Roma Ghetto:
Sliven, Bulgaria
Opening Prayer
You, the Lord my God, are one Lord. May I love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength -Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. -Psalm 59: 16-17 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin This is what you, the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, have said: “In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength.” -Isaiah 30:15 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? -John 13:36-38 (Think deeply on these life-giving words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others will watch in hope for you, O Lord; I will wait for you, the God of my salvation; you will hear me. -Micah 7:7 (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer Lord, help us to see in your crucifixion and resurrection an example of how to endure and seemingly to die in the agony and conflict of daily life, so that we may live more fully and creatively. You accepted patiently and humbly the rebuffs of human life, as well as the torture of the cross. Help us to accept the pains and conflicts that come to us each day as opportunity to grow as people and become more like you-make us realize that it is only by frequent deaths of ourselves, and our self-centered desires that we can come to live more fully, only by dying with you that we can rise with you. -Mother Teresa (1919-1997) 
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
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