The following is from Father Bill Peckman on a post he wrote for facebook. It is beautiful, and there are plenty of things to think about as you pray and read through it. Enjoy….

As I am watching the Urbi and Orbi the following prayer has welled up in my heart:

My Precious Lord,

The world says, “If you are the Son God, accommodate and approve of my faithlessness and half-heartedness toward you. Accommodate and approve of my abandoning your altar and your house so that I may worship whatever idol I choose. Facilitate my abandonment of the Day of the Lord and may my idols bless me abundantly. “

Because you are the Son God, have mercy on me for my half-heartedness, faithlessness, abandonment of your House and your altar. Forgive me for my abandonment of the Day of the Lord as I pursued idols. By your grace, help me lay aside and destroy every idol I have allowed to control my life, energy, and time. Welcome me back into your House and to your Altar. Create a new heart in me O Lord.

The world says, “If you are the Son of God, accommodate and approve of my abuse of your gift of sexuality. Accommodate and approve of every denigration of my own flesh and the flesh of my neighbor. Ignore the consequences of our denigration, including the violent end of what children are conceived so that I may do as I please.”

Because you are the Son of God, have mercy on me for my recklessness, denigration, and abuse of the great gift of sexuality. Make me aware of the holiness of my body and body of others. By your grace help me to turn from all debasement of the flesh and so be fit as your disciple. Create a new heart in me O Lord.

The world says, “If you are the Son of God, accommodate and approve of my greed, wastefulness, gluttony. Accommodate and approve of my neglect of the welfare of my neighbor; facilitate my accrual of whatever I desire so that I may do as I please.

Because you are the Son of God, have mercy on me for the times I placed my wants before others needs. Forgive me of the neglect I have shown to those around me. Fill my heart, O lord, with your love, that I may love as you love. May that love be shown in my selflessness, charity, and mercy. Create a new heart in me O Lord.

The world says, “If you are the Son of God, overlook all my sins, and allow me into heaven; not because I wish to be with you, but so that I can be perpetually self indulgent. Facilitate my open rebellion of you and Your Father. Be pleased to have me as your rival and not your son or daughter. Accommodate and approve my disregard of you for now and eternity so that I may do as I please.

Because you are the Son of God, forgive me my sins, wash me in your waters of purification, feed me with Your Flesh and Blood so that I may have life now and for eternity. Draw me from presumption, disbelief, and all self-destructive behaviors that separate me from you so that I may come into your Kingdom as you Son or daughter. Create a clean heart in me O Lord.

O Lord, when this pestilence has passed, show me the way to you in all things. Guide me away from the deceit of the Devil and into your own truth. Welcome me again into your House and to Your altar, which I pledge to never abandon for another idol again.

Amen.