Conversion of souls
Loving God, I share a spark of Your desire for the lasting happiness and peace of other people. I desire the efficacy of Your priests and believers who are You working through us in human form.
However, You alone breathe life into our prayer and service. You alone make our concern fruitful and our efforts full of faith, hope, and blessing.
Therefore, I trust You, our God, to be the petition and the fulfilment of what otherwise remains as futile toil, meaningless words, and lifeless hope. I trust to Your grace in my efforts and prayers. Let Your kingdom come.
Creation and hope
Dear God, You created an immense universe with innumerable galaxies. On one small planet in a huge galaxy, You gave everlasting souls to human creatures to share in Your life. Thank You for this wondrous gift! You gave us free will to accept or reject Your love, but many live as intelligent animals intended only for this world—causing spiritual malaise.
Have mercy on those who, seeing the resultant evil and pain, reject You in doubt and sorrow. Let Your mercy prevail over the pleasant distractions of this world, and its difficulties and sorrows.
Loving God, have mercy on planet Earth and its inhabitants. Do not let it be spoiled or destroyed, until the time ordained for Earth to “pass away.” As Saint Paul tells us, “all creation is struggling in the great act of trying to be reborn” and the time will come “when the lion and the lamb lay down together.” May all welcome this rebirth, of the “new heavens and new earth” that You promise. In our trials and sufferings, let us find You, our God. Let Your love triumph over all.
Much sorrow and damage is caused by human selfishness, but although there is beauty and wonder, tragedy and cruelty also characterise Creation. There are beautiful creatures but also many species that kill others on every continent and in the seas, as part of ‘the balance of nature’.
Behold my sorrow when creatures, including humans, inflict fear, pain, and death upon other species in order to feed their children and themselves. God have pity on all aware beings, even those with vestigial consciousness.
I am distressed when suffering in human and in animal realms confront me—and when I face evidence of destructive mismanagement of resources causing ruined countryside, loss of native species, or proliferation of imported feral creatures.
Yet observe dear God our love and protectiveness for the animals that You created. Some exhibit loyalty, obedience and affection for us. Animals draw us to kindness and touch what is childlike in us. Their devotion surely issues from Your Love. Bless us for their sake also, and bless them.
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