Daily Mass

"The Mass is the most important work of the day."
Servant of God, Dorothy Day

A Prayer for the Daily Mass Crowd

Wonderful Jesus,
As I sit with my children
in the back pew of church
I look over all of my fellow churchgoers.

Although they are much older
than me and my family,
they seem to have a youthful spirit
about themselves.

Their bodies may be feeling
the aches and pains of old age,
but their eyes betray their bodies.
For in their eyes
a sparkle exists
that spreads into a smile
covering their entire faces.

Those sparkling eyes speak of
knowledge and wisdom and maturity
which only comes from endurance
through trials and challenges.
They represent faithfulness and constancy
in all circumstances.
No matter what happens in their lives,
they keep coming back to God.

Their wisdom and love draw me in
and open a desire
in my heart
to follow in their paths.

We are one as we kneel and pray.
We are one as we silently adore the
uplifted Host.
We are one as we wave to one another
in a gesture of peace.

Although I am many years their junior
they accept me and fold me into their circle
of friendship.
Some share their life stories with me.
Others share gifts for my children.
Some, whose names I don’t know,
simply share this daily time of prayer with me.
That is more than enough.

Lord, I pray for these men and women
because I love them so and I love how much they love you.

Amen.