23rd Sunday in OT 2017 - Intervention

A few years ago, a television show premiered on A&E called “Intervention”. The show follows one or two participants who are abusing or severely addicted to drugs or alcohol. Their relatives and friends are interviewed who detail the effects the drug or alcohol addiction has had on the family—the sadness, the grief, the lies that often accompany addiction, the concern for the harm the addict is doing to themselves. A trained intervention specialist then prepares the family for staging an intervention, in which the family and friends gently confront the addict about their addiction. At the intervention, the addict is given a choice: enter a rehabilitation program or risk losing contact and financial assistance from their relatives. From what I’ve read, the show has had tremendous success in getting help for addicts and their families.

This method of loving confrontation is biblical. As we heard today, If your brother falls into sin, try to help them, confront them, if they don’t listen to you, bring another with you. A family effort is often needed in helping someone who has fallen into addiction, sin, or unhealthy behavior. Sometimes our Lord waits until two or three are gathered in his name, to make his power known.

The passage we heard today, in fact, immediately follows the parable of the lost sheep, in which Jesus tells us about the love of the heavenly Father, how the Father sends the Son to seek out the lost sheep, he’ll even leave behind 99 other sheep for a time, in order to search out and find the one lost sheep that have gone astray.

And one of the ways God seeks out the lost sheep, is through us: through family members who lovingly and gently confront those who struggle with addiction to drugs, gambling, pornography, internet shopping, video games, parents who act as watchmen over their children, as we heard in the prophet Ezekiel today. If a family member stops going to Church, ignores Church teaching, blasphemes in public, we have a duty to gently correct them.

The point of correcting people when they fall into sin isn’t to prove that we are holier than they are, the point is concern for their souls, and helping them to be the people God made us to be.
I’ve had some personal experience with this: In seminary, I volunteered at a drug and alcohol treatment facility for teenagers, and I would participate in group family counseling sessions, in which parents and relatives would gather, in a very gentle setting, they would share with their teenager how the addiction has brought harm to the addict and the family life.

Most priests are not trained intervention specialists or drug counselors, but for families facing these issues, the Church can help connect your family with those with this expertise.
God loves the sinner, God love the addict. In fact, many people I’ve known who have struggled with addiction have great intellectual gifts, have tremendously large hearts. Sometimes they turn to addiction because they feel emotions like grief so deeply they turn to other substances to numb their pain. Though they act in unlovable ways, the addict is a child of God, loved by God.

Intervention, fraternal correction, seeks to help people who sometimes become incapable of helping themselves, who have fallen into a cycle of hurting themselves and their families, who have started making self-destructive choices. Part of being pro-life, is to help people when they are making anti-life decisions, choices that are destructive to the spiritual life, emotional life, physical life, or family life.

In the Reading from Romans today, St. Paul teaches that all the 10 commandments, don’t commit adultery, don’t break the sabbath day, don’t commit murder, don’t steal or covet, can all be summed-up by the command: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Fraternal correction, confronting the sinner, the addict, is done out of love. Parents correcting their children when they act selfishly, spouses gently correcting spouses when they act selfishly, correction, also called, rebuke, is done out of love. Today’s Gospel is clear that we are to to help each other to become the people God made us to be.

In becoming the people God made us to be, it is also important to look to holy examples.  We of course first, and foremost, look to the example of the Lord. We read and reflect upon the Scripture stories of the Lord, we keep the great image of the Lord’s sacrifice before our eyes, the crucifix, so that we can know his love, and follow his example of patience, mercy, self-sacrificial love.

Second to Our Blessed Lord, we look to the example of humility and forbearance of His Blessed Mother. Her boundless charity and her lowliness are virtues to emulated by every Christian.
Thirdly we look to the example of the Saints. The Saints are our great teachers, Ordinary People, fishermen, farmers, widows, humble priests and religious, artists, ordinary people, who God calls to extraordinary holiness.

Beginning this Tuesday night, I will be showing over in the Harvest Room a video series called “Catholicism: The Pivotal Players”. This series explores the lives of some Ordinary People who answered the call to use their gifts and talents for the building up of the kingdom of God—people like Francis of Assisi, G.K Chesterton, Catherine of Siena, Thomas Aquinas, and Michaelangelo. I encourage you to attend this free adult-education opportunity.

If Jesus Christ has the power to break the bonds of death, he can lead those enslaved to addiction an sin to freedom.

