Holy Week (Week of April 5)
You Will Never Be the Same p 40 “Avoiding the Cross: Unwillingness to Suffer”

“Jesus, You are called the Crucified Lord and the Cross-bearer.  May You never have to say to us, ‘You are not worthy of Me; you cannot be My disciple,’ because we did not want to carry our cross.  Grant us the grace to say, ‘Yes Father,’ to every cross, trusting that it has been prepared for us personally and comes from the loving hands of the Father.  It will bring us an abundance of divine blessing.  In the cross is great fruit; in the cross is glory; in the cross is victory, power, and resurrection.  The cross frees our soul from this earth and draws us to heaven.  The cross brings us gain here and above.  Teach us to love our cross as a precious gift from Your hand, which we will thank You for in eternity.  Out of love for You,  Lord Jesus, we wish to follow You.  Make us true cross-bearers.

“Bless O Lord, this food to our use, and us to Your loving service; and make us ever mindful of the needs of others.  Lord, in Your mercy…Hear our prayer.”