In today's first reading, 2 Thes 1: 1-5, 11-12, Saint Paul thanks God for the people of Thessalonia, praying: "[G]race to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Let us offer that same prayer for all of the people of the U.S. and throughout the world, persons serving our country in foreign wars, in governmental positions, those who are ministering to us through our churches--any denomination. Let us also pray for parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, teachers, students, counselors, clients, and all health care professionals, public servants in all of our cities and counties, clerks of all kinds and in all professions and states of life. With Saint Paul, let us "thank God always for [our brothers and sisters in Christ], as is fitting, because [their] faith flourishes ever more, and the love of every one of [them] for one another grows bigger. [Let us] boast of [our fellow travelers on the way to eternal life for their] regarding endurance and faith in all [the]...afflictions [they] endure," especially those who endure afflictions imposed by government officials, by those prejudiced against immigrants, foreigners, persons of other cultures, religions, races and genders.
As with Saint Paul, we pray that God will make all of us "worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in [us] and [we] in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus."
Is St.Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians a prayer that I truly pray for others in my time and place and which you pray for persons in your time and space?
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