo-nians 5:12 – 28
Lord, you have the words of life : you have the words of eternal life.
A theologian and poet of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, François Fenelon wrote, “We must have faith during the period of our grief. We think that our afflictions will be greater than we can bear, but we do not know the strength of our own hearts, nor the power of God. He knows all. He knows every folding of the heart and also the extent of the sorrow that he inflicts. What we think will overwhelm us entirely only subdues and conquers our pride. Our renewed spirit rises from its subjugation with a celestial strength and consolation.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, some of us are never far from tears, and some of us have forced ourselves not to cry. Direct our tears that they might flow with yours and cease when you smile upon us. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for April 19
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Sing and Rejoice”
Alabare! Alabare! Alabare a mi Senor : Praise to the Lord! Praise to the Lord! Sing praises now, forevermore.
Psalm 96:1 – 4, 11 – 13
Sing to the Lord a new song : sing to the Lord, all the whole earth.
Sing to the Lord and bless his name : proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations : and his wonders among all -peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised : he is more to be feared than all gods.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea thunder and all that is in it : let the field be joyful and all that is therein.
Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord when he comes : when he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteous-ness : and the -peoples with his truth.
Alabare! Alabare! Alabare a mi Senor : Praise to the Lord! Praise to the Lord! Sing praises now, forevermore.
Exodus 34:1 – 17 1 Thes-salo-nians 5:1 – 11
Alabare! Alabare! Alabare a mi Senor : Praise to the Lord! Praise to the Lord! Sing praises now, forevermore.
An aboriginal activist sister said, “If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us walk together.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord of the captive and Lord of the free, fill our voices with songs that proclaim hope, joy, and justice for all creation. Guide us this day to walk alongside the oppressed as fellow sojourners. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Liturgy Is Magical, but Not Magic
As we pray to and worship the God of the universe, there is something that remains at some level incomprehensible. It gives us a taste of something dazzling and transcendent. Historians say the phrase hocus pocus originated from liturgical worship ser-vices, in which the priest held up the bread and proclaimed, Hoc est corpus Christi. There were lots of folks on the fringes of the church who looked through the doors and windows, marveling at the mystery and magic of the moment. Many of them were unfamiliar with liturgy and had little education, so all they picked up was hocus pocus, and it seemed quite magical.
Although the liturgy is not magic or illusion or sorcery, it captures our imagination — this idea that God came to earth and died and now lives in us. It is a mystery. So while there is nothing of a magical formula in the liturgy, there is plenty that points us toward a world beyond this one. Perhaps one of the sure signs that we have worshiped God is that we walk away saying, “I didn’t understand everything that happened there. It must be bigger than my comprehension.” Too much of our worship has boxed God in as if we were going to see a play on Broadway. But in worship we become a part of the play. Though we can’t understand it all, we can come onstage and participate in the divine drama.
Daily Prayers for April 18
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Were You There?”
Even in the darkness, we will trust : that our lives are still in your hands.
Psalm 90:1 – 4, 12
Lord, you have been our refuge : from one generation to another.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or the land and the earth were born : from age to age you are God.
You turn us back to the dust and say : “Go back, O child of earth.”
For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past : and like a watch in the night.
So teach us to number our days : that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
Even in the darkness, we will trust : that our lives are still in your hands.
Exodus 33:1 – 23 1 Thes-salo-nians 4:13 – 18
Even in the darkness, we will trust : that our lives are still in your hands.
Sixteenth-century Spanish mystic John of the Cross wrote:
Oh, night that guided me
oh, night more lovely than the dawn,
oh, night that joined Beloved with lover
Lover transformed in the Beloved!
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Guide us, Lord, through the dark places of our day that we might trust you when shadows overcome the light. Remind us that darkness is as light to you. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for April 17
On April 17, 1961, the CIA launched its Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro’s Communist government. When US President John F. Kennedy recognized this action of his own intelligence agency as an attempt to escalate the Cold War, he refused to send in US troops, saying that he would like to “splinter the CIA in a thousand pieces and scatter it to the wind.”
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Guide My Feet”
We stoop to lift up our souls, O God : rain down heaven in our hearts and in your world.
Psalm 86:3 – 5, 11 – 13
Be merciful to me, O Lord, for you are my God : I call upon you all the day long.
Gladden the soul of your servant : for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving : and great is your love toward all who call upon you.
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth : knit my heart to you that I may fear your name.
I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart : and glorify your name for evermore.
For great is your love toward me : you have delivered me from the nethermost pit.
We stoop to lift up our souls, O God : rain down heaven in our hearts and in your world.
Exodus 32:21 – 34 1 Thes-salo-nians 4:1 – 12
We stoop to lift up our souls, O God : rain down heaven in our hearts and in your world.
John Chrysostom, a fourth-century bishop of Constantinople, wrote, “Prayer is the light of the spirit, and the spirit, raised up to heaven by prayer, clings to God with the utmost tenderness. Like a child crying tearfully for its mother, it craves the milk that God provides. Prayer also stands before God as an honored ambassador. It gives joy to the spirit, peace to the heart. I speak of prayer, not words. It is the longing for God, love too deep for words, a gift not given by humans, but by God’s grace.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, we cup our hands to gather the pieces of heaven you shower upon us. Help us to open our hands with generous spirits and scatter your divine love in the darkest places. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for April 16
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Servant Song”
Save us and make us small, O God : small enough to walk your little way.
Psalm 79:1, 9 – 13
O God, the heathen have come into your inheritance : they have profaned your holy temple; they have made Jerusalem a heap of rubble.
Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name : deliver us and forgive us our sins, for your name’s sake.
Why should the heathen say, “Where is their God?” : Let it be known among the heathen and in our sight that you avenge the shedding of your servants’ blood.
Let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before you : and by your great might spare those who are condemned to die.
May the revilings with which they reviled you, O Lord : return seven-fold into their bosoms.
For we are your -people and the sheep of your pasture : we will give you thanks for ever and show forth your praise from age to age.
Save us and make us small, O God : small enough to walk your little way.
Exodus 32:1 – 20 1 Thes-salo-nians 3:1 – 13
Save us and make us small, O God : small enough to walk your little way.
Therese of Lisieux, a nineteenth-century Carmelite who sought to follow Christ’s “little way,” wrote, “The only way to make rapid progress along the path of divine love is to remain very little and put all our trust in Almighty God.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, teach us to dwell in the corners and crevices, to find an abundance of your love in those pockets of our lives where the poverty of our abilities crowds out our pride and ego. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
