Prayer for the World, May 3, 2023
Prayer for Mothers
Introduction
As we enter into the month of May, we pray today for all mothers and especially for those whose love for their children leads to great suffering. Their tremendous love mirrors the love of God for all God’s children.
Song: Youtube, “Love Beyond All” by Telling by Marty Haugen
Praise to you who made creation, you who shaped the skies and earth;
You named us as your children and carried us to birth.
You are near to all who suffer, you are one with every fear;
You know our every sorrow and share our every tear.
You are love beyond all telling, you are life beyond all death;
Formed to be your children from the start—you carry us forever
In the space beneath your heart.
To the ones who walk in shadow, to the ones who live in fear,
We sing a God of mercy, a God who holds us hear;
Who is rest for all the weary, who is hope when hope is gone;
New freedom for the captive, our story and our song.
Focus for our Prayer
In the following account, Sr. Lucille Martinez shares the stories of two women she met in her volunteer ministry recently at the “Kino Border Initiative” in Nogales Sonora, Mexico:
Maria arrived at Kino with her two little girls around the ages of 8 and 9. She shared how she had suffered domestic abuse for about 13 years. After some intense fighting, the husband had taken away her two girls because she was a “bad” mother because of her absence from the household. She said her absence was created because she had to work to make ends meet. After some time of trying to get the girls back, she was finally able to “kidnap” them after the husband had left his house and left the girls alone. She took the girls, left everything behind except for some clothes and took a bus to Nogales Sonora. Her fear now is that her husband will come looking for her. She hopes to get an appointment to see a judge and begin the long process for asylum to the United States.
Sara came to Kino with her two boys, ages around 7 and 10. She had escaped from Guerrero after being threatened with death if she did not provide the money being requested by organized crime members. Her husband had already been killed by this group. They claimed the husband owed them a debt, one she was unaware of. Under constant threat to pay the debt, she was able to sell some personal items to come up with the money. After paying what they claimed was the debt, they continued to harass her and insisted that she pay more money to them. She moved to another town, changed her phone number, but somehow they were always able to locate her. They threatened that they would kidnap her boys if she did not pay the money. Fearful for her own death and the possible disappearance of her boys, she fled, left everything and took a bus to Nogales.
What was most evident in all these stories was the willingness to do anything for their children. The love and concern of a mother leads them to sacrifice everything for the sake of the children.
Silent Prayer
Adapted from “Mary of Nazareth Litany”: our response is “Pray for us Mother of the homeless... Woman of faith…
Mother of the dying... Woman pregnant with hope…
Widowed mother... Participant in Christ’s Passion…
Unwed mother... Witness to Christ’s Resurrection…
Mother of Refugees…
Mother of a political prisoner... Mother of the condemned...
Mother of the executed criminal...
Dearest Mother, you recognized that you were blessed. You responded fully to God and Jesus was formed in you. Mary, Help of Christians, Our Lady of Victory, pray for us, that we too may be open to the outpouring of the Spirit of Jesus in our hearts, so that we may live God’s mission and all may know the love of God at the heart of all reality. Amen.
Silent Prayer
Song: Love Beyond All Telling