Prayer Before Serving the Poor and the Sick

Almighty Father, we praise you for the wonderful gift of life, creation, and history. In your love, you created the world to manifest your goodness, glory and power. We thank you for calling us to communion with you and for making us stewards of your creation. In your grace you continue to bless our history with life and love.

As we welcome the blessing of this new day, we see it as another sign of your Divine Providence at work in our lives. God of grace and salvation, you did not hesitate to entrust your Son to a sinful world. You did not pursue the work of redemption from afar or from some distant eternity, but chose to engage yourself in our lives and embrace our history with all its incompleteness. Come now, we humbly invite you, touch our brokenness and make us whole again in the splendor of your eternal love and truth.

Loving Father, show us the human face of Jesus today Jesus, wrapped in countless frail bodies; Jesus, hidden in wounded hearts; Jesus, suffering in troubled souls.

Eternal Word of the Father, send us to proclaim the Good News of your Resurrection. Bread of Life, give us the honor to break bread with the hungry today. Living Water, lead us to give drink to thirsty souls or weary bodies, so that, filled with your Eucharistic love, they may find faith in the face of doubt and fear, comfort in times of illness and pain, and hope in moments of impending death. As we serve you in the poor and the sick today, may we restore in them their sense of freedom and dignity in being called children of God. May our humble service to them open their eyes of faith to see even just a ray of your Easter glory, so that, in the radiance of your grace, they may give thanks not to us but to you, and, as we journey with them, we shall glorify none but you.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, you never abandon the lost and the lowest, the last and the least. As we minister to your suffering people, give us faith in your Divine Providence. Sow in us some seeds of hope in your promised Beatitude. Fill us with love and humility as we wipe your Most Holy Face broken by human selfishness and pride, disfigured by illness and sin. Make us bearers of Your unbounded mercy, forgiveness and compassion that we may once more teach the world and show to a redeemed people the one undivided mystery of Your Son’s suffering, death and resurrection. Bless us with numerous and dedicated companions in our journey that we may continue to be a blessing to Your pilgrim Church. Jesus, our Risen Lord, as you breathed the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, so now animate us with the same life-giving breath of your Spirit. As you sent them out to preach the gospel, so now send us on a mission of peace and forgiveness.

In the power of the same Spirit, renew our hearts and cleanse our souls. Fill us with the living water of baptismal grace that we may draw peace and joy from the inexhaustible wellspring of salvation. Come, Spirit of fortitude and wisdom, anoint us with the oil of divine election, that we may strengthen the poor and comfort the sick with the same strength and wisdom bestowed upon your holy Church throughout the ages. As you descended like tongues of fire upon the apostles, so now enkindle in our hearts the living flame of charity that we may serve your flock with purity of heart and fervor of spirit. Spirit of life and love, inspire us to give witness to your healing presence in our own little way and in your own great way.

As we sow the seeds of renewal among the poor and the sick, may they experience the power of your saving grace so that, with them, we may joyfully harvest the fruits of a new Pentecost in time and in eternity.

This we humbly ask in the Most Holy Name of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, the Wounded Healer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Health of the Sick, pray for us.

St. Joseph, the Worker, pray for us.

St. Ezekiel Moreno, pray for us.

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us.

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