Pope Francis shares reflection for 4th World Day of the Poor 
November 10, 2020
My Dream for the Church in 2021
November 10, 2020

Faithful can pray these prayers during Justice, Peace & Community week

Suggested format for prayer service in parishes and schools, homes, prayer groups…wherever the family of God may gather.

Opening Hymn: Whatsoever you do (Willard F Jabusch)

Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers,

That you do unto Me.

 

When I was hungry you gave Me to eat,

When I was thirsty you gave Me to drink,

Now enter into the home of My Father.

 

When I was homeless you opened your door,

When I was naked you gave Me your coat,

Now enter into the home of My Father.

 

When I was in prison you came to My cell.

When on a sick bed you cared for My needs,

Now enter into the home of My Father.

 

When I was little you taught Me to read,

When I was lonely you gave Me your love,

Now enter into the home of My Father.

 

Opening Prayer

Let us pray, that we may have the grace to stretch out our hands to the poor.  Lord, help us to fix our gaze on what is essential so that we may overcome the barriers of indifference. We know that poverty appears in a variety of guises and calls for attention in each particular situation. We thank you for the opportunity to encounter You as You reveal Yourself in the least of our brothers and sisters. We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen

 

First Reading
Sirach 7:32–36

Give your help to the poor, and the Lord will give you his perfect blessing.  Be generous to every living soul and be gracious to the memory of the dead. Show sympathy to those who have lost a loved one and mourn with them.  Do not hesitate to visit the sick. You will be loved for things like these.  Whatever you do, remember that someday you must die. As long as you keep this in mind, you will never sin.

The Word of the Lord.

 

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 32

 

RESPONSE: Against you alone have I sinned: Lord, have mercy on me.

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.

In your compassion blot out my offence.

O wash me more and more from my guilt

And cleanse me from my sin.

 

My offences truly I know them;

My sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinned;

What is evil in your sight I have done.

 

That you may be justified when you give sentence

And be without reproach when you judge,

O see, in guilt I was born,

A sinner was I conceived.

 

Indeed, you love truth in the heart;

Then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.

O purify me, then I shall be clean;

O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.

 

GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (25:31–46)

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”
 The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
 Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.”
 They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?”
He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”
 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Homily or reflection or song: ‘Wake up, my people’;Heal our land’; ‘Set my Spirit free.’

 

Prayers of Intercession

RESPONSE:  Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

  1. We, the Church, must be the body of Christ in the world. Lord, may we be Your eyes, ears, hands, feet and heart by being sensitive to the needs of the people, use our gifts and talents to identify the root causes of their pain and suffering, and act to make the world a better place for all people, especially the poor. Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

 

  1. We pray for national leaders. We pray that our political leaders may do their best to identify the areas of injustice and seek to make decisions that will create an economy and society that caters for the poor and needy. Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

 

  1. We pray for those who lost their jobs due to COVID-19 placing them and their families on the breadline. Lord, You are the great provider, we pray, Lord, that we may be blessed with a vaccine for the virus.  Lord help us to reach out to those in need with generosity and patience.  Create opportunities for them to become creative and provide for their families. Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

 

  1. We pray for the migrants on our shores. Lord, You were once a migrant in Egypt, and You understand the needs and feelings of a migrant. Lord help us to understand them, be compassionate to them and make sacrifices to help them to live with dignity. Lord, help us to accept them as our brothers and sisters and truly create a space for them. Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

 

  1. We pray for those who are poor because they cannot find work due to lack of education and skill. Lord, many of these people grew up in unfortunate circumstances and have become part of a vicious cycle.  We pray that we may take time to seek them out and create opportunities for the skill growth so that they can earn a living in society.  Lord, help us to companion them with true brotherly and sisterly love. Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

 

  1. We pray for our education system and teachers within. We pray that our education system will create ways to help children to grow in their gifts, talents, and critical thinking.  May our schools help each child reach his/her full potential by practising authentic integral human development.  We pray that teachers will help children develop true self-worth and believe in themselves creating in them the desire to live as companions of each other helping those who struggle to keep up. Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.
  2. Lord, we place before You all the community-based organisations in our society, particularly the social action groups and the non-governmental organisations (NGOs). There is nothing they desire more than the just treatment of all persons in our nation, particularly the orphans, the differently abled, the homeless, the battered and abused, the needy, the underprivileged, the marginalised, the hungry and the dispossessed. Thank you for inspiring the leaders and members of the many local NGOs, social action groups, and community-based organisations to lobby for social justice. Grant that through the continuous efforts of their different organisations, all may come to know and be transformed by Your compassionate mercy and love. Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

