by Norbert Doulanni | Nov 1, 2025 | Evangelium
All Souls
Psalter: Propre
White
Entrance Antiphon : Cf.1 Th 4: 14; 1Cor 15:22
Just as Jesus died and has risen again, so through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep; and as in Adam all die, so also in Christ will all be brought to life.
Collect
Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord, and, as our faith in your Son, raised from the dead, is deepened, so may our hope of resurrection for your departed servants also find new strength. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Wisdom 3:1-9
The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them. In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, their going looked like a disaster, their leaving us, like annihilation; but they are in peace. If they experienced punishment as men see it, their hope was rich with immortality; slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be. God has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust. When the time comes for his visitation they will shine out; as sparks run through the stubble, so will they. They shall judge nations, rule over peoples, and the Lord will be their king for ever. They who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy await those he has chosen.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 22:1-6
R/ The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.
He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.
You have prepared a banquet for me, in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.
Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me, all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell, for ever and ever.
Second reading : Romans 5:5-11
Hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn6:39
Alleluia, alleluia! It is my Father’s will, says the Lord, that I should lose nothing of all he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on the last day.Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 7:11-17
Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that a dead man was being carried out for burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry’ he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up.’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.
Prayer over the Offerings
Look favourably on our offerings, O Lord, so that your departed servants may be taken up into glory with your Son, in whose great mystery of love we are all united. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Jn 11: 25-26
I am the Resurrection and the Life, says the Lord. Whoever believes in me, even though he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will not die for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Grant we pray, O Lord, that your departed servants, for whom we have celebrated this paschal Sacrament, may pass over to a dwelling place of light and peace. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Today, we commemorate those who have gone before us, praying for their eternal rest and finding solace in the hope of our own resurrection. In the Gospel reading, we hear the story of Jesus raising a widow’s son to life. The widow, devastated by the death of her only son, faces the prospect of being alone in her old age without the support she anticipated from her son. In this desolate moment, Jesus offers words of consolation: “Do not cry.” Then, he touches the bier, and the bearers stand still. Addressing the deceased, he says, “Young man, I tell you to get up.” Miraculously, the dead man sits up, begins to speak, and Jesus gives him to his mother. (Luke 7:13-15). Jesus is always with us, present even in our darkest moments. He sees our pain, and he cares for us. He is our source of hope and comfort, especially in the face of death. As we fervently pray for the souls of the faithful departed, let us recall Jesus’ comforting words: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26) May these words be a source of comfort to us as we grieve the loss of our loved ones.
by Norbert Doulanni | Oct 31, 2025 | Evangelium
All Saints –
Solemnity
Psalter: Propre
White
All Saints Day is the day on which Catholics celebrate all the saints, known and unknown. All Saints Day beckons us to something beautiful: It reminds us of our great potential—the promise that lies within each of us. The promise of holiness.
Entrance Antiphon
Let us all rejoice in the Lord, as we celebrate the feast day in honour of all the Saints, at whose festival the Angels rejoice and praise the Son of God.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, by whose gift we venerate in one celebration, the merits of all the Saints, bestow on us, we pray, through the prayers of so many intercessors, an abundance of the reconciliation with you for which we earnestly long. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Apocalypse 7:2-4.9-14
I, John, saw another angel rising where the sun rises, carrying the seal of the living God; he called in a powerful voice to the four angels whose duty was to devastate land and sea, ‘Wait before you do any damage on land or at sea or to the trees, until we have put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.’ Then I heard how many were sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel. After that I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language; they were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands. They shouted aloud, ‘Victory to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels who were standing in a circle round the throne, surrounding the elders and the four animals, prostrated themselves before the throne, and touched the ground with their foreheads, worshipping God with these words, ‘Amen. Praise and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen.’ One of the elders then spoke, and asked me, ‘Do you know who these people are, dressed in white robes, and where they have come from?’ I answered him, ‘You can tell me, my Lord.’ Then he said, ‘These are the people who have been through great persecution, and they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1-6
R/ Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord.
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples. It is he who set it on the seas; on the waters he made it firm.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Second reading : 1 John 3:1-3
Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are. Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore it does not acknowledge us. My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is. Surely everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.
Gospel Acclamation : Mt11:28
Alleluia, alleluia! Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest, says the Lord. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 5:1-12
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them: ‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage. Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted. Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied. Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God. Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May these offerings we bring in honour of all the Saints be pleasing to you, O Lord, and grant that, just as we believe the Saints to be already assured of immortality, so we may experience their concern for our salvation.Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Mt 5: 8-10
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Prayer after Communion
As we adore you, O God, who alone are holy and wonderful in all your Saints, we implore your grace, so that, coming to perfect holiness in the fullness of your love, we may pass from this pilgrim table to the banquet of our heavenly homeland. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
There is a popular idea that a saint is someone who never commits any wrongdoing, possesses inherent goodness and purity, and leads a flawlessly holy life. Consequently, we immortalise them in stained-glass windows, carve statues in their likeness, and erect churches bearing their names. We push them away from us as much as possible. This perception leads people to believe they can never attain the same level of holiness as the saints. We wonder if they ever faced the stresses of everyday life as we do. Yet, saints were never immune from the countless trials and hardships we endure. Despite the trials and persecutions they faced on earth, they made efforts to wash their robes white with the blood of the lamb (cf. Ap 7:14). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us that holiness is indispensable for entering the happiness of the Kingdom of heaven. The saints embraced the Beatitudes earnestly, navigating life with clean hands, pure hearts, and a commitment to peace. Therefore, we must acknowledge that we, too, are called to become saints.
by Norbert Doulanni | Oct 30, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg
Psalter: Week II
Green
He was bishop of Regensburg in Bavaria from Christmas 972 until his death. He is a saint of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches (canonized in 1052). He is regarded as one of the three great German saints of the 10th century, the other two being Saint Ulrich and Saint Conrad of Constance.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 104: 3-4
Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command, so that we may merit what you promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Romans 9:1-5
What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood. They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and the promises were made to them. They are descended from the patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above all, God for ever blessed! Amen.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 147:12-15,19-20
R/ O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! Zion, praise your God! He has strengthened the bars of your gates
he has blessed the children within you.
He established peace on your borders, he feeds you with finest wheat. He sends out his word to the earth and swiftly runs his command.
He makes his word known to Jacob, to Israel his laws and decrees. He has not dealt thus with other nations; he has not taught them his decrees.
Gospel Acclamation : 1Th2:13
Alleluia, alleluia! Accept God’s message for what it really is: God’s message, and not some human thinking. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 14:1-6
Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. There in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees. ‘Is it against the law’ he asked ‘to cure a man on the sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away. Then he said to them, ‘Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, or his ox, will not pull him out on a sabbath day without hesitation?’ And to this they could find no answer.
Prayer over the Offerings
Look, we pray, O Lord, on the offerings we make to your majesty, that whatever is done by us in your service may be directed above all to your glory. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 19: 6
We will ring out our joy at your saving help and exult in the name of our God.
Prayer after Communion
May your Sacraments, O Lord, we pray, perfect in us what lies within them, that what we now celebrate in signs we may one day possess in truth. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
It seems that the man with dropsy has been intentionally brought in during mealtime as a setup to test Jesus. He is there simply as a trap to see if Jesus will heal him on a Sabbath. Jesus looks more than happy to willingly engage with the situation for He promptly heals the man and sends him on his way. While the Pharisees show no concern for the sick man, except to use him as a bait, Jesus shows total respect by addressing the sick man’s most pressing need, thus restoring him to a fuller life. Jesus stands as a testament to true religion that treats others with the respect, upholding the dignity of the individual created in God’s image. As disciples of Jesus, we are invited today to follow his example, emulating his way of relating to others. When we adopt Jesus’ approach, guided by the power of the Holy Spirit, we “will reach the perfect goodness which Christ Jesus produces in us for the glory and praise of God.”
by Norbert Doulanni | Oct 29, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Marcellus (d. 300)
Psalter: Week II
Green
A centurion from Tingis (Morocco), he not only refused to worship Roman gods but also threw down his soldier’s insignia in front of the legion’s standards. As he did this, he proclaimed his Christian identity, his allegiance to the Lord and rejected the worship of gods made of stone and wood. He was put to death by the sword around the year 300.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 104: 3-4
Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command, so that we may merit what you promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Romans 8:31-39
With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. As scripture promised: For your sake we are being massacred daily, and reckoned as sheep for the slaughter. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 108(109):21-22,26-27,30-31
R/ Save me, O Lord, because of your love.
For your name’s sake act in my defence;in the goodness of your love be my rescuer.For I am poor and needyand my heart is pierced within me.
Help me, Lord my God;save me because of your love.Let them know that is your work,That this is your doing, O Lord.
Loud thanks to the Lord are on my lips. I will praise him in the midst of the throng,for he stands at the poor man’s sideto save him from those who condemn him.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps147:12,15
Alleluia, alleluia! O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!He sends out his word to the earth.Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 13:31-35
Some Pharisees came up to Jesus. ‘Go away’ they said. ‘Leave this place, because Herod means to kill you.’ He replied, ‘You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day attain my end. But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem. ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say:‘Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look, we pray, O Lord, on the offerings we make to your majesty, that whatever is done by us in your service may be directed above all to your glory. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 19: 6
We will ring out our joy at your saving help and exult in the name of our God.
Prayer after Communion
May your Sacraments, O Lord, we pray, perfect in us what lies within them, that what we now celebrate in signs we may one day possess in truth. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus wanted to establish a community that would bring together diverse individuals who would typically not gather — Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles, the rich and the poor, law-abiding citizens, and sinners, as well as men and women. In today’s gospel, Jesus laments that the people of Jerusalem are unwilling for Him to bring them together. His desire is to gather them in much the same way as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but they resist and are not simply open to the idea. Jesus deeply longs for others to love to the full, but for this desire to be fulfilled, others need to accept the idea. In the first reading, Saint Paul tells us that there are spiritual forces at work trying to hinder us from responding to the Lord’s effort to gather us to Himself. Paul says that human strength alone is not sufficient to combat such forces. We require God’s grace, God’s armour, emphasising the need to pray in the Spirit on every possible occasion to confront and overcome these spiritual challenges.
by Norbert Doulanni | Oct 28, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Colman MacDuagh (632)
Psalter: Week II
Green
He was the son of an Irish chieftain. He was educated at Saint Enda’s monastery in the Aran Islands. Thereafter he was a recluse, living in prayer fasting. With the King of Connaught he founded the monastery of Kilmacduagh which he governed as abbot-bishop.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 104: 3-4
Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command, so that we may merit what you promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Romans 8:26-30
The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means, and that the pleas of the saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of God. We know that by turning everything to their good God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those that he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. He called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 12(13):4-6
R/ Lord, I trust in your mercy.
Look at me, answer me, Lord my God! Give light to my eyes lest I fall asleep in death, lest my enemy say: ‘I have overcome him’; lest my foes rejoice to see my fall.
As for me, I trust in your merciful love. Let my heart rejoice in your saving help. Let me sing to the Lord for his goodness to me, singing psalms to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn14:6
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord; No one can come to the Father except through me. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 13:22-30
Through towns and villages Jesus went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, ‘Sir, will there be only a few saved?’ He said to them, ‘Try your b st to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed. ‘Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us” but he will answer, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will find yourself saying, “We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets” but he will reply, “I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men!” ‘Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves turned outside. And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. ‘Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look, we pray, O Lord, on the offerings we make to your majesty, that whatever is done by us in your service may be directed above all to your glory. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 19: 6
We will ring out our joy at your saving help and exult in the name of our God.
Prayer after Communion
May your Sacraments, O Lord, we pray, perfect in us what lies within them, that what we now celebrate in signs we may one day possess in truth. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
In today’s gospel, Jesus is asked, ‘Will only a few be saved?’ Seizing the moment, He responds by encouraging people to strive to enter through the narrow door. He suggests that the path to salvation, to a fullness of life, requires effort and focus on our part, much the same way as entering through a narrow door demands concentration and attention. The narrowness of the door does not imply that only a few will enter since He indicates that many will come from east and west, north and south, to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Hence, Jesus clarifies: ‘No, not a few, but many will be saved.’ However, the key is to strive to enter through the narrow door by following Jesus, walking in his way, listening to Him, and putting His Word into practice.
by Norbert Doulanni | Oct 27, 2025 | Evangelium
Saints Simon and Jude,
Apostles – Feast
Psalter: Week IV
Red
Jude, also called Thaddaeus, is the apostle who at the Last Supper asked the Lord why he showed himself only to the disciples and not to the world. For many centuries he was scarcely venerated because people confused him with Judas Iscariot. He is the patron saint of lost and desperate causes.
Entrance Antiphon
These are the holy men whom the Lord chose in his own perfect love; to them he gave eternal glory.
Collect
O God, who by the blessed Apostles have brought us to acknowledge your name, graciously grant, through the intercession of Saints Simon and Jude, that the Church may constantly grow by increase of the peoples who believe in you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
First reading : Ephesians 2:19-22
You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 18(19):2-5
R/ Their word goes forth through all the earth.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story and night unto night makes known the message.
No speech, no word, no voice is heard yet their span extends through all the earth, their words to the utmost bounds of the world.
Gospel Acclamation :cf.Te Deum
Alleluia, alleluia! We praise you, O God, we acknowledge you to be the Lord. The glorious company of the apostles praise you, O Lord. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 6:12-16
Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.
Prayer over the Offerings
As we venerate the perpetual glory of the holy Apostles Simon and Jude, O Lord, we ask that you receive our prayers and lead us to worthy celebration of the sacred mysteries. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Jn 14: 23
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.
Prayer after Communion
Having received this Sacrament, O Lord, we humbly implore you in the Holy Spirit, that what we do to honour the glorious passion of the Apostles Simon and Jude may keep us ever in your love. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Luke, more than any other evangelist, presents Jesus as a man of prayer. In today’s gospel, Jesus spends the entire night in prayer before choosing the twelve from among his disciples. The choice of this significant group is a fruit of our Lord’s deep meditation and prayer. Even though He prayerfully selects the apostles, the leader of this group will later deny him, and another will betray him for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus’ prayer does not guarantee a perfect outcome. The act of praying is not an assurance that everything will work out right. However, prayer strengthens our communion with God, and when circumstances deviate from our expectations we confront them with the strength derived from our connection with God. Jesus will experience abandonment by those he has selected, yet, because of his prayerful communion with God, he will triumph over that dark episode of His life and enter into a new life, which is accessible to all who approach him in faith.
