Pointman Morning Prayer

[ajusmc]

The Lord said to Mary Magdalene: Go and tell my brothers that I shall ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and to your God. (Jn. 20)

God our Father, today we celebrate the feast of St. Mary Magdalene. She witnessed in her life the power of your healing and forgiving presence. There are times when we are in need of your healing and forgiving presence in our lives, yet there are times when we find it difficult to come before you, for we have sinned. May the example of Mary Magdalene give us the courage to come before you no matter what we have done and ask for your forgiveness and experience your healing presence in our lives. Amen.

[ajusmc]

Prayer for Those Who Are Afraid

The unknown is terrifying,
responsibility is overwhelming,
the untapped anger cannot be borne.
Hear our cry, O God of love,
for all so trapped in fear.
Open our hearts to trust
your presence to guide us
in the unknown places;
teach us to know
you will support us in all
that we undertake;
free us to share with you
the rage within, knowing
you will never desert us.
Amen.

- Vienna Cobb Anderson

[ajusmc]

Lord, your mercy is my hope, my heart rejoices in your saving power. I will sing to the Lord for his goodness to me. (Ps. 12)

Almighty God, you are Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we recognize the presence of your Son in our lives and desire to follow in his footsteps here on this earth. Your Son bore witness to your presence in our world and gave us the gift of eternal life. May all our actions and words lead us to receive this promise of eternal life, where we will live with you for all eternity. Amen.

[ajusmc]

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance. (Lk 8)

Lord Jesus, Let us take time this day to pray for all parents, as they try to teach their children by word and deed about your presence in their lives and about the values of living an honest and healthy life. May parents remain true to their responsibilities to their children and may they come to you in times of joy and pain. Amen.

[ajusmc]

I Have All in God

God of your goodness, give me yourself, for you are sufficient for me... If I were to ask anything less I should always be in want, for in you alone do I have all.

- Julian of Norwich

[ajusmc]

Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. (James 1)

Lord Jesus, we ask that you continue to guide and inspire those who lead us in our Church. May their message be heard and may our young people be inspired to grow in their love for God, for self and for others. May our youth live wholesome experiences in our Church and may these experiences be grace-filled times in their lives. Amen

[ajusmc]

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom. (Mt. 11)

God our Father, your Son Jesus taught many times through parables. We hear in scripture about the merchant in search for fine pearls. Help us to grow in our understanding of what it means to be a true disciple and to recognize good value and the priceless treasures in our lives. Help us to put aside material belongings in order to focus on following the ways of your Son. Amen.

[ajusmc]

I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life. (Jn 8)

Almighty Father, we pray for all who are in ministries of hospitality and service to others. May they know how much they are appreciated and may they receive the graces to continue to grow in their belief as disciples. Amen.

[ajusmc]

O look at me and be merciful, for I am wretched and alone. See my hardship and my poverty, and pardon all my sins. (Ps. 24)

Lord Jesus, sometimes our lives can seem so difficult and painful that we lose sight of your presence in our lives. We sometimes don't know how to approach you for we have sinned and are in need of your forgiveness and healing, yet our humanity gets in our way of asking for your forgiveness and strength. We come before you this day, mindful of our sinfulness and our deep desire to be forgiven. Help us to live with our humanness and to call to you for mercy. This day, may we feel your forgiving presence in our lives. Amen.

[ajusmc]

Avoid greed in all its forms (Luke 12:15)

Lord, we thank you for what you have given us in this life, and we trust that you will always care for us. Make us rich in compassion, in trust, hope and love. Amen.

[ajusmc]

I will look after my sheep, says the Lord, and I will raise up one shepherd who will pasture them. I, the Lord, will be their God. (Ezek 34)

Let us pray for all those who teach morality, that they will bear true witness to their own teachings and by their example others will come to experience reconciliations in their lives. Amen.

[ajusmc]

The Lord is my light and my salvation. Who shall frighten me? The Lord is the defender of my life. Who shall make me tremble? (Ps. 26)

Lord Jesus Christ, we come before you in prayer with grateful hearts for all the good that you have shown us in our lives. You are our light and our salvation, may we never feel fear in our lives that it would separate us from you. We believe that you are our defender in life, may we always come to you when we are faced with difficulties and hardships. Amen.

[ajusmc]

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5)

God our Creator, there are so many people in our world who are persecuted for their belief in you. We hear in scripture that those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness that the kingdom will be theirs. We pray for all those whose lives are threatened by violence because of their witness to your presence in our world. May they feel your presence in their life and may they be strengthened in your love and mercy to continue to bear witness to your name. Amen.

[ajusmc]

God, come to my help. Lord, quickly give me assistance. You are the one who helps me and sets me free: Lord, do not be long in coming. (Ps. 69)

God our Father, we ask that you keep us strong and alive in your love. As we journey in this life, we are in need of your strength to sustain us and to help us remain focused on our journey in life. There are many distractions that can cause us to lose sight of your presence in our lives and in our world. May we strive to remain focused and to give you thanks each and every day for we are grateful for the many graces that you give us in our journey in faith. Amen.

[ajusmc]

God is the strength of his people. In him, we his chosen live in safety. Save us, Lord, who share in your life, and give us your blessings; be our shepherd for ever. (Ps. 27)

God our Father, it gives us great joy to call you Father and to be mindful that we are your children. We desire that you be our shepherd and guide us as a shepherd does his flock. We know that when one sheep is lost from the fold, the shepherd goes to find the lost sheep. May we never stray from your fold, but if we do, may you come to find us and bring us back. Amen.

[ajusmc]

In the shining cloud the Spirit is seen; from it the voice of the Father is heard: This is my Son, my beloved, in whom is all my delight. Listen to him. (Mt. 17)

Almighty God, we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration of your Son. By this witness, you strengthen our faith and give us hope in the promise that we will become heirs to eternal life with him. As we listen to the voice of your Son, guide us in our journey and help us to be witnesses to the need for us to hear his voice in our lives. Amen.

[ajusmc]

The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock. (Jer. 31)

God our Father, your Son brought light into our world. We desire to shed the brightness of this light in places where there is darkness. In baptism we were given the light of Christ to shine brightly before all. May we never let this flame burn out. We ask for your grace to keep this flame alive and to be bearers of the light of Christ to all whom we encounter in our journey in life. Amen.

[ajusmc]

Within your temple, we ponder your loving kindness, O God. As your name, so also your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with justice. (Ps. 47)

Lord Jesus, we desire so much to ponder your kindness and to live in justice. We ask for your guidance as we strive to give witness to justice in our places of work, within our families and with our friends. There are times it is so difficult, yet we desire so much to proclaim this justice to all whom we encounter as we walk this journey on earth. May we have the strength and energy to continue to give this witness. Amen.

[ajusmc]

Prayer for Those Coping With Depression

Dear Lord, you are our refuge in good and in bad times. In your infinite mercy, bring peace and comfort to those of us who face days sometimes filled with pain and depression. Help us to realize that through you there is joy and the promise of lasting peace. Help us through the rough times. Walk before and beside us so that we may walk in your footsteps and reach out to you in our journey on this earth. Help us to focus on our blessings rather than our misfortunes, dear Lord. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. Amen

Beliefnet

[ajusmc]

Lord, be true to your covenant, forget not the life of your poor ones for ever. Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; do not ignore the shouts of your enemies. (Ps. 73)

Lord Jesus, we desire so much to be true to your covenant with us. Yet, at times we fail to remain true to your presence in our lives for we have many distractions that we encounter in our journey of faith. Help us to focus our lives on your presence in our journey and may we always respond to you in faith and trust. Amen.