Celebrant: We embrace the gentle yoke of the Lord Jesus, and as we serve Him, we bring our prayers to the Father through Him.

Deacon/Lector:

That the Church and her leaders may effectively call all who are burdened to come to Christ, in whom they will find true rest, we pray to the Lord...

For all who have are ill, and for all who care for them, that they may experience the healing mercy of the Lord, we pray to the Lord…

For all who find life burdensome because of a pregnancy they feel they cannot handle, that they embrace Christ and know His strength, we pray to the Lord…

For all who are facing difficult decisions, that the Holy Spirit may give them wisdom and courage, we pray to the Lord...

That the sick may be consoled and healed according to God's will, we pray to the Lord...

That the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead may purify our departed brothers and sisters of all their sins, we pray to the Lord...

Celebrant:

Father,
As you answer our prayers,
Grant that we may always reject evil
And live with the peace that comes
From following your Word.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

From a former abortion worker

"All [the clients] were told about the procedure itself was that they would experience slight cramping similar to menstrual cramps, and that was it. They were not told about the development of the baby. They were not told about the pain that the baby would be experiencing or the physical effects or the emotional effects that it would have on them. They had no idea who was going to be there to help them when they fell apart afterwards. They were taken into the room then, and, as I said, there was no counseling done. These women basically had no idea what they were getting themselves into." - Testimony of Deborah Henry, former Abortion Provider

Zec 9:9-10
Rom 8:9, 11-13
Mt 11:25-30

Click here for a video with homily hints

“His dominion” (First reading) is brought about through “the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead” (Second reading). It is the dominion of life over death, not only in our bodies (Second reading) but in our culture, institutions, laws and policies.

That Spirit dwells in us (Second reading). We, therefore, are life-givers! In fact, we will either spread life or death. There is no neutrality. It is an easier yoke (Gospel) to both embrace and spread life than death, because we were made that way. We were made to be life-givers.

The Son wishes to reveal the Father to us (Gospel) precisely through that Spirit. What do we learn when he does so reveal the Father? We find the revelation of ourselves – people of life, people of self-giving, people who can love like the Father loves!