Prayer For Peace

Peace Prayer
By Father Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry


O Lord Jesus Christ, Prince of peace, we cry out to you to put an end to the strife and destruction that is tearing apart this planet earth which our and your heavenly father, Almighty God, created.
All across this planet innocent men women and children of God are being slaughtered, starving and deprived of the basics of life because of mans determination for power, greed and control.
Even some religious denominations, which proclaim you as the messiah and redeemer, are being torn apart because of discrimination and the need to enforce man made rules created only to insure wealth, power and domination.
We beg you to intervene and send the Holy Spirit down upon all those individuals in positions of power, infusing within their hearts and minds the need to find ways to put to an end this destruction, discrimination, and desire for domination and end the needless suffering and pain being caused by their actions.
We come to you, Lord Jesus, because you have promised us peace with these words; “Peace I leave you, My peace I give unto you” (John 14:27) and we beg you to fulfill the promise of the Angels on the night of your birth “Glory to God in the Highest and Peace to His people on Earth” AMEN

Peace and Oneness Through Christ

Oneness and Peace in Christ
July 23rd Reflection on Ephesians 2:11-19

Ephesians 2: 11-19, One of the readings for Sunday twenty third of July is one of the moat affirming and welcoming passages that a person who might have doubts or questions could reflect on. It begins by reminding people that we were all considered outsiders. Today we find more and more people withdrawing into smaller and smaller groups and differing with others over petty an truly insignificant things. The world is being torn apart because of national differences and religious differences. Churches are being torn apart because of same sex unions, homosexual, woman and married priests, and families are being torn apart because of infidelity. We need to call to mind that remember that this is not something new as Paul reminds us with the following; “Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders by birth. You were called "the uncircumcised ones" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
This is something that we should keep in mind. Throughout history and in our everyday life, one group or another is or has been looked upon as an outsider by other groups or nations. I believe we all have experienced the feeling of “Not being one of the accepted ones”. Every Day we read about some group or another being excluded because “they are different”. This passages lets us know that the followers of Christ themselves were considered such, and today many still are because they do not conform to the man made rules.
Paul reminds the newly converted of Ephesus that those things only affect the body and not their hearts. It is our hearts and souls, the way we live that determins if we are outsiders or part of the accepted crowd.
The important thing to remember is that, if you totally accept Jesus Christ as your Redeemer and Savior and you live a life according to His teachings, you are not an outsider, at least not in God’s eyes. And isn’t that what really counts?
“But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ.”
“He has broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us.”
This part of the message is also very enlightening, and important in light of the events taking place in the Middle East. It explains Christ mission here on earth and as followers of Christ we are called to continue His purpose. “His purpose was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new person from the two groups.“
I feel that possibly that part of the message might have been left for us to fulfill. In fact I feel certain that it is our responsibility as followers and believers of Jesus message to work toward bring peace to all of God’s children, Muslims, Jew, Arab, Asian, Latino, Gay or straight, man and woman and all Who proclaim to believe in Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, the next part of the message seems to not have come to fulfillment, “
Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”
The next part of the letter of Paul reminds us that Our Bodies become a Temple for the Lord.
“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.”
If we are temples for the lord, then why do we defile that temple by prejudice, hatred, violence, war, and discrimination. If we are temples of the Lord, why do we allow people to suffer because of poverty, lack of medical attention, loneliness‘, inadequate affordable housing?
If we are truly the temples of God, then we need to be open to all as God is open to all. We need to stop separating ourselves into one of the groups that look upon others as outsiders and start living as one group. We need to come together as one family, the family of Almighty God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. We need to accept the differences that exist in each individual, group, denomination, just as Jesus accepted all different people and groups.
We need to begin to live as Jesus instructed us. Jesus is called; THE PRINCE OF PEACE, we need to work for and in him to achieve that Peace in each of us and between all the various groups, nations, and churches. AMEN
“God's love is everlasting and infinite and His mercy and compassion is unlimited.”
Rev. Robert Francis Johnnene OFA
A Franciscan of the Annunciation MinistryMission St’s. Sergius and BacchusHolliston, Massachusetts E-mail: Mission_St_Sergius@msn.comwww.missionstsergius.orghttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistryhttp://spaces.msn.com/members/Mission-St-Sergiushttp://groups.msn.com/MissionSaintsSergiusandBacchus

Prayer For Persons Living With HIV/AIDS

Prayer for persons living with HIV/AIDS
by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus

Almighty and merciful God bring comfort to my heart and healing to my body that has been ravaged with illness. Help me to accept and bear this illness just as Jesus bore His sufferings for our sake.
May His beloved Mother who watched in horror while He suffered upon the cross for our sake, as my family and friends do now, intercede on my behalf asking Him to relieve me from the weakness and illness that has overtaken me and grant my loved ones the strength to accept God's will and only be filled with love and understanding.
I trust in you and accept your will as just Jesus did.
If it be thy will you wish to bring my time here on this earth to and end and call me home to you, I welcome your will with joy and anticipation so that I may join with the heavenly elect in giving you endless honor and praise.
AMEN