As many of you are already aware, the Pope will be visiting the United States in April. He will be visiting Washington D.C. and New York City. I see this as a tremendous opportunity for evangelization and renewal in the American church. While reading Our Sunday Visitor today, I came across this wonderful prayer for the Pope during his visit.
Prayer for the Holy Father
Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give your shepherd, Pope Benedict, a spirit of courage and right judgement, a spirit of knowledge and love.
By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build Your Church into a sacrament of unity, love, and peace for all the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen
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Of additional interest, the Pope gave this insightful answer to a question from a child regarding Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist
Question from a child: How is Jesus Present in the Eucharist? I can’t see him!
Pope Benedict’s answer: We don’t see the very deepest things, those that really sustain life and the word, but we can see and feel their effects. This is also true for electricity; we do not see the electrical current, but we see the light. So it is with the risen Lord: We do not see him with our eyes, but we see that wherever Jesus is, people change, they improve.
There is so much wisdom packed into this simple answer. This man truly is the successor to Peter! The man is a genius but can teach in ways that anyone can understand. We are truly blessed to have him as our Pope.
I can vouch for what he has taught the child who asked him this question. Since I returned to the the Lord and his Church, I have felt, first hand, the effects of Him in the Eucharist. By the grace of God I am becoming a better person each and every day. I think we all can learn from this teaching!
God Bless
