August 14, 2020 Friday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time-A ST. MAXIMILIAN KOLBE, PRIEST AND MARTYR
Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63
Psalm Isaiah 12:2-6
Matthew 19:3-12
“Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.” Mt. 19:6
Lord, the beauty and harmony of nature is truly wonderful. When walking through a forest of green trees, grass and brush the plants are breathing out what I breathe in and breathing in what I breathe out. This is truly a miracle, a natural harmony of life. You made marriage for men and women to live in harmony too and participate with you in creation of life. We are your finest creatures all different yet formed by the same creator. Marriage reflects the love you have for all you people. As your people can rebel against you upsetting the balance of mutual love so can that balance become broken between man and wife. Lord, continue to bless all married couples with the graces needed to maintain the harmony you intended for us. Bring peace to our families and heal the broken hearted. Protect wives and children from violence. Make all marriages like the balance of nature in a forest. Keep safe those working to rebuild their relationships. Protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman as the Lord of all made it to be. Amen.