Tag: Jesus

Teach Us To Pray

Boldness and Courage in Sharing the Gospel

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

Lord,

We recognize the importance of spreading the gospel and making disciples of all nations. We pray for boldness and courage to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ fearlessly. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, so that we may be effective witnesses and lead others to salvation. Help us overcome any fear, opposition, or discouragement that may hinder us from fulfilling the Great Commission. Equip us with the right words and opportunities to share Your love with those around us.

Let’s pray for the believers to have boldness and courage to share the gospel with others, regardless of the potential challenges or rejection they may face. Ask God to remove any fear or timidity and replace it with confidence in Him.

Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to empower believers, enabling them to effectively communicate the message of salvation to those who have not yet heard or understood it. Ask God to give them the right words, opportunities, and divine appointments to share His love.

Let’s pray for protection and guidance as believers step out in faith to fulfill the Great Commission. Ask God to open doors, soften hearts, and prepare the way for the gospel to be received by those who are seeking truth.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Teach Us To Pray

Spiritual Gifts and Servant Hearts

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

The lie of the world is that the pursuit of pleasure will bring you happiness. The truth is that only when we pursue goodness will we experience happiness, and it is only when we live in relationship with God, the Ultimate Good, that we experience the joy we were made for, when we use our unique spiritual gifts and live with a servant’s heart. 

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the diverse spiritual gifts You have bestowed upon each member of the body of Christ. We pray that You would reveal and develop these gifts in us, for the edification of the church and the advancement of Your Kingdom. Help us to cultivate servant hearts, using our gifts selflessly to serve one another with love, grace, and humility. May Your Holy Spirit empower us to be effective and impactful in our service to You and others.

Let’s pray for believers to have a deep understanding of the spiritual gifts they have been given by God. Ask God to reveal and develop these gifts, so that they can be used to build up the body of Christ.

Let’s pray for believers to have a servant’s heart, willing to use their gifts for the benefit of others. Ask God to help them serve one another with love, grace, and humility, without seeking recognition or personal gain.

Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to empower believers to use their spiritual gifts effectively. Ask God to provide opportunities for them to serve and impact the lives of others, both within the church and in the community.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Teach Us To Pray

Spiritual Growth and Maturity

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

Lord, we humbly ask for Your guidance and wisdom as we seek spiritual growth and maturity in our lives. Instill in us a hunger for Your Word, and grant us discernment to understand and apply it in our daily lives. Strengthen our faith, deepen our relationship with You, and empower us to grow in the knowledge of Your truth. May we bear fruits of the Spirit and be effective witnesses of Your love and grace.

Let’s pray for a hunger and thirst for God’s Word to be ignited within the hearts of believers. Ask God to give them a deep desire to study and meditate on Scripture, as it is the foundation for spiritual growth.

Let’s pray for believers to have discernment and wisdom in applying the truths they learn from God’s Word. Ask God to help them understand His will for their lives and to make decisions that align with His purposes.

Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to empower believers to live out their faith in practical ways. Ask God to help them bear fruits of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Teach Us To Pray

For The Body Of Christ

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

As Christ’s body is the community of believers who follow Jesus Christ. It is important we pray for the enablement to work together to achieve the same purpose. Prayer is one of the most important ways that we can support the body of Christ and help it to grow and thrive. 

A Prayer for Unity and Love among Believers

Heavenly Father,

We come before you, acknowledging that we are one body in Christ. We recognize the importance of unity and love among all believers. Help us to set aside our differences, prejudices, and selfish ambitions. Enable us to love one another genuinely, regardless of our background or opinions. Guide us in embracing diversity and promoting an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding. May our unity be a testament to Your love and grace.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Let’s pray for the unity among believers which is vital for the growth and effectiveness of the church. It is important to pray for a spirit of unity to prevail among believers, as it demonstrates the love of Christ to the world.

Let’s pray for a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diversity present within the body of Christ. Embrace different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives, recognizing that it enriches the community of believers.

Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of believers, enabling them to love one another genuinely, even in the midst of disagreements or conflicts. Pray for forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration within the body of Christ.

Amen

Teach Us To Pray

Our Petitions

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

Let us humbly approach our heavenly Father and ask that he hear and answer our prayers of petition:         

That the Church may live in a manner worthy of God’s call, striving always to preserve the unity of the Body of Christ…….We pray to the Lord.

For world leaders: that their efforts may bring about greater unity and peace among nations…….We pray to the Lord.

For our farmers, ranchers and all who provide food for our tables: that they may know of our gratitude and experience God’s blessings…….We pray to the Lord. 

For this faith community: that the Spirit may give us the grace to be vessels of God’s all-embracing love and hope, especially to those who are neglected and most in need……..We pray to the Lord.

For the sick and the suffering: that they may turn to Jesus, the divine physician, for comfort and healing…….We pray to the Lord. 

For our own intentions that we hold in silence .……We pray to the Lord.     

For our deceased loved ones: that they may enjoy eternal rest in God’s heavenly Kingdom…….We pray to the Lord.                                                                                                   

Father, you have taught us to bring all our needs to you. As you answer our prayers, fill us with the joy of being disciples of your Son Jesus Christ, who is Lord forever and ever.