May each of us be humble enough to be open to the correction we need to grow in holiness, that we may help others become the people God made them to be, that we may live in the freedom of their children of God and receive an everlasting inheritance for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

September 08 2017 - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary - A day of joy and hope

Today, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin arrives on the Liturgical Calendar exactly nine months after the Feast of her Immaculate Conception.  Nine months, the term of a pregnancy….not a coincidence.
Mary was conceived through the natural marital embrace of her parents, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim.  She was brought to term and was born like any of us, though, through that special grace from God she was preserved from any stain of original sin.

The day the daughter of Anne and Joachim was born ranks as one of the most beautiful in human history, yet, nothing explicitly is recorded or known about Mary’s birth.  In fact, according to certain traditions, no one in the small town of Nazareth where Saints Joachim and Anne lived paid heed to the new arrival. Although the blood of David flowed in her veins, although she was the virgin about whom Isaiah prophesied.  She truly had humble beginnings.  Yet, though her birth went unnoticed by her countrymen, one Church Father said that the angels could not find adequate praises to express their joy to the Blessed Trinity for having created this most beautiful of creatures.

The Immaculate Mother came into the world at a time when many of God’s people had lost hope in a Messiah, just as many have lost sight of Christ the Sun in our modern day.  Sometimes God waits until we are on the brink of the abyss before extending His hand of mercy. I know a priest who is very fond of the saying, “the night is always darkest, right before the dawn”.

Saint Thomas of Villanova explained in sermon that Mary is the heavenly dawn, not only for the world, but especially for each individual soul. The birth of Mary initiated a new era in human history. And when an individual begins to grow in their devotion to the Blessed Mother, that can signal a new beginning for them.

Mary will help any soul find her Son. Mary will help any soul develop a burning love for her Son. So just as we celebrate the birthday of our earthly mothers, with great sentiment, today is a day for all Christians to celebrate our Spiritual Mother, our mother in the Order of Grace.

The Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin fills our hearts with hope and joy: hope and joy in her presence with the Church for all ages, hope and joy that all those who turn to her aid will find salvation through Her Son, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For deeper Marian devotion amongst all Christians, that through her our faith may be strengthened and our witness may shine more brightly.

For all mothers, that they may find in Mary the example and strength to carry out their vocation of love, and that all sorrowful mothers may know the consolation and peace of God.

That through Immaculate Mary, Queen of Peace, hatred, violence, and cruelty will cease in the world.
That through Mary, Our Lady of Grace, all those who have fallen into sin may return to God through sincere repentance.

That from the moment of conception all children will be preserved from bodily harm; for the overturning of unjust laws permitting the destruction of innocent life; and that the minds of all may be enlightened to know the dignity of every human life.  We pray to the Lord.

That the sick may draw strength, consolation, and healing by turning to Mary, who intercedes for us from her place in heaven, especially all those affected by natural disaster. We pray to the Lord.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.

Thursday - 22nd Week of OT 2017 - "Animated by a missionary spirit"

What a beautiful coincidence…if those really exist…that the Gospel reading for today is the very same as the one for Bishop Perez’ installation Mass on Wednesday: the Lord’s command to Peter and the Apostles to put out into the deep waters to bring in the abundance of fish. This miraculous catch of fish through the efforts of the apostles and the help of God would become symbolic for all those souls who would come to salvation through Christ through the missionary efforts of the Church throughout the ages.

by Michael Dudash

Bishop Perez made it very clear that he is not the only fisherman in town; he is here, sent by the Pope, to help each of us be faithful to our own God-given vocation to be fishers of men.
Today’s Gospel also coincides with Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September, asks the Lord to help parishes, “animated by a missionary spirit, to be places where the faith is communicated and charity is seen.”

Notice several things about this prayer intention. First, it is about parishes. Parishes are places under the care of a pastor, where a diversity of God’s people come together for worship, to study the faith, to pass on the faith, to contribute to the charitable works. We aren’t in this alone. We have priests to help us, fellow Christians to encourage us. Parishes should always be discerning how God is calling them to use their many gifts to forward the mission of Christ.

Notice also how parishes are to be places where “the faith is communicated” and “charity is seen”. These are two primary ways how we are to be the fishers of men, the Lord spoke about. We communicate the faith by catechesis to our young people, forming new disciples, and studying the faith, that we can communicate it better, more clearly out in the world.

