Lord, Hear Our Prayer

Gospel
Mark 13:24-32

Jesus said to his disciples:
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

"And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.

"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Think
"Hope in God, for God will free you from your burdens or give you the strength to bear them. When we have faith in God, we are shielded from our enemies and the terrors of the night. To say “I believe in God” is to say we do not trust in our own strength but in the strength of God. It is most certain that God exercises a tender care for us when we abandon all our anxieties and fears to Divine Providence. Yet God desires that we do all that lies in our power to accomplish our tasks. Go ahead filled with courage, but go in simplicity. God wants us to use all the ordinary means to attain hope and trust. " -St. Francis de Sales

Pray
Dear Lord, When I am discouraged, remind me to lean into you. Help me to seek you in Word and in Sacrament, confident that you will strengthen me to do your will and grant me plenty of grace to do it with gentleness and peace.

Act
Is there someone close to you who is difficult? Someone whom you know God put in your life, but who requires of you supernatural grace and strength? Make a list of five (ten?) things about that person for which you are truly grateful. Share your thanks with him or her. Use words only if absolutely necessary.

How can we pray for you this week?

*This is the first post I've ever composed using the Typepad app on my phone. I'm huddled in my minivan, keeping warm while I wait for soccer to begin. Please excuse inevitable errors.