Do you know how important prayers of intercession are to God? One look at the Lord’s Prayer may be all you need. In that prayer, Jesus taught us to ask for many important things: for people to see God’s glory and worship Him; for people to embrace God’s plan; for God to give us our daily bread; to forgive our sins; and to protect us from the evil one. What’s more Jesus followed this prayer with the promise that if we ask, we will receive (Lk. 11:9). Intercession is so valuable that even Jesus prayed that way. At the Last Supper, just hours before He died, He prayed for His apostles and for us; for our protection, for the grace to resist temptation; for our sanctification and for our unity (Jn.17:9-21). Persistence is at the heart of intercessory prayer as seen in the parable (Lk. 11:5-13) where it was midnight and a neighbour asks for help but the other man does not want to get out of bed and the man eventually gets up and helps his neighbour because of his persistence. Two other stories give us a similar message. In Luke 18: 1-8 the widow pestered a judge until he granted her demands and Jesus said the judge ruled in her favour because she was wearing him out and in Mt. 15: 21-28 a woman’s daughter needed healing but because she was a pagan Jesus seemed unwilling to help. Finally He responded “O woman great is your faith, let it be done as you wish.”
During Lent you are encouraged to build on your own personal faith journey through daily Mass; scripture reading and reflection: daily meditation and examination of conscience; praying the rosary; visits to the Blessed Sacrament (Tuesday Adoration from 1-5p.m.); Stations of the Cross; fasting and a sacrificial offering to Share Lent.
OUR LENTEN SCHEDULE
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday Mass at 7:30a.m.
Tuesday and Thursday Mass at 12:10p.m.
Friday, March 2nd 7p.m. – Lenten Musical Reflection with John Miller & Friends