Prayers and Reflections

Dear God, courage is a word usually reserved for heroic deeds. Some courageous people even sacrifice their very lives. My sacrifices are such little ones in comparison. But it seems, God, that you keep asking them of me moment by moment, one at a time. It never seems to stop! I know that you know so well the exact measure of my strength and will never ask for more than I can give. Grant me through the intercession of St. Julie Billiart, the faith and courage which helped her always to walk in the footsteps of your son, Jesus.
From “Embracing the Mission: Making Known God’s Goodness”

O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful,
look favorably on your servant Leo,
whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd;
grant, we pray, that by word and example
he may be of service to those over whom he presides
so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care,
he may come to everlasting life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Merciful God, we pray to you for all the men, women and children who have died after leaving their homelands in search of a better life.

Though many of their graves bear no name, to you each one is known, loved and cherished.

May we never forget them, but honour their sacrifice with deeds more than words. We entrust to you all those who have made this journey, enduring fear, uncertainty and humiliation, in order to reach a place of safety and hope.

Just as you never abandoned your Son as he was brought to a safe place by Mary and Joseph, so now be close to these, your sons and daughters, through our tenderness and protection.

In caring for them, may we seek a world where none are forced to leave their home and where all can live in freedom, dignity and peace.

Merciful God and Father of all, wake us from the slumber of indifference, open our eyes to their suffering, and free us from the insensitivity born of worldly comfort and self-centeredness.

Inspire us, as nations, communities and individuals, to see that those who come to our shores are our brothers and sisters.

May we share with them the blessings we have received from your hand, and recognize that together, as one human family, we are all migrants, journeying in hope to you, our true home, where every tear will be wiped away, where we will be at peace and safe in your embrace.

– by Pope Francis

Shake Us From Our Slumber

When our eyes do not see the gravity of racial justice,
Shake us from our slumber and open our eyes, O Lord.

When out of fear we are frozen into inaction,
Give us a spirit of bravery, O Lord.

When we try our best but say the wrong things,
Give us a spirit of humility, O Lord.

When the chaos of this dies down,
Give us a lasting spirit of solidarity, O Lord.

When it becomes easier to point fingers outwards,
Help us to examine our own hearts, O Lord.

God of truth, in your wisdom, Enlighten Us.
God of hope in your kindness, Heal Us.
Creator of All People, in your generosity, Guide Us.

Racism breaks your heart,
break our hearts for what breaks yours, O Lord.
Ever present God, you called us to be in relationship with one another and promised to dwell wherever two or three are gathered. In our community, we are many different people; we come from many different places, have many different cultures. Open our hearts that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us. We pray in faith.

– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

God of love and compassion: may we always recognize your spirit:

in the refugee family, seeking safety from violence;

in the migrant worker, bringing food to our tables;

in the asylum-seekers, seeking justice for their families;

in the unaccompanied child, traveling in a dangerous world.

Give us hearts that break open whenever our brothers and sisters turn to us.
Give us hearts that no longer turn deaf to their voices in times of need;

Give us eyes to recognize a moment for grace instead of a threat.
Give us voices that fail to remain silent but which decide instead to advocate prophetically.
Give us hands that reach out in welcome, but also in work, for a world of justice until all homelands are safe and secure.
Bless us, O Lord…

- Fr. Dan Hartnett S.J.

Begin with a prayer of gratitude.

Consider the current realities of our country—for what and for whom are you most grateful?

Ask for God’s guidance.

Invite the Spirit of God to illuminate your reflections.

Enlightened by the spirit, prayerfully review our nation at this point in history; pay attention to your emotions and reactions.

What energizes you or brings you closer to God as you reflect on our country?

What distracts you or makes you feel farther away from God as you reflect on our country?

What is the current situation of your brothers and sisters, particularly those who are most vulnerable and often marginalized by poverty and injustice?

What are the ways that your identity and privileges shape your perspective and vision for our country?

Allow your honest reactions, emotions, and desires to surface.

Conversation with God

Consider perhaps one or two of the strongest desires or feelings evoked by your prayers about the our country and bring this to God.

