Reading 1 Jas 5:13-20
Is anyone among you suffering?
He should pray.
Is anyone in good spirits?
He should sing a song of praise.
Is anyone among you sick?
He should summon the presbyters of the Church,
and they should pray over him
and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will save the sick person,
and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another
and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
Elijah was a man like us;
yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,
and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land.
Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain
and the earth produced its fruit.
My brothers and sisters,
if anyone among you should stray from the truth
and someone bring him back,
he should know that whoever brings back a sinner
from the error of his way will save his soul from death
and will cover a multitude of sins.
Responsorial Psalm PS 141:1-2, 3 and 8
O LORD, to you I call; hasten to me;
hearken to my voice when I call upon you.
Let my prayer come like incense before you;
the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
O LORD, set a watch before my mouth,
a guard at the door of my lips.
For toward you, O God, my LORD, my eyes are turned;
in you I take refuge; strip me not of life.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
Alleluia See Mt 11:25
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mk 10:13-16
People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them,but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”
Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
PRAY DAY, PRAY DAY
"They in turn are to pray over him." –James 5:14
The Christians addressed by James were divided and lukewarm. They needed help desperately. After dealing with an array of problems, the author came to the conclusion that the best thing to do would be to pray. He reiterates: "If anyone among you is suffering hardship, he must pray" (Jas 5:13). "This prayer uttered in faith will reclaim the one who is ill" (Jas 5:15). "Pray for one another, that you may find healing. The fervent petition of a holy man is powerful indeed. Elijah was only a man like us, yet he prayed earnestly" (Jas 5:16-17).
Pray for those suffering, sick, or strayed (Jas 5:19), but whatever you do, PRAY. Pray as if your life depended on it. Pray when you feel like it and when you don't feel like it. Pray always and never lose heart (Lk 18:1). "Never cease praying" (1 Thes 5:17).
Mary at Fatima, Pope St. John Paul II at Rome, Bl. Mother Teresa in Calcutta, and other prophets all said the same thing: the Church must once again become a "house of prayer" (Is 56:7).
Jesus is praying at the right hand of the Father (Heb 7:25). The Spirit will help us join Him in prayer (Rm 8:26). Pray!
| PRAYER: | Lord, may I "pray in the Spirit" at every opportunity (Eph 6:18; 1 Cor 14:15). |
| PROMISE: | "He embraced them and blessed them, placing His hands on them." –Mk 10:16 |
| PRAISE: | St. Christopher gave absolution to his executioners and then prayed, "I ask God that the shedding of my blood serves toward the peace of our divided Mexico." |
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