In his letters, Paul often reports to his communities the graces which he asks for when he prays for them. Today's reading from the Letter to the Colossians is a good example. For today's reflection, I have taken some of Paul's words from the middle of the passage and adapted them as a direct prayer. This is an exercise always worth doing with Paul's reports of his prayer, for then we can use Paul's words to pray and not simply read his report. Thus Paul prays:

"May you have within you the strength, based on God's own glorious power, never to give in, but to bear anything joyfully, thanking the Father, who has made it possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light." (Colossians 1: 11-12).

Let us learn to pray for the many graces which Paul feels the young community at Colossae may stand in need of: the graces of spiritual strength, spiritual endurance and constancy, enlivened by joy and gratitude.