Engage God in conversation over these desires or feelings, speaking simply, clearly, directly, and honestly, as one friend speaks to another.

What areas of your life as a faithful citizen do you lament?

What communities, groups, or aspects of creation in our nation need healing and reconciliation?

What is God’s desire for people who are marginalized by poverty and injustice?

What areas of your life / our nation’s life do you rejoice in and celebrate fidelity to Gospel values?

Listen with your heart—how is God present to you through your reactions and desires?

Prayer of renewal and resolution

As we prepare to elect new leaders, how will you promote the common good? Ask God for the assistance you need to enact greater, more lasting good for all God’s people. Is there a specific attitude you want to cultivate or an action you want to take? Entrust your desires and intentions to God’s grade.

Amen.

Lord, teach me to be generous,
to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to look for any reward,
save that of knowing that I do your holy will.

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain.

Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.

Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness.

Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!

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.

Be praised, my Lord, through all Your creatures, especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and You give light through him.  And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!  Of You, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens You have made them bright, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which You give Your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom You brighten the night.  He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of You; through those who endure sickness and trial.

Happy those who endure in peace, for by You, Most High, they will be crowned.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape.  Woe to those who die in mortal sin!  Happy those she finds doing Your most holy will.  The second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve Him with great humility.

~ a religious song composed in 1224 by Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

This prayer was not composed by St. Francis of Assisi, but represents his strong advocacy for peace in the world.

Hail Mary, full of grace;
all generations call you blessed.
Hail Mother of God; when asked by the angel
to bear the Son of the Most High,
filled with faith, you responded:
“Let it be done unto me.”

Holy Mother of Jesus, at the wedding feast at Cana,
you prompted your Son to perform his first sign.

Be with us as we discern our life’s work
and guide us in the way we are called to follow
in the footsteps of your Son.

Holy Mother of the Savior, at the foot of the cross
you mourned the death of your only Son.

Bless and embrace the loving parents of all priests,
deacons, brothers and sisters.

Holy Mother of the Good Shepherd,
turn your motherly care to this nation.

Intercede for us to the Lord of the harvest
to send more laborers to the harvest
in this land dedicated to your honor.

Queen of Peace, Mirror of Justice, Health of the Sick,
inspire vocations in our time.

Let the word of your Son be made flesh anew
in the lives of persons anxious to proclaim
the good news of everlasting life.
Amen.
(Prayer #6 from Prayers for Vocations | USCCB)

Gracious God,
You have called me to life
and gifted me in many ways.
Through Baptism You have sent me
to continue the mission of Jesus
by sharing my love with others.
Strengthen me to respond to
Your call each day.
Help me to become all You desire of me.
Inspire me to make a difference in
others’ lives.
Lead me to choose the way of life
You have planned for me.
Open the hearts of all to listen
to Your call.
Fill all with Your Holy Spirit that
we may have listening hearts and
the courage to respond to You.
Enkindle in my heart
and the hearts of others the desire
to make the world a better place
by serving as Sister, Associate, or Lay Minister.
Amen.
(Prayer #7 from Prayers for Vocations | USCCB)

We invite you to celebrate the joy of the season with us!

Enjoy a heartfelt video message from Sister Roberta Resznik, SNDdeN and take a moment to reflect on the meaning of Christmas.

Listening to the Voice of God

Week 4: Love for the Community of Creation

Read:  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel. (Matthew 1:23)

Reflect: Today, as we begin our celebration of Jesus’ birth, we celebrate all of Creation. As a community of faith, we are intrinsically interconnected with the Earth — tasked with protecting all of God’s Creation while recognizing our own place within this unified vision. Christ’s birth reminds us of our shared nature — our kinship — with the Community of Creation.

Take Action: Support climate justice efforts as we enter the new year. As you support these initiatives and advocate for all of Creation, take the time to pray for and with nature.

Pray: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

“O Come Emmanuel” How often, during this sacred Advent time, do we sing, pray and utter these words? What meaning do they have for us in 2025 that is different from all past Advents? Are they merely a liturgical re-run every December, or are they new and challenging words that take on a new meaning as we grow in age, wisdom and grace? 