 

  1. Heavenly Father, You have blessed our land with healthcare and social services sectors through which we are all meant to benefit. Yet there are some who do not. Send forth Your Spirit to guide our leaders in their decision-making about these sectors Lord, that our nation’s health and social challenges may be equitably addressed and bring relief to all the vulnerable and socially displaced throughout our communities. Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

 

  1. Lord, we pray for those scorned, depressed, addicted, despairing, mentally unstable, suicidal, abandoned, terminally afflicted, imprisoned and socially excluded. Lord our God, you are the only Healer. You are the only One who can restore wholeness and remove bitterness. You are the only One through whom the grace to forgive can be received. We bring to you today for healing, justice, and forgiveness, all in our nation who are suffering with undiagnosed afflictions, with terminal illness, with various addictions, mental health issues, depression, anxiety, and those deemed suicidal. We intercede for those imprisoned, those socially excluded, and ask for justice in their name Lord, trusting in Your Word that we should only have faith and they will be safe (Lk 8:50). Thank You, dear Lord, for giving us the assurance that everything we ask and pray for is already accomplished (Mk 11:24). Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

 

  • Heavenly Father, You have blessed our world with many ways of acknowledging the Divine in our existence, religion being one such way. We pray that the religious leaders in our nation will continue to promote principles of justice, ethics and goodwill as they strive to make the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) a symbol of harmony in diversity and a potent witness to the truth. Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.
  • We ask You Lord to shower Your blessings on all families in our nation of Trinidad and Tobago. You have called us into being, O Lord, and You have placed us to exist with each other so that we could be devoted to one another in brotherly love (Rom 12:10). You see the pain, suffering and losses in our families today and You hear our cries for relief from the distresses and impoverishment being wreaked on our families during this time of pandemic. Pour out Your love upon family life in our country Lord and give parents and guardians the courage to keep the faith, to live honourably, and to show respect for life and the environment as they strive to mould their children in the best way possible. Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayer! Lord, Stretch out Your hand to the poor.

 

The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary

1st Glorious Mystery
The Resurrection of Jesus  

Our Father

  1. a) I am the resurrection (Jn 11:25).

Hail Mary… (two times)

  1. b) Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live (Jn 11:25).

Hail Mary… (two times)

  1. c) And whoever lives and believes in me will never die (Jn 11:26).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. d) I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world (Jn 11:27).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. e) Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God? (Jn 11:40).

Hail Mary … (two times)

Glory be to the Father …

 

2nd Glorious Mystery
The Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven

Our Father

  1. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matt 28:19).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. b) Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. c) Baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matt 28:20).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. d) And teach them to observe all the commands I gave you (Matt 28: 20).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. e) And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time (Matt 28: 20).

Hail Mary … (two times)

Glory be to the Father …

 

3rd Glorious Mystery
The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles

Our Father

  1. a) Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’ (Jn 21:19).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. b) The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord (Jn 21:20).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. c) As the Father sent me, so I am sending you (Jn 21:21).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. d) Receive the Holy Spirit (Jn 21:23).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. e) If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained. (Jn 21:23).

Hail Mary … (two times)

Glory be to the Father …

 

4th Glorious Mystery
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven

  1. a) Then the sanctuary of God in heaven opened, and the Ark of the Covenant could be seen inside it (Rev 11:19).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. b) Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, robed with the sun (Rev 12:1).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. c) Standing on the moon and on her head a crown of twelve stars (Rev 12:1).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. d) I will make your name endure forever from generation to generation (Ps 45:17).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. e) So, nations will sing your praise forever and ever (Ps 45:17).

Hail Mary … (two times)

Glory be to the Father …

 

5th Glorious Mystery
The Coronation of our Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven

Our Father

  1. a) And now bless the God of all things, the doer of great deeds everywhere (Eccl 50:22).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. b) Who has exalted our days from the womb and has acted mercifully towards us (Eccl 50:22).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. c) May God grant us cheerful hearts and bring peace in our time in Israel for ages on ages (Eccl 50:23).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. d) May God’s mercy be faithfully with us (Eccl 50:24).

Hail Mary … (two times)

  1. e) May God redeem us in our own times (Eccl 50:24).

Hail Mary … (two times)

Glory be to the Father …        

Conclude with short traditional prayers.

 

Submitted by Bernadette Gopaul Ramkhalawan and Rose-Ann Walker, Archdiocesan Catechetical Office