Amen

Teach Us To Pray

Prayers for Life

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

For our nation,

that the values of life and liberty

may truly be our watchwords;

We pray to the Lord

That the good seed of the Gospel of Life

may take root in our land

and grow to the glory of God;

We pray to the Lord

For those who are mentally disabled,

that we might cherish the gifts God has given them,

and in their lives hear the voice of our loving God;

We pray to the Lord

For every person who suffers from violence,

and especially for women whose pain breaks their hearts,

that through the intercession of she whose heart was pierced with a sword,

they might know peace and strength;

We pray to the Lord

For those who mourn the death of a child,

that they may be given the strength

and courage to face the future,

and that they may be understood and blessed;

We pray to the Lord

For all who work in abortions clinics:

that through the intercession of the Mother of God,

they might come to love the unborn child;

We pray to the Lord

For all who do not embrace the rights of others

that, in love, they see the infinite value of every

human person;

We pray to the Lord

For those who provide or cooperate in evil,

that by our love for the truth and for them,

they might turn from darkness and death;

We pray to the Lord

For all who are tempted to sin against life,

that they might turn from darkness

and embrace the infinite love and light of God;

We pray to the Lord

For all who are very sick,

that we might care for them

with the compassion and love of Christ;

We pray to the Lord.

Teach Us To Pray

A God Who Gets Foolishly Close

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

Jesus is remarkable in that he knew the violence, the nervousness that dwells within us. He also knew of the deeper truth waiting to be born. This broken, anxious world is oozing with God. To encounter this God can be as gentle as an awkward embrace, but it can be as wild as finally realizing and being grateful that our lives do not belong to us.

Faith is more than a magical formula to conquer the worry, regret, shame and resentments that cloud our visions and make us jaded and tired. Having faith does not remove every trace of self-absorption and doubt. Those things are part of the human condition. 

Faith is what brings us into the deepest truth of our lives. 

It is a buried truth that says we are in the image of an unlimited, unrestricted, unimaginable love. And when we forget that, as Jesus reminded the religious authorities of his day, then religion does become a shield, a crutch, a closed refuge instead of a way to boldly throw ourselves into a harsh world, knowing that is precisely where we discover a generous God.

by Fr. Patrick Malone, SJ wrote this when he experienced a recurrence of leukemia after battling the disease and undergoing a successful bone marrow transplant. 

Teach Us To Pray

Canticle of Brother Sun

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord
All praise is yours, all glory, all honor
And all blessing.
To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy
To pronounce your name.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made,
And first my lord Brother Sun,
Who brings the day; and light you give to us through him.
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars;
In the heavens you have made them, bright
And precious and fair.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all the weather’s moods,
By which you cherish all that you have made.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
Through whom you brighten up the night.
How beautiful is he, how merry! Full of power and strength.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our Mother,
Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces
Various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon
For love of you; through those who endure
Sickness and trial.
Happy those who endure in peace,
By you, Most High, they will be crowned.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,
From whose embrace no mortal can escape.
How dreadful for those who die in sin!
How lovely for those found in Your Most Holy Will.
The second death can do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks,
And serve him with great humility.

By St. Francis of Assisi

Teach Us To Pray

Plunging Into God

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

Lord, by every innate impulse and through all the hazards of my life,

I have been driven ceaselessly to search for you

and to set you in the heart of the universe of matter. 

Thus, I shall have the joy, when death comes, 

of closing my eyes amidst the splendor

of a universal transparency aglow with fire.

Under your influence and your alone,

the sheath of organic isolation and of willful egoism  

which separates us into tiny individuals  

is rend asunder and dissolves, 

and the multitude of lives rush on towards that union 

which is necessary for the maturity of the world. 

Only love can bring individual beings to their perfect completion,

as individuals, by uniting them one with another, 

because only loves take possession of them and unites them 

by what lie deepest within them.

Lord once again I ask: which is the more precious of these two beatitudes, 

That all things are means through which I can touch you, 

or that you yourself are so ‘universal’ that I can experience you 

and lay hold on you in every creature?

Let us then establish ourselves in the divine milieu. 

There we shall be within the inmost depths of our being 

and the greatest consistency of matter. 

There where all forms of beauty come together 

we shall discover the ultra-vital, ultraperceptible,

ultra-active point of the universe 

and we shall also experience in the depths of our own being 

the fullness of our powers of action and of adoration – 

for this world is indeed full of You O God.

Let us leave the surface, and, without leaving the world, 

plunge into God.

There and from there, in God and through God, 

we shall hold all things and find again the essence and the splendor 

of all the flowers, the lights, we have had to surrender 

here and now in order to be faithful to life.

By Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Teach Us To Pray

Patient Trust

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.

We are quite naturally impatient 

in everything to reach the end without delay.

We should like to skip the intermediate stages.

We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown,

something new.

And yet it is the law of all progress

that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—

and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you;

your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,

let them shape themselves, without undue haste.

Don’t try to force them on,

as though you could be today what time

(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)

will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit

gradually forming within you will be.

Give Our Lord the benefit of believing

that his hand is leading you,

and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself

in suspense and incomplete.

By Pierre Teilhard de Chardin