The following is the text of the Video Message “Pray with the Pope”, with the prayer intention for the month of July, distributed via the Pray with the Pope initiative of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, on the theme For respect for human life.
Let us pray for respect and the defense of human life at every stage, recognizing it as a gift from God.
Videomessage
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amén.
Lord of life,
You created us in love and called us to live in fullness.
Each person is a sacred gift that reflects your face,
from the first instant of existence
to the final breath of their journey on earth.
Today we ask for the grace to recognize and protect
the unique and unrepeatable value of every human being.
May we learn to welcome life unconditionally,
to tenderly care for fragility,
to accompany each stage with respect,
and to bravely defend those who have no voice.
Forgive us, Lord,
when we fall into indifference or the culture of discard,
when we fail to see in others a being worthy of love.
Give us a new heart, always ready to choose life,
and generous hands that protect it through concrete actions.
Make your Church a living witness of the Gospel of life,
an open home where every life is celebrated,
where no one feels unwanted,
and where dignity is always honored and protected.
Lord Jesus,
may we love life as You love it:
with tenderness, fidelity, and self-giving.
May we proclaim, in words and actions,
that every human life is worth the total gift of ourselves.
Amen.