The ancient Israelites, who had a fear of the sea, stood in awe of the Creator’s power to govern the ocean waters—a sign of chaos and death. To them, only one who is truly God could give orders to the seas and domesticate them. For all the wonders of our technology, we are no more able than they to make the seas do our bidding. Only God is God.

The Lord is a warrior,

Lord is his name!

Pharaoh’s chariots and army he hurled into the sea;

the elite of his officers was submerged in the Red Sea.

The floodwaters covered them,

they sank into the depths like a stone.

Your right hand, O Lord, magnificent in power,

your right hand, O Lord, has shattered the enemy.

In your great majesty, you overthrew your adversaries;

you loosed your wrath to consume them like stubble.

At a breath of your anger the waters piled up,

the flowing waters stood like a mound,

the floodwaters congealed in the midst of the sea.

The enemy boasted, “I will pursue and overtake them;

I will divide the spoils and have my fill of them;

I will draw my sword; my hand shall despoil them!”

When your wind blew, the sea covered them;

like lead, they sank in the mighty waters.

Who is like to you among the gods, O Lord?

Who is like to you, magnificent in holiness?

O terrible in renown, worker of wonders,

when you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them!

In your mercy you led the people you redeemed;

in your strength you guided them to your holy dwelling.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God. Jeremiah 5:22

Should you not fear me, says the Lord,/ should you not tremble before me?/ I made the sandy shore the sea’s limit,/ which by eternal decree it may not overstep./ Toss though it may, it is to no avail;/ though its billows roar, they cannot pass.

Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Quiet!

Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. (cf. Mk 4:39)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” (Mk 4:41)

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets, he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet

of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father…

INTERCESSIONS

Let us turn to the God of power and of love and say:

R/Lord, how great you are!

You separated the waters and drew forth the dry land:

– protect all coast dwellers from the rampages of the sea. R/

You filled the oceans with teeming life:

– sustain all those who make their living from the sea. R/

You water the earth and bring forth food:

– send rain to those places that suffer drought and famine. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

Lord God of earth and sea, yours is the dry land and yours the water. Have mercy on us, who so easily forget that we are not gods but God’s creatures and beloved children. We worship you in all humility as the source of all life. Receive our prayer with loving kindness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of Christ

Consecrate your heart to Mary with this short prayer

Prayer for the Morning (November 22)