Emmanuel comes from many sources: From within and from outside of us. Do we have Advent courage to face what has hardened in us?

• Broken relationships that have fragmented our lives?
• Judgements against one another that we will not let go of?
• Traumas that we cling to because forgiveness is too difficult?
• Our sense of superiority that we hold on to because we like feeling special?

Are we willing to look deep within, face the truth of who we are and allow Emmanuel to surface and liberate us from within?

Emmanuel comes from outside of us as well:

• Do we thank the stranger who holds the door for us?
• Do we greet the cashier in the supermarket who would light up if we said hello and spoke her/his name written on their printed tag?
• Do we wave a “thanks” to those who pick up the trash or drive the recycling trucks?
  

  Sister Ann-Marie Nadeau

• Do we really see the beauty of racial and ethnic cultures, or do we allow fear and avoidance to surface or worse, invisibility?
• How open and transparent are we in the decisions we make, both as individuals and as a Community/Congregation?

Emmanuel awaits us. What are we waiting for?

—Submitted by Sister Anne-Louise Nadeau, SNDdeN for the U.S./SNDdeN Anti-Racism Team

The Joy of God’s Love

The following message by Sister Eileen Cassidy, SNDdeN was provided by the SNDdeN Congregational Mission Office:

Read: Matthew 11:2-11

Reflect: Today’s Advent hope breaks into joy. The opening words of the Mass invite us to Rejoice in the Lord Always [for] “the Lord is near.”

In today’s first reading, the prophet Isaiah addresses the Israelites in a dark period of their history, and he describes an unimaginable transformation of their situation, which will be brought about by God, who comes to save you. He calls for confidence in God’s transforming action, which will bring wholeness to the people so that the lame will walk, the blind will see, etc. Likewise, the apostle James addresses Christians who are possibly despondent at the delayed second coming of Christ. Like Isaiah, James encourages the people to have faith in this coming and, in the meantime, to prepare for it with patience and by living as Jesus taught them.

Read more: SNDdeN Congregational Mission Office

From the Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (U.S. East-West Province)

This week, let’s focus on building meaningful connections with others. Take a moment to read this week’s reflection and be inspired to reach out, share kindness, and be an agent of peace on behalf of our good God.

Joy and the Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

Read: Luke 1:5-25

Reflect: In today’s Gospel reading, Zechariah and Elizabeth lived with the pain of barrenness—a social stigma in their time. In many ways, Elizabeth’s experience mirrors the struggles of those who feel forgotten: families in poverty, the elderly and the sick. Catholic Social Teaching calls us to prioritize these voices, to uplift them and to celebrate the wisdom they offer. Preferential option is not mere sentiment; it is active solidarity.

Take Action: Take time to reflect on your own social action. How do you uplift the voices of those who are poor and vulnerable? How can we organize our social action efforts to include and prioritize the voices most directly impacted?

Pray: “Teach Me to Listen”

Seeing Shoots of Green

This week’s message, from Sister Edithann Kane, SNDdeN, was provided by the SNDdeN Congregational Mission Office:

Read: Matthew 3:1-12

Reflect: Imagine this: You are walking through a forest, or along a tree-lined street. And then you see a tree stump, looking lifeless. You get closer, take another look, and you see shoots of green growing out of this seemingly dead stump, or up its side. What a great symbol of hope Isaiah offers, and then describes the many amazing ways things will change for the better. It’s a wonderful message for our times when there is so much injustice, ruthlessness, and conflict everywhere.

Read more: SNDdeN Congregational Mission Office

From the Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (U.S. East-West Province)

This week, let’s focus on building meaningful connections with others. Take a moment to read this week’s reflection and be inspired to reach out, share kindness, and be an agent of peace on behalf of our good God.

Peace and Solidarity

Read: “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

Reflect: It is hard not to be afraid, especially during a time of great uncertainty and instability in our world. But the Gospel’s eternal message, “Do not be afraid,” is a guiding force in our pursuit of justice. Even in the most challenging moments, God is with us and for us, and God’s voice will lead us forward.

Take Action: Sometimes the greatest gift we can give someone is a little bit of hope. Take the time to learn someone’s name today. Whether it is someone you encounter in a service or volunteer opportunity, or someone you pass on the street whom you might be tempted to overlook. These small moments of encounter can bring us closer to one another in peace and solidarity.