How can the faith be better communicated here at St. Clare? To whom do we need to be better communicators?

And how is our charity to be more clearly seen? What charitable works does St. Clare need to take more seriously or engage in more faithfully?

May the Lord help our parish to become more faithful, more loving, more filled with His own missionary spirit, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For our new Bishop, Nelson Perez, that he may assist all of God’s people in being faithful to all the Lord teaches and commands.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.”

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, the imprisoned, the unchaste, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

Tuesday - 22nd Week of OT 2017 - Miracles happen through encountering Christ

At last night’s Vespers Service at the Cathedral proceeding today’s installation, Bishop Perez spoke about how miracles occur when we encounter Christ—how Jesus met people where they were and confronted them with the power of His Truth. How each of us could speak of a time in our life, when Christ became real for us, and how that changed our life forever.

Jesus’ miracle working is perfectly on display in this morning’s Gospel: the man, afflicted with unclean spirits is cleansed through an encounter with Christ.

In Jesus’ culture, the unclean ones were to be avoided, shunned, lest they spread their corruption, their insanity, their demons. But Jesus goes to even to the unclean, and through His authority and power as God, cleanses them in his mercy.

Several lessons become clear from this Gospel. One: there is no soul so unclean, that it is not invited to encounter the mercy of God through Jesus Christ. This is a simple and profound truth that we reflected upon quite thoroughly during the Year of Mercy. Yet it is a truth that we need to repeat especially to troubled souls who are deeply afflicted by the severity of their sins and demons.

Two, as the demons were expelled, they came out of the man without hurting him. Turning our lives over to Jesus does not hurt as much as we think it will. Conversion involve a cross, but the end result of being cleansed of demons, brings a lightness, a wholeness, and a joy that outweighs the demonic slavery. We should not fear conversion.

Three, the Church is both sent and equipped for the ministry of casting out the unclean spirits of our world. Jesus cast out demons through his power and authority, and not only is that power and authority given to the Church, but the Lord sends us out to use it, to help souls encounter Christ by sharing with them the power of his Truth, will help set souls free. We must not fear new faces nor new places in spreading the mercy of Christ.

May the Lord open our minds and hearts to the power and authority of his mercy. May we reject those interests that lead us away from communion with Him and may he renew our minds and revive our love and commitment to His Gospel, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For Bishop Nelson Perez, on this, the day of his installation as 11th Bishop of Cleveland, may he be preserved always in His ministry and aided by the Holy Spirit in uniting and shepherding the diverse peoples of this diocese in Catholic faith, hope, and love.

For all those afflicted with demons, those who are overwhelmed with the Spirit of the World, that, through the ministry of the Church, they may know the cleansing power and mercy of Christ.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.” We pray to the Lord.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, especially the people of Houston Texas, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to live the call of Christian chastity, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

Labor Day 2017 - Work and Cultivation

It is quite fitting to read from the book of Genesis on Labor Day. For the first two chapters of Genesis reveal much about the labors of God, and our call to labor.

In Genesis chapter 1, God the Creator is shown to be quite different from the gods of the pagans. Unlike the greek gods who lay in luxury on Mt. Olympus, aloof from the toils of man, the One True God is shown to be a worker, more like a farmer or a gardener than an apathetic aristocrat. The Creator is intimately involved in His creation, getting his hands dirty to bring about his salvific plan. By creating man and woman in His own divine image, men and women, too are to be workers—filling the earth, subduing it.

The vocation to work is repeated and developed in Genesis chapter 2, which we heard today. The man is told not simply to care for the earth but to cultivate it and to make it fruitful.

Work is often seen as a necessary evil: we must work if we wish to eat. But there is intrinsic value to work. Pope Francis wrote recently how “Work should be the setting for rich personal growth, where many aspects of life enter into play: creativity, planning for the future, developing our talents, living out our values, relating to others, giving glory to God.”

To live a fruitful life man must work at developing himself, his mind, his virtues. Scripture is quite severe about the sluggard, the idle person who neither helps himself or his fellow man, and also quite encouraging of hard work, the skillful application of one’s strengths. The Bible is full of admiration for artistic endeavors.

In the Gospel today, those who use the talents given to them by their master are praised by the Lord, and those who squander them and hide them, are condemned.

