14 September 2025, Feast Of The Exaltation Of The Holy Cross, Birthday of Pope Leo XIV

FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS - SUNDAY

Gospel: John 3:13–17

On this feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we rejoice in the sign of salvation. The Cross, once a tree of death, has become for us a garden of peace, where God’s love reconciles heaven and earth. Today is also the birthday of Pope Leo XIV, who last Friday inaugurated the Laudato Si’ Village at Castel Gandolfo, calling it a “seed of hope” and a living laboratory of faith and sustainability. With gratitude for these gifts, we now lift our prayers: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER or LORD, MAKE THE CROSS OUR TREE OF PEACE.

1. That the Church, raised high with the Cross of Christ, may proclaim to the world the boundless love of God who “gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Let us pray to the Lord.

2. That government leaders may cultivate policies that plant seeds of justice, peace, and sustainability, especially for the poor, in the spirit of SDG 15: Life on Land, which calls for protecting forests, ecosystems, and biodiversity. Let us pray to the Lord.

3. That, following the vision of Pope Leo XIV and the Laudato Si’ Village, Christians may embrace ecological conversion, seeing in every creature a reflection of God’s goodness and living in harmony with all creation. Let us pray to the Lord.

4. That those who suffer from sickness, poverty, or displacement may find hope in the Cross of Christ, the tree of life and peace, and in the solidarity of communities who care for them. Let us pray to the Lord.

5. That the faithful departed may share in the victory of the Cross and rest forever in the peace of God’s kingdom. Let us pray to the Lord.

God of life and love, your Son’s Cross has become our garden of peace. On this feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and on the birthday of Pope Leo XIV, may we learn to carry the Cross with joy, to care for creation with fidelity, and to sow seeds of justice and peace for generations to come. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Creation from Laudato Si’

This prayer by Pope Francis appeared at the end of his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si'. It is for all who believe in God who is the all-powerful Creator.

All powerful God,
you are present in the universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with your peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned
and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty,
not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle,
for justice, love and peace.