Isaiah 61:1–2, 10–11
He has sent me to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord.
Luke 1:46–50, 53–54R. My soul rejoices in my God.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–24
May you all be kept safe for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 61:1 (Luke 4:18)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he sent me to bring Good News to the poor.
John 1:6–8, 19–28
‘There stands among you the one coming after me.’
Now the centre and high point of the entire celebration begins, namely, the Eucharistic Prayer itself, that is, the prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification … Furthermore, the meaning of this Prayer is that the whole congregation of the faithful joins with Christ in confessing the great deeds of God and in the offering of Sacrifice.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §78
Clearly this high point of the Mass is not a time to retreat into private, devotional prayer; rather it is a time when we are called to exercise our baptismal priesthood by giving thanks and offering sacrifice. The ordained presider leads us in this time of active, conscious participation by his proclamation of the eucharistic prayer. Our role is not a passive one during this prayer, but we must give content to the words being proclaimed as we name in our heart our thanks and offer our sacrifice from the week that has passed.
‘Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near’
—entrance antiphon
Isaiah 40:1–5, 9–11
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all mankind shall see it.
Psalm 84 (85):9–14 (Advent)
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
2 Peter 3:8–14
We are waiting for the new heavens and the new earth.
Luke 3:4, 6
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all people shall see the salvation of God.
Mark 1:1–8
A voice cries in the wilderness: prepare a way for the Lord.
By the nature of the ministerial priesthood, something else is put in its proper light, something certainly to be held in great esteem, namely, the royal priesthood of the faithful, whose spiritual sacrifice is brought to completion through the ministry of the Bishop and the Priests, in union with the Sacrifice of Christ, the sole Mediator.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §5
The call to ministerial priesthood in the church is only possible if the person has already shared in the baptismal priesthood through baptism and confirmation. In this way, those who are called to minister to the priestly people of God are not separated from the people of God but are appointed to serve them. They ensure that ‘my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father,’ that our sacrifices may find completion in Christ. Through the ministry of the priest, the celebrating assembly unite in offering the sacrifice ‘for our good and the good of all his holy Church’.
‘O people of Sion, behold, the Lord will come to save the nations, and the Lord will make the glory of his voice heard in the joy of your heart’
—entrance antiphon
Isaiah 63:16–17, 64:1, 3–8
O that you would tear the heavens open and come down.
Psalm 79(80):2–3, 15–16, 18–19
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
1 Corinthians 1:3–9
We are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
Psalm 84:8
Lord, show us your mercy and love, and grant us your salvation.
Mark 13:33–37
If he comes unexpectedly, he must not find you asleep.
At the Last Supper, Our Saviour instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his Body and Blood, by which the Sacrifice of his Cross is perpetuated until he comes again; and till then he entrusts the memorial of his Death and Resurrection to his beloved spouse, the Church.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §2
In the great uncertainties of our times, we can always return to the enduring presence of our Saviour, whose enduring sacrifice provides sustenance for our living. We gather Sunday after Sunday to bring the humble gifts of our living the Christian life in service, forgiveness and charity to be placed upon the altar of our community, so that they may be taken up into the consecration of the Mass and our humble offering may become ‘One Body, One Spirit in Christ’. Then we are sent forth to continue to bring that consecration of our world to life in our daily living.
‘To you, I lift up my soul, O my God. In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame. Nor let my enemies exult over me; and let none who hope in you be put to shame’
—entrance antiphon
‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’ says the Lord God. With confidence, let us call on the King of Kings, who graciously accompanies us from beginning to end.
We pray for Pope Leo and all the bishops of the church. May the Holy Spirit inspire them to look after and tend God’s people.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for civil and political leaders. May they accept their responsibility to serve all those under their leadership with honesty and justice.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all those in our society who care for the sick, the hungry and the homeless. May they be graced to continue their work and to encourage more people to come to the aid of those in need.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
As we come to the end of the liturgical year, we pray with gratitude for all the faithful who have worked to preserve the spirit of our communities through the challenges of the past year. May our churches once again be places of communal prayer as we celebrate the Eucharist together.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of our parish and all those who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those who have died recently and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they be welcomed into the heavenly kingdom.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of glory and majesty, truly your decrees are to be trusted. Hear our prayers for your people everywhere. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Keeping the Lord ever in our sight, let us remain steadfast in our faith, boldly offering our prayers for God’s people and for our world.
