For formation in discernment

Let us pray that we might again learn how to discern, to know how to choose paths of life and reject everything that leads us away from Christ and the Gospel.

Holy Spirit, you, light of our understanding,
gentle breath that guides our decisions,
grant me the grace to listen attentively to your voice
and to discern the hidden paths of my heart,
so that I may grasp what truly matters to you,
and free my heart from its troubles.

I ask you for the grace to learn how to pause,
to become aware of the way I act,
of the feelings that dwell within me,
and of the thoughts that overwhelm me
which, so often, I fail to notice.

I long for my choices
to lead me to the joy of the Gospel.
Even if I must go through moments of doubt and fatigue,
even if I must struggle, reflect, search, and begin again…
Because, at the end of the journey,
your consolation is the fruit of the right decision.

Grant me a deeper understanding of what moves me,
so that I may reject what draws me away from Christ,
and love him and serve him more fully. Amen.

View the July Prayer Intention Pope Video – a global initiative to disseminate the Holy Father’s monthly intentions (Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network).

The Marists wish everyone a safe and peaceful Independence Day!

Called to be Eucharistic People

Our world has plunged into a frightening darkness.
LIGHT has diminished,
almost extinguished.
The threat of evil hovers large today,
in the suffering and horror of wars:
in the cries of the women,
The bewilderment of the children,
The hunger and exhaustion of the elderly,
The helplessness and powerlessness of the innocent and suffering.
The list is endless,
Yet, in the midst of this
God reminds us-
He is alive.
He LIVES in me.
He LIVES in you.
He LIVES in me
He LIVES in you
When we gather in quiet conversation,
When we engage with each other
Respecting their view, although different from ours.
He LIVES in me
He LIVES in you,
When we reach out to another,
To share our story,
Our joys, our burdens, our hopes
Without even attempting to solve the problem-
Simply, to listen with compassion,
As He SPEAKS through me
As he SPEAKS through you.

(~ Ben McKenna, SM, Easter – Eucharistic People (Poem by Bernadette Murray), April 1, 2024)

For families in crisis

Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences.

We all dream about a beautiful, perfect family. But there’s no such thing as a perfect family. Every family has its own problems, as well as its tremendous joys.
Every member of the family is important because each member is different than the others, each person is unique. But these differences can also cause conflict and painful wounds.
And the best medicine to heal the pain of a wounded family is forgiveness.
Forgiveness means giving another chance. God does this with us all the time. God’s patience is infinite. He forgives us, lifts us up, gives us a new start. Forgiveness always renews the family, making it look forward with hope.
Even when there’s no possibility of the “happy ending” we’d like, God’s grace gives us the strength to forgive, and it brings peace, because it frees us from sadness, and, above all, from resentment.

View the March Prayer Intention Pope Video – a global initiative to disseminate the Holy Father’s monthly intentions (Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network).