Prayer for Peace

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us. Forgive and heal us, especially in the Holy Week leading up to Easter. We have fallen so far and turned away from you. There is so much death and suffering and sorrow. You know this pain intimately. We need you Lord more than we realize or care to admit. In your perfect love for us you gave us free choice and we need to accept the consequences for our choices good and bad. There are so many innocent and faithful who are suffering as a result. Take pity on them Lord and have mercy on us all. Lord let all be done according to your will not mine, but I would ask that through the intercession of your mother, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, through your Most Sacred Heart, the heart of the father Joseph, God the Father and by the power of the Holy Spirit, you would show this world a sign of your love. I pray that as the sun rises on Easter morning in the fulfillment of the hope of the Resurrection and new life that we would have hope and peace. Send your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and flood our lives and move us to act with compassion and understanding toward all of our brothers and sisters in Christ and every one we come in contact with. Be with us always Lord help us to love one another and you as you first loved us.

I ask this and all things with confidence to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and through the intercession of Mary our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament and Joseph her most chaste spouse.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. AMEN

The King of Victory

It was a Sunday not quite like any other. The time was near that Jesus would be handed over to the rulers of this world and be subject to them so that he might save many. On their way into the city of Jerusalem, Jesus sends two of his disciples ahead to bring him a donkey to ride in on and to say that the master has need of it. Jesus rides into the city on the back of a donkey and all around him celebrate and rejoice singing praise and giving glory. They lay their cloaks and palm branches which represent victory on the road ahead of Jesus for him to walk on. It truly is a joyous day in the city of David. No one there seems to have any idea that in one short week this parade of celebration would be no longer and many of these very same people would be parading him through these very same streets condemning him and calling for his death.

Jesus your life came full circle. Before you came into this world you entered Bethlehem outside of Jerusalem riding on the back of a donkey in your mother’s womb. A week before your death you would humble yourself once more and come ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. A humble beast of burden, an animal that carries a heavy load and serves. You bore the weight of the cross and the weight of all of our sins and you served us faithfully even when we were not faithful to you. We are so much like the crowds that gathered on Palm Sunday; rejoicing, singing your praise and giving you glory one moment and the next moment we are also the ones who are calling for your death, mocking you and jeering. Still, you look upon us with endless love and mercy. You forgive us, you redeem us, and you call us quietly to return to you once again. You would suffer and die so that on the third day, we might finally see that no power on earth or hell or anything above can separate us from your love, and showing us once and for all you are the King of Victory! AMEN!