A Catholic Prayer for Those Facing Economic Hardship

Heavenly Father,
it is symptomatic of our life today that economics
play a large part in it.
People labor zealously for a wage so that they can
acquire the needs of life.

They also work for the so-called luxuries of life,
for the opportunity to have more leisure to develop
themselves in ways,
and to keep up with their particular state of life.

Right now,
I find myself in a bad economic condition.
I just cannot seem to make enough money
to meet my obligations.
Please help me in this dangerous situation.

Teach me to live within my means while at the same time striving to increase those means.
Let me never lose heart but continue to press on.

Most of all, inspire me to seek first Your kingdom
in the knowledge that everything else will be given
me together with it.

In Jesus Christ’s name I pray, who lives and reigns
with the Father and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.

~ Anonymous

Help Us Remember

Heavenly Father,
Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love. Amen.

~ Author Unknown