This Labor Day is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on how you have used your talents for the glory of God and for betterment of your family and fellow man, to perhaps repent of those times when talent has gone squandered, and also to listen to the voice of inspiration. What new project might God be calling you to, in order to develop some dormant aspect of your personality. How might God be calling you to deepen your relationships with your coworkers, perhaps a bible study over lunch once a week.

As we prayed in our Psalm today, may the Lord grant success to the work of our hands, and in all things, in all pursuits, in all our labors help us to serve Him, for the cultivation of the earth, for the building up of His kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation.

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For Bishop Nelson Perez, as he begins to take up his new work as Bishop of the diocese of Cleveland, that his labors may bear fruit for the kingdom. We pray to the Lord.

That those in civil authority will dedicate themselves to justice, peace, and the generous defense of the poor, the elderly, and the unborn. We pray to the Lord.

For all those who labor and for those seeking employment, and that Christian workers may be signs of hope and give courageous testimony to the Gospel of Christ. We pray to the Lord.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.” We pray to the Lord.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, especially the people of Houston Texas, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to live the call of Christian chastity, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

22nd Sunday in OT 2017 - "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

Our Gospel today is a continuation of our reading from last week--from the 16th chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel. Last week we heard Peter’s Confession. Jesus had done a sort of public opinion survey: “Who do people say that I am?” And he received a range of opinions. Peter, however, was given a great grace from the Father, an insight into Jesus’ true identity, and responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus then declared Peter, “the Rock”, the foundation stone of the Church. Peter’s confession, and the ministry of the successors of St. Peter, the Popes, have been a source of stability and power for the Church throughout the ages.

Then this week, we have an interesting twist. Just a few moments later, Jesus lays out what it means to be the Son of God, what that entails. It means he has come to suffer and die. As Son of God, Jesus is the one sent into the midst of fallen humanity to suffer and die to save us from eternal damnation.
Peter goes from hero to zero pretty quickly, when he denies that Jesus should submit himself to suffering and death. No sooner does Peter finish putting his foot in his mouth than Jesus thunders back the words: “Get behind me, Satan.” One can hardly imagine a more stern and bone-chilling rebuke…not a very good first day on the job for the first Pope. Peter you have become a stumbling block, an obstacle to the will of God, to the mission of God’s son.

Why did Peter fail here? “For thinking has human beings do,” the Lord says. Now, what does that mean? Don’t we all think as human beings do? Well, not entirely. Peter’s Confession of Jesus as Son of God moments before was a result of careful and attentive listening to the Lord’s words, being open to the Wisdom of God. But Peter’s misunderstanding here, his impulsive claim that Jesus shouldn’t have to suffer, wasn’t the result of spiritual discernment. Peter’s mind and thoughts aren’t on the will of God, but on the fear of human suffering. This wasn’t the first time Peter acted on fear rather than faith, nor was it his last.

Remember, a few weeks ago, that wonderful story of Jesus walking on the water? The Lord beckons to Peter, “come to me”, and for a few steps, Peter was able to walk on the water toward the Lord. But what happened? Peter let his fear take over. He takes his mind and heart off the Lord, and begins to sink. Same thing here in this story. Peter allows the fear of suffering to replace the power of faith.
In this way, Peter is symbolic of all of us. The early Church, had such great esteem for Peter, not only because he was the first Pope and a martyr, but because he is so fallible, he reminds us of us. I encourage you to read through the Gospel stories of Peter. He’ll remind you of someone, yourself.

For all of us, so often, allow the fear of suffering to replace the power of faith. The fear of suffering keeps us from prayer. The fear of suffering keeps us from penance. The fear of suffering keeps us from the Confessional, and keeps us from charitable service.

There’s a little suffering, isn’t there, in turning off the television, or prying yourself away from the computer screen, in order to sit down with the Word of God, the rosary, to drive up to the adoration chapel? It’s not always delightful to read from the Scriptures, is it? After all, the Scriptures prick our consciences, they remind us, they show us, how far we are from the being the people God made us to be.

Going to confession involves a bit of suffering, the humbling of pride. It is uncomfortable at times to kneel before the priest and acknowledging all those embarrassing sins.. And so we begin make excuses: the priest is just a man, I can tell my sins to God directly, my sins aren’t that bad anyway, I don’t have time to go confession. But all those excuses are far from the truth. And we tell the excuses because of fear, we are afraid to admit we were wrong, we are afraid to change ingrained bad habits.
St. Therese of Lisieux said, “it is more through suffering than through eloquent preaching, that God wills to establish his kingdom in souls.” Coming to Church once a week, to hear a more-or-less thoughtful inspiring sermon, is just part of the spiritual life, an indispensable part, yes, but still, just a part of it. Turning away from earthly pursuits and earthly goods in order to pursue heavenly ones throughout the week is also a major part of the Christian life.

