Sixth Week of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Jesus, give us the generous heart of God. So often we do discriminate and rashly judge people. We like people we are comfortable with, who share our values, our socio-economic status, our color, culture, and religion. We like the beautiful, sparkling, and successful people. We look down with moral judgment on the broken, poor, and those different than us. Our expectations, judgments, and needs play God. I am sorry for the injustice I create and expand by my discrimination and rash judgments. People had trouble understanding you, Jesus, because they looked at you with their own needy messianic expectations. Give us the faith of Peter who knew you because he listened to you. Purify the darkness and distortion of our expectations. Give us courage, faith, and light when we suffer the darkness, pain, and death of our expectations. Give us the generous and courageous heart of God!