We pray for Pope Leo and all the bishops of the church. May their teaching and example awaken us to the reality of God’s abiding love.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for civil leaders. May they practise true servant leadership, humbly directing their public service to the wellbeing of the communities they represent.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick and lonely of our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those who have died recently and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they share the rewards of their love, and rest in peace, enjoying the merits of their labours.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of love and mercy, you show us the path of life, and the fullness of joy in your presence. May we always be confident to voice our concerns and our needs before you, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Jesus calls his followers to give their all for the kingdom of God. We bring all that we are and all that we have before God in prayer for the world and the Church.
We pray for Pope Leo and all bishops of our Church. By their teaching and example, may they lead people to see the wisdom embodied in the Gospel.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our Church in the communion of saints. Sharing in their baptism, we acknowledge their goodness and strive to live by their example.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community as we prepare again to gather and to share the Eucharist. In the coming weeks and months, may our freedom to gather grow, providing greater opportunities for people to come to know you and each other more fully.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who have gone to their eternal rest, particularly those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they find peace in eternal life among the communion of saints.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
O Lord of the widow and orphan, of the hungry and oppressed, listen to these our prayers and help us to walk in your way of mercy. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
We are commanded to love God with all our strength, and to love our neighbours as ourselves. As a sign of our devotion, we bring these intercessions for our neighbours and for our world.
We pray for Pope Leo and all leaders of our Church. May they be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to minister to their people with compassion and faithfulness to the Gospel.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our civil and political leaders. May they act and speak with wisdom, compassion and generosity, fostering unity and charity rather than fear and division.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
In these final weeks of a challenging academic year, we pray for students facing exams. May their minds be focused and their hearts at peace, and may their study and effort bring success and a sense of joyful satisfaction.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community as together we take the way of the Gospel. Looking to the future, may we be open to the Spirit’s leading, working together to bring the Good News of Christ’s love to all our neighbours.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of our parish and for those who care for them.
We pray for those who have died recently and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time. May God welcome them into the eternal kingdom.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Our confidence is in Jesus Christ, who intercedes for all who come to God through him, and in whose name we pray.
Amen.
The Prophet Jeremiah tells us that those who left in tears will be comforted and led back by a smooth path and by streams of water. We offer these prayers for our world and our Church as a sign of our confidence in the God who redeems and restores.
We pray for Pope Leo and the bishops of our Church. May their lives and teachings give witness to a God who is compassionate and just to all people.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our political, civil and business leaders. May they act with wisdom and integrity, using their positions not for personal or partisan advantage but for the benefit of all.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who feel lonely and abandoned. May they feel the Lord’s healing touch through the genuine concern of those around them.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our community of faith as we prepare to re-open our churches and to gather in person once more. May we be bound together by a unity of purpose and generosity of spirit as together we negotiate the practical challenges of the coming months.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those who have died recently and for all whose anniversaries we remember at this time. May they now rejoice in the presence of God’s unconditional love.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Presider
Lord, you invite us to approach in faith and to bring our needs and concerns to you so that our lives and your world might be healed. Listen to these our prayers. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
We approach our loving God in prayer for our world, confident that we will receive mercy and grace when we are in need of help.
We pray for Pope Leo and the bishops of the Church. May the Spirit continue to lead the Church in every country to be a strong witness to the unity of God’s plan for the world.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for civic leaders at all levels. May they follow Christ’s example of humble service, putting the needs of others before their own ambition, and using wisely and justly the power entrusted to them.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all those with responsibility for keeping us safe, especially those in our healthcare system. May they be strengthened and sustained in their efforts to minister to those most in need, especially all those suffering as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. May we strive to be more Christ-like in faith and action, daring to proclaim the Good News of God’s kingdom in our neighbourhoods and beyond .
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of the parish and those who care for them.
We pray for those who have died recently and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time. May God welcome them into the eternal kingdom.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, our help and our shield, hear our prayers. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Trusting that understanding might be given to us, and that the spirit of Wisdom might come to us, we open our hearts to our loving God, seekinghealing, compassion and mercy for all those we lift up in prayer.
We pray for Pope Leo and all leaders of the Church. May they serve the Lord faithfully and with humility, and may the favour of the Lord be upon them, giving success to the work of their hands.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all married couples, particularly those celebrating special anniversaries this year. May their marriages and families continue to be blessed, and by their example, may they always reveal the beauty of Christian marriage and family to the world.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all those who are isolated or socially rejected because of illness or disease. May they find comfort and hope in the knowledge that Jesus reaches out to all people.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for ...
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our parishioners and family members who are ill.
We pray for those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May God welcome them into the eternal kingdom.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of mercy, for whom everything is possible, listen to the prayers that we bring before you and renew our lives and our world, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.