Merciful God, please relieve the suffering of our brothers and sisters, in illness, mental anguish or confusion, relationship troubles, and sickness or death of loved ones. Please give them loving companionship and understanding, and practical help where possible.
Dearest God, in Your plan of salvation, You permit our sharing in the suffering that You bore for our sins…in order to awaken repentance…in reparation for anyone’s offences…or to sanctify through affliction. Yet I entreat that sufferers may not endure an instant longer or of a degree more intense than needed. Where mine or another’s prayer and love can attain what is required, by calling upon the vast treasury of saints and martyrs, the intercession of angels, and Your own infinite merit—then Jesus I implore You to allow this.
You promise that no one will be burdened beyond endurance. Yet what extreme of sorrow can be endured beneath this limit! Pain is always relevant and a tormented moment may seem an eternity, as Jesus the supreme sufferer knows so well! Therefore, except where Your purpose is endangered, please spare us the cup of suffering and allow mine and others’ salvation be wrought through divine grace, in prayer, in humble trust and generous love rather through anguish.
Yet, not as we desire, but Your divine will be accomplished! If this is to be fulfilled through suffering—for how can we in our sinfulness hope to escape what You in Your innocence do not—then please grant us perseverance in our privileged sharing in Your sacrifice.
United with You let us trustingly give all, so that sanctified in You, our lives serve the highest purpose of divine will. Lead us, with peace and spiritual joy, to penetrate the mysteries of this redemptive suffering shared in Jesus, our God and brother!
Our God, I will keep them all in my prayers and Masses always. Help me to pray the best I can for them, and please multiply my small loaves and fishes of prayer for whoever needs them.
