Each week we are posting General Intercessions for the upcoming Sunday liturgies by Msgr. Joseph Masiello, retired pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, Westfield, NJ. These intercessions are based on the assigned scriptures, the liturgical season and current events.
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
CELEBRANT: Led by the Spirit, let us bring our prayers to the God whose compassion and love are from of old.
READER: Please respond, “LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER!”
1. For the Church: may these forty days in the desert of Lent increase the strength of us, God’s holy people, for our baptismal mission of proclaiming the Gospel of repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope, we pray. . .
2. For the world’s leaders: may God move them to walk hand-in-hand in the struggle to end war and vanquish the forces of violence, so that they may prepare a heritage of peace and justice for future generations, we pray. . .
3. For the transformation of the hearts of our national leaders so that justice and compassion rather than the lure of power or greed may guide the formulation of policies that advance the common good of our citizens and of those who hope one day to be citizens, we pray. . .
4. For we who share this planet with every living creature: may we be good stewards of this fragile ark and reverence it as God’s gift to us, we pray. . .
5. For all catechumens, especially those of our community: may they experience the universality and love of our Catholic faith tradition as they come together for the Rite of Election, we pray. . .
6. For the safety of our service men and women, and of our First Responders and essential workers; and, for the seriously ill in our community and among our family members and friends to be gifted with loving care and the healing touch of our God, (especially _____________,) we pray. . .
7. For the sorrowing to know the consolation of Easter’s hope; and, for _____________, (and) all our beloved dead: may they come to the everlasting embrace of God’s love and peace, we pray. . .
8. We pause to express, in the silence of our hearts, our personal intentions -
(PAUSE)
For those intentions, we pray. . .
CELEBRANT: O God, you set your bow in the clouds as a sign of your covenant with all living beings. Turn your ear now to the prayer of your people. Come to the aid of those who search for healing and wholeness and bring us all one day into your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
|
| ||||||