Pray: Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Climate Change’s Effect on the Poor

The following message by Sister Lucyane R. Diniz, SNDdeN was provided by the SNDdeN Congregational Mission Office:

Read: Matthew 24:37-44

Reflect: It is Advent season! It is a time of hope! It is a time of renewal! It is interesting that this new liturgical season comes now, this year, after COP 30, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, where the world came to experience these changes here, in the backyard of the Amazon, in the city of Belém in the state of Pará, northern Brazil.

It was surprising how outsiders who saw our daily lives for the first time, with their look of surprise, made us see the ordinary as extraordinary: the mangoes falling in the streets, the Amazonian rain in the afternoon with all its strength, and the heat and humidity, sensations that can only be experienced here. The eyes of others on our daily lives made us see something so common with a different perspective, one of surprise.

Read more: SNDdeN Congregational Mission Office

From the Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (U.S. East-West Province)

During Advent, we encourage you to dive deeper into your spirituality as it relates to thoughts, attitudes and actions toward our neighbors who are vulnerable. Please enjoy this week’s reflection and be inspired to go forward as an agent of hope for our good God.

Hope and Justice

Read: Isaiah 2:1–5

Reflect: Living in hope does not mean abdicating our responsibility to one another. Instead, these scriptures call us to advocate with the most vulnerable while spreading the joy of our faith. As we begin the new liturgical year, how can we live with a spirit of hope, even as we advocate against injustice in the world today?

Take Action: Write a letter to your elected officials advocating for the humane treatment of immigrants, who play such a vital role in our community. Consider supporting a local immigrant aid organization during this Advent Season.

Pray: A Pope’s Prayer for Immigrants

Our series on Practicing Respect Across Difference continues this week.

Deep listening is an act of faith.

Polarization has been rising for decades, but it seems worse now than ever before. Polling from Pew Research Center has demonstrated that our country is more divided now than ever before. In 2022, 72% of Republicans and 63% of Democrats said that they viewed the opposing party as more immoral than other Americans. In this time especially, authentic listening is not just a skill; it is an act of faith in the goodwill of one another.

This week, take some time to discern your media diet, or even look at websites or TV programs that you do not normally visit. How do internet algorithms and 24-hour news cycles impede our ability to see outside our own “bubble”? How can we disrupt this cycle?

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. Peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Read more on our Practicing Respect Across Difference series page.

The following message by Sister Patricia Gribbin, SNDdeN was provided by the Congregational Mission Office:

Read: Matthew 17: 1-9

Reflect: Ben was a delightful child. His cheerful, outgoing personality endeared him to everyone. His sparkling eyes would light up a room as soon as he came in, but sadly, they did not enable Ben to see the world around him. He was blind due to neurological damage at birth. Ben also had cerebral palsy and learning difficulties.

One day, Ben was brought to my office as he had been swearing. He got himself comfortable in a chair and was smiling from ear to ear – seemingly unaware that he was in trouble. Trying to restore a measure of seriousness, I said sternly, “Ben, do you know why you are here?” Oblivious of the fact that I knew of his inappropriate behaviour, he replied in all innocence, “Because you like me!”

“Yes, Ben, I DO like you,” I said (trying all the time not to laugh), “and it’s because I do that we have to talk. . .”

This reflection continues at SNDdeN International website. 

The following message by Sister Helen Bellew, SNDdeN was provided by the SNDdeN Congregational Mission Office:

Read: Matthew 4:1-11

Reflect: Matthew’s gospel sets the scene for this story and offers more detail than either Mark or Luke.  After forty days in the desert, Jesus was hungry.  I imagine that he was hot and tired as well.  Jesus was fully human as well as fully Divine, therefore He would have experienced all of the effects of that extended time in physically challenging surroundings, in addition to the mental and emotional effects of that length of time in isolation.  In this state of vulnerability, Jesus was tempted by the devil multiple times, in ways that would seriously hinder His Mission – His Mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and to teach us by His Word and by His example how to love and how to care for each other.

