Voices ever ancient, ever new. Ordinary Time Week 7: Monday.

“Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

Saint Augustine of Hippo offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“In saying, “When the Son of Man shall come, shall he find faith upon the earth?” our Lord spoke of that faith which is fully matured, which is so seldom found on earth. The church’s faith is full, for who would come here if there were no fullness of faith? And whose faith when fully matured would not move mountains? Look at the apostles themselves, who would not have left all they had, trodden under foot this world’s hope, and followed the Lord, if they had not had proportionally great faith. And yet if they had already experienced a completely matured faith, they would have not said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” Rather we find here an emerging faith, which is not yet full faith, in that father who when he had presented to the Lord his son to be cured of an evil spirit and was asked whether he believed, answered, “Lord, I believe, help me in my unbelief.” “Lord,” says he, “I believe.” “I believe”: therefore there was faith; but “help me in my unbelief ”: therefore there was not full faith.” (Sermons on the New Testament Lessons, 66)

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Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that, always pondering spiritual things,
we may carry out in both word and deed
that which is pleasing to You.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

A Prayer during Bombogenesis

As many places in the USA deal with a different type of Genesis - Bombogenesis and Thundersnow -  this prayer from The Roman Missal, “Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions, #37:  For an End to Storms,” is a way to prayerfully lift up all who are adversely impacted by weather as well as prayer to protect First Responders, all who work to keep travel safe and those who work to keep our homes bright and warm:

O God, to Whose commands
all the elements give obedience,
we humbly entreat You,
that the still of fearsome storms
may turn a powerful menace
into an occasion for us to praise You.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God,
for ever and ever.

“Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;

All you winds, bless the Lord.

Fire and heat, bless the Lord;

Cold and chill, bless the Lord.

Dew and rain, bless the Lord;

Frost and cold, bless the Lord.

Ice and snow, bless the Lord;

Nights and days, bless the Lord.

Light and darkness bless the Lord;

Lightning and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord ...”

(Daniel 3: 64-73)

Week 31, Sunday. Prayer for Fine Weather and Charity

With an extra hour of sleep to strengthen many of us for cleaning up after Sandy, an appropriate prayer for fine weather is offered together with continued prayer for first-responders, electrical linemen, those supplying and delivering water, food, clothing, shelter and gasoline and all involved in restoring order in the wake of Sandy’s chaos. May all be safe and may all lives be marked by patience, service and gratitude. Grant, O Lord, eternal rest to all who died and comfort to their families.

SCRIPTURE

“Praise the Lord from the earth, sea creatures and all oceans, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy winds that obey His word! Psalm 148” Click for full Psalm.

COLLECT

(This prayer is taken from The Roman Missal, “Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions, #36:  For Fine Weather”)

Almighty ever-living God,
Who heal us through correction and save us
by Your forgiveness,
grant to those who seek Your favor
that we may rejoice at the good weather
for which we hope and
always use what in Your goodness
You bestow for the glory of Your Name
and for our well-being.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

(This prayer is taken from The Roman Missal, “Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions, #40: For Charity”)

Set our hearts aflame, O Lord,
with the Spirit of your charity, we pray,
that we may always think thoughts
worthy and pleasing to Your majesty
and love You sincerely in our brothers and sisters.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever.

Week 29, Monday. Memorial Blessed Pope John Paul II

Throughout this “Year of Faith,” Pope Benedict has called the universal Church to once again ponder and live the primacy of the encounter with the Person, Jesus the Christ. Throughout the pre-Synodal documents, the Lineamenta and the Instrumentum Laboris, we have been reminded of the privileged encounter with Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist and a robust life of prayer; all of which intends, once again, to re-capture as a Grace of God the Father the joy, beauty and ardor of being a disciple of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

In the Church’s Prayer known as the Liturgy of the Hours, we have begun to listen to the words of Saint Augustine in the Office of Readings as he penned a “Letter to Proba” in the year 412 (also known as Letter 130). This letter amounts to a short ‘school of prayer’ and his guidance as a Father of the Church can certainly form us in the ways of prayer whose object is always responding to the invitation to commune with God our Father, Jesus His Son and Holy Spirit. The full translation of the Letter can be found here. It is worth a ‘slow and pondering’ read and multiple re-reads throughout this week - AND - perhaps beyond!

COLLECT

O God, who are rich in mercy and
who willed that the Blessed John Paul II
should preside as Pope over your universal Church,
grant, we pray,
that instructed by his teaching,
we may open our hearts to the
saving grace of Christ,
the sole Redeemer of mankind.
Who lives and reigns.