Celebrant: We offer these prayers from deep within our hearts, asking God to be present to all those in need.

Deacon/Lector:

That Church leaders throughout the world continue to call all people to holiness, we pray to the Lord… 

That God's people, who proclaim that death has been conquered in Christ, may be active in defending His gift of life, we pray to the Lord... 

That those who work for peace and struggle for justice will bring the message of salvation to our world, we pray to the Lord… 

That we may work to save orphaned children throughout the world, and especially those who are abused or neglected, we pray to the Lord… 

For our beloved dead, especially our family and friends., that they rise with Christ to new life, we pray to the Lord…

Celebrant:

Generous God,
hear the prayers of your people and comfort us in our need. 
We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Cardinal Bernardin on Life

"Not all values, however, are of equal weight. Some are more fundamental than others. I wish to emphasize that no earthly value is more fundamental than human life itself. Human life is the condition for enjoying freedom and all other values. Consequently, if one must choose between protecting or serving lesser human values that depend upon life for their existence and life itself, human life must take precedence. Today the recognition of human life as a fundamental value is threatened. Nowhere is this clearer than in the case of elective abortion." (Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, "Deciding for Life," October 1, 1989).

Wis 6:12-16
1 Thes 4:13-18 or 4:13-14
Mt 25:1-13

View a video with homily hints

The second reading today reminds us that “Christ died and rose again.” This, of course, is the basis for the pro-life efforts of the Church. We stand with life and proclaim life precisely because we stand with and proclaim Christ, who conquered the power of death. His resurrection does not simply conquer his death. It conquers ours, because it overthrows the entire kingdom of death. Therefore, in a radical sense, the power of abortion has already been defeated in Christ. We, the People of Life, have the task of announcing that victory, celebrating it, and serving it. We must apply it to every sector of society. This work is to be done with confidence, because victory is our starting point. In the pro-life cause, we are not just working for victory; we are working from victory.

The lesson of vigilance that comes from the Gospel can be applied to the constant vigilance that we as individuals and as a nation must keep over the sacredness of life, not allowing anything into our attitudes, actions, laws, or public policies that degrades or denies the right to life.