The first two readings enhance our understanding and appreciation of the meaning of Jesus’ encounter with evil. The Genesis reading illustrates the introduction of evil into the human experience and how humans responded to temptation. In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul connects the Genesis reading to Jesus experience of the evil one: “Just as through one transgression, condemnation came upon all, so, through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all.  For just as through the disobedience of the one man, Adam, the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of the one, Jesus, the many will be made righteous.”

This reflection continues at SNDdeN International website. 

The following message by Sister Betty Smoyer, SNDdeN was originally published by the SNDdeN Congregational Mission Office: 

Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18

We walk together into Lent today. At each day’s news, our hearts and souls lie in pieces on the floor. We see the walls towering before us. And yet, we walk together into Lent today. We carry the sinful burden of systemic “othering” of one another. Anger and hatred accompany us. Their offspring, Fear, withers Love in the space within and between us.

“The human heart is the most important frontier to conquer in the struggle for human dignity. Once the heart is softened, shifts in social norms are seen as logical and rational.”
— “Across That Bridge,” p. 97, by John Lewis

******

Find a pause in the rhythm of your life. Sit quietly. Slowly read the following passages. Which one(s) shimmer in your heart? Pick one of the shimmering phrases and sit with it for a while in the quiet. Repeat it during your day. Say it before you go to sleep tonight and when you wake up in the morning. Carry it with you for the rest of this week, for the rest of Lent.

This reflection continues at SNDdeN International website.

Help us pull back
From mindless consuming,
From endless spending,
To fast from buying things,
So we may have space and time
To be present to the Spirit.

Help us to open our hands.
To let go of material goods,
To breathe slowly,
And recognize the abundance
Of grace and goodness
We are freely given.

May our fasting from wanting more
Sharpen our awareness
Of the needs of others;
May the hunger to be more
Rather than to have more
Restore us to wholeness.

May our fasting from consuming
Bring us a peace and joy
That is more lasting than material goods,
And that allows us to be free,
With hands and hearts open,
Seeing the value of every human person.

Amen

-Jane Deren, Ph.D.

You Lord, you have loved us.
You have bowed before us,
Washed our feet and fed us hope with
your words.
You have showed us in your body,
With your hands and heart,
How to return the favor of your love.
We are to bend in respect and honor
before all others,
Caring for them and their needs as
completely
And as intimately as you have done with
each of us.
Lord, you stay with us now,
Telling us to look into the face of every
other person
And see your face mirrored back to us.
Let us recognize each one’s dignity,
And bend before each person, tending to
their needs,
Encouraging them, being gentle and
strong with them.
Let us bless you in gratitude
By drawing everyone closer
And deeper into your presence among us.
Lord, make us one with them in you
As you are One in your community of the
Three.

Amen

-Dr. Megan McKenna

Fast from judging others;
Feast on Christ dwelling in them.
Fast from fear of illness;
Feast on the healing power of God.
Fast from words that pollute;
Feast on speech that purifies.
Fast from discontent;
Feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger;
Feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism;
Feast on hope.
Fast from negatives;
Feast on encouragement.
Fast from bitterness;
Feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern;
Feast on compassion.
Fast from suspicion;
Feast on truth.
Fast from gossip;
Feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from problems that overwhelm;
Feast on prayer that sustains.
Fast from anxiety;
Feast on faith.

-Author Unknown

Listen and look to the earth,
to the gift of Creation.
In spite of present cold and the darkness,
The winter will be nearing its end,
And the light will warm us again,
As we move through Lent
Toward the Light who is our salvation.
Even now in the dark earth,
hidden seeds are growing, moving,
Reaching toward the hope of a Spring,
Just as Easter moves us forward,
Calling us to the work of inner renewal
So we may be strengthened for the work of
our day,
The renewal of hearts, the renewal of
community,
The renewal of our common home.
Guide us in these weeks ahead,
Loving Lord of Resurrection;
Draw us forward despite our pain and fear,
May we learn, like the barren trees,
To blossom again, to bear fruit,
To praise you by our lives,
Continuing the great work of justice, of
peace.

Amen.

-Jane Deren, Ph.D.