On days, where there is no feast or memorial of a saint to be celebrated, one often hears at Mass the prayers of the preceding Sunday.However, the Sacramentary contains an entire section of "Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions." Here is one, from a set of prayers "For the Universal Church:"

God, our Father, by the promise you made in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ your Son,You bring together in your Spirit, from all the nations, a people to be your own.Keep the Church faithful to its mission: may it be a leaven in the world, renewing us in Christ, and transforming us into your family.

To be renewed and transformed in Christ: the disciples' daily prayer and commitment.

Robert P. Imbelli, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, is a longtime Commonweal contributor.

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