<< Thursday, February 21, 2013 >>

St. Peter Damian

Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
View Readings

Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8

Matthew 7:7-12

LEAPING OVER THE EDGE

"My Lord, our King, You alone are God. Help me, who am alone and have no help but You, for I am taking my life in my hand." —Esther C:14-15

As Esther prayed to the Lord, she said that she was taking her life in her hand because she was about to go to the king without being invited. This act was punishable by death (Est 4:11, 16).

Likewise, we are living and praying in a life-or-death situation. We are endangered by "the terror of the night," "the arrow that flies by day," "the pestilence that roams in darkness," and "the devastating plague at noon" (Ps 91:5-6). Our opponent, the devil, who is "the prince of death" (Heb 2:14), and his destroying angels (see Rv 9:11) are "prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Pt 5:8). Our guardian angels have done a fantastic job to protect us from repeated attempts on our lives.

So pray as if your life depends on it, because it probably does. Fast and pray as if this Lent is your last one on earth. Fast and pray with utter trust in and abandonment to the Lord. We live and pray in the shadows of death (Ps 23:4, RSV-CE) but also on the threshold of entrance into the eternal life of heaven. Pray: "Now, Master, You can dismiss Your servant in peace" (Lk 2:29). "Father, into Your hands I commend My Spirit" (Lk 23:46).

Prayer: Father, "this is our accepted time, this is our salvation." May prayer and fasting be our hope. May penance be our vocation. (From the hymn This is Our Accepted Time.)

Promise: "If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to anyone who asks Him!" —Mt 7:11

Praise: St. Peter Damian came out of the monastery to bring renewal to the diocesan clergy, propagating devotion to Christ's Passion.

Prayer to End Abortion

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,
And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.

I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,
Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death
by the Resurrection of Your Son.

I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.
Today I commit myself
Never to be silent,
Never to be passive,
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.

I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,
And never to stop defending life
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
And our nation once again becomes
A nation with liberty and justice
Not just for some, but for all.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen!

One Bread, One Body

LEAPING OVER THE EDGE

Prayer to End Abortion