# Help us in these difficult times
*2015-11-14*

> Bill Young reflects on the feast of St. Gertrude the Great and offers a powerful prayer by St. John Paul II for guidance during challenging times.

## The Feast of St. Gertrude the Great

Today is Saturday, November 14th, and it is the feast day of St. Gertrude the Great. St. Gertrude lived in the 13th century and was a holy sister. St. Gertrude, please pray for us.

## Prayer for the Holy Souls

St. Gertrude has a special prayer for the holy souls, intended to release many souls from purgatory each time it is said, which has also been extended to include living sinners. The prayer is as follows: Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of the divine son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today for all those holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, for those in my home, in my family, and in the world. Amen.

## A Prayer by St. John Paul II

I would also like to share a prayer written by Saint John Paul II titled 'Help Us in These Difficult Times.'

Sorrowful eyes, O Mother, we are looking at you, for who knows everything that we lack? You who know our sorrows and our hearts. You know, Mary, what I ardently desire. Speak about it to your son. Tell him about the difficult present times in which we live. Speak about it to him who is the guest of our future. Tomorrow begins today and it will be what we have made of it.

O Mother of Christ, Mother of the Lord of the future, help us in these difficult times to listen to your son, to listen to him every day in every moment of our life, even when it seems severe and demanding. To whom else shall we go? He has the words of eternal life, the gospel of joy, of commitment, of suffering, and of salvation. O Mother, with this gospel in our hearts, help us to overcome the difficulties of today in order to reach that tomorrow to which Christ has invited us. Amen.

## Intercessions for the World

We ask for blessings upon the souls who lost their lives in Paris yesterday, and we pray for all souls and sinners.

*By turning to the intercession of Mary and the guidance of Christ's gospel, we can find the strength to overcome the difficulties of today.*