The Catholic ecosystem at work

Scripture for Mass

Genesis 12:1-4a

Psalm 33(32): 4-5. 18-19. 20, 22.   Response: 5b

2 Timothy 1:8b-10

Matthew 17:1-9

PRIEST: As Abraham was asked to follow God into the unknown with faith, trust and confidence, are we called to follow Christ on his journey.

READER: We pray for the Church that in this time of preparation we may be renewed in faith and hope reaching out to one another as true disciples. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer.

In God’s infinite love we have each been called to repent and renew our lives. May we help each other to grow in our understanding of the Word of God and receive it in love and joy. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer.

Let us pray for those in desperation and fear, due to environmental and human caused disasters. those forcibly displaced and homeless, May they find the welcome and aid they need.  Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer.

Let us continue to pray for the people of Ukraine, Myanmar, Iran and the many places of conflict. May the world’s leaders and diplomats find the courage and will to work together for justice and to build a world of peace and hope. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer.

Let us remember the victims of violence and war everywhere,and especially the children who suffer so much. May they experience the Love and compassion they need. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer.

Let us pray for the people who turn to violence and the weapons of war as a means of imposing their will on others. May they be touched by the Holy Spirit and repent and seek forgiveness. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer.

Let us pray for those enslaved and trafficked, May these victims find their freedom and and justice. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer.

Let us pray for all who are sick and for all who are in hospital that they may be aware that the Lord is with them in their troubles. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer.

Let us ask Mary the Mother of the Lord to pray with us. Hail Mary …

In the silence of our hearts, let us pray for our own families and friends.

PRIEST: Almighty and ever-living God, we give thanks for all the graces that you bless us with. Help us to be filled with your spirit of Love and compassion as we prepare for the Day of the Lord. May be true witnesses to your Love; we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Every form of life – including human life – thrives to the extent that it is sustained by a web of relationships. Moreover, the system of interdependence among different species within any ecosystem contributes in multiple ways to the welfare of all its members.

Now, the Catholic Church takes this commonly held understanding of interdependence in the natural world one step further with its extraordinary claim that our ‘Christian ecosystem’ embraces not just people and things on earth, but also in heaven.

Jews, and Christians of every denomination, accept that our faith is rooted in Abraham’s faith. Our faith in Jesus then is in fact an inheritance not only from him but also from Abraham, as well as from countless generations of believers – both Jewish and Christian – down through the centuries.

However, in the Catholic tradition, we not only see each generation as a precious link in a long chain that extends over millennia, but we also believe that all those generations, from their place in heaven, continue to encircle and support us here on earth.

As Jesus faced the most difficult chapter of his life, God the Father could have visited him alone, but opted instead to take Moses and Elijah along.  He understood that, since both those prophets knew the cost of fidelity to God’s mission, their encouragement and guidance would greatly strengthen and console Jesus.

Like Jesus, when we face tribulations, in addition to our earthly companions, we can rely on the support of our heavenly network of ancestors in faith – a ‘Catholic ecosystem’ that embraces heaven and earth!