Prayer Before the Tomb of Saint Claus (14 June 1984)

On Thursday, 14 June 1984, the Holy Father prayed before the tomb of Saint Claus in the Parish Church Sachseln. This was his prayer.

1. My Lord and my God, great trust in your gracious work in our time has led me to this holy place. From here, through the intercession of St. Brother Klaus, so much blessing and grace for peace has already flowed.

So many people today experience the evil of sin: it turns people away from you and promises them great freedom, happiness and peace. In reality, however, it brings egoism, conflict, dissatisfaction and strife, war and destruction. Sin blinds people and leads them astray.

God of truth and mercy, you sent us your Son as our Savior. He voluntarily endured the bitter Good Friday of the whole world and, through the power of your almighty Holy Spirit, triumphed over sin and death. Just as he did to his despondent apostles back then, the risen Lord calls out to us today: "Peace be with you!"

2. My Lord and my God, on Pentecost you poured out your divine spirit into the hearts of people: the spirit that brought people from different languages ​​and cultures together into one language of love and peace, into the community of the Church. Moved by your Pentecostal work among people, I kneel today as a supplicant at the grave of St. Brother Klaus, whom you called in a special way to be a peacemaker. Trusting in his intercession, I unite my prayers and requests for peace and reconciliation among people with those of this great saint.

In difficult times, you called Saint Brother Klaus to be the "conscience" of his fellow citizens and to bring peace. Thanks to your leadership, the community of marriage and family on the Flüeli became a place of faith and prayer. Thanks to your kind providence, Brother Klaus found in Dorothea an understanding wife who wrestled with him and prayed for the strength to obey your divine will. You called Dorothea to take responsibility for the family, house and farm in her husband's place, so that the saint's path would be free for life in the Ranft, free for prayer, free for your mission to bring peace.

God, source of peace, together with the many people who have prayed here for peace, I thank you for this great advocate and champion of peace, St. Brother Klaus. We thank you for calling people who today help to recognize and fulfill your will. Let us, with Brother Klaus and his saintly wife Dorothea, realize more and more that true reconciliation and lasting peace come from you alone. Therefore, we open ourselves to your spirit by imploring you together for peace in our own hearts and peace in the world with the saint's favorite prayer:

My Lord and my God, / take away from me everything / that hinders me from coming to you.

My Lord and my God, / give me everything / that leads me to you.

My Lord and my God, / take me / and give me entirely to yourself. / Amen.

© Copyright 1984 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana