Pray With Us - June 2010

Join us in prayer each day as we
give praise and thanks to our God,
ask for God's blessing on our day,
express our concerns,
and remember the needs of all God's people.

This month's prayers are written by students from Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Summit, NJ

June 2010
Pray With Us

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

God of Hope,
Please let us not be afraid. Let us have hope. Strengthen the non-believers to know you. Let the blind see hope. Let the deaf hear joy. Let all believe and see the holiness in you, the Almighty Lord. Amen.

—Olivia Q., Grade 5

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

God who is always with us,
Through strength and through weakness, through peace and through war, through happiness and through sadness—we will remember you. Amen.

—Michael H. and Grace J., Grade 5

Thursday, June 3, 2010 - Feast of Saint Charles Lwanga, Martyr and His Companions

Lord of Heaven and Earth,
Please watch over us and help us to follow the Ten Commandments. May you forgive us for our sins, so that we may enter the Kingdom of God. Amen.

—Katherine B. and Elyssa D., Grade 5

Friday, June 4, 2010

Heavenly Father,
Keep us on the path of faith. Throughout our journey, send us wisdom and love. Keep us from entering the path of darkness, as sometimes we may feel tempted to leave the goodness of our faith and turn to despair. Keep us holy through everything we do. Amen.

—Natalie C., Grace G., Sean M., Grade 5

Saturday, June 5, 2010 - Feast of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

Beloved Lord,
Thank you for giving us life and creating the beautiful earth on which we live. You died on the cross in forgiveness of our sins. Amen.

—Anna M., Anam O., Peter S., Grade 5

Sunday, June 6, 2010 - Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool." Psalm 110: 1

God Most High,
We pray for those with foes to make peace. The Bread and Wine shall feed those who hunger for you. We are grateful to the Holy Trinity for faith, hope, and love. Amen.

—Sam H., Finn M., Jessie M, and Jennifer N. Grade 5

Monday, June 7, 2010

Loving Father,
You are central in our lives. Grant us health and happiness. As one people we give thanks for our families and our strong connection to you and to one another. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

—Courtney B., Alexa I., Keara R., Grade 9

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Loving and Merciful God,
You give us light especially in the darkest times and each day you grace us with a new beginning. Please send the Holy Spirit and continue to help us always return to you even if we have been far away. We give you thanks for your forgiveness and your undying love. We ask that we may live a fruitful life here on earth and be with you for all eternity in your Kingdom. For all your gifts we give you praise. Amen.

—Tristana B., Kristen K., Paige T., Grade 9

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Spirit of all wisdom,
You are the One to heal, not only our sicknesses and illnesses, but our hearts as well;
You heal our hearts by the faith you place within them.
Let all people of the world, big and small, tall and short, be filled with love and restore the faith of all humanity to the people who are filled with hatred.
We give thanks to you, Lord, for the hope of turning this world full of evil into a world of love and kindness.
We thank you for counting us worthy, listening to us in our time of need, and are forever grateful. Amen.

—Kerry C., Caroline McM., Egypt S., Grade 9

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Loving Father,
You are our light when we are in darkness. In the Bible, you taught us that you are always there for us, especially in times of need. Please help us to see you in all our actions. Help us to trust in your commands and always forgive others. Teach us your unconditional love. Thank you for guiding us each day through good times and bad. Thank you for believing in us every day. We pray this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

—Alexandra C., Keara R., Grade 9

Friday, June 11, 2010 - Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Loving God,
You love us unconditionally even when we are wandering like lost sheep. When we stray, you find us and lead us on the right path. We ask you to continue to guide us on our journey. Thank you for your love and gracious acts that inspire us to be like you and for never giving up on us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

—Alison C., Jackie R., Grade 9

Saturday, June 12, 2010 - Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Holy God,
You help guide us in the right direction. Please help us to stay away from sin and harm and to follow in your footsteps. Help us grow in wisdom and stature in your favor. We thank you for watching out for us, for your guidance and direction in all we do. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen

—Katie D., Gabrielle H., Sarah M., Grade 9

Sunday, June 13, 2010 - Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Heavenly Father,
You have blessed us with the gift of conscience.
We appreciate your presence while making decisions -
even when we do not listen to your advice.
We ask that you give us the strength to make right decisions.
And we thank You for forgiving us when we have made the wrong ones.
Thank you for your guidance and unconditional love although we may forget it at times.
We make our prayers to the Father in the name of Jesus with the Holy Spirit, Amen.

—Lizzie B., Sarah O., Kathy T., Grade 9

Monday, June 14, 2010

Merciful God,
Jesus’ words, “Do not trespass against those who have trespassed against us,” teach us that we must forgive others as you forgive us.
We ask that you grant us the strength to embrace those who have hurt us, the resolve to turn the other cheek, and the generosity to share the gifts we have been blessed with.
God, You gave us Your son, Jesus, to show us how to love one another and not punish the evil we see in others. Thank you for this and for everything.
We pray in the name of Your only son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit Amen.

—Caroline B., Meaghan O., Margaret S., Grade 9

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

O God,
As You love us unconditionally, You are our light in good times and in bad. Help us to be more like your Son: to be kind, to love everyone, and to forgive without grudges. Give us the courage and strength to pray for and love those who persecute us. Thank you for the opportunities to grow stronger as we ask forgiveness for our sins. May we do unto others as you do to us. We make our prayer to the Father in the name of Jesus with the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

—Claire C., Elizabeth S., Grade 9

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

God of Love,
You bless us with the space and time to pray to you alone. Give us the courage and wisdom to worship you in private through simple and quiet actions, but forgive us when we flaunt our charity to gain reward. Thank you for always listening to our prayers and answering our requests, and grant that we continue to place all our trust in you. For this and all your other blessings, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

—Mara E., Kerri M., Hayley S., Grade 9e

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Our Father in heaven,
You know our needs before we ask them.
Help us to make earth as glorious as your kingdom. Let us forgive others as you forgive us and let us see the good in everyone. We praise you for your love and compassion, and ask You to not subject us to the final test, but turn us away from sin and towards everlasting life with You.
In the name of Jesus in communion with His Spirit, we pray. Amen.

—Paige H., Leanna N., Kelsey S., Grade 9

Friday, June 18, 2010

Loving God,
Your heaven has treasures we cannot imagine and can only hope one day to see. Please help us to focus on our real, everlasting treasures, our friendships, instead of material treasures that will soon be gone.
We thank you for the opportunity to be a part of Your Kingdom. We make our prayers to the Father in the name of Jesus, with the Holy Spirit. In your guidance and wisdom, we pray. Amen.

—Kyla B., Megan M., Grade 9

Saturday, June 19, 2010 - Feast of St. Romuald

Heavenly Father,
Lead us in the path of St. Romuald, who began as an unruly child and grew to have a profound devotion to You. May we also be faithful to You, our one and only God, whom we will not abandon. Help us to serve You by reaching out to others through service. May we live in the present, not worrying about the future, trusting that You will provide. Amen.

—Alison R., Laura C., and Allison K. Grade 9

Sunday, June 20, 2010 - Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fatherhood is “making the decision to have a child [because it] is momentous.
It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” -Elizabeth Stone.

God our Heavenly Father,
On this Father’s Day, we recognize fatherhood as one of the greatest gifts because of the ability to see others as You do. As children, we are thankful for the gift of fatherhood. We pray that fathers around the world continue to view their children the way You do. May all of us see one another this way and make the world a better place. While honoring fathers on this day, most of all we thank You, God the Father, because we are all your children. Amen.

