prayers of the faithful - 33rd week in Ordinary Time - 18 November 2022

Lord Jesus - you teach us how to pray. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to faith. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

With hearts united in prayer and hope, let us come before our gracious and loving Father with our needs:

1. For Pope Francis, Bishop Kopacz and all our Church leaders: that they may continue to gently guide us to the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit.  We want to pray especially for Bishop Kopacz and all the US Bishops attending their annual meeting this week.  

2. For those in health and public safety: that God will work through them to impart healing and strength to all who seek their assistance. 

3. For the poor and the suffering: that we may open our hearts to hear their cries and respond as the Lord’s hands and feet on earth. 

4. For married couples: that they may grow in true love, witnessing to God's intimate presence in their lives. 

5. For all who are sick: that God’s healing love may renew and strengthen them.                                                                                  

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed during this month of remembrance.  

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.  

Gracious God, we ask that you hear these prayers offered in humility and hope.  In your infinite wisdom, grant them according to your will. We ask this through you son, Christ our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

prayers of the faithful - 33rd week in Ordinary Time - 17 November 2022

Lord Jesus - you call us to faith. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to trust. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to hope. 

Priest: The Lord is at our side to support us.  Let us present our needs to God with confidence.

1. For all Christians, that they may be found ready when the Savior comes again in glory. 

2. For those who share the priesthood of Jesus, that they may be faithful ministers of God’s forgiveness. 

3. For people who live in fear or anxiety, that God’s consoling word may be their support.

4. For the bereaved, whether their loss was recent or many years ago, that in this month of remembrance they may find healing and peace. 

5. For those who suffer, in body, mind or spirit, that God’s powerful presence may help them to stand firm. 

6. For the faithful departed, that they may awake to everlasting life. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.  

Priest: O Lord, you are our portion and our cup, you support us all our days: hear the prayers we make for all your Church, though Christ our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

prayers of the faithful - 16 November 2022 - 33rd week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to repent. 

Christ Jesus - you forgive the sins of the contrite.  

Lord Jesus - you will come again in glory. 

We present our prayers to our heavenly Father with humble hearts: 

1.  For our Church leaders and our governmental leaders - may they lead us away from division and violence to unity and reconciliation.  

2. For those making new commitments: that God will fill with hope those getting married, becoming new parents, making religious profession, or entering new careers.  That God will guide them through all the joys and sorrows of life’s journey

3. For all who are in transition: that God will give them courage in facing the unknown, help them to recognize the gifts God has given them, and open them to new opportunities for growth and life

4. For all who have little hope: that God will open new opportunities for those who lack education, employment, healthcare, or safe housing and help them to move forward in faith

5. For displaced persons: that God will guide those who have fled violence, famine, or natural disasters, keep them safe from harm, and lead them to places of safety. 

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. For their entry into eternal life. 

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

We present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever.  

prayers of the faithful - Tuesday of the 33th week in ORDINARY TIME - 15 November 2022

Lord Jesus - you speak to us in God's holy word. 

Christ Jesus - you will come again in the end times. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us new life. 

Priest: Let us present our prayers to God, the shepherd who cares for all his flock:

1. For those in leadership roles in the Church, that they may show the kindness and sensitivity of the Good Shepherd. 

2. For leaders of governments and nations, that they may work for justice and truth. 

3. For those who have passed beyond this world, that they may dwell in the Lord’s house for ever. 

4. For all those are struggling with addictions and mental illness, for healing and wholeness for them. 

5. For the sick and shut-ins, for those who need healing in their lives - body, mind, or spirit. 

6. For our first responders, for the men and women in the military, for our medical professional.  In thanksgiving for the ways they serve the community.  

7. For the people we love — particularly those in need of support at this time, whom we remember in the silence of our hearts.  

Priest: Loving God, caring shepherd, you look after your people at every moment of their lives: Hear the prayers we make, in trust and faith, through Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen 

20 November 2022 - Solemnity of Christ the King - Prayers of the Faithful

Introduction: Pope Pius XI instituted the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe in 1925. Today, in this solemnity that marks the end of the liturgical year, we recognize Christ’s preeminence and pray for the day when peace and goodwill may forever overcome war and aggression.  

