Prayers to Pray During Pandemic

My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament.
I love Thee above all things and I desire Thee in my soul.
Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
As though thou wert already there,
I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee;
permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee.
 

St. Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori

In this time of difficulty, as we focus on social distancing, it has become a struggle to connect with others.  We have begun to focus on lifting our voices together in prayer.  Nine Months with Christ in the Womb is a wonderful opportunity to do just that.  From March 25 to December 25, 2020, we are encouraging EVERYONE to join us in participation of this Respect Life Prayer Campaign. Promoting a consistent ethic of life, this campaign reflects on Christ's fetal development as well as a variety of other life issues such as immigration, death penalty, care for the elderly, concern for the disabled, etc.  There are short, prayerful, weekly reflections, as well as a monthly page-long reflection that ties a Gospel story in with other human dignity issues. We are also asking everyone to pray daily our special prayer to Christ in the womb. Visit the Archdiocese of Cincinnati website for more information and to view the weekly & monthly reflections (Please note, you will need to scroll half-way down the web page to view these reflections). 

O Mary,

you always shine on our path as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who at the cross took part in Jesus' pain, keeping your faith firm.

You know what we need, and we are sure you will provide so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting after this time of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform to the will of the Father and to do as we are told by Jesus, who has taken upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows to lead us, through the cross, to the joy of the resurrection. 

Amen.

Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
             You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
            The sky is no longer thick with fumes
            But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
            People are singing to each other
            across the empty squares,
            keeping their windows open
            so that those who are alone
            may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
            Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
            is busy spreading fliers with her number
            through the neighborhood
            so that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
           are preparing to welcome
           and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary.
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting.
All over the world people are looking at their neighbors in a new way.
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
           To how big we really are.
           To how little control we really have. 
           To what really matters.
           To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
    But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
    But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
    But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
    But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
     But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic-
       The birds are singing again
       The sky is clearing,
        Spring is coming,
       And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
       And though you may not be able
       to touch across the empty square,
       Sing.

Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM  |  March 13, 2020