Over the past months, we have been wrestling with whether or not to continue offering together A Prayer in Time of Pandemic to conclude the Prayers of the Faithful. When, thanks to the development of the various vaccines, the tsunami portion of COVID-19 passed, we thought the time to cease the practice might have arrived. As we know, however, the waves kept coming. It is true that they were not as severe nor as frequent. Still, just when it seemed as we had come through the pandemic, another series of waves descended on us.  

Nonetheless, we wondered if ending the practice might signal that we had moved into a new normal. In my mind, I thought Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, the beginning of Holy Week would be an appropriate time. Better still, perhaps, Easter Sunday’s celebration of New Life would be ideal. And yet, the horrible virus remained alive, too. Therefore, a stoppage of prayer no longer seemed to be a wise decision.

A few years ago, I was asked to go to the hospital and identify a body. Sadly, it was a friend of ours who had overdosed. The woman who escorted me to the morgue said to me, “It is a pandemic,” and then, “suicides, too.” The mass murder of the 19 children in Uvalde, Texas – on the heels of the mass murders in Buffalo, NY and, seemingly, everywhere – reminded me of that conversation. Russia’s criminal attack on Ukraine is abhorrent. As is the violence and death in Haiti and Ethiopia and Syria and across the planet. This week, a report was released stating that after three decades of decline the number of abortions increased 8% from 2017-2020. The Coronavirus is not the only pandemic we are confronting. Maybe we should rename it A Prayer in the Time of Pandemics and make it a permanent part of the Mass. Or, I have taken to praying it with an inclusion of an expanded notion of the pandemics which threaten us and our loved ones.

At some point, we will return to the traditional ending of the universal prayer. When that time arrives, we will continue to pray – as we do now – for those who are suffering and for those who are working to end suffering. We will pray that God’s loving protection will deliver us from every trial. We will pray for the grace to endure and to overcome. We will pray knowing the truth of what St. John Paul II taught us: It is suffering, more than anything else, which clears the way for the grace which transforms human souls. Suffering, more than anything else makes present in the history of humanity the powers of the Redemption.

In Christ’s Peace,
Fr John Madden

In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine,
and being a priest of God Most High,
he blessed Abram with these words:
            "Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
                        the creator of heaven and earth;
            and blessed be God Most High,
                        who delivered your foes into your hand."
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand
            till I make your enemies your footstool."
R You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
            "Rule in the midst of your enemies."
R You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

"Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
            before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you."
R You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
            "You are a priest forever, according to the order of  Melchizedek."
R You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

Brothers and sisters:
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,
took bread, and, after he had given thanks,
broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Sequence
Lo! the angel’s food is given
To the pilgrim who has striven;
            see the children’s bread from heaven,
            which on dogs may not be spent.

Truth the ancient types fulfilling,
Isaac bound, a victim willing,
            Paschal lamb, its lifeblood spilling,
            manna to the fathers sent.

Very bread, good shepherd, tend us,
Jesu, of your love befriend us,
            You refresh us, you defend us,
            Your eternal goodness send us
In the land of life to see.

You who all things can and know,
Who on earth such food bestow,
            Grant us with your saints, though lowest,
            Where the heav’nly feast you show,
Fellow heirs and guests to be. Amen. Alleluia.

Alleluia
I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord;
whoever eats this bread will live forever.

Gospel: Luke 9

Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God,
and he healed those who needed to be cured.
As the day was drawing to a close,
the Twelve approached him and said,
"Dismiss the crowd
so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms
and find lodging and provisions;
for we are in a deserted place here."
He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves."
They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have,
unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people."
Now the men there numbered about five thousand.
Then he said to his disciples,
"Have them sit down in groups of about fifty."
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then taking the five loaves and the two fish,
and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing over them, broke them,
and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And when the leftover fragments were picked up,
they filled twelve wicker baskets.

Most gracious Lord, we ask your blessing upon the Religious Education program of our beloved parish of St. John’s.  Please allow Your love and grace to flow freely and permeate the hearts and souls of our students and their families.  Holy Spirit allow your gifts of Wisdom, Knowledge, and Piety to flourish in our Catechists as they pass on the teachings of Your Church to our students.  Bless our volunteers for their generosity and loyalty which keeps our program operating properly. St. Joseph, intercede for our parents in this time so that they will recognize and accept their role as leaders of the Domestic Church. 

We praise and honor you our Triune God, Father, Son and Spirit.  Amen

St. Gemma Galgani, patron of students, pray for us.