Protect Your Church

"Lord, watch over your Church, and guide it with your unfailing love. Protect us from what could harm us and lead us to what will save us. Help us always, for without you we are bound to fail……" (Mass Prayer in Lent)

In the above prayer, the Church bares its soul to God and says it as she feels and believes it to be. Let us look at the components of the prayer.

Church: Ekklesia, sacred assembly, people of God. Jesus Christ says that wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he is there.

"Guide your Church with your unfailing love" - It is very comforting to know that God's love cannot fail. It is not like human love which is constrained by the weakness of flesh and blood.

"Protect us from what could harm us" These could be: false prophets, heretical ideas, associations, books, movies, places, media programs, entertainments, food, etc.

"Lead us to what will save us" There are: the Eucharist, Reconciliation, Word of God, Prayer, Ministry, etc.

"Help us always" – Help us right here, right now and every time and every place.

"Without you, we are bound to fail" – God is the source of all inspiration, power and success.

The constituent parts of this prayer flow from scripture. Lex orandi, lex credendi. The rule of prayer is the rule of belief. What does the Church believe? Watch her lips as she prays.