This year’s theme for World AIDS Day is “World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit.”
This day, December 1 is set aside since 1988 to unite us in the fight against HIV, support those living with HIV, and remember those who have died from an HIV-related illness.
In the midst of the covid pandemic, it can be easy to forget that, we have lost millions of our brothers and sisters in Christ to this terrible illness. According to the World Health Organization “HIV remains a major global public health issue, having claimed 40.4 million lives so far.. with ongoing transmissions in all countries globally” And, there were an estimated 39.0 million people living with HIV at the end of 2022, two-thirds of whom (25.6 million) live in Africa.
35 years later our work continues. We are all called as Catholics to serve and support those living with HIV/AIDS, work together in the fight against HIV, and remember those who have died.
Please continue to keep these individuals and their families in your prayers and work for a day when HIV is no longer a public health threat.
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears
O Good and gracious God,
You are the God of health and wholeness
In the plan of Your creation,
You call us to struggle in our sickness
and to cling always to the cross of Your Son.
Father, we are Your servants.
Many of us are now suffering with HIV or AIDS.
We come before You and ask You,
if it is Your holy will,
to take this suffering away from us,
restore us to health and lead us to know You
and Your powerful healing love
of body and spirit.
We ask you also,
to be with those of us who nurse Your sick ones.
We are the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers,
children and friends of Your suffering people.
It is so hard for us to see those whom we love suffer.
You know what it is to suffer.
Help us to minister in loving care, support, and
patience for your people who suffer with HIV and AIDS.
Lead us to do whatever it will take to
eradicate this illness from the lives of those
who are touched by it,
both directly and indirectly.
Trusting in You and the strength of Your Spirit,
we pray these things in the Name of Jesus.
Amen
Prayer by National African American Catholic HIV/AIDS Task Force
THIS PRAYER AND OTHER RESOURCES
https://www.usccb.org/committees/african-american-affairs/world-aids-day-cultural-diversity
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HIV/AIDS INFORMATION