EPS MINISTRY OF PRAYER

July 11, 2008

 Memorial of St. Benedict

“…prefer nothing whatever to Christ.”  (Rule of Benedict Ch. 72)

Suggested Opening Song:  We Walk by Faith (verses 1 and 2)

Silent Adoration (about 5 minutes)

Opening Psalm: Psalm   146

All:       Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Right:    My soul, give praise to the Lord;

I will praise the Lord all my days,

            make music to my God while I live.

All:       Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Left:     Put no trust in princes,

            in mortal men in whom there is no help.

            Take their breath, they return to clay

            and their plans that day come to nothing.

All:       Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Right:    He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God,

            whose hope is in the Lord his God,

            who alone made heaven and earth,

            the seas and all they contain.

All:       Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Left:     It is he who keeps faith for ever,

            who is just to those who are oppressed.

            It is he who gives bread to the hungry,

            the Lord, who sets prisoners free,

All:       Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Right:   The Lord who gives sight to the blind,

            who raises up those who are bowed down,

            the Lord, who protects the stranger

            and upholds the widow and orphan.

All:       Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Left:     It is the Lord who loves the just

            but thwarts the path of the wicked.

            The Lord will reign for ever,

            Zion’s God, from age to age.

All:       Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

First Reading:  Romans:  12:  9-13

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

The word of the Lord.

Pause a few minutes for silent reflection.

Intercessory Prayer
Please stand.

All pray together:

God of all goodness, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, may we be drawn into your communion with one another and with every person you have created as we lift up the life, mission and prayer of EPS in thanksgiving, praise and confident petition.

Please be seated for the general intercessions, responding in silence after each petition. 

General Intercessions

(Response to each petition: silent prayer; please pause between petitions.) 

1. Lord, we pray for the whole Church, especially for the dioceses and parishes associated with EPS. May our bishops, priests, lay people and religious support one another in faith and mission. For this coming Sunday as we celebrate World Day of Prayer for Vocations, we pray especially for an increase in vocations to the diaconate, to the priesthood, and to religious life.
    
2. We pray for all who believe in Christ, especially for Christians being persecuted for their faith. May we all be one!
    
3. We pray for people of other faiths, especially our Jewish and Muslim sisters and brothers. We pray also for people who have no faith. May we all work together for justice and peace in our world.
    
4. We pray for those who lack the basic necessities for a full human life. May they be blessed with food, clothing, shelter, medical supplies, education and meaningful work. May they experience love of God and love of neighbor. We pray that those who work to help them might persevere in courage and hope.
    
5. We pray for world peace, and especially for the troubled areas of the world. [Mention here any current crises in our own country and/or in the world.]
    
6. We pray for a reverence for life in all of its stages – to end abortion, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, capital punishment, and all that is contrary to “life in abundance.”  May Christ transform us and our culture.
    
7. We pray for those – at whatever stage – who are seeking direction in their lives. May young adults understand how God is calling them – to marriage, to the single life, to lay ministry, to the priesthood or religious life. And may we all respond to God’s daily call courageously and generously.
    
8. We pray, too, for couples having trouble starting families, that they will be blessed, and able to share their love with children.

We pray for young couples about to become parents – for safe deliveries, and for healthy babies.
 

We pray for parents, that they may raise their children in faith and love.
 

9. We pray for all who are under financial stress – those who are seeking work, negotiating important financial transactions; for those who are selling or buying homes, or moving from one place to another.
    
10. We pray for all the needs of our families. Some of those requested are:
     

For the healing of troubled marriages
 

For understanding between parents and their children

For reconciliation between family members

For broken relationships and the grace of forgiveness

For the return to the Sacraments of family members and friends alienated from the Church
 

For family members struggling with addictions

For the well being and success of our children – at home, at school, in their marriages, families and careers.
 

11. For those who bear the burden of illness – their own or the illness of a loved one:
     

For care givers, especially those who are lonely and disheartened

For elderly parents and spouses who are ill or disabled

For small children, teenagers and young parents with life-threatening illnesses

For all who are preparing for or recuperating from surgery

For people recently diagnosed with cancer, and those suffering the effects of chemotherapy

For those still adjusting to a new way of life in the wake of stroke, cancer or serious illness

For victims of AIDS and those who care for them

For doctors, nurses, and all professional care givers

For medical researchers, that their work will bear fruit in a cure for AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases

For the elderly, especially those who are lonely or depressed

For all who minister to the sick and dying

For all who are close to death this day.

The Leader will invite you to mention your own intentions for the sick.
 

12. For all those recently deceased, and for those who mourn them.
     

We have been asked to pray for the following:

(After the Leader reads these names, s/he will invite you to mention any other recent deaths.)
 

After these petitions, all pray together:

Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.
 

13. In thanksgiving to the good God for favors received –

The Leader will invite you to express your gratitude for recent favors.

14. For our EPS family, in thanksgiving and hope. Lord, we pray:
     

For our students, graduates, faculty, trustees, and staff, and their families – in Connecticut, New York, Washington, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Florida, Madison, Fargo, Rome and London
 

For God’s guidance for our president, Dr. McCarty
 

For the parishes and dioceses we serve – their bishops, priests, deacons, lay leaders, staff members, and all of their ministries
 

For all of our benefactors, living and deceased
 

Members of our EPS Board, our Legacy Club, and our Monthly Donors Club
 

For all who contribute their time, talent or treasure
 

Administrators and trustees of foundations, parishes, dioceses and religious communities that support EPS
 

For those at a distance who are in communion with our prayer before the Blessed Sacrament here today.
 

The Leader closes the General Intercessions with:

…For all these intentions, and for the intentions that remain in our hearts, we pray to You with confidence in your compassionate love.  Amen.

The general intercessions are followed by a period of silent prayer.  (about 20 minutes)  

Second Reading:           Matthew 16:  24-27

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Silent prayer of thanksgiving  (about 10 minutes)

Closing Prayer

Lord, your servant, Benedict, blessed in name and grace, lived a holy life, faithful to Christ’s pattern of poverty and humility. May his prayers help us to live in fidelity to our calling and bring us to the perfection you have shown us in your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Closing Song: We Walk by Faith (verses 2 and 3)