Prayers for Christmas: Food and Health

We hear the Canticle of Mary, the Magnificat, in today’s Gospel from Luke:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Like Mary, we prepare for the coming of Christ this Advent and rejoice in all that God has done for us. As Christmas draws nearer, we continue to reflect on the prayers our own lowly servants, our missioners and the poor people abroad about whose journeys they have joined.

Soup at Tiqti Sud lunch program

Today’s prayer comes from Bolivia, one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America. Dona Severina, is a cook at the lunch program at Tiqti Sud Chapel and Center which provides meals and snacks for children in need:

“My prayer for the New Year is that God may provide us with another year of health and food, enough to last the whole year.” 

FMS missioner Catherine Giller has worked at Tiqti Sud through her ministry at the Office of Social Program through the Franciscan parish of San Carlos. More than 400 children have been fed through the office’s programs.

Help FMS continue to “fill the hungry with good things”. Give a gift today.