# Prayer for Mercy on the Feast of St. Marianne Cope
*2016-01-23*

> Bill Young reflects on the life of St. Marianne Cope and leads a prayer asking God’s mercy for the whole world, especially the sick and unborn.

## St. Marianne Cope – A Life of Compassion

St. Marianne Cope was born in Germany in 1838 and later moved to the United States, settling in Syracuse, New York, where she entered the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor. In 1883 the Hawaiian government asked her to assist with the leprosy (Hansen’s disease) epidemic on the island of Molokai. She devoted the rest of her life to caring for those afflicted, establishing hospitals and homes, and eventually taking over Father Damien’s mission for men and boys. Her courage and generosity continue to inspire us today.

## Why We Pray for Mercy

In a world filled with suffering—war, disease, poverty, and the cries of the unborn—we turn to God, the source of infinite mercy. Bill reminds us that human effort alone cannot bridge the gap between our brokenness and God’s holiness; we must rely on His compassion and grace.

## Prayer for Mercy from God for All the World

O greatly merciful God, infinite in goodness, today all humankind cries out from the depths of its misery, seeking Your compassion. Gracious Father, do not reject the prayers of those who are exiled and suffering. You, whose goodness surpasses our understanding, are acquainted with our pain. Knowing we cannot reach You by our own power, we implore You to pour out Your grace upon us and increase Your mercy within us, that we may faithfully do Your holy will throughout our lives and at the hour of death.

May the abundance of Your mercy shield us from the darts of the enemies of salvation, that we may, with confidence as Your children, await Your final coming—the day known only to You. May we obtain everything promised to us by Jesus, despite our wickedness, for He is our hope. Through His merciful heart, an open gate, we pass toward heaven. Amen.

## Closing Blessing

May God’s boundless mercy accompany you today and always. Have a blessed Saturday.

*God’s infinite mercy is the hope that sustains us amid the world’s suffering.*