Jenn Giroux
Now, more than ever, pray for our priests
By Jenn Giroux
"I know your deeds; I know you are neither hot or cold. How I wish you were one or the other — hot or cold. But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of my mouth." (Revelations 3: 15-17)
It is no surprise that the most aggressive white hot warrior priests of our time, and especially the defenders of precious life itself, have encountered spiritual battles to the highest degree. Priests are human beings with a sinful fallen nature, just like the rest of us. They sin and they are worthy of God's forgiveness, just like the rest of us. We are sad when they fall because we all are guilty of wanting a 'holy hero' when truly we should only focus our eyes on Perfection Himself, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for all of us.....yes, even priests.
The Pieta Prayer Book reads: "When a priest falls, you should extend him a helping hand THROUGH PRAYER AND NOT THROUGH ATTACKS! I myself will be his judge, NO ONE BUT I!" (Pieta Prayer Book 1972)
Below is a prayer for Priests written by the late John Cardinal O'Conner in March, 1995.
A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
Lord Jesus, we your people pray to You for our priests. You have given them to us for OUR needs. We pray for them in THEIR needs.
We know that You have made them priests in the likeness of your own priesthood. You have consecrated them, set them aside, anointed them, filled them with the Holy Spirit, appointed them to teach, to preach, to minister, to console, to forgive, and to feed us with Your Body and Blood.
Yet we know, too, that they are one with us and share our human weaknesses. We know too that they are tempted to sin and discouragement as are we, needing to be ministered to, as do we, to be consoled and forgiven, as do we. Indeed, we thank You for choosing them from among us, so that they understand us as we understand them, suffer with us and rejoice with us, worry with us and trust with us, share our beings, our lives, our faith.
We ask that You give them this day the gift You gave Your chosen ones on the way to Emmaus: Your presence in their hearts, Your holiness in their souls, Your joy in their spirits. And let them see You face to face in the breaking of the Eucharistic bread. We pray to You, O Lord, through Mary the Mother of all Priests, for Your priests and for ours. Amen.
© Jenn Giroux
September 14, 2011
"I know your deeds; I know you are neither hot or cold. How I wish you were one or the other — hot or cold. But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of my mouth." (Revelations 3: 15-17)
It is no surprise that the most aggressive white hot warrior priests of our time, and especially the defenders of precious life itself, have encountered spiritual battles to the highest degree. Priests are human beings with a sinful fallen nature, just like the rest of us. They sin and they are worthy of God's forgiveness, just like the rest of us. We are sad when they fall because we all are guilty of wanting a 'holy hero' when truly we should only focus our eyes on Perfection Himself, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for all of us.....yes, even priests.
The Pieta Prayer Book reads: "When a priest falls, you should extend him a helping hand THROUGH PRAYER AND NOT THROUGH ATTACKS! I myself will be his judge, NO ONE BUT I!" (Pieta Prayer Book 1972)
Below is a prayer for Priests written by the late John Cardinal O'Conner in March, 1995.
A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
Lord Jesus, we your people pray to You for our priests. You have given them to us for OUR needs. We pray for them in THEIR needs.
We know that You have made them priests in the likeness of your own priesthood. You have consecrated them, set them aside, anointed them, filled them with the Holy Spirit, appointed them to teach, to preach, to minister, to console, to forgive, and to feed us with Your Body and Blood.
Yet we know, too, that they are one with us and share our human weaknesses. We know too that they are tempted to sin and discouragement as are we, needing to be ministered to, as do we, to be consoled and forgiven, as do we. Indeed, we thank You for choosing them from among us, so that they understand us as we understand them, suffer with us and rejoice with us, worry with us and trust with us, share our beings, our lives, our faith.
We ask that You give them this day the gift You gave Your chosen ones on the way to Emmaus: Your presence in their hearts, Your holiness in their souls, Your joy in their spirits. And let them see You face to face in the breaking of the Eucharistic bread. We pray to You, O Lord, through Mary the Mother of all Priests, for Your priests and for ours. Amen.
© Jenn Giroux
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