Prayer For Our Priests
The harvest is indeed great, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He send laborers into His vineyard. Behold, we beg of Thee to increase the number of holy priests who walk in Thy footsteps and labor in Thy vineyard with apostolic zeal. Give them Thy light and Thy grace, that they may convert unbelievers and heretics, strengthen the weak, and spread Thy Kingdom ever more and more upon earth. Grant that in unshakeable fidelity we may stand firmly by Thy representative, may listen to his words and support the labors of the shepherds of our souls by a devout and Christian life. Let our prayers be acceptable to Thee and hear our petitions, Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.
Eternal God,
please bless our priests,
who represent You on this earth.
Make them more greatly aware of the grace
that You pour out through them
when they minister the sacraments,
and help them to fall more deeply in love with You
after each and every Mass that they celebrate.
Please strengthen our priests,
who shepherd Your flock,
when they are in doubt of their faith,
that they may be examples of Your Truth
and guide us always on the path to You.
We ask these things of You our Eternal Priest.
Amen.
Mother of Jesus Christ,
you were with Him at the beginning of His life and of His mission,
you sought the Master among the crowd,
you stood beside Him when he was lifted up from the earth
consumed as the one eternal sacrifice,
and you had John close by you, your son;
accept from the beginning those who have been called,
protect their growth, accompany your sons in their life and in their ministry,
O Mother of Priests. Amen.
Mother of Christ,
to the Messiah Priest you gave a body of flesh
through the anointing of the Holy Spirit
for the salvation of the poor and the contrite of heart;
guard priests in your heart and in the Church,
O Mother of the Savior.
Beloved, I would be stifling the Holy Spirit if I did not share this command that is addressing all of us to pray, pray, never stop praying for our leaders (priests, pastors, ministers, those who stand before our Lord and Savior in our behalf)!
I believe there is no doubt these spoken words from Paul were passionate and breathed forth with an urgent call from the heart of our Father God to all of us, the church!
Thank you, Father, for doing what only you can do in these men and in their ministries. Whether big or small, may they give you all the glory and honor today. Help them to see where you are at work, and lead them to glorify you. Let them not glory in the things the world celebrates, but let them celebrate what they see you doing in your people. Keep them from defeat and discouragement today. Amen
Thank you, God, for letting these men lead your people. Use them today to show your great love and patience. As you have shown them love, let them love your people. Let them lead and love as shepherds of your flock. Help them to place the needs of others ahead of their own. Keep them far from selfishness and laziness today.
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.