On Monday, July 13, in response to the division and unrest being experienced across our country, Bishop Robert Gruss led a Holy Hour of prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament at the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption in Saginaw.
“When we think about the goal of the Evil One, what is it?,” Bishop Gruss asked. “Certainly it is to destroy, but it’s hard to destroy until you begin to bring about division. So, it’s to bring about division, to bring about turbulence in the world, to stir up discontent ... to lead people away from God and the truth and to lead the world into darkness, that’s his role.”
The Bishop offered his reflection after reading from the Gospel of Mark in which Jesus cast out a demon from a boy after his disciples were unable to. When the disciples questioned the Lord about it, He answered them: “This kind can only come out through prayer and fasting.”
Bishop Gruss affirmed the importance of prayer and fasting and invoking the power of Jesus when confronted with an increase of demonic influence. He called upon those gathered at the Cathedral and those praying via live stream to lift up our whole country to God the Father.
“Every Christian should be on their knees praying daily for the healing of this nation. We must pray that the Lord opens the hearts of all people, including ourselves, to receive the gift of mercy and forgiveness and conversion."
Our prayers, our fasting and our sacrifice, he said, can be a catalyst for the conversion of our society. In doing this, we ask Our Blessed Mother to protect and intercede for us.
FOR A NATION DIVIDED
Prayer by Father Steve Fillion (this was prayed during the Holy Hour)
Eternal God; Creator Spirit; Unsearchable Mystery:
From the specs of cosmic dust, you formed a world that embodies your life and spins with an energy that holds all things together.
You carved out continents, nations and seas to provide a fit place for human life, and a compass of direction by which all people could establish their meaning and purpose in relationships that knit the earth into a unity out of diversity.
Thus, human life would acquire a common vision for a common good.
By mistaking their fantasies for your will, calling in vain upon your sacred Name, new settlers in our own nation despoiled the birthright of the native people and subjected others to the cruel torture of slavery.
In time, our nation abandoned its mission of unity among states and persons and debased our values of freedom and fairness to the powers of greed and privilege.
To expiate for what we thought were the crimes of others, we turned to violence and hatred that ruptured our vision of the common good only to grasp more firmly to what we believe we are entitled, whether helpful or hurtful.
We have become strangers to one another. We have sacrificed solidarity for self-indulgence.
We have rejected the value of all life and substituted equality for profane walls of rejection and self-righteousness.
We ask you, dear Lord, lift us from the mire of self-deception and vengeance so that we may find new ways to accomplish our national ideals of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
Help us to walk that difficult pathway into our souls. Let us make new beginnings of trust and faith; justice and peace; forgiveness and understanding.
May the voices that terrify with violence become now the sounds of reconciliation and acceptance.
May the hands that are raised with closed fists of anger become now the arms that reach out with healing and care.
May symbols, speech and actions of hatred and racism be set aside for a commitment of extending ourselves, our time and our resources to the sustenance of all people, especially the poor and vulnerable.
And, may our faith, in whatever form, set the standard of civility and dignity in the way that we treat others. Lord, You are merciful; You are kind; and, You are generous with your love.
Forgive us for the divisiveness we hold in our hearts. Help us to become more merciful, kind and generous to others.
May your Peace come upon us.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer by Father Steve Fillion