Lord Jesus, you reconcile the world to yourself through the blood of the cross. 

Christ Jesus, your kingdom last forever. 

Lord Jesus, you are the Messiah, our King, and our God. 

Priest: In our prayers, we call upon Jesus our King to answer our needs and the needs of all people around the world: 

1. For Pope Francis, Bishop Kopacz, and all bishops, that they may look to Christ the King as they guide us, the Body of Christ, to our ultimate destiny in the heavenly kingdom.  We pray to the Lord. 

2. For the leaders of nations, that they may approach their position of governance and power with humility and grace.  We pray to the Lord. 

3. That we all may work for greater justice in this country and around the world, especially for those oppressed by unjust leaders and systematic injustice.  We pray to the Lord. 

4. For healing and reconciliation in our broken relationships, that we may heed the call for repentance and redemption.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. For healing for the sick and shut-in in body, mind, and spirit.  For their families and caregivers.  We pray to the Lord.  

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.  For our deceased loved ones and family members who are enrolled in our book of remembrance.  We pray to the Lord.

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts, for all of our intentions spoken and unspoken.  We pray to the Lord. 

Priest:  Merciful God, we pray that you grant us the grace to choose to repent for our wrongs and to forgive those who have wronged us.  We present our prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.  

Reflection for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe - Holy Savior Catholic Church - Clinton MS - 20 November 2022

       As the time changed a couple of weeks ago, it gets dark much earlier in the day.  The weather is getting colder, as we had the first frost on our cars this past weekend.  We reach the end of our Church’s liturgical year this weekend as we celebrate Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.  Next weekend, we start the season of Advent and a new liturgical year as we prepare for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.  Most of us have very busy lives during most of the year.  The holiday season only gets busier.  Yet, as we celebrate Christ the King this weekend, we call to mind how we must live out the values of our faith every day of our lives and to prepare a place in our hearts and our lives as we commemorate the season of Advent.  

     We have enjoyed using our new parish hall.  We have had a baptism reception and wedding reception there already.  The youth and their families had a potluck dinner there this past Sunday to share a meal together and to give thanks together as we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving.  We also welcomed the newcomers to our parish with a luncheon there this past weekend.  We are very thankful for all the contributions and sacrifices our parishioners have made in order to make our parish hall a reality. 

     A couple of things I also want to mention: this upcoming week with our celebration of Thanksgiving, we will have Mass on Thanksgiving day at 9:00 am and Mass on Friday at 8:30 am.   Also, we are excited to announce that in addition to having a 5:00 pm Mass on Christmas Eve, which falls on a Saturday this year, we will also have a Midnight Mass as well.  I love the traditional Christmas Eve Midnight Mass and am so excited that we are going to celebrate Christmas in that special way here at Holy Savior this year. 

      Blessings to all of you.  Have a blessed week.  Father Lincoln.  

25 November 2016 - Friday of the 34th week in Ordinary Time - Luke 21:29-33

     We see signs around us in nature and in the world, sometimes they can predict or foreshadow what is going to happen next.  As Jesus says, when we see a fig tree in bloom, we know that summer is drawing near.  There are a lot of people, especially farmers, who rely on the weather predictions made in the Farmer’s Almanac.  This is what is says for this year for our part of the country: “(Much of the Southeast) will see frequent storms bringing cold rains and a wintry mix of wet snow, sleet, ice, freezing rain, as well as chilly temperatures.” Hopefully it will not be as bad as that description down here in Mississippi, but still, this forecast does not offer us a lot of consolation after our hot and humid Mississippi summer. Right before my favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, won this World Series in 2016, there was a cartoon circulating around the internet that showed two devils shivering and freezing in hell, huddled together in a warm blanket.  One devil was explaining to the other: “The Cubs are playing the Indians in the World Series.”  We Cubs fans have not seen our team in the World Series since then and perhaps we won't again in my lifetime.  We see signs here on earth that tell us things, but sometimes we miss the signs of God’s kingdom. Advent starts this upcoming Sunday, a time of preparation, planning, and waiting.  We are called to prepare for the birth of Jesus.  We are called to prepare always in our life of discipleship.  May we not miss God’s signs that he is sending to communicate to us.