Daily Prayer Archive

Virgin Most Holy, Mother of the Incarnate Word and our Mother, venerated in the Shrine of Sheshan under the title "Help of Christians", the entire Church in China looks to you with devout affection. We come before you today to implore your protection. Look upon the People of God and, with a mother’s care, guide them along the paths of truth and love, so that they may always be a leaven of harmonious coexistence among all citizens.

When you obediently said "yes" in the house of Nazareth, you allowed God’s eternal Son to take flesh in your virginal womb and thus to begin in history the work of our redemption. You willingly and generously cooperated in that work, allowing the sword of pain to pierce your soul, until the supreme hour of the Cross, when you kept watch on Calvary, standing beside your Son, who died that we might live.

From that moment, you became, in a new way, the Mother of all those who receive your Son Jesus in faith and choose to follow in his footsteps by taking up his Cross. Mother of hope, in the darkness of Holy Saturday you journeyed with unfailing trust towards the dawn of Easter. Grant that your children may discern at all times, even those that are darkest, the signs of God’s loving presence.

Our Lady of Sheshan, sustain all those in China, who, amid their daily trials, continue to believe, to hope, to love. May they never be afraid to speak of Jesus to the world, and of the world to Jesus. In the statue overlooking the Shrine you lift your Son on high, offering him to the world with open arms in a gesture of love. Help Catholics always to be credible witnesses to this love, ever clinging to the rock of Peter on which the Church is built. Mother of China and all Asia, pray for us, now and for ever. Amen!

- Columban Fr. Tom Glennon

O Mary, your name has been on my lips
and in my heart from my early infancy.
When I was a child
I learned to love you as a Mother,
turn to you in danger,
and trust your intercession.
You see in my heart the desire to know the truth,
to practice virtue,
to be prudent and just,
strong and patient,
a brother to all.

Immaculate Mary, Humble Virgin,
Mother of our Church,
and protectress of our nation,
we ask you to go before the Throne of the Holy Trinity
and intercede for the United States
at this critical juncture in our history.
Gently place your mantle upon our land,
upon our people,
upon our allies,
upon our fighting men and women,
as you once wrapped our Savior
in swaddling clothes in a manger.

Lord Jesus, in your Eucharist
make Christian spouses the "signs" of
your nuptial love among us: make
families communities of people who,
living in dialogue with God and each other,
do not fear life and become responsible
or sowing the seeds of priestly, religious
and missionary vocations.

Lord God, for a long time,
I disregarded brothers and sisters;

Neither did I show respect
for the earth and all of Your Creation.

These days, by Your abundant grace and blessings;
I have time and attention for the sisters and brothers
who live in poverty.

And, Dear Jesus, I am more attentive
to our common home.
There is a deeper awareness
about how my behaviors contribute
to pollution of air, land and sea.

So, aided by Your tremendous love and blessing, these days,
I can see the dignity of many of the people
who come into my life.
Further, I am more generous
about the gift of creation.
Please help me to lessen my excesses
so that others can share in the clean water
and have pure air to breathe.

Praise be to You, Lord Jesus Christ,
who makes all things possible.

Amen.

-Columban Fr. Tom Glennon

By your grace, O Father,
may we experience a time of deep conversion
and of joyful return to you.
May it be a time of reconciliation between people,
and of peace restored among nations,
a time when swords are beaten into ploughshares
and the clash of arms
gives way to songs of peace.
Father, grant that we may live this year
docile to the voice of the Spirit,
faithful to the way of Christ,
diligent in listening to your Word
and in approaching the wellsprings of grace.

O God,on this day
You teach the hearts of Your faithful people
by the light of Your Holy Spirit.
Grant us by the same Spirit
a right judgment in all things
and ever to rejoice in His consolations.

Purify us from every stain of sin
and save our souls,
O gracious Lord.