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Time for Prayer and Reflection

peacepolebanner.pngPRAYER IN RESPONSE TO VIOLENCE
UVALDE, TEXAS
May, 2022

Gracious God,
We, your people, are distraught.
We pray in distress and anguish.
We pray for the precious lives that you have created
that have been destroyed in senseless violence.
We lament the lives lost, injured, or affected in any way by the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
We lament the need to post another prayer about senseless violence.
We pray for the dead, for their families and friends grieving their loss.
We have seen too much disregard of precious lives.
We pray to see the violence end. 

May our bitter tears be more than a momentary act of remembering.
May our tears lead to action.
May our leaders listen to the cries of the poor and mourning families.
May we see leaders of our cities, states, and our country embrace the courage to make the changes necessary to end senseless gun violence.
May all of us have the courage to speak the truth of the preciousness of life and challenge our leaders to lead us to life.

Give us your wisdom.
Give us your courage.
Give us common sense.
Let our prayer of lament turn to action.
God of life,
come to our aid.

Amen.

mary.pngPRAYER FOR THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE

Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.  

Isaiah 2:3–4

God of peace,
Your people today fail to keep your command to solve disagreements with nonviolence.
Lives are being lost in Ukraine as we pray this day.
Many suffer injuries from the assault.
We lament. We mourn. We cry for civilians and troops alike.
We fail to understand why the Russian government feels compelled to invade.
We look to you out of helplessness, trusting that only you can work in the hearts of those who seek power with no regard for human life.
Teach us your path.
Give us hope that peace and love will prevail quickly.
Grant safety to all.
May all of us do our part–even in small ways, like making our own hearts peaceful in our relationships with others.
Hear our prayers for peace, O Lord. Amen.

Noon Prayer

Were you able to join the campus community in prayer at Noon last semester? Maybe you were unable to join because the time/day didn't work with your schedule. Now you can explore these differing formats of prayer anytime it is convenient for you. The past "Noon Prayer" experiences are now on the University's YouTube channel under the Noon Prayer playlist.

Explore Noon Prayer on YouTube

The Three O'Clock Prayer

We invite faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends to pray the Marianist Three O’Clock prayer daily (in your own time zone). This is a prayer of spiritual unity and solidarity for the Marianist family.  Marianist communities all over the world interrupt their work and study at 3pm daily to express communion with Mary and the Beloved disciple, who are closely united with Jesus on the cross.  Choose this version of the prayer, or pray in a way that you choose.

Join in prayer

University of Dayton Psalter

A Breviary for Marianist Student Communities and other students at prayer.

View Psalter

Prayers

O Mary,

you always shine on our path

as a sign of salvation and of hope.

We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,

who at the cross took part in Jesus' pain, keeping your faith firm.

You, Salvation of the Roman People,

know what we need,

and we are sure you will provide

so that, as in Cana of Galilee,

we may return to joy and to feasting

after this time of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love,

to conform to the will of the Father

and to do as we are told by Jesus,

who has taken upon himself our sufferings

and carried our sorrows

to lead us, through the cross,

to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.

Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of we who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.


Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.” At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.

Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.

Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.

Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.

Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.

Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.

Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.

Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace. 

Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.

Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.

Jesus Christ, heal us.

Kerry Weber

Kerry Weber is an executive editor for America.


May we who are merely inconvenienced
Remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors
Remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home
Remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close
Remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips
Remember those that have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market
Remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home
Remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country,
Let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other,
Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.
Amen