After rebuking Peter, the Lord explains the necessity of his suffering and explains the cost of discipleship. This led St. Paul, writing to the Romans, to exhort them, as we heard in our second reading:  I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”

You can bet St. Paul is urging the Romans not to shy away from the spiritual practices that involve some suffering. Prayer, fasting, almsgiving, are not just for Lent. For Christians, in a sense, “Semper Quadragesima” it is always Lent, because prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are sure means of growing in sanctity, and disciplining our bodies for the Lord.

St. Paul urges the Romans not to conform themselves to their age, their culture. As Christians, we don’t look to the example of Hollywood celebrities or professional athletes on how we are to live our lives. We are to be suspicious when advertisements tell us we need the next, new device to be happy. We are to be guarded against the new psychological models that come out of liberal academia, that explain away or contradict the Catholic faith.

Rather, we renew our minds by turning to the Word of God, the wisdom of the Saints, the doctors of the Church. I think every Catholic should have some sort of spiritual reading, for the renewal of our minds, at all times. That’s one nice thing about the internet, we have access to a treasure trove of theological and spiritual writing. If you aren’t currently reading anything about our faith, pick up a book by Pope Benedict, Cardinal Sarah, or Scott Hahn, or one of the great Catholic classics like The Imitation of Christ. Don’t like reading? Listen to something from the Lighthouse Media display on your way to work. This fall, starting Tuesday, September 12th, consider attending our adult-education opportunity where we will watch and discuss wonderful videos on Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, G.K. Chesterton, and others.

Renew your minds, Paul says, “so that you may discern what is the will of God” for your lives. Jesus rebuked Peter for thinking with the mind of his fallen humanity, fearful of suffering, conformed to the Spirit of the World. Mayh the Sacraments and spiritual practices of our faith help us to offer our bodies, our minds, our very lives as sacrifices to the Father, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Friday - 21st Week of OT 2017 - The Parable of the 10 Virgins

Yesterday, from chapter 24 of Matthew’s Gospel, we heard the Lord urging his followers to stay awake, to remain vigilant, to watch for his coming. In Chapter 25, the Lord continues this very serious discourse about remaining prepared for the end: the end of time, the end of our earthly lives. In chapter 25, in fact, we read of the great judgment, the eternal separation of the sheep and the goats. So this is pretty important stuff!

In today’s parable, we heard this solemn lesson of the wise and foolish virgins. All 10 virgins begin the story with lighted lamps. They are symbolic of all Christians, who have received the light of Christ through baptism. Earlier in the Gospel, the Lord taught that Christians are not to hide their lamps under bushel baskets—we should not be afraid or stingy about doing good works out in the world—the light of faith is meant to illumine the world. Pope Francis’ prayer intention this month, speaks about the need for our parishes to be places where the light of charity is clearly seen.

We know there are Christians who have received the light of faith in baptism, but who have let their lamps become extinguished, or whose flame is but a bare flicker, in danger of the next wind, the next sin, blowing it out. In this parable, Jesus explains the eternal consequences for allowing the flame of faith to go out: to those with extinguished lamps the door to the eternal wedding feast of heaven is closed and locked forever.

What we do in this life has eternal consequences. So we must be wise enough to keep the flame of faith alive through all throughout our earthly life, persevering in faith to the end, through a life of prayer, reception of the sacraments, and acts of mercy. Thanks be to God we have the Catholic Sacrament of Confession. Foolish sin causes the light of Christ to be snuffed out in our soul. And the means Our Lord has chosen to relight extinguished flames is through the Sacrament of Confession.

We do not know the day nor the hour when the Bridegroom will return or our earthly life will come to an end. May the Lord find our souls persevering in his grace, with the flame of faith alight and blazing, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For Bishop Perez, in these final days of preparation for his installation as Bishop of Cleveland. We pray to the Lord.
That our elected representatives and all civil servants may respond faithfully to the greatest needs of our nation. We pray to the Lord.
For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.” We pray to the Lord.
For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, especially the people of Houston Texas, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to live the call of Christian chastity, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.