—Anna V., Hannah S., Maddie S., Grade 9

Monday, June 21, 2010 - St. Aloysius Gonzaga

Heavenly Father,
As we move into the summer season, give us the strength to stay true to ourselves and to avoid forgetting our moral education. In the summertime, when we are given so much freedom, let us not stray from the path God has set for us. On his feast day, let us ask Saint Aloysius Gonzaga to help us live strong lives and help others. Let us take all that we have learned this year and incorporate it into our everyday lives. Amen

—Kelly Z., Christina L., Monica F., Grade 9

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 - Feast of St. Thomas More

“I will shield and save the city for my own sake.” 2 Kings 19:34

Saint Thomas More took a risk and stood up for what he believed was right. He was beheaded for this act.

God Almighty,
On this day, give us the gifts of courage and fortitude to trust in ourselves and stand up for what we believe, as Saint Thomas More did. Help us to fulfill Your will by striving for peace in the world and by helping others to keep our community safe. Amen.

—Megan W. and Kelly M., Grade 9

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

God the Father,
With the covenant Your path we embrace;
Keep us in Your infinite Grace.
With all of Your people, small and great,
Your covenant holds our fate.
Help us not to succumb to false temptations,
And help us understand Your revelations.
Through good and bad may we only bear one,
May we find strength and wisdom in Your only Son.

Amen.

—Emily C., Bryn D., Breanna F., Grade 9

Thursday, June 24, 2010 - Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

Righteous Lord,
Just as Zechariah and Elizabeth rejoiced at the birth of their son, John, give Your creatures the opportunity to rejoice at the birth of new relationships, new days, and another chance to do Your will. As Christians we come to You faithfully and reflect upon the nativity of John the Baptist who prepared us for the coming of Your son, Jesus Christ. As your gift of summer approaches, we pray for patience. May we always listen to Your voice and share with others our joy in You. Amen.

—Karen V., Anneliese R., Deirdre W. Grade 9

Friday, June 25, 2010

Loving God,
Throughout our lives, please help us not to turn away from You. Help us not to be tempted by the devil and all things evil. Let us grow in our faith and believe that You will help us to be virtuous. Guide us into Your kingdom because You are our loving God. Help us reject sin so that our spirits will be full of Your loving presence. Send the Holy Spirit down to show us the way of Your salvation. Amen.

—Jenna S. and Emily S., Grade 9

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Healing God,
Just as you healed the leper in today’s gospel, strengthen us in our time of need. Help us to turn away from temptation and keep away from personal sins such as lying and envy. Help us to turn to You and mend the wounds we bear. Forgive our sins and send down the Holy Spirit to cleanse us of our wrong doings. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

—Gabriella M., Brittany F., Grade 9

Sunday, June 27, 2010 - Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Loving God,
Help us to follow in Your footsteps and serve each other through love. Free us of our sins and help us to fulfill Your message of peace and love across the world. In today’s Gospel, You say "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62). Help us to keep going forward and not to go back. You sacrificed Yourself to save and free us; help us to lead the way. Amen.

—Kim C. and Claire T., Grade 9

Monday, June 28, 2010 - Feast of St. Ireneaus

Heavenly Father,
Help us to put You first in all we do. Inspire us to follow in the path of St. Irenaeus, by seeking the truth and fighting against all forms of evil. Remembering that You alone save us, we thank You for the strength to be true to You, for we are weak without You, and You make us strong. Help us to follow in the path of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

—Christine B. and Emily H., Grade 9

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Good God,
Thank You for our health and for watching over us. Inspire us to do only good for others. We also ask for summer to be a time of rest and preparation for the challenges the next academic year may bring. We thank You for the blessings of our friends and family. We ask for this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

—Ginny W., Megan C., Mary Kate L., Grade 9

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 - Feast of the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

Merciful Lord,
As we remember the martyrs of our church today, grant us courage in order that we may be open to Your grace with the same dedication as our beloved martyrs. Let our faith in you help us to prevail over the evil in our lives. Help us to see the good in all of Your creation, so that we may be more respectful and loving towards it. Holy Spirit, grant us your gifts to model the Martyrs in complete dedication to God and glorify you in all that we do. Amen.

—Cate C., Caroline D., and Lauren F., Grade 9