St. Patrick
1Pt 4: 7b-11
The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.
Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Praying With St. Peter
Today, let us read the words St. Peter wrote to all of us. Then, we read them again as a prayer to help us through this day.
Beloved: That’s you…
be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Don’t let anything keep you from praying…
Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Always remember that I broke his heart by denying him. In his love he forgave me, to love and love again. His love covers us all.
Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
It is Jesus in them who we welcome and care for. Can you see him?
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.
What are your gifts? Notice them. Name them. They are God’s grace-full gifts for you to give away…extravagantly!
Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God;
(Shhh…listen…Don’t be afraid. God will give you the words you need.)
whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies,
(God knows you are tired. He asked you to serve. You said yes. Now, can you let God help you?)
so that in all things, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom belongs glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen Amen.
—Mary Ann Gessner first encountered Ignatian spirituality through Jesuit Prayer. She completed the 19th Annotation in May 2021 and is now a Chaplaincy Intern at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH.
Prayer
Lord, give us your strength that we may serve you, so that you may be glorified through all that we do. We pray this in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
—Jesuit Prayer team