Genesis 18:20–32
Abraham negotiates with the Lord.
Psalm 137(138):1–3, 6–8
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Colossians 2:12–14
Christ has brought you to life with him and forgiven us all our sins.
Romans 8:15bc
You have received the Spirit which makes us God’s children, and in that Spirit we call God our Father.
Luke 11:1–13
How to pray.
In the Lord’s Prayer a petition is made for daily food, which for Christians means preeminently the Eucharistic Bread, and also for purification from sin, so that what is holy may, in fact, be given to those who are holy.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §81
The inclusion of the Lord’s Prayer in the Mass dates back to early times, and its inclusion during Communion draws us in two ways. First, as God’s holy people, we petition the holy one to share his holiness with us: ‘Give us today our daily bread.’ This petition then links the Eucharist with our petition for forgiveness: ‘Forgive us as we forgive.’ God’s generous gift invites us to extend the same forgiveness to those who ‘have trespassed against us’. We then move from this prayer to the sign of peace.
‘Accept, O Lord, we pray, the offerings which we bring from the abundance of your gifts, that through the powerful working of your grace these most sacred mysteries may sanctify our present way of life and lead us to eternal gladness.’
—prayer over the offerings
Genesis 18:1–10
‘Next year your wife Sarah will have a son.’
Psalm 14(15):2–5
R. The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
Colossians 1:24–28
A mystery hidden for generations has been revealed to God’s saints.
cf. Luke 8:15
Happy are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.
Luke 10:38–42
Martha works; Mary listens.
For in the celebration of Mass, in which the Sacrifice of the Cross is perpetuated, Christ is really present in the very assembly gathered in his name, in the person of the minister, in his word, and indeed substantially and continuously under the Eucharistic species.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §27
When we gather for Sunday Mass, much more happens than meets the eye. To recognise the depth of what we do, we need attentive faith. Sunday after Sunday, we come to church—and it is all too easy to let this become a routine or empty ritual. Yet, we stand in the very presence of God when we are in the sacred assembly of his beloved people, to whom he speaks through word and sacrament.
‘O God, who in the one perfect sacrifice brought to completion varied offerings of the law, accept, we pray, this sacrifice from your faithful servants and make it holy, as you blessed the gifts of Abel, so that what each has offered to the honour of your majesty may benefit the salvation of all.’
—prayer over the offerings
Deuteronomy 30:10–14
The Law is not beyond your strength or beyond your reach.
Psalm 68(69):14, 17, 30–31, 33–34, 36–37
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
Colossians 1:15–20
All things were created through Christ and for Christ.
cf. John 6:63c, 68c
Your words, Lord, are spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.
Luke 10:25–37
The good Samaritan.
The celebration of Mass should be planned:
With due regard for the nature and the particular circumstances of each liturgical assembly, the entire celebration is planned in such a way that it leads to a conscious, active, and full participation of the faithful both in body and in mind, a participation burning with faith, hope, and charity, of the sort which is desired by the Church and demanded by the very nature of the celebration, and to which the Christian people have a right and duty by reason of their Baptism.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §18
The faithful participating at Mass is the heart of its celebration. However, this participation should involve much more than mere actions. What we do must touch our hearts—we need to be ‘living with faith, hope and charity’ as we engage in the celebration. We also need to carry the spirit of the celebration into our lives, and similarly burn to recognise and serve the Christ among us.
‘Look upon the offerings of the Church, O Lord, as she makes her prayer to you, and grant that, when consumed by those who believe, they may bring ever greater holiness.’
—prayer over the offerings
God gives us wisdom through the Holy Spirit. May the Spirit guide us as we pray today for all who are in need.
We pray for Pope Leo. May he continue inspiring the Church to demonstrate faith in Christ by embracing the cross with Jesus.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all our world leaders. May they learn to trust Wisdom rather than their own limited personal resources.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
On this National Child Protection Sunday, we pray for all children. May we work together to create safe environments for them and guard them against all harm.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. May we be strengthened to carry the crosses of our lives as we live out our baptism.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are sick in our parish and for all who care for them.
We pray for those who have died recently and for those whose anniversaries we remember at this time. May they share fully in the glory of God’s promise.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Merciful God, in your goodness, hear our prayers. Fill us with your kindness so that we may shout with joy and gladness for all our days. We offer our prayers to you through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
We come before the throne of the living God and before Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant. We pray for justice, peace and mercy throughout the world.
We pray for Pope Leo and all Church leaders. May their lives and teachings give witness to a God who is merciful and just towards all people.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our political, civil and business leaders. May the Gospel standard of humility challenge those who claim to serve their people.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all fathers today. May the Holy Spirit grant them the wisdom to rightly fulfil the responsibilities of fatherhood, and may they be blessed through their children.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. Strengthened and inspired by the Eucharist, may we give witness to the Good News of Jesus in our daily lives.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our sick relatives and friends, as well as for those who take care of them.
We remember those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rejoice in the blessings of God’s kingdom.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God, in your goodness, listen to our prayers. May all who seek you be welcomed at the banquet table of life. We offer our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
The Word of God counsels us not to lose heart when we are discouraged. We come as sons and daughters before our loving God to make intercession for all who seek help in difficult times.
We pray for Pope Leo and the bishops of our Church. May the Holy Spirit lead the Church 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 the people of our world whose lives have been devastated by natural or human-made disasters. May they be supported to rebuild their lives and communities.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
On this Refugee and Migrant Sunday, we pray for all people who were and are forced to leave their home countries, and for all people who have chosen to do so. May they find peace and acceptance in our land as they strive to make new lives for themselves.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community as we gather to worship God in the celebration of the Eucharist. May our community continue being the expression of our faith as we strive to remain faithful to the Gospel.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are ill in our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they share fully in the glory of God’s promise.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Gracious God and Father, steadfast in your kindness towards us, hear our prayers and let our joy be full. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
The Letter to the Hebrews encourages us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. It is through him that we now lift our hearts in prayer and make intercession for all who struggle for justice and wholeness.
We pray for Pope Leo and all Church leaders. May their lives and teachings give witness to a God who is compassionate and just.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the people of the world who are being persecuted because of their Christian beliefs. May they be strengthened in their resolve and stand firm in their beliefs, comforted by the words Jesus has given them.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who suffer from depression and who find it difficult to recognise a caring and listening God. May they experience God’s care through the love and compassion of others.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. Purified by Jesus and driven by zeal for him, may we experience the peace he promised.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are ill in our parish and for all 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 eternal kingdom and be rewarded for their faithful service.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of life, continue to be our help and deliverer as we come before the throne of your mercy. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Faith is confidence in the trustworthiness of God. Abraham had faith in God’s promise to him. As his spiritual descendants, we ask God to give us the same gift of faith as we make our intercession today.
We pray for Pope Leo and the bishops of our Church. May they always be mindful of their responsibility to guide those who are entrusted to their care.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
During this week of celebrating the feast of the Assumption of Mary, we pray for each of us gathered here. May we, like Mary, recognise how God works in and through us to bring life, goodness and hope to the world.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the people of our world who are enduring persecution and affliction. May peace be restored in their lands so that they can live in harmony with each other.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. Nourished by the Eucharist, may we reach out with compassion to others, especially to those in need.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are sick in our parish and for those who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those recently deceased and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May God reward their faith and lead them to the life he promised.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus, you tell us not to be afraid and to trust your Father’s generous love. Bless us and those who have entrusted their deepest needs to us. We place our hope in you because you are our Saviour.
Amen.
Today, we lift our hearts and pray that God’s compassion and mercy will be open to those who need it most.
We pray for Pope Leo and all Church leaders. May their appeals for world development as a step towards true peace be heard by all with a heartfelt response.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our nation during this week of celebrating the Feast of St Mary McKillop. May more people be inspired by her vision and example to embrace the Gospel with courage and creativity.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who work in all areas of human rights. Driven by their belief in the dignity of every human being, may their efforts bear fruitful outcomes.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community as we gather in worship. May we find meaning and fulfillment in what we already have, and may we reach out to provide for those in need.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray that those who are ill may be strengthened in their struggle and pain.
We pray for those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they share fully in the glory of God’s promise.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
God of life, receive these prayers of intercession. May your mercy flow abundantly to all who are in need. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Jesus teaches us to ask and we will receive, to seek and we will find, to knock and the door will be opened to us. Trusting in his words, we come with confidence before the throne of mercy.
We pray for Pope Leo and the priests of our Church who lead us in prayer. May Jesus foster in them a deep sense of response to the Spirit, as he did for his disciples.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are oppressed by any need. When life seems difficult, may Jesus’ encouragement to persevere in prayer help them pray in good faith.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the needs of the local community. May the Lord’s Prayer be a source of inspiration, especially for those who struggle to find their own words to pray.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for everyone in this community of faith. May we pray daily as Jesus taught us, praising God, thanking him for all we have been given, asking him for forgiveness and remembering to forgive others.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are sick in our parish and for all who take care of them.
We pray for those who sleep in Christ, especially those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they be brought to a full life with Christ.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Gracious Father, receive our prayers of petition. Whenever we call on you, we believe that you will answer us.
Amen.