Prayer Requests and Praise Report

A reader writes:

I lost my dad 12 yrs ago almost, and its gotten a lot better over the years. But lately Ive been almost suicidal missing him. His death anniversary and birthday both are still months away and I don’t understand why now? He was my only parent, he sacrifised everything for my sister and I and I don’t believe for a moment God would deny him Heaven for being baptist. But if you could ask everyone to pray for his soul? He was a great man, simple and poor and loving and he deserved a better son.

Father, we ask for the repose of the soul of this man’s father and, above all, for healing for this man’s soul that he might trust in your mercy for himself, know the love and pleasure his father takes in him and the blessing both you and his father hold out to him. Grant him the peace of trusting that his father, secure in your bosom, is well-pleased with him and that you are too. Give him the grace to keep plugging away at becoming holy, not in shame and disappointment with himself, but in your good pleasure and delight at having made and redeemed him. Father Joseph and Mother Mary, pray for him. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Another reader writes:

I have had some worrisome lab values, and the least worrisome being the probability of diabetes. I have a liver function reading that concerns me more. Under the heading of “sin makes you stupid,” I used to drink too much, and likely incurred some damage from that period. Please pray that I might recover by getting my sloth and gluttony under control…

Father heals and forgives and give abundant second chance in love and delight of us, forgive this person’s folly and see her heart that seeks to serve you. Help her get her appetites under control and free her from whatever bondages there are there. Help her find your grace, peace and strength to do good and get her health under control through changed and virtuous habits of diet and exercise. Mother Mary and St. Luke, pray for her. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Another reader writes:

Instead of a prayer request, something so good has happened in my life, that I would like to invite your readers to give thanks with me. Through a number of unexpected circumstances, I have reconnected (by correspondence, we live almost on opposite sides of the continent) with a former fiancé from 50 years ago, who happens to now be widowed. It is a wonderful exchange of memories and insights on our respective lives, current and past, and to sort out what actually happened all that long ago. And I think it is an experience that is quite unique: how many people have that opportunity?

